Bowmoreman
Carpal Tunnel
Reged: 09/11/06
Posts: 2992
Loc: Bolton, MA
|
|
I'm going to weigh in on some random points:
1) you CAN easily have a Dob and a pier mounted EQ for AP in same observatory. Check out the threads on Erika and Paul Rix's observatory. (Scott built it for them). You'll probably want the "drop down" south facing wall to make it optimal
2) You can have the warm room in the area the roof rolls over, without leaving it exposed when the roof is closed. It basically requires a "sub ceiling" for the warm room that the roof rolls over. That is how Scott built mine.
3)I'd think about a 15'6 x 11'6 with the warm room being 5'6 x 11'6 and on the NORTH side, with the roof rolling back/over the warm room - that leaves you with 11'6 x 11'6 for the Dob and the Pier - that should easily be big enough
(heck my obs part is only 6'x 9'6" and that is workable for my EQ standalone)
You'll want em offset, with the dob far enough from the dropdown south wall to be able to get to your useable horizon
Just my thoughts.
clear enough skies
--------------------
Dave
Ustream
YLive
XT10i, RTP, CGE, R200CF, TMB80SS
31T5, 22T4, 13Ethos, 8Ethos, TV 3-6 Zoom; Paracorr
MallincamColorHyperPlus,SBIG STV&237A;CanonRebel Xti
WilderSkiesObservatory(BYO #90)
|
Joel
Carpal Tunnel
Reged: 07/08/04
Posts: 2329
Loc: Merrimack, NH
|
|
I was a little confused there about the dimensions too. I have a BYO 11'6" X 15'6" and it's very roomy. 6' X 11'6" is a warm room and the rest observatory. I would always build as big as you can keeping in mind your budget or space or any other requirements such as HOA or the like. Building it yourself makes building bigger cheaper too and you may look at the cost of materials as not that much compared to what you get in the end.
I don't have a dob, but I would think if you are using a dob in an observatory you would want it on the larger side.
--------------------
Joel
10" LX200GPS UHTC-SMT
Vixen 80EDsf
Canon unmodded 350D
QHY8
Turkey Hill Observatory
|
cocobolo
Carpal Tunnel
Reged: 10/27/07
Posts: 1550
Loc: british columbia, canada
|
|
So Widowmaker, what stage are you at now?
This has to be about the most amusing thread in ages! Plenty of good comments, but I think we are all wondering how the dob will fit in a 6" wide room....hmmm.
Keith
|
WidowMaker
scholastic sledgehammer
Reged: 12/29/07
Posts: 815
Loc: Frankfort, Ky
|
|
Quote:
I think we are all wondering how the dob will fit in a 6" wide room....hmmm.
Its a little tight. 
Sorry yall. Its been raining for two days now and I got stuck trying to figure out if I wanted bigger before it was too late.
Were going bigger. I just got back from the Lumber company with more 4x6's, 2x8's, and the little bracket thingies to set the 2x8 (floor joists?) into.
The wife measured off 6 more feet from the North end posts already set in concrete and we plan on getting close with more posts and just butting the 2x8's up against the 2x8 box already made.
We keep standing there staring at it wondering just how big we could go. Now that were not hampered by the 'you can do it, we can help' people and their choices in lumber, the sky (er, the neighbors yard) is the limit.
BYO has a pic of a obs with a built-on-the-side warm room here on their page that looks awesome.
Choices, choices. Its suppose to stop raining for tommorrow ONLY, and I plan on getting started again.
I figure if we add 5-6 more feet I can sit my dob towards the middle and a pier and not be worried about my 12 1/2" feet kicking everything over. Im a major klutz. 
--------------------
Sleep is the Cousin of Death
|
WidowMaker
scholastic sledgehammer
Reged: 12/29/07
Posts: 815
Loc: Frankfort, Ky
|
|
Quote:
You can have the warm room in the area the roof rolls over, without leaving it exposed when the roof is closed. It basically requires a "sub ceiling" for the warm room that the roof rolls over. That is how Scott built mine.
Thanks, Dave. I wish I had that little drawing my wife made, 'cos I bet thats the same idea she came up with.
Itll just be wasted space, ya know?
I planned on parking my new (new for me) riding mower there or something like that, Im just glad the wife is understanding enough to help me plan for the future and wont be dissapointed If I never buy imaging stuff.
$2000 (at least) for a good mount, $4-800.00 good camera, wedge, Steel pier, and all that without having even bought the scope yet?! Wow...
I think I could buy a dob double the size of my Z12 for what all that will cost me.
Whos to say i wouldnt be happier with that?
Right now, im planning on doing astroimaging one day, and its nice to have the place as an option If I do.
--------------------
Sleep is the Cousin of Death
|
DeanS
professor emeritus
Reged: 07/12/05
Posts: 505
Loc: Nicholasville, Kentucky
|
|
I'll be around this weekend if you do want to look. My actual observing room is 11.5' x 11.5' just like yours. And my warm room is 11.5' x 5.5' which is a bit small for my set up that includes storage cabinets and 3 computers.
--------------------
8" LX200gps
AP1200GTO Mach1GTO
FS-60C Tak E160 C9.25
SXV-H9 ST2000XM STV
Meade 12" Lightbridge
Moonlite Focusers
www.doghouseastronomy.com
|
mikey cee
Carpal Tunnel
Reged: 01/18/07
Posts: 2326
Loc: bellevue ne.
|
|
I'm glad to see that you've come to your senses! You'll be so glad you did you'll just kick yourself in the "end"....get it?? Now you'll be able to do what you want and when you want without a bunch of compromising. Good luck going forward.   Mike
--------------------
Mike 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).
|
WidowMaker
scholastic sledgehammer
Reged: 12/29/07
Posts: 815
Loc: Frankfort, Ky
|
|
Ok.
We got more done today.
We added more posts and made our 11'x6" square into a 16'6"x11'6" rectangle. After we got smart and followed Scott's directions, setting the posts became alot easier.
The only hard part is cutting the tops off thanks to my Craftsman Sawsall.
We also dug a 30x30" square for my dob, dug down a foot and a half, and bored out four holes in each corner another 28"'s.
Heres some shots.
--------------------
Sleep is the Cousin of Death
|
WidowMaker
scholastic sledgehammer
Reged: 12/29/07
Posts: 815
Loc: Frankfort, Ky
|
|
my big ole hole that I have no idea how much cement it will take to fill!
--------------------
Sleep is the Cousin of Death
|
WidowMaker
scholastic sledgehammer
Reged: 12/29/07
Posts: 815
Loc: Frankfort, Ky
|
|
And the final shot showing where we stopped once it started sprinkling. My sawsall only let me cut through two posts before I couldnt take it anymore.
The majority of time was spent building and leveling our box. Right now its almost a foot above my floor line.
--------------------
Sleep is the Cousin of Death
|
NeoDinian
Experienced Postmaster
Reged: 10/05/05
Posts: 12070
Loc: Rockford Illinois
|
|
You can use LESS concrete by getting some "Filler"... You can use old Cinder-Blocks... Just set a few of them in there, and stack so the holes in them line up... Then fill as normal. 
And with some easy calculations, you can figure the amount you'll need... Go to the Sacrete site. They have the calculator for it. Just figure each ROUND hole first, then the square, and add them up.
--------------------
Neo... (Jeff)
-=-=-=-=-=-=-
10" LX200-GPS/SMT UHTC "Draco"
 Rockford, Il.
NeoDinian's Eye on the Sky!
Coming soon:
|
cnstarz
professor emeritus
Reged: 12/22/07
Posts: 538
Loc: Kentucky, USA
|
|
Very nice, amazing progress so far, interesting touch with the post holes in the pier base. I'll be keeping an eye on this thread, thanks for sharing. 
--------------------
Matt
Apogee 50mm BB scope
ETX-60 BB
Meade 70-az
5" DIY Newt (wip)
C6-N on CG-4 GEM
Gallery
|
NeoDinian
Experienced Postmaster
Reged: 10/05/05
Posts: 12070
Loc: Rockford Illinois
|
|
Just had a thought.. How deep is your "Frost line"?
18" deep monolith with 4 "pylons" may sound good, but the main square is only 18"... If the ground heaves under that, the Pylons will do nothing for it.. They may even crack off. You'd almost be better off with a SINGLE hole of perhaps 18" in the CENTER would probably be a better deal...
--------------------
Neo... (Jeff)
-=-=-=-=-=-=-
10" LX200-GPS/SMT UHTC "Draco"
Rockford, Il.
NeoDinian's Eye on the Sky!
Coming soon:
|
WidowMaker
scholastic sledgehammer
Reged: 12/29/07
Posts: 815
Loc: Frankfort, Ky
|
|
Thanks alot, Matt. I appreciate it.
Jeff, do you think adding another 2' hole right in the middle will help, or should I try to dig the main hole down further?
When the four corner holes fill up, the hole square will be 30x30, i guess I was assuming that a cement block that big, reinforced with rebar rods like birthday candles lining the middle would cover me.
You disagree?
--------------------
Sleep is the Cousin of Death
|
Digital Don
scholastic sledgehammer
Reged: 01/20/04
Posts: 883
Loc: Manteno
|
|
I agree with Neo.
Your footing really should be in the ground, not on it.
In my area, the frost line is about 48". Anything above the frost line has the potential to heave. Check with a local contractor about the depth of the frost line in your area.
You certainly don't want to finish your observatory and then come out next spring to find the pier leaning against the floor!
Sure it's a pain to dig the hole now, but it would be a much bigger pain to have to do it later! Don't forget it always takes less time to do it right than it does to do it over!
Your project looks very good so far!
Don
|
WidowMaker
scholastic sledgehammer
Reged: 12/29/07
Posts: 815
Loc: Frankfort, Ky
|
|
Also, what if I left the box? It will be hidden by the floor and deck bottom, but will it do anything to help protect my cement block?
--------------------
Sleep is the Cousin of Death
|
NeoDinian
Experienced Postmaster
Reged: 10/05/05
Posts: 12070
Loc: Rockford Illinois
|
|
If you paint the wood to protect it from rotting, you can leave it.... No problems...
As for the monolith, you could perhaps dig "Slopes" towards the center (with a central hole as well)... At least it's not a FLAT bottom, and any possible freeze lift would be harder, as the block would have a tapered bottom.
Make sense?
I understand the reason you thought like you did was to avoid using MUCH more concrete... Just trying to stop any issues before you build.
--------------------
Neo... (Jeff)
-=-=-=-=-=-=-
10" LX200-GPS/SMT UHTC "Draco"
Rockford, Il.
NeoDinian's Eye on the Sky!
Coming soon:
|
RobVG
professor emeritus
Reged: 01/09/06
Posts: 618
Loc: Seattle Washington
|
|
Quote:
In my area, the frost line is about 48".
Good lord!
Where the heck is Manteno? 
--------------------
C11 SGT(XLT)CG-5
Observatory (page 5)
|
cocobolo
Carpal Tunnel
Reged: 10/27/07
Posts: 1550
Loc: british columbia, canada
|
|
Hey WidowMaker...Looking good.
Are you going to nail your floor joists between your outer 2x8 framing? And you will add joist hangers as well I take it?
Keith
|
cocobolo
Carpal Tunnel
Reged: 10/27/07
Posts: 1550
Loc: british columbia, canada
|
|
Manteno appears to be in Illinois at 41 deg. 15' north. I too am surprised that the frost line is 48". But who knows, could be. Here it's about an inch!!
Keith
|
Previous
Index
Next
Threaded
[Re: 
Edit
Reply
Quote
