WidowMaker
scholastic sledgehammer
Reged: 12/29/07
Posts: 815
Loc: Frankfort, Ky
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Dont laugh at my pier paint job!  Its still very wet and this is only my second time spray painting something after the forklift-dolly idea I got from Carol!
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Sleep is the Cousin of Death
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WidowMaker
scholastic sledgehammer
Reged: 12/29/07
Posts: 815
Loc: Frankfort, Ky
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And one last.
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Sleep is the Cousin of Death
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WidowMaker
scholastic sledgehammer
Reged: 12/29/07
Posts: 815
Loc: Frankfort, Ky
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Well, thats it for today. Im so tired now, and I forgot to eat again today. I get so caught up in this that I forget the basics.
I got 21 2x6x10's and 3 2x6x8's waiting for the morning!
We hope to put a beam down the middle and then the pyramid thingie and our rafters beam thing's every 24" like the Plans say.
Thank you everyone!
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Sleep is the Cousin of Death
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NeoDinian
Experienced Postmaster
Reged: 10/05/05
Posts: 12070
Loc: Rockford Illinois
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I'd personally opt for a stronger roof... If not the full on 16" centers, I'd at least do that middle one between the 16" and 24"... I think it's like 19.2", but it's usually that diamond shape on the tape measures... Thats what is usually used for roof trusses.
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Neo... (Jeff)
-=-=-=-=-=-=-
10" LX200-GPS/SMT UHTC "Draco"
 Rockford, Il.
NeoDinian's Eye on the Sky!
Coming soon:
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THEPLOUGH
Nailed Again
Reged: 01/11/08
Posts: 3957
Loc: Carlisle, Cumbria, ENGLAND
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Looking good, just keep to plan. Nothing wrong with the paint either...  
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Geoff...
Nexstar 8SE -- 9X50 RACI Finder scope... 6.3 F/R.-- 13 & 17mm Hyperion EPs.. 25mm Celestron E- Lux EP.. 2X Celestron X-Cel Barlow----- Celestron solar filter + A few bits and pieces..
Never give up on any one..... MIRACLES happen every day....
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John Fitzgerald
In Focus
Reged: 01/04/04
Posts: 1253
Loc: AR
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A lighter roof will be easier to roll off. The weight of extra wood adds up fast.
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?
Observing since 1966
Messier Cert #898
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THEPLOUGH
Nailed Again
Reged: 01/11/08
Posts: 3957
Loc: Carlisle, Cumbria, ENGLAND
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Quote:
A lighter roof will be easier to roll off. The weight of extra wood adds up fast.
SOOOOOOOooooooo very true.....
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Geoff...
Nexstar 8SE -- 9X50 RACI Finder scope... 6.3 F/R.-- 13 & 17mm Hyperion EPs.. 25mm Celestron E- Lux EP.. 2X Celestron X-Cel Barlow----- Celestron solar filter + A few bits and pieces..
Never give up on any one..... MIRACLES happen every day....
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WidowMaker
scholastic sledgehammer
Reged: 12/29/07
Posts: 815
Loc: Frankfort, Ky
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Thanks alot yall.
Guess what?
We got the roof completed! 
We worked at it all day and finally got it done.
We got stuck trying to cut angles on our second pyramid thingie (gable?).
We couldnt find 18' boards to run the whole length of the obs, so we had to come up with something.
We decided to put three pyramid thingies on, one at the South, one in the middle, and one at the North end.
That way we could run 10' boards from the South pyramid thingie to the middle, then from the middle to the North.
Were happy. Of course, my cuts on the angles leave much to be desired, but overall its not bad.
Were going to brace it everywhich way we can, and hopefully go after the osb to cover it tommorrow, but the basic outline is done!
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Sleep is the Cousin of Death
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WidowMaker
scholastic sledgehammer
Reged: 12/29/07
Posts: 815
Loc: Frankfort, Ky
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Were still going to go around the South and stuff with 2x8's, maybe 2x10's. We havent figured that one out.
Im just blown away that we got this far!
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Sleep is the Cousin of Death
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WidowMaker
scholastic sledgehammer
Reged: 12/29/07
Posts: 815
Loc: Frankfort, Ky
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I tried to get above it but its taller than everything around it!
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Sleep is the Cousin of Death
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Spoonsize
Vendor/Clothing
Reged: 08/27/04
Posts: 2184
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what kinda snow loads do you get there? or what's the deepest drop at any one given time?
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Manny Myles
Carpal Tunnel
Reged: 11/29/05
Posts: 2331
Loc: Flatlandia
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Hate to throw a possible fly in your ointment but is the weight of this roof going to push the center of the roof off the center rollers or at least get them to bulge outwards once its all built up.
I don't see a cross brace in the center of the roof like you have on the ends.
Otherwise I'd say you could go into business of building these.
m2
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Light travels faster than sound. This is why some people appear bright until you hear them speak
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Rusty
Postmaster
Reged: 08/06/03
Posts: 16399
Loc: Brooker, FL
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Lookin' good! Your progress and tenacity is to be admired!
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N11GPS Fastar
TOA-130S
MK66 Std
Vintage C5
Megrez II 80mm ED Triplet APO
SolarMax 40
NJP Temma II
Sirius EQ-G
ST8XE/CFW-8(LRGBHa)/AO-7/DF-2/STV Dlx/ST237a/350D (Unmodded)/Mallincam Color Hyper Plus/DSI III Color/DSI II Pro
Two not-spoiled Golden Retrievers - Maggie and Casey
Sometimes I think we're alone in the universe, and sometimes I think we're not. In either case the idea is quite staggering. - Arthur C. Clarke
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WidowMaker
scholastic sledgehammer
Reged: 12/29/07
Posts: 815
Loc: Frankfort, Ky
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Hey yall.
Thank you very much, Rusty! Appreciate that!
Spoonsize, we usually dont get much snow. Of course, last year we got about a foot and a half. Every now and then we get that or possibly three foot if its really bad, but usually less.
You see a potential problem?
Manny, were hoping it wont be very heavy when its finished.
We hadnt thought of the roof bulging the roller 'box' thingie weve created, but I wouldnt know how possible it is to be honest. You seeing a flaw in the build that could cause that to happen?
Yeah, we didnt add a cross brace, other than the pyramid thingie in the middle. Perhaps we still could?
We pretty much went with Scott's plans, changing the width and length where needed. The plans dont call for anything more than what you see.
Of course, the plans were for a 11'6"x11'6" observatory...I wonder if he does if different for bigger observatories.
We were kinda limited in know how and ability I think.
We did the best we could with what we had.
Im hoping it will be just fine. Perhaps if it snows bad I can just keep it cleared off. 
I just hope it will remain stable and working.
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Sleep is the Cousin of Death
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John Fitzgerald
In Focus
Reged: 01/04/04
Posts: 1253
Loc: AR
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Manny,
My "Headwater Observatory" uses the same 10 rollers and box design, although the box is 2x12's. I used seven pre-fab trusses and braced the roof well. The guy that helped me in the design and some of the build is an experienced architect, and he says mine has no structural problems. I thought Michael would use more than three trusses. 
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?
Observing since 1966
Messier Cert #898
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Rusty
Postmaster
Reged: 08/06/03
Posts: 16399
Loc: Brooker, FL
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The weak point in the roof is the center rafter piece, unless this has a crossmember making it a truss. The purlins (stringers) are much larger than they need be, but the extra strength never hurts (except for the weight).
I'd force a block at the apex of the end truss (and the others, too) into the space between the rafters. This is a critical compression-load point, and now, the fasteners bear the load. Better is to have the material bear the load. The rule-of-thumb is that fasteners should serve to hold load bearing members (the wood) in alignment.
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N11GPS Fastar
TOA-130S
MK66 Std
Vintage C5
Megrez II 80mm ED Triplet APO
SolarMax 40
NJP Temma II
Sirius EQ-G
ST8XE/CFW-8(LRGBHa)/AO-7/DF-2/STV Dlx/ST237a/350D (Unmodded)/Mallincam Color Hyper Plus/DSI III Color/DSI II Pro
Two not-spoiled Golden Retrievers - Maggie and Casey
Sometimes I think we're alone in the universe, and sometimes I think we're not. In either case the idea is quite staggering. - Arthur C. Clarke
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THEPLOUGH
Nailed Again
Reged: 01/11/08
Posts: 3957
Loc: Carlisle, Cumbria, ENGLAND
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Looking good W/M. Keep going the way you are I don't foresee any major problems with the structure that the boarding out won't fix, and if you add braces like you say then it will be plenty strong enough.....
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Geoff...
Nexstar 8SE -- 9X50 RACI Finder scope... 6.3 F/R.-- 13 & 17mm Hyperion EPs.. 25mm Celestron E- Lux EP.. 2X Celestron X-Cel Barlow----- Celestron solar filter + A few bits and pieces..
Never give up on any one..... MIRACLES happen every day....
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Manny Myles
Carpal Tunnel
Reged: 11/29/05
Posts: 2331
Loc: Flatlandia
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Yep I can see it starting to bulge and it will happen with time and gravity working non stop.
That center section is not a truss so that is why I mentioned it and can be remedied with a simple 2x4 or 2 pieces of threaded rod, a turnbuckle and some nuts and big flat washers to pull it together.
If you are worried about the clearance of the center "maybe to soon be truss" with the addition of the lower board or threaded rod you will still have to duck when the end of the roof comes overhead.
It is a long span with nothing to hold the middle of it from happening.
I'd be changing the plans when and wherever I saw fit to do so. Since when do men read AND stick to directions<G>
The cost of another 2x4 is not worth the extra effort to repair a future problem.
Over time your roof will look like a saddle from lack of that simple board.
But this is just what my warped mind thinks and what you do is your choice<G>
m2
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Light travels faster than sound. This is why some people appear bright until you hear them speak
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Spoonsize
Vendor/Clothing
Reged: 08/27/04
Posts: 2184
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The way I see it, he needs at the very least...a center cross tie (center brace), a center post, and 4 angle braces....
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Steve Durham
www.margesmonograms.com
(Marge made me do it)
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csa/montana
Astro Ambassador
Reged: 05/14/05
Posts: 28619
Loc: montana
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Quote:
We were kinda limited in know how and ability I think.
We did the best we could with what we had.
That is the understatement of the year! Both you & your wife should get the "builder of year" award. Beginning with no previous experience, you have done an amazing job! Anyone would be so proud to have this beautiful Observatory!
You have overcome obstacles that would have stopped most in their tracks, & kept right on going, & doing such an excellent job!
Rest assured, Scott & Diane will be very proud of you, as all of us are, accomplishing all this, with only their plans
BTW, your paint job is Nice!!! 
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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 B/TMB 3.2
7mm Pentax XL, 10mm Pentax XW
14mm Meade 4000 UWA
22mm Pan, 35mm Pan
DreamCatcher Dobservatory, #2
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