dymy24
member
Reged: 07/28/08
Posts: 34
Loc: Fayetteville, NC
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Tired of lugging equipment in and out of the garage. Also tired of using that as an excuse not to observe. Seems a BYO is the answer, so I got started this weekend.
It'll be a Roll Off Roof. My location isn't ideal, but it is close and I'll use it often. I live in a neighborhood with streetlights, but my hous actually shields the backyard reasonably well. I have an existing 12x16 storage shed, but I don't want to tackle making the roof movable, so I'll build an 8x12 dedicated shed. I've drawn dozens of rough sketches. My current plan is 8x8 for the scope, 4x8 for a warm room of sorts. Really just a place for a table, chair, computer, etc.
Hole's dug, base is poured, pier is pretty much done. I'll start on the building on Friday.
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Astrophotograhphy novice
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dymy24
member
Reged: 07/28/08
Posts: 34
Loc: Fayetteville, NC
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The light pole was free - a golf buddy had six or seven of them laying around his family's farm
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Astrophotograhphy novice
Edited by dymy24 (11/03/09 09:39 PM)
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dymy24
member
Reged: 07/28/08
Posts: 34
Loc: Fayetteville, NC
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Cutting it to length was a job.
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Astrophotograhphy novice
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dymy24
member
Reged: 07/28/08
Posts: 34
Loc: Fayetteville, NC
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Adding a top plate was easy. Carried everything to my pops house, threatened to weld it myself, sttod back and watched as he did the work.
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Astrophotograhphy novice
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dymy24
member
Reged: 07/28/08
Posts: 34
Loc: Fayetteville, NC
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The plate isn't as bad as the photo makes it look.
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Astrophotograhphy novice
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dymy24
member
Reged: 07/28/08
Posts: 34
Loc: Fayetteville, NC
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Finished the pier by 7:30 PM, couldn't not test fit it all on the base. Hate the time change - dark so early.
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Astrophotograhphy novice
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dymy24
member
Reged: 07/28/08
Posts: 34
Loc: Fayetteville, NC
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And as long as we're test fitting, might as well try the mount.
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Astrophotograhphy novice
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csa/montana
Wild Spirit
Reged: 05/14/05
Posts: 40141
Loc: montana
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Congratulations! You have made the plunge  We'll be looking forward to your observatory starting to take shape!
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Carol
AstroTech 16" Dob (Thanks ASTRONOMICS!)
Vixen 80MF/AstroTech Voyager
Masuyama's 7.5, 15, 25W, 35mm,
Pentaxes; 5XW, 7XL, 10XW.
14mm Meade 4000 UWA
TV Panoptics; 22, 35
DreamCatcher Dobservatory, #2
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Chris Schroeder
Postmaster
Reged: 12/11/04
Posts: 6548
Loc: N.E. WI Sky Glow
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Well done!
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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
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dymy24
member
Reged: 07/28/08
Posts: 34
Loc: Fayetteville, NC
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Quote:
Congratulations! You have made the plunge We'll be looking forward to your observatory starting to take shape!
Thank you. Of course, nothing I do will be an inovation. Every feature will come from something I've learned on CloudyNights. Still, I'll post pictures and keep a log of the build - that way others can avoid my mistakes.
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Astrophotograhphy novice
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csa/montana
Wild Spirit
Reged: 05/14/05
Posts: 40141
Loc: montana
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That's what this forum is all about; sharing ideas & encouraging others to keep on building!  Each observatory build brings back memories of when ours was being built.
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Carol
AstroTech 16" Dob (Thanks ASTRONOMICS!)
Vixen 80MF/AstroTech Voyager
Masuyama's 7.5, 15, 25W, 35mm,
Pentaxes; 5XW, 7XL, 10XW.
14mm Meade 4000 UWA
TV Panoptics; 22, 35
DreamCatcher Dobservatory, #2
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Digital Don
Pooh-Bah
Reged: 01/20/04
Posts: 1281
Loc: Manteno
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Keep up the good work!
Don
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LateViewer
scholastic sledgehammer
Reged: 11/17/05
Posts: 780
Loc: Westchester NY
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Just curious, how deep is the hole and what is that dirt? A gray clay?
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12.5" Discovery Mirror String Truss Dob
DSV-1 Alt-Az Mount
WO 66mm Petzval
Orion 127mm Mak with WO 2" Dielectric Diagonal
C9.25"
Celestron CG-5 GoTo
8.8, 14, 18, and 24mm Meade UWA Series 5000 EP
32, 40mm Orion Optiluxe EP
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Doug76
Postmaster
Reged: 12/05/07
Posts: 5537
Loc: SE Louisiana, future Texan
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So first you dig a hole, right?
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Yep, that's how it starts. 
Then the fun really begins. I too found help here looking over others' efforts here, so mine, while not quite done, is now usable. It makes for a much more satisfying, and relaxed viewing session. You'll be glad you did it.
I made mine 10x10, and will be adding a 8x8 combined warm (cool?) room/equipment storage room under the roll off rail structure.
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Doug
Truckstop Astronomer
The Universe, the light of God, in all it's majesty
6 achro refractors 50mm-150mm
1 apo refractor 90mm
1 SCT 8inch
UO Abbe Volcano Tops
Faworski Ortho's
Panoptic 24mm
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f29pc
professor emeritus
Reged: 05/23/05
Posts: 650
Loc: Maine
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Yep, but you have to dig a BIG hole!!!
Good luck, your going to love it.
Paul
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12" LX200 UHTC OTA
10" LX200 EMC
WO 105mm APO, 80mm APO, 66mm APO
MI250
Next day air makes every night X-mas eve!
www.burkesobservatory.com
Edited by f29pc (11/05/09 09:26 PM)
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csa/montana
Wild Spirit
Reged: 05/14/05
Posts: 40141
Loc: montana
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Now, that's gonna be a big pier!
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Carol
AstroTech 16" Dob (Thanks ASTRONOMICS!)
Vixen 80MF/AstroTech Voyager
Masuyama's 7.5, 15, 25W, 35mm,
Pentaxes; 5XW, 7XL, 10XW.
14mm Meade 4000 UWA
TV Panoptics; 22, 35
DreamCatcher Dobservatory, #2
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dymy24
member
Reged: 07/28/08
Posts: 34
Loc: Fayetteville, NC
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Quote:
Yep, but you have to dig a BIG hole!!!
Good luck, your going to love it.
Paul
In that photo, the hole is about 2 feet deep and round. The final hole, ready for the pour, was 3.5 feet square along the base, tapered to two feet square at the top. The soil is fairly loose black earth. We have no frost line here.
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Astrophotograhphy novice
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mikey cee
Post Laureate
Reged: 01/18/07
Posts: 3507
Loc: bellevue ne.
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I don't know there. You factor in wall thicknesses and 8x8 is going to be too small. You'll learn the hard way like many others. Doen't cost much more to go with an absolute 10x10 minimum. Rethink it I think you might reconsider.   Mike
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7x35 and 10x50 sears tower binocs, 3" f/10 edmunds reflector, 2.4" f/11.7 manon refractor, 6" f/8 jaegers refractor, "The 8 Ball" 8" f/13.3 brandt refractor, 3" f/15.8 sans&streiffe refractor, 3.1" f/15 selsi refractor(towa 339), 2.4" f/15 sears refractor, selsi 30x30mm spyglass, criterion 5-draw 25x45x75x spyglass(1957), 4.25" f/14.8 tasco 20te.
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dymy24
member
Reged: 07/28/08
Posts: 34
Loc: Fayetteville, NC
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You might be right. I know it'll be close. Unfortunately, I have space and size constraints. In any event, I framed the floor today, so it would involve some work and additional expense to start over.
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Astrophotograhphy novice
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LateViewer
scholastic sledgehammer
Reged: 11/17/05
Posts: 780
Loc: Westchester NY
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8*8,is what I have and I wish I could have built larger but 8*8 was the max I could build without a building permit.
I think you find after the basic construction that you start to "fit" the observatory to you personally with shelves etc.
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12.5" Discovery Mirror String Truss Dob
DSV-1 Alt-Az Mount
WO 66mm Petzval
Orion 127mm Mak with WO 2" Dielectric Diagonal
C9.25"
Celestron CG-5 GoTo
8.8, 14, 18, and 24mm Meade UWA Series 5000 EP
32, 40mm Orion Optiluxe EP
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Doug76
Postmaster
Reged: 12/05/07
Posts: 5537
Loc: SE Louisiana, future Texan
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Quote:
I don't know there. You factor in wall thicknesses and 8x8 is going to be too small. You'll learn the hard way like many others. Doen't cost much more to go with an absolute 10x10 minimum. Rethink it I think you might reconsider.
Mike
I agree. I laid out an 8x8, then plopped my mount and largest scope in the middle of it. It was too small. Then I laid out a 10x10, and it was perfect. Nothing comes near a wall, and you can walk around the scope. I used my C6R as my test scope, being the longest one I had. And I found a wall height of 6 1/2ft to be perfect.
But I'm sure you'll be fine.
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Doug
Truckstop Astronomer
The Universe, the light of God, in all it's majesty
6 achro refractors 50mm-150mm
1 apo refractor 90mm
1 SCT 8inch
UO Abbe Volcano Tops
Faworski Ortho's
Panoptic 24mm
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RobertED
professor emeritus
Reged: 07/11/03
Posts: 1188
Loc: Johnston, RI
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Progress Loooooking Goooood!!!  
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dymy24
member
Reged: 07/28/08
Posts: 34
Loc: Fayetteville, NC
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I work for the gubmint - so today was a holiday. I had planned to get the framing and siding done. Instead, we had the remnants of Hurricane Ida blow through. I finally got tired of sitting in the house pouting about the weather, so I slipped my wet weather gear on and got the framing almost done.
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Astrophotograhphy novice
Edited by dymy24 (11/11/09 03:57 PM)
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LateViewer
scholastic sledgehammer
Reged: 11/17/05
Posts: 780
Loc: Westchester NY
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Zipping along.
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12.5" Discovery Mirror String Truss Dob
DSV-1 Alt-Az Mount
WO 66mm Petzval
Orion 127mm Mak with WO 2" Dielectric Diagonal
C9.25"
Celestron CG-5 GoTo
8.8, 14, 18, and 24mm Meade UWA Series 5000 EP
32, 40mm Orion Optiluxe EP
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dymy24
member
Reged: 07/28/08
Posts: 34
Loc: Fayetteville, NC
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Quote:
Zipping along.
Work is at a standstill for at least a few days. We still have steady rain and high winds, and there isn't much more to do that doesn't involve carrying 4x8 sheets. Not a one-man job in this weather.
Oh well - I spent the first 48 years without an observatory. I can wait a few more weeks.
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Astrophotograhphy novice
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dymy24
member
Reged: 07/28/08
Posts: 34
Loc: Fayetteville, NC
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The weather was almost perfect htis weekend - mid 70s, clear, no wind. Played golf and plugged away on the project.
Edited by dymy24 (11/15/09 05:26 PM)
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RobVG
professor emeritus
Reged: 01/09/06
Posts: 737
Loc: Seattle Washington
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I like the siding you're using. That's not T1-11 is it?
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C11 SGT(XLT)CG-5
Observatory (page 5)
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dymy24
member
Reged: 07/28/08
Posts: 34
Loc: Fayetteville, NC
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Quote:
I like the siding you're using. That's not T1-11 is it?
The brand name may be different, but it's pretty much the same thing. 4x8 sheet, thin, with a pattern of verticle lines every 4 inches. It's functional and paintable, and matches the siding on the storage shed on the opposite side of the back yard.
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Astrophotograhphy novice
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Jimmy2K63
Pooh-Bah
Reged: 04/26/09
Posts: 1179
Loc: Kentucky
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Hey looking really nice. I like the T1-11 look myself. I'm looking forward to more photos. I like photos . 
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http://astronomyguy63.blogspot.com/
LXD75 SN6-UHTC
Cave Astrola 10" f/5
Garrett 15x70/FarSight
Canon XS (1000D)
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dymy24
member
Reged: 07/28/08
Posts: 34
Loc: Fayetteville, NC
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Quote:
Hey looking really nice. I like the T1-11 look myself. I'm looking forward to more photos. I like photos .
I have about 45 minutes of daylight after I get home from work. For the last few days, that's been just about enough time to discover some mistake I've already made and correct it.
As soon as there is a substantive change, I'll post a few pictures. I hope to have the siding and interior wall complete and the roof rails installed by the end of this weekend. Then I'll frame the roof on the ground and take advantage of all my brothers being at my house on thanksgiving to help me set it on the walls.
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Astrophotograhphy novice
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dymy24
member
Reged: 07/28/08
Posts: 34
Loc: Fayetteville, NC
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It's jus a cell phone camera, but it is from inside the observatory and it is of the sun and moon.
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Astrophotograhphy novice
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csa/montana
Wild Spirit
Reged: 05/14/05
Posts: 40141
Loc: montana
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Quote:
Quote:
I like the siding you're using. That's not T1-11 is it?
The brand name may be different, but it's pretty much the same thing. 4x8 sheet, thin, with a pattern of verticle lines every 4 inches. It's functional and paintable, and matches the siding on the storage shed on the opposite side of the back yard.
It's not T-111, as I have that on my house; it's thicker than this, & the "stripes" are not an even 4". I have the same siding that you have put on your Observatory, on mine, You will love it!
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Carol
AstroTech 16" Dob (Thanks ASTRONOMICS!)
Vixen 80MF/AstroTech Voyager
Masuyama's 7.5, 15, 25W, 35mm,
Pentaxes; 5XW, 7XL, 10XW.
14mm Meade 4000 UWA
TV Panoptics; 22, 35
DreamCatcher Dobservatory, #2
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