· Get a Cloudy Nights T-Shirt · Submit a Review / Article Click here if you are having trouble logging into the forums 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] Entrance · Main Index · Search · New user · Who's Online FAQ · Calendar Equipment Discussions >> Observatories Previous   Index   Next   Threaded   Pages: 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | (show all) Mirzam Post Laureate Reged: 04/01/08 Loc: Lovettsville, VA Re: Observatory progress update [Re: Mike I. Jones]       #5498067 - 10/31/12 04:41 PM Edit   Reply   Quote Quick Reply   Hi Mike, It's only 1/8" difference in height between the sides but very easy to shim the wheels on the short side if you want perfection. In my case the height difference was about 1/2" and that gave a bit of unwanted tilt to the roof that was evident to my eye. JimC Post Extras:       Mike I. Jones Post Laureate Reged: 07/02/06 Loc: Fort Worth TX Re: Observatory progress update [Re: Mirzam]       #5498114 - 10/31/12 05:15 PM Edit   Reply   Quote Quick Reply   Yeah, I thought about having the guys shim it, but an eighth of an inch over 16 feet won't be noticeable. They've already got it all welded together and ground smooth now. They can raise the east side of the roof back to level with the west side when they build the frame for it. Mike Post Extras:       Mirzam Post Laureate Reged: 04/01/08 Loc: Lovettsville, VA Re: Observatory progress update [Re: Mike I. Jones]       #5498153 - 10/31/12 05:43 PM Edit   Reply   Quote Quick Reply   That's what I did--shimmed the wheel mounts not the rails. Your observatory is looking really good! JimC Post Extras:       Mike I. Jones Post Laureate Reged: 07/02/06 Loc: Fort Worth TX Re: Observatory progress update [Re: Mirzam]       #5498226 - 10/31/12 06:29 PM Edit   Reply   Quote Quick Reply   Thanks Jim - how did you fare after Sandy? I was in Newport News Oct. 23-24. Man, am I glad we got out of there ahead of it! Post Extras:       Mirzam Post Laureate Reged: 04/01/08 Loc: Lovettsville, VA Re: Observatory progress update [Re: Mike I. Jones]       #5498377 - 10/31/12 08:05 PM Edit   Reply   Quote Quick Reply   No problems here other than power out for about 24 hours. We had a peak gust of 63 mph, which is in line with occasional winter peaks. I use turnbuckles, plus large C-clamps to anchor the roof when wind is expected. So far so good. JimC Post Extras:       BKBrown Carpal Tunnel Reged: 08/23/09 Loc: Northern Virginia, USA Re: Observatory progress update [Re: Mirzam]       #5498461 - 10/31/12 09:02 PM Edit   Reply   Quote Quick Reply   I was more worried about you having to build an ark to dodge the river rising. Glad to hear ya'll are safe... Clear Skies, Brian Post Extras:       Mike I. Jones Post Laureate Reged: 07/02/06 Loc: Fort Worth TX Re: Observatory progress update [Re: Mike I. Jones]       #5498464 - 10/31/12 09:05 PM Attachment (41 downloads) Edit   Reply   Quote Quick Reply   Here's Kennan, welding the northeast corner track support. They'll finish the tracks tomorrow, then work the roof frame next. The wheel boxes should arrive Friday or Monday, and he can get them welded to the roof frame early next week. Post Extras:       BKBrown Carpal Tunnel Reged: 08/23/09 Loc: Northern Virginia, USA Re: Observatory progress update [Re: Mike I. Jones]       #5498538 - 10/31/12 09:58 PM Edit   Reply   Quote Quick Reply   Looking good Mike! That steel work ought to be rock steady and nearly indestructible. What do you estimate the roof will weigh once completed? Clear Skies, Brian Post Extras:       Mike I. Jones Post Laureate Reged: 07/02/06 Loc: Fort Worth TX Re: Observatory progress update [Re: BKBrown]       #5498730 - 10/31/12 11:50 PM Edit   Reply   Quote Quick Reply   Dunno, Kennan's going to frame up the roof out of 2x2 12 gauge square steel pipe, then top it off with 24 gauge R-panel. Could be 400-500 lbs? I'll insulate it with TekFoil, but that won't weigh much. Post Extras:       Mike I. Jones Post Laureate Reged: 07/02/06 Loc: Fort Worth TX Re: Observatory progress update [Re: Mike I. Jones]       #5501501 - 11/02/12 08:08 PM Attachment (31 downloads) Edit   Reply   Quote Quick Reply   Here's the awesome trio of weldin' dudes, Chris, Kennan (my neighbor) and Randy. They finished all the track supports and trusses this week. A really nice touch: they filled and smoothed any holes or gaps, ground them smooth, and put a coat of primer paint on so this weekend's rains won't rust. Next week we'll start on the roof base frame and V-groove wheels, stick down the 2x2 angle track, and start on the roof trusses. Mike Post Extras:       Mike I. Jones Post Laureate Reged: 07/02/06 Loc: Fort Worth TX Re: Observatory progress update [Re: Mike I. Jones]       #5501505 - 11/02/12 08:10 PM Attachment (26 downloads) Edit   Reply   Quote Quick Reply   West side view, showing the finished track supports. Post Extras:       Mike I. Jones Post Laureate Reged: 07/02/06 Loc: Fort Worth TX Re: Observatory progress update [Re: Mike I. Jones]       #5501508 - 11/02/12 08:13 PM Attachment (23 downloads) Edit   Reply   Quote Quick Reply   Sunset picture of the west side. Post Extras:       Mike I. Jones Post Laureate Reged: 07/02/06 Loc: Fort Worth TX Re: Observatory progress update [Re: Mike I. Jones]       #5501510 - 11/02/12 08:14 PM Attachment (33 downloads) Edit   Reply   Quote Quick Reply   And finally for this week, a view south showing the tracks and building. Imagine what it's gonna look like this time NEXT week! Mike Post Extras:       johne sage Reged: 11/10/06 Loc: Prescott, AZ. Re: Observatory progress update [Re: Mike I. Jones]       #5502015 - 11/03/12 07:27 AM Edit   Reply   Quote Quick Reply   Wow! Now that is some heavy duty workmanship. You could practically build a roll-off 2nd story addition on that. Post Extras:       Starman27 Post Laureate Reged: 01/29/06 Loc: Illinois, Iowa Re: Observatory progress update [Re: johne]       #5502247 - 11/03/12 11:31 AM Edit   Reply   Quote Quick Reply   Impressive. Post Extras:       csa/montana Den Mama Reged: 05/14/05 Loc: montana Re: Observatory progress update [Re: Mike I. Jones]       #5502383 - 11/03/12 12:59 PM Edit   Reply   Quote Quick Reply   Mike, that is awesome! Wow; what a nice observatory you will have! No wood to warp on the railing system! Post Extras:       Mike I. Jones Post Laureate Reged: 07/02/06 Loc: Fort Worth TX Re: Observatory progress update [Re: csa/montana]       #5502639 - 11/03/12 04:40 PM Edit   Reply   Quote Quick Reply   Thanks Carol! If only our soils here were that stable! We go down maybe a foot of prairie topsoil here, then hit untold feet of this sticky red clay that shrinks and swells with drought and rain that can crack house slabs and warp rails. It's going to be interesting to see how steady the roof rides the rails with/without rocking over the years to come. I'll have four wheels on each side, and an open/close cable system, so I'm not too concerned about it rocking a bit here and there. Mike Post Extras:       csa/montana Den Mama Reged: 05/14/05 Loc: montana Re: Observatory progress update [Re: Mike I. Jones]       #5502714 - 11/03/12 05:46 PM Edit   Reply   Quote Quick Reply   You should have some of my ground, shale rock. Your observatory is certainly very well thought out; it will be exciting when you "move" in! Post Extras:       Starhawk Post Laureate Reged: 09/16/08 Loc: Tucson, Arizona Re: Observatory progress update [Re: csa/montana]       #5503979 - 11/04/12 02:00 PM Edit   Reply   Quote Quick Reply   Wow is that an impressive build. It's clearly built to last with that nice steel rail set. How are the skies overhead? -Rich Post Extras:       Mike I. Jones Post Laureate Reged: 07/02/06 Loc: Fort Worth TX Re: Observatory progress update [Re: Starhawk]       #5504017 - 11/04/12 02:30 PM Edit   Reply   Quote Quick Reply   Meh, so so - green on really clear nights, yellow on hazy nights. Seeing can be great here, but transparency is not always great. Milky Way visible almost any night if straight overhead in Cygnus. Still workable with filters. Post Extras:       Pages: 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | (show all) Previous   Index   Next   Threaded   Extra information 3 registered and 13 anonymous users are browsing this forum. 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