Telescope Reviews: Plans have arrived....and so it begins

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David81
sage

Reged: 05/17/10

Loc: NE Ohio

Re: Plans have arrived....and so it begins new

new

[Re: David81]
#5282154 - 06/21/12 11:48 AM

Ok. I think I've got this bit figured out now.

Dig the holes myself with help of the auger to remove a good portion of the earth. Cart it all away to the back corner of the lot.

$365 for delivery of 2.5 yards + $100 rental of concrete buggy to shuttle the stuff back to the site.

What do you guys recommend for the pier base shape? Just a square with the mounting bolts at ground level or should I raise up a portion at the center of the base to have the mounting point higher than the grade?

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PatHolland
Carpal Tunnel

Reged: 10/11/09

Loc: Clever, Missouri

Re: Plans have arrived....and so it begins new

new

[Re: David81]
#5283659 - 06/22/12 11:16 AM

Hey David! I am about a month away from starting construction on my OBS. I am very interested in what you are doing. How large is your warm room? Why did you decide to go with a aluminum pier as opposed to just a concrete pier?

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David81
sage

Reged: 05/17/10

Loc: NE Ohio

Re: Plans have arrived....and so it begins new

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[Re: PatHolland]
#5283665 - 06/22/12 11:20 AM

Hi Pat,

Exciting times, eh?

The warm room will be about 8 x 16 (minus wall thickness), leaving about 16 x 16 for the scope area with 2 piers.

My reason for going with steel piers is the ability to change things up relatively easily if my needs change down the road. If I need to change pier height, it's much easier to do by altering the steel pier or just making a new one if need be. Having a couple metal workers in our astro club doesn't hurt either

What sort of obs are you planning?

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PatHolland
Carpal Tunnel

Reged: 10/11/09

Loc: Clever, Missouri

Re: Plans have arrived....and so it begins new

new

[Re: David81]
#5283682 - 06/22/12 11:34 AM

I am planning a 16X20 dual pier ROR OBS. I am looking for ideas on the BEST way to accomplish this as well as ways to save money. I will be going slowly, as money and time allows. I hope to have it finished by November. Mine will be solar powered (for the most part) on my property here in Clever, MO. The warm room will most likely be 6X10 (cheaper to keep cool or warm). I already have the solar equipment (purchased last year when I started planning it). Will have approximately 60 AMPS @ 12V at peak solar efficiency charging 2-6volt 245AH batteries (almost 500 AH). I will also have regular 110V service in the OBS but will try to run as much as I can on the batteries. I am not as handy as most on CN, so have to contract out some of the work.
Exciting times to say the least, been planning for almost 2 years but looks like this is the summer work will begin. I just looked into steel pier pricing....OUCH! I definitely get your point on the aspect of changing things up as needed, with concrete piers, that would be VERY difficult. I'd like to keep in touch with you as you continue on with the project if you don't mind.

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David81
sage

Reged: 05/17/10

Loc: NE Ohio

Re: Plans have arrived....and so it begins new

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[Re: PatHolland]
#5283699 - 06/22/12 11:47 AM

Regarding the piers, if you have a scrap yard around and someone who can do some welding you should be able to get a nice pier made for around $100 or less from what I've seen.

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PatHolland
Carpal Tunnel

Reged: 10/11/09

Loc: Clever, Missouri

Re: Plans have arrived....and so it begins new

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[Re: David81]
#5283707 - 06/22/12 11:52 AM

I have had that advice given to me before but I really don't know how to accomplish that. I will be looking into that shortly. I priced 2 steel piers for $900.00 each (10 inch thick, 6 feet high) and shipping was almost $500.00. The only nice thing about them was that the pier head rotated...but for $2300...I think I am going to have to make a trip to the scrap yard...

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rwiederrich
Goldfinger

Reged: 11/17/05

Loc: Always Dark skies of Belfair W...

Re: Plans have arrived....and so it begins new

new

[Re: PatHolland]
#5283824 - 06/22/12 01:06 PM

Quote:

I have had that advice given to me before but I really don't know how to accomplish that. I will be looking into that shortly. I priced 2 steel piers for $900.00 each (10 inch thick, 6 feet high) and shipping was almost $500.00. The only nice thing about them was that the pier head rotated...but for $2300...I think I am going to have to make a trip to the scrap yard...

Pat..save money by checking in with your local underground pipe companies. There is one near by my place and they sell all kinds of well made pipe..3"~ 12"(the size you might need), with pre-welded flanges to connect themselves. These pipes come in all manner of legths and you can easily bolt them down to your concrete floor and then easily bolt your mount to it or have a particular plate made. I've even priced used ones for a $100. Way more inexpensive then those custom made ones for telescopes.

I'm telling you...they are perfect. Look em up.

Rob

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PatHolland
Carpal Tunnel

Reged: 10/11/09

Loc: Clever, Missouri

Re: Plans have arrived....and so it begins new

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[Re: rwiederrich]
#5283857 - 06/22/12 01:22 PM

That's great advice Rob. I will look into this next week. Thanks!

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Mary B
Vendor - Echo Astronomy and Electronics

Reged: 05/21/10

Loc: Minnesota

Re: Plans have arrived....and so it begins new

new

[Re: PatHolland]
#5283960 - 06/22/12 02:19 PM

2 1/2 inch aluminum plates, 6 feet of 8 inch dia 1/4 inch wall aluminum tubing. 6 foot threaded rods and bolt couplers are what went into my pier.

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PatHolland
Carpal Tunnel

Reged: 10/11/09

Loc: Clever, Missouri

Re: Plans have arrived....and so it begins new

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[Re: Mary B]
#5284074 - 06/22/12 03:51 PM

Hi Mary...I lived in Minnetonka for 24 years but have since moved out of state.. I see you are in Minnesota. Did you fill in your aluminum tube with sand or anything to prevent harmonics?

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Mary B
Vendor - Echo Astronomy and Electronics

Reged: 05/21/10

Loc: Minnesota

Re: Plans have arrived....and so it begins new

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[Re: PatHolland]
#5285548 - 06/23/12 04:13 PM

Not yet but it is on my list

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David81
sage

Reged: 05/17/10

Loc: NE Ohio

Re: Plans have arrived....and so it begins new

new

[Re: David81]
#5292468 - 06/27/12 11:13 PM

I started making some headway on transitioning the plans to Google Sketchup so that I can make a few alterations (move a door, add a pier, etc.).

This is what I came up with for my floor joist layout. I started with the standard layout from the BYO plans and tweaked them a bit to add the two pier locations. Framing is 2x8 per the BYO plans. Total dimensions are 16' x 24'. 8 feet of the left side will be taken up by the warm room.

Thoughts?

*Image removed at request of mods and BYO.

*After speaking with Scott at BYO I'm going ahead with the joist layout I'd proposed.

If all goes well, I'll be clearing the area and marking the spots for my post holes and piers this weekend.

Edited by David81 (06/28/12 11:58 AM)

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Raginar
Carpal Tunnel

Reged: 10/19/10

Loc: Rapid CIty, SD

Re: Plans have arrived....and so it begins new

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[Re: David81]
#5292647 - 06/28/12 02:02 AM

Uffta, that's a big shed

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David81
sage

Reged: 05/17/10

Loc: NE Ohio

Re: Plans have arrived....and so it begins new

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[Re: Raginar]
#5293587 - 06/28/12 05:00 PM

While I was playing around a bit, I thought of perhaps starting from scratch on my floor joist layout. 2x8s spanning nearly 16ft seems a bit of a stretch.

What about breaking it into 2 8x24 sections? 4x6 posts at the corners and mid points with a 3 double 2x8 beams running the length of building. I would then only be spanning 8 feet between the beams. I'd rather overbuild than under...

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David81
sage

Reged: 05/17/10

Loc: NE Ohio

Re: Plans have arrived....and so it begins new

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[Re: David81]
#5294042 - 06/28/12 10:15 PM

New proposed floor joist layout. From scratch this time

. The 3 beams (doubled 2x8s) would be supported by and attached to PT 4x4 posts sunk 3 feet into the ground with a concrete plug at the bottom and back filled with gravel (I learned that lesson building a pergola last week). The joists are all PT 2x8s. Max span for joists is now 7' 7.5" and the beams span a bit over 11'.

I'm sure I need to be doubling up some of the joists around the piers, but I'm not sure which ones. Any advice?

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Raginar
Carpal Tunnel

Reged: 10/19/10

Loc: Rapid CIty, SD

Re: Plans have arrived....and so it begins new

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[Re: David81]
#5294563 - 06/29/12 09:48 AM

I like that design better. I think you'll have less sagging in the middle that way.

Chris

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David81
sage

Reged: 05/17/10

Loc: NE Ohio

Re: Plans have arrived....and so it begins new

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[Re: Raginar]
#5294567 - 06/29/12 09:49 AM

Thanks Chris. Do you see any need for doubling up the members around the piers?

I'm liking this one better too. Quite a bit less cutting and nailing needed.

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roscoe
curmudgeon

Reged: 02/04/09

Loc: NW Mass, inches from VT

Re: Plans have arrived....and so it begins new

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[Re: David81]
#5294728 - 06/29/12 11:42 AM

David,

I'd double up the full-length joists either side of the hole, also the headers that the short joists tie into.

Using an auger is a very good choice! You can always do the big hole by drilling side-by-side holes, and even if all the dirt falls back into the previous holes, at least it's all loose and comes out easily.

To cut way down on concrete prices, you could build most of the pier with concrete blocks mortared together, then pour the cores full of 'crete, with a piece of rebar stuck down each core void. That much mud, you could even mix right there.
36 blocks would yield you a 32" x 32" x 48" tall pier....

Trouble with renting a buggy, is unless you move at light speed, the crete will begin to set up in the truck, and the driver will get all nervous..... Talk to the supplier beforehand to make sure they don't put any accelerant in the mix to help avoid this.

Russ

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roscoe
curmudgeon

Reged: 02/04/09

Loc: NW Mass, inches from VT

Re: Plans have arrived....and so it begins [Re: roscoe]
#5294734 - 06/29/12 11:44 AM

PS I'd triple that center carrier beam......
R

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David81
sage

Reged: 05/17/10

Loc: NE Ohio

Re: Plans have arrived....and so it begins [Re: roscoe]
#5294765 - 06/29/12 12:05 PM

Quote:

PS I'd triple that center carrier beam......
R

Even with a support post at the mid point?

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