· Get a Cloudy Nights T-Shirt · Submit a Review / Article    Click here if you are having trouble logging into the forums Cloudy Nights - Official Forums of the 2009 International Year of Astronomy Privacy Policy | Please read our Terms of Service | Signup and Troubleshooting FAQ | Problems? PM a Red or a Green Gu.... uh, User   You are not logged in. [Login] Forum Archives · Entrance · Main Index · Search · New user · Who's Online FAQ · Calendar Equipment Discussions >> Observatories Previous   Index   Next   Threaded   Pages: 1 | 2 | 3 | (show all) Mr.päivinen sage Reged: 07/29/06 Posts: 272 Loc: Rajamäki Finland Building Steel dome.       #3207808 - 07/09/09 10:37 AM Edit   Reply   Quote Quick Reply   Hi all! I have started to build a steel dome. I want to share some images of this project! STEELFRAME1 STEELFRAME2 Shutters will be very similar as an Ash Dome have. I am going to use Zinc anodized steel to cover this steelframe. This dome is going to be controlled with velleman USB experiment interface board Velleman K8055 and the driver for it is LesveDome This is interesting project for me becouse i have done already four fiberglass domes. Oh and the tool what i did make to curve those steelbars CURVETOOL Amazingly it work great as you can see! Mikko -------------------- MP-observatory finland http://www.kolumbus.fi/jappervokki/ C11". ST-2000XM/AO-7. CFW-8A. Edited by Mr.päivinen (07/09/09 10:41 AM) Post Extras:       Keith Howlett scholastic sledgehammer Reged: 03/06/07 Posts: 977 Loc: Northumberland, UK Re: Building Steel dome. [Re: Mr.päivinen]       #3207952 - 07/09/09 12:17 PM Edit   Reply   Quote Quick Reply   Hi Mikko, That's a real beauty, I wish I had your ability! I'll look forward to seeing more as the build progresses. Cheers, Keith Post Extras:       Mr.päivinen sage Reged: 07/29/06 Posts: 272 Loc: Rajamäki Finland Re: Building Steel dome. [Re: Keith Howlett]       #3207980 - 07/09/09 12:37 PM Edit   Reply   Quote Quick Reply   Thank`s Keith, I will add more photos and info when i get shutters ready. Mikko -------------------- MP-observatory finland http://www.kolumbus.fi/jappervokki/ C11". ST-2000XM/AO-7. CFW-8A. Post Extras:       Scott K Pooh-Bah Reged: 09/13/07 Posts: 1407 Loc: Dallas, TX & Eufaula, OK Re: Building Steel dome. [Re: Mr.päivinen]       #3208027 - 07/09/09 01:16 PM Edit   Reply   Quote Quick Reply   Wow, just wow. That is so impressive! Post Extras:       Chris Schroeder Postmaster Reged: 12/11/04 Posts: 6549 Loc: N.E. WI Sky Glow Re: Building Steel dome. [Re: Scott K]       #3208163 - 07/09/09 02:35 PM Edit   Reply   Quote Quick Reply   Yes, what Scott said, nice work Mikko -------------------- Chris Mallincam Color Hyper Plus 10" DSH with SC DSC, CPC 800 XLT M110 Doublet ED, AT 102Achro, ZS80FD 10th Anniv, ZS66SD, PST CG5-AGT, EZ-Touch, Voyager POD XL3 http://POD.SchroederCity.com Post Extras:       BigBadBrain super member Reged: 03/05/08 Posts: 122 Loc: Kent, Washington Re: Building Steel dome. [Re: Scott K]       #3208384 - 07/09/09 04:15 PM Edit   Reply   Quote Quick Reply   Any more pictures of how you built the curving tool? The whole project looks great! -------------------- Celestron CPC 800 Orion ST-80 w Orion Starshoot autoguider (in work) Orion XT-10i Newt ("She turned me into a newt!") Meade ETX-60 Refractor Post Extras:       Bob Myler sage Reged: 05/18/06 Posts: 224 Re: Building Steel dome. [Re: BigBadBrain]       #3209000 - 07/09/09 10:11 PM Edit   Reply   Quote Quick Reply   Very professional - and smooth, too. I count 11 gores on each side of the shutter. Mikko, ever consider quitting your day job? Post Extras:       AlienFirstClass professor emeritus Reged: 02/13/09 Posts: 736 Re: Building Steel dome. [Re: Bob Myler]       #3209140 - 07/09/09 11:44 PM Edit   Reply   Quote Quick Reply   I will be watching this discussion with interest. How will you connect the gore joints so there are no leaks? Post Extras:       AlienFirstClass professor emeritus Reged: 02/13/09 Posts: 736 Re: Building Steel dome. [Re: AlienFirstClass]       #3209149 - 07/09/09 11:48 PM Edit   Reply   Quote Quick Reply   Why steel rather than aluminum for the skin? Post Extras:       Mr.päivinen sage Reged: 07/29/06 Posts: 272 Loc: Rajamäki Finland Re: Building Steel dome. [Re: AlienFirstClass]       #3209286 - 07/10/09 01:28 AM Edit   Reply   Quote Quick Reply   Thank`s a lot of encouraging comments for all I made that curvetool at the old counterweights. It is important that the number one wheel profile is not flat becouse the steel of the innercurve needs more space than the outer curve or the pipe will not bend evenly. Round shape of the wheel one helps also keep the pipe on the line and it wont twist so easily. I adjust the pressure for the pipe moving the wheel one against wheel numbers 2 and 3 with the threaded rod (4) The pressure what is needed to get anything to happend is very much and i think 1000 kg is near. The structure of the tool must be very heavy or it will break up. I did bend the pipes back and forth about 15 times until i did have enough curve for 260 cm (9 feet) dome. It may be easier to understand how the gore joints is going to be made when i am at that point of the project, but i can say that the joints are going to be as the professional roof steel are made. It has been interesting to find out how the joints should be done and it is fun to realize that it is possible to do that also by my self. I use steel at this point becouse i dont have tools to build this at aluminium, but maybe some day i am rich enough to get those It would be awesome if i could do something like this as an day job, but unfortunately the markets are so small here in Finland. Mikko -------------------- MP-observatory finland http://www.kolumbus.fi/jappervokki/ C11". ST-2000XM/AO-7. CFW-8A. Post Extras:       AlienFirstClass professor emeritus Reged: 02/13/09 Posts: 736 Re: Building Steel dome. [Re: Mr.päivinen]       #3209995 - 07/10/09 12:54 PM Edit   Reply   Quote Quick Reply   Very nice observatory. http://www.kolumbus.fi/jappervokki/Laitteet.htm Do you have more pictures? I also am trying to translate your Finnish description to English but cannot cut and paste the text into a translator...why the problem? Thanks Post Extras:       Starman27 professor emeritus Reged: 01/29/06 Posts: 573 Loc: Illinois, Iowa Re: Building Steel dome. [Re: AlienFirstClass]       #3210073 - 07/10/09 01:32 PM Edit   Reply   Quote Quick Reply   Really nice work. I like your curving tool. -------------------- Enjoy the dark, Herman Meade 14 LX200 GPS SMT 12 LX200 GPS 7 LX200 Maksutov ETX 125 TAK FS128 NSV Sky 90II Lunt LS60ThaDS BF1200 Canon 5D Mark II Illinois Iowa Post Extras:       Mr.päivinen sage Reged: 07/29/06 Posts: 272 Loc: Rajamäki Finland Re: Building Steel dome. [Re: Starman27]       #3210176 - 07/10/09 02:27 PM Edit   Reply   Quote Quick Reply   Hi again and i am glad to hear that you like my observatory If you haven see the video of my observatory you can find it HERE in youtube I dont know why it wont translate that text at my web page. Thank`s Starman27 for the comment. Today i did rails for upper shutter what slides back of the dome and tomorrow i can start to build shutter`s. So far everything has gone well and i have done aprox 50-60 hours work with this dome. Wheel system will be similar as my glassfiber domes have and you can see how i did that in the youtube HERE!! Mikko -------------------- MP-observatory finland http://www.kolumbus.fi/jappervokki/ C11". ST-2000XM/AO-7. CFW-8A. Post Extras:       blatterjr sage Reged: 08/13/07 Posts: 264 Loc: Saint Petersburg Florida Re: Building Steel dome. [Re: Mr.päivinen]       #3210327 - 07/10/09 03:49 PM Edit   Reply   Quote Quick Reply   Beautiful... I love metalwork. -------------------- Robert --------------------- Meade 12-LX200-ACF BINO: Nikon AEX 10x50 6.5° DSLR: Nikon D70+CCPro2 --- Saint Petersburg Florida 27°47'22.92"N , 82°43'09.48"W Post Extras:       wbrogdo1 super member Reged: 05/21/08 Posts: 121 Loc: Lakeland, FL Re: Building Steel dome. [Re: blatterjr]       #3210404 - 07/10/09 04:35 PM Edit   Reply   Quote Quick Reply   Very nice!! -------------------- http://www.brogdon.ws/astronomy Post Extras:       Mr.päivinen sage Reged: 07/29/06 Posts: 272 Loc: Rajamäki Finland Re: Building Steel dome. [Re: wbrogdo1]       #3212059 - 07/11/09 02:26 PM Edit   Reply   Quote Quick Reply   Thank`S again Now my friend whos dome this will be have made electronics ready. Here is few images of it. Below the box with switches for manual operating and that rs-232 connector is plugin for the handcontroller. Today i have finished upper shutter and machanism for it. It slides smoothly with six ballbearings. Next i will do the lower shutter and wheel system for dome rotation. Mikko -------------------- MP-observatory finland http://www.kolumbus.fi/jappervokki/ C11". ST-2000XM/AO-7. CFW-8A. Post Extras:       Chris Schroeder Postmaster Reged: 12/11/04 Posts: 6549 Loc: N.E. WI Sky Glow Re: Building Steel dome. [Re: Mr.päivinen]       #3212206 - 07/11/09 03:56 PM Edit   Reply   Quote Quick Reply   Nice work on the door! -------------------- Chris Mallincam Color Hyper Plus 10" DSH with SC DSC, CPC 800 XLT M110 Doublet ED, AT 102Achro, ZS80FD 10th Anniv, ZS66SD, PST CG5-AGT, EZ-Touch, Voyager POD XL3 http://POD.SchroederCity.com Post Extras:       Mr.päivinen sage Reged: 07/29/06 Posts: 272 Loc: Rajamäki Finland Re: Building Steel dome. [Re: Chris Schroeder]       #3213164 - 07/12/09 02:57 AM Edit   Reply   Quote Quick Reply   Thank`s Chris! Mikko -------------------- MP-observatory finland http://www.kolumbus.fi/jappervokki/ C11". ST-2000XM/AO-7. CFW-8A. Post Extras:       Mr.päivinen sage Reged: 07/29/06 Posts: 272 Loc: Rajamäki Finland Re: Building Steel dome. [Re: Mr.päivinen]       #3213828 - 07/12/09 02:47 PM Edit   Reply   Quote Quick Reply   I added a short videoclip in the youtube what shows the shutter mechanism of this dome. Video can be seen HERE! Thank`s for watching Mikko -------------------- MP-observatory finland http://www.kolumbus.fi/jappervokki/ C11". ST-2000XM/AO-7. CFW-8A. Post Extras:       Pablo member Reged: 07/15/06 Posts: 63 Loc: Cali,Colombia SouthAmerica. Re: Building Steel dome. [Re: Mr.päivinen]       #3214322 - 07/12/09 08:09 PM Edit   Reply   Quote Quick Reply   cool. -------------------- Pablo A. Vasquez. CGE-1100,ED80,WO 66 SD Canon 350XT, DSI-pro, Nextimagen. GSO 200 F/4. Post Extras:       Pages: 1 | 2 | 3 | (show all) Previous   Index   Next   Threaded   Extra information 3 registered and 2 anonymous users are browsing this forum. 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