droid
rocketman
Reged: 08/29/04
Posts: 3052
Loc: ohio
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Well......................some of you may know I already have an observatory in the country at a dark sky site.
But with gas approaching 4.00 a gallon and me working 7 days a week, I dont get out there very much.
Oh yeah when the dark of the moon hits and Im not working I get out there about, 6 times last year . I know Pathetic, I do have retirement to look forward too. 
So................if I do observe its almost always Lady Luna and always after work.So I started thinking about a lunar dedicated observatory.
The first piece of that idea fell into my lap earlier this year when a friend said he had a 6 x 8 plastic shed .He wasn't going to use it, he payed almost 600 for it , I gave him 250.00 at income tax time
Fast forward a few months, and after much aggravation with my zoning board, I began work on my observatory / shed / deck.
Now before anyone asks, I will admit up front I stole all my ideas from fellow cloudy nighters.
The first was Chuck Domaracki and his "Observatory" similar to my shed .But after building the shed, I quickly began to realize the shed took most of its rigidity from the roof and frame.
Chucks web site: http://www.jemartool.com/astro/observatory/observatory.htm
Turn the page and I found Carol (Sidera)s tree house observatory.ok...hmmmmmmm
The 6 x 8 shed on a 12 foot deck would allow me to use it the same way carol does hers.
Carols site is here: http://tinyurl.com/557nbl
Today I built the deck, squared it , leveled it, and built the shed , just in time for a heavy rain storm. Took me about 6 hours start to finish, is it professional grade work?? nope. But its all Ill need.
Still need one more piece of three quarter inch exterior grade plywood to finish the deck.But thatll come next payday,hopefully.
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andy
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droid
rocketman
Reged: 08/29/04
Posts: 3052
Loc: ohio
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pic 2
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andy
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droid
rocketman
Reged: 08/29/04
Posts: 3052
Loc: ohio
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leveling the deck
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andy
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droid
rocketman
Reged: 08/29/04
Posts: 3052
Loc: ohio
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my helper
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andy
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droid
rocketman
Reged: 08/29/04
Posts: 3052
Loc: ohio
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three corners up
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andy
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droid
rocketman
Reged: 08/29/04
Posts: 3052
Loc: ohio
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shed all done
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andy
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Mike Lewis
sage
Reged: 01/20/05
Posts: 306
Loc: Near Mulliken, Michigan USA
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SWEET!!!!!!!!!!! 
Nice job Andy!!!
Best skies
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Mike
.......................
Meade 7" Mak
Home built 8" Dob
120mm Sywatcher refractor
76mm Borg
Home built 12.5" Truss, F/5.6 Zambuto
PST
Dunham Hill Observatory
"Most people never look up, what a shame...."
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csa/montana
Astro Ambassador
Reged: 05/14/05
Posts: 26948
Loc: montana
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Andy, Nice job! Tell the truth though, your helper did most of the work, right? 
Carol
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Carol
AstroTech 16" Dob (Thanks ASTRONOMICS!)
AstroTech 66ED / Vixen 80MF/AstroTech Voyager
Masuyama's 7.5, 15, 25W, 35mm,
Tak LE 5mm
7mm Pentax XL, 10mm Pentax XW
14mm Meade 4000 UWA
22mm Pan, 35mm Pan
DreamCatcher Dobservatory, #2
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droid
rocketman
Reged: 08/29/04
Posts: 3052
Loc: ohio
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thanks for the kind words yall......theres still a lot to do, finish th decking, put up some kind of sideing all the way around, the whole idea is to let me observe without fear of running "afoul" of my black and white kittys I have nightly in my yard, or the ground hogs who have theyre babys under my shed annually then move on in the early fall or late summer.Or even the semi weekly raids the raccoons, who will and have forced theyre way through my window screens to get to the cat food.
I have some old privacy fence, still in pretty decent condition, I might wrap the open part of the deck with that to create in a sence walls with no ceiling.we'll see.
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andy
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Chris Schroeder
Post Laureate
Reged: 12/11/04
Posts: 4923
Loc: N.E. WI Sky Glow
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Looking good Andy
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Chris
Mallincam Color Hyper Plus
10" DSH with SC DSC, CPC 800 XLT
M102ED S.V., ZS 80FD 10th Anniv, ZS 66SD, PST
POD XL3 http://POD.SchroederCity.com
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droid
rocketman
Reged: 08/29/04
Posts: 3052
Loc: ohio
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Thanks Chris ....that means a lot.
2 more photos......the first from this morning
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andy
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droid
rocketman
Reged: 08/29/04
Posts: 3052
Loc: ohio
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and this evening........
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andy
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Digital Don
scholastic sledgehammer
Reged: 01/20/04
Posts: 836
Loc: Manteno
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That's a very nice setup! You'll probably wonder how you ever did without it before.
Don
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droid
rocketman
Reged: 08/29/04
Posts: 3052
Loc: ohio
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yessiree bob ...Don....its skunk proof, ground hog proof, and raccoon (mostly)proof.
The fact that it sheilds my neighbors three outside lights. Is a plus,lol.
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andy
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droid
rocketman
Reged: 08/29/04
Posts: 3052
Loc: ohio
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right down the middle.This should be the last ...I think. I cant wait for first light. In the mean time I have a tree to trim.
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andy
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csa/montana
Astro Ambassador
Reged: 05/14/05
Posts: 26948
Loc: montana
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Andy, what a nice setup you have there! The fence completes it for stray light.
Great idea!
Carol
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Carol
AstroTech 16" Dob (Thanks ASTRONOMICS!)
AstroTech 66ED / Vixen 80MF/AstroTech Voyager
Masuyama's 7.5, 15, 25W, 35mm,
Tak LE 5mm
7mm Pentax XL, 10mm Pentax XW
14mm Meade 4000 UWA
22mm Pan, 35mm Pan
DreamCatcher Dobservatory, #2
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oldsalt
Astro Philosopher
Reged: 02/12/05
Posts: 7935
Loc: Pa - between starparties
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Looking good, Andy.
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Jim
"A professional warrior prays for peace and trains for war. All else is folly."
Atlas mount
AT Voyager w wooden tripod
ETX70 "Lilliput"
AT80EDT(carbon fiber) "Beauty"
Antares 127mm refractor "Star Walker"
12XTi "Skyclops"
LX200GPS OTA "Blue Boy"
AT66ED " Silver Surfer"
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WidowMaker
professor emeritus
Reged: 12/29/07
Posts: 666
Loc: Frankfort, Ky
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Good for you, Andy! Looks very nice!
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Sleep is the Cousin of Death
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helpwanted
Carpal Tunnel
Reged: 07/04/07
Posts: 1673
Loc: Phoenix, AZ
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that's a beauty! if i tryed taking up that much backyard, my girlfriend would kick me out!! you are lucky!!
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100mm f6 Achro
XT8 (8" f6)
EPs: Hyper, Pan, Axiom, TMB
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droid
rocketman
Reged: 08/29/04
Posts: 3052
Loc: ohio
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Thanks for the kind remarks.....they are much appreciated.
Yesterday I climbed up into my grandsons fort 6 feet above the ground and set up an 8 foot step ladder inside the fort , then climbed four steps and started sawing off branches, naturally I didnt have any safety glasses , so I kept looking down, and the limb split off a little over half way through or so , and smacked me in the head.
Man do I hate trees.... 
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andy
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