lineman_16735
Tak-o-holic
Reged: 12/04/04
Posts: 3118
Loc: Central PA
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Small world. i was born in Plattsburg and grew up in a very small town about 30 miles south of Plattsburgh. I miss Frontier Town:-)
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Chris
X-Astronomer
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Rick Needham
Vendor (ExploraDome)
Reged: 09/20/05
Posts: 1962
Loc: Fort Ann, NY
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Quote:
Small world. i was born in Plattsburg and grew up in a very small town about 30 miles south of Plattsburgh. I miss Frontier Town:-)
Hi Chris. What very small town would that be? Ah yes....Frontier Town! Went there a few times as a very young kid 
Check this link out: HERE
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Rick
Lat. 44.18 N
Long. 74.31 W
6" STAR HOC f/5 Newtonian 'Amanda'- Orion Astroview w/ dual axis drives
Celestron NexImage CCD Imager
10x50 binocs
(NSO)Northern Skies Observatory...I'm finally domed with the 8' diameter Explora-Dome!!!
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lineman_16735
Tak-o-holic
Reged: 12/04/04
Posts: 3118
Loc: Central PA
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The town is Willsboro, right on the shore of Lake Champlain. Less than 1000 residents and a school system that is home to 5 towns and about 350 kids K-12! Awesome skies and even better landscapes...oh I miss it. Cool link to the Frontier town website! I chickened out when the robbers came aboard our train  I was sad to hear that the park is no longer running, atleast there is still the Great Escape!
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Chris
X-Astronomer
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nytecam
Postmaster
Reged: 08/20/05
Posts: 9841
Loc: London UK
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Hi Rick - nice progress pic  I was just wondering with all that rain you've been getting just how tall do those nearby trees get - 
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Nytecam 51N 0.1W
Meade 30cm LX200+C8+Ha+CaK PSTs+spectrographs
SX M9+Lodestar-C CCDs/Canon 300D DSLR
My Meade astrograph-colour deepsky
My supernova discovery
My dome build/spectroscopes/DSO images/Lodestar colour images & videos
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Rick Needham
Vendor (ExploraDome)
Reged: 09/20/05
Posts: 1962
Loc: Fort Ann, NY
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Stopped long enough to snap a quick picture while applying the second coat of stain on the exterior walls. Here, the wall to the West is nearly finished with its second coat. The South wall has not been done a second time yet, and it shows. A second coat helps both the color and protection vastly 
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Rick
Lat. 44.18 N
Long. 74.31 W
6" STAR HOC f/5 Newtonian 'Amanda'- Orion Astroview w/ dual axis drives
Celestron NexImage CCD Imager
10x50 binocs
(NSO)Northern Skies Observatory...I'm finally domed with the 8' diameter Explora-Dome!!!
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Michael Rapp
Carpal Tunnel
Reged: 04/27/04
Posts: 2576
Loc: Dickinson, TX
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Looking good...and look at the beautiful blue sky!
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--Michael
Meade 8" f/6 Dob, Lunt 35mm | TeleVue 32, 13, 7.4 Plossls
Observatory: 10/27/2006 (First Light) - 9/13/2008 (Hurricane Ike)
My Sketches | Michael_in_TX on NSN
I am looking for a 1980s Edmund Scientific 3" f/10 red-tube reflector, PM me if you have or know of one!
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Rick Needham
Vendor (ExploraDome)
Reged: 09/20/05
Posts: 1962
Loc: Fort Ann, NY
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I'm gaining. I just now finally pryed the paintbrush from my hand  Two of the walls finished with the staining. I painted the floor framing boards white. I still have a little less than two walls left to get the second coat of stain. Then I can continue on with the white trim work. The last things to go on will the the 4" trim boards on all the corners. These will also be painted white and then screwed into place. This way, years down the road when they need to be re-painted, they'll be easier to detach 
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Rick
Lat. 44.18 N
Long. 74.31 W
6" STAR HOC f/5 Newtonian 'Amanda'- Orion Astroview w/ dual axis drives
Celestron NexImage CCD Imager
10x50 binocs
(NSO)Northern Skies Observatory...I'm finally domed with the 8' diameter Explora-Dome!!!
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Rick Needham
Vendor (ExploraDome)
Reged: 09/20/05
Posts: 1962
Loc: Fort Ann, NY
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Here's the pier now after 3 coats of white latex paint. I still have numerous "pin holes" pockmarked all around the pier. I doesn't matter how many times you go over them with the paint...they still show. Oh well.
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Rick
Lat. 44.18 N
Long. 74.31 W
6" STAR HOC f/5 Newtonian 'Amanda'- Orion Astroview w/ dual axis drives
Celestron NexImage CCD Imager
10x50 binocs
(NSO)Northern Skies Observatory...I'm finally domed with the 8' diameter Explora-Dome!!!
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Scott Horstman
Vendor - Backyard Observatories
Reged: 03/11/04
Posts: 13088
Loc: Too Far North, USA
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Wish I'd have seen this sooner. You could have mixed up a batch of really loose mortar (sort of gravy like) and painted it with that before takinkg the latex to it. That fills the holes that are left in such a case. Would have made a real nice finish.
Advice when pouring a sono-tube pier, when you finish the pour tap the tube with a hammer to bring the mix in to the gaps for a nice finish.
Nice job though!
Scott
AKA S*#& A$!
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Scott
"The object in life is not to be on the side of the majority, but to escape finding oneself in the ranks of the insane."
Marcus Aurelius (AD 121-180)
www.backyardobservatories.com
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Rick Needham
Vendor (ExploraDome)
Reged: 09/20/05
Posts: 1962
Loc: Fort Ann, NY
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Quote:
Wish I'd have seen this sooner. You could have mixed up a batch of really loose mortar (sort of gravy like) and painted it with that before takinkg the latex to it. That fills the holes that are left in such a case. Would have made a real nice finish.
Advice when pouring a sono-tube pier, when you finish the pour tap the tube with a hammer to bring the mix in to the gaps for a nice finish.
Nice job though!
Scott
AKA S*#& A$!
Scott,
I did tap the outside of the sonotube repeatidly with a hammer after the concreate pours were finished. This, after taking a small diameter metal rod and poking down thru the wet concreate first. 
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Rick
Lat. 44.18 N
Long. 74.31 W
6" STAR HOC f/5 Newtonian 'Amanda'- Orion Astroview w/ dual axis drives
Celestron NexImage CCD Imager
10x50 binocs
(NSO)Northern Skies Observatory...I'm finally domed with the 8' diameter Explora-Dome!!!
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John M
professor emeritus
Reged: 12/01/03
Posts: 571
Loc: Mesa/Tucson, AZ
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Rick,
It may still be possible to use Masonry Filler on the painted pier. Masonry filler is a high solids paint product put on CMU block to fill the uneven surface before painting. The real question is if the paint you used is compatible with the masonry fillers. A good paint store representitive should be able to determine this.
Good luck.
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John M
Mesa/Tucson, AZ
8" Sky View Pro Newt
90mm Meade 386D Refractor
60 mm Monlux Refractor
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BCB
Undercover Saboteur
Reged: 11/24/03
Posts: 6857
Loc: Look over your shoulder
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If that don't work, you could always use wallboard compound to fill the holes.. No worries about adhesement either, plus easily sandable/paintable afterwards.
Edited by BCB (07/04/06 12:49 PM)
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Scott Horstman
Vendor - Backyard Observatories
Reged: 03/11/04
Posts: 13088
Loc: Too Far North, USA
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Quote:
If that don't work, you could always use wallboard compound to fill the holes.. No worries about adhesement either, plus easily sandable/paintable afterwards.
Yeah. Maybe Dura-Bond. No need to worry too much about moisture then.
Long time no see Mark. Hope all is good.
Scott
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Scott
"The object in life is not to be on the side of the majority, but to escape finding oneself in the ranks of the insane."
Marcus Aurelius (AD 121-180)
www.backyardobservatories.com
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Rick Needham
Vendor (ExploraDome)
Reged: 09/20/05
Posts: 1962
Loc: Fort Ann, NY
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Today is the perfect day to have a paint brush in hand. Mostly overcast with some breaks of sun. Low humidity and in the upper 70's. All of the exterior staining is now done, with the exception of a door, whenever I can get one made In the lower left hand corner are corner trim boards, laid out between a pair of sawhorses. Just hitting them with several coats of white before being attached. I'm still debating whether or not I'm going to build any steps in front of the doorway. I probably will, even though it's a very short step up inside.The white Explora-Dome is due to arrive here either Sunday or Monday. I'm getting the white roof transition segments as well. All that white sitting on top of the light Cape Cod Gray with white trim is what I'm hoping will really set it off  Here's a picture from a different angle.
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Rick
Lat. 44.18 N
Long. 74.31 W
6" STAR HOC f/5 Newtonian 'Amanda'- Orion Astroview w/ dual axis drives
Celestron NexImage CCD Imager
10x50 binocs
(NSO)Northern Skies Observatory...I'm finally domed with the 8' diameter Explora-Dome!!!
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Rick Needham
Vendor (ExploraDome)
Reged: 09/20/05
Posts: 1962
Loc: Fort Ann, NY
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I managed to get two corners finished with the 4" trim boards yesterday. Just a few minutes ago, I recieved a phone call from the PolyDome truck driver out on the road. He'll be here tomorrow before NOON with my dome! He'll also be dropping off a second dome here for Spoonsize, AKA: Steve Durham!
Happy days are finally here, and I expect tomorrow's gonna feel just like Christmas in July!
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Rick
Lat. 44.18 N
Long. 74.31 W
6" STAR HOC f/5 Newtonian 'Amanda'- Orion Astroview w/ dual axis drives
Celestron NexImage CCD Imager
10x50 binocs
(NSO)Northern Skies Observatory...I'm finally domed with the 8' diameter Explora-Dome!!!
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dgs©
Postmaster
Reged: 03/29/04
Posts: 15091
Loc: West Monroe, Louisiana
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Hammer faster. You'll want to put that dome on top post haste.
I can hardly wait to see it.
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- david
8"Ø Newtonian on SVP, Moonlite CR2, Telrad
PST Oberwerk Ultra 15x70 Orion Ultraview 10×50
Hand-me-down Sears Refractor (Discoverer) 60mm×900mm
"What we have done for ourselves alone dies with us; what we have done for others and the world, remains and is immortal." --Albert Pike
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Galaxyhunter
Carpal Tunnel
Reged: 01/02/06
Posts: 2315
Loc: Northern Illinois
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Rick, Looking good  . So tomorrow you'll probbly be up at dawn & looking down the driveway every 15 min to see if the trucks comming?  . Do you have the feeling of a kid in the candy store?
Congrats on your dome delivery. You have been waiting a long time.
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Carl
Observatory temperature experiment
Weather Station @ Hawkeye Observatory
My lousy skies at Hawkeye Observatory H52
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MMICKELS
Aluminum Knight
Reged: 01/20/04
Posts: 36050
Loc: Land of Shake and Bake
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Rick the white trim sets off the grey stain nicely! Congratulations on getting your dome!
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Mark
I'm going outside to stand, so if anyone asks I am outstanding.
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JAT Observatory
NOT a Wimp
Reged: 02/20/05
Posts: 8893
Loc: In the Primordial Soup
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Ok Rick..its almost 12:30 where is that dome?
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-Marcus
Hey what did you expect? After all, I am just a pig with a nice smile!
www.jatobservatory.org
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Rick Needham
Vendor (ExploraDome)
Reged: 09/20/05
Posts: 1962
Loc: Fort Ann, NY
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Quote:
Ok Rick..its almost 12:30 where is that dome?
Right here Marcus 
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Rick
Lat. 44.18 N
Long. 74.31 W
6" STAR HOC f/5 Newtonian 'Amanda'- Orion Astroview w/ dual axis drives
Celestron NexImage CCD Imager
10x50 binocs
(NSO)Northern Skies Observatory...I'm finally domed with the 8' diameter Explora-Dome!!!
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