soreneck
professor emeritus
Reged: 04/01/06
Posts: 695
Loc: Toronto, Canada
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Hi all,
This forum is one of the most inspiring sections of CN! After toying with the idea of a backyard observatory for almost 6 months, I've decided to go ahead.
My requirements were:
- under $1500 in total costs (hopefully around $1200)
- small enough to fit in the available backyard space
- secure (when not in use)
- portable, in the sense that I can dismantle and move it to a new location when I move house ~2 years from now
Based on the above, I think we have designed (thanks to my dad, an architect and builder) something that will fit the above constraints. To control costs, I'll be using some used materials (solid 2x6s, used door, pier steel from an old floor-mount drill press) and doing all the labour myself.
Specs:
- 8'x8' building, roll-off roof
- deck block foundation, supporting a frame of 2x6s and 5/8" plywood floor
- wall sections will be made from 2x3s and plywood, in 4'x6' sections for easy future portability on a standard trailer
- roof will be lightweight ply, sheathed in steel roofing, supported by 2x2 bracing and collar ties (it'll have lock-down hardware for both open and closed positions)
- rolling hardware will be standard barn door stuff (captive C-channels with steel rollers)
In fact, I have already poured the pier (5' sonotube, 4' of which is underground) and bolted on my unfinished pier just for fun. Tonight I'm leveling deck blocks and putting down a layer of thick poly sheeting to keep moisture down.
I'll work on the pier welding next month, but hope to finish the building construction over the next 4 weekends or so.
Anyway, I hope to post progress occasionally. Comments and feedback always welcome!
Clear skies,
Adam
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WO 110 FLT
WO 66 Triplet
Celestron C11
SkyWatcher EQ-6 Pro
Stiletto focuser for Canon DSLRs for sale
One small but fearless dog (observing companion)
my astrophotos on flickr
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soreneck
professor emeritus
Reged: 04/01/06
Posts: 695
Loc: Toronto, Canada
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For a bit more context (since the photo above doesn't show much), I have an unobstructed southern view, decent views in the east and southeast (clear down to 40 degrees) and a wide-open zenith. To the north are trees, and my house (and more trees) lie to the west.
Between the views and the light pollution, I realise that this isn't an ideal location. Still, smart astro-folk have suggested to me that having an observatory at home will greatly increase my enjoyment of the hobby.
For now, the pier will host my HEQ5 and FLT110 or C8, but I will likely upgrade to a C11 within a year or so, leaving the FLT110 / HEQ5 for weekend imaging excursions to dark skies.
At any rate, I'm quite excited about all this. 
Cheers,
Adam
--------------------
WO 110 FLT
WO 66 Triplet
Celestron C11
SkyWatcher EQ-6 Pro
Stiletto focuser for Canon DSLRs for sale
One small but fearless dog (observing companion)
my astrophotos on flickr
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csa/montana
Astro Ambassador
Reged: 05/14/05
Posts: 28619
Loc: montana
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Adam, Congratulations on your soon-to-be Observatory! It will be very exciting for all of us to see your Observatory go thru the stages, until your first light from it!
Lots of photos, of course, are a must!
Thanks for letting us share this exciting time with you!
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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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soreneck
professor emeritus
Reged: 04/01/06
Posts: 695
Loc: Toronto, Canada
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Thanks Carol! I will take some more photos this weekend, fortunately the weather looks good.
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WO 110 FLT
WO 66 Triplet
Celestron C11
SkyWatcher EQ-6 Pro
Stiletto focuser for Canon DSLRs for sale
One small but fearless dog (observing companion)
my astrophotos on flickr
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Joel
Carpal Tunnel
Reged: 07/08/04
Posts: 2329
Loc: Merrimack, NH
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Go for it Adam! You'll love having it at the ready when you're done.
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Joel
10" LX200GPS UHTC-SMT
Vixen 80EDsf
Canon unmodded 350D
QHY8
Turkey Hill Observatory
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soreneck
professor emeritus
Reged: 04/01/06
Posts: 695
Loc: Toronto, Canada
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Made some good progress today. Not finished with floor bracing, but tomorrow's weather is also looking good so I may have a complete floor to show for my weekend.
This first shot shows the fall-away grading (for drainage) and two layers of poly sheeting (to minimize moisture).
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WO 110 FLT
WO 66 Triplet
Celestron C11
SkyWatcher EQ-6 Pro
Stiletto focuser for Canon DSLRs for sale
One small but fearless dog (observing companion)
my astrophotos on flickr
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soreneck
professor emeritus
Reged: 04/01/06
Posts: 695
Loc: Toronto, Canada
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Floor framing started...
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soreneck
professor emeritus
Reged: 04/01/06
Posts: 695
Loc: Toronto, Canada
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Another angle...
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soreneck
professor emeritus
Reged: 04/01/06
Posts: 695
Loc: Toronto, Canada
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And my construction supervisor, Sam.
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1965healey
Carpal Tunnel
Reged: 06/23/07
Posts: 2844
Loc: San Antonio, TX
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That Elvis lip on Sam tells me you may have built your obs over some prime puppy real estate. Hope you haven't truly buried some of his treasures! Not much more terrifying than a disgruntled dog. 
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1965Healey (Karen)
Woodlawn Lake Observatory
Celestron CPC 800/FT MIcro/APT Wedge
SV NHNG 80mm #0261/CG5-GT
Celestron Omni 150 XLT
Losmandy rails/rings
Starizona CWeight system
Celestron Neximage
Sony a100 DSLR/ZigView S2
Meade DS60's w/Autostar (2)
Meade LPI/Meade DSI-C/DSI ProII
750cc Honda Shadow Spirit (Thanks Dad!)
1965 Austin Healey 3000 MKIII
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tim53
sage
Reged: 12/17/04
Posts: 323
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Hey, I like those footing concrete blocks you're using. Dont' think I've ever seen any quite like that before.
-Tim.
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"We`re just waiting looking skyward as the days come down.
Someone promised there`d be answers, if we stayed around."
-Orchestral Maneuvers in the Dark, "The Romance of the Telescope"
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rcd47
sage
Reged: 03/15/08
Posts: 220
Loc: East Texas, USA
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Looking good!  I'll be watching this thread for sure, since I've just about decided on an 8'x8' myself. I've got my pier ready but still need to pour my concrete footing. It will probably be a year before I start the building. I'm still deciding how I want it. I see you have your pier off centered and I was trying to decide if I wanted to center mine or do like you did. Would you mind sharing some dimensions like where the pier is located, how tall your pier is and how high your walls will be? Thanks.
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Randy
Edmund Astroscan
Meade ETX125PE
Skywatcher 102mm F5 & Alt/Az Mount
Orion ST80/Mini EQ1
Tasco Starguide 114/Celestron Hand Paddle
Pentax 10x50 Binoculars
Philips SPC 900NC
Stellacam EX
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csa/montana
Astro Ambassador
Reged: 05/14/05
Posts: 28619
Loc: montana
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Quote:
Hey, I like those footing concrete blocks you're using. Dont' think I've ever seen any quite like that before.
-Tim.
Tim, those are what was used under my Observatory, works great!
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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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WidowMaker
scholastic sledgehammer
Reged: 12/29/07
Posts: 822
Loc: Frankfort, Ky
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Looking great, Adam! Youll be very happy with your own obs, I know i am!
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Sleep is the Cousin of Death
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Chris Schroeder
Postmaster
Reged: 12/11/04
Posts: 5098
Loc: N.E. WI Sky Glow
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Your off to a great start Adam, looking good!
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Chris
Mallincam Color Hyper Plus
10" DSH with SC DSC, CPC 800 XLT
M102ED S.V., ZS 80FD 10th Anniv, ZS 66SD, PST
POD XL3 http://POD.SchroederCity.com
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soreneck
professor emeritus
Reged: 04/01/06
Posts: 695
Loc: Toronto, Canada
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Thanks for all the great feedback! I managed to finish the floor framing and 5/8" ply flooring. (Update pics coming soon.) Will start on the wall sections next week, though I still have to design the door frame stuff. It's coming along!
Quote:
Hey, I like those footing concrete blocks you're using. Dont' think I've ever seen any quite like that before.
Hi Tim, it's called "deck block", sold at my local big-box building store for about $7.50 each. It's also known as "floating block", I think, as in floating foundation (rises and falls with frost heave). To minimize frost movement, I usually dig out 12" underneath them and fill with coarse gravel then limestone screenings -- the drainage keeps 'em level. I did this with a 9'x9' deck and it hasn't moved at all over the past 2 winters.
Quote:
Looking good! I'll be watching this thread for sure, since I've just about decided on an 8'x8' myself. I've got my pier ready but still need to pour my concrete footing. It will probably be a year before I start the building. I'm still deciding how I want it. I see you have your pier off centered and I was trying to decide if I wanted to center mine or do like you did. Would you mind sharing some dimensions like where the pier is located, how tall your pier is and how high your walls will be? Thanks.
Thanks Randy. Yeah, I went with an off-center pier for a couple of reasons: 1) I wanted room on one side of the observatory for a small desk, and this seemed to be the best floor-plan compromise, and 2) it affords a slightly better south view from my particular location.
The pier's concrete base sits flush with the plywood floor, and the pier itself will be roughly 48" high (at the mount base). I say "roughly" because I haven't fabricated the two top plates yet -- one will be welded to the pier column, the other will bolt above this via 4 nut-adjustable rods of stainless steel. With my HEQ5 mount, this should afford just enough height to view over the 6' walls up to ~24 degrees above the horizon (my horizons are obstructed up to that in all directions anyway).
Hope this helps! Looking forward to hearing about your project as well, please post pictures when you can!
Cheers,
Adam
--------------------
WO 110 FLT
WO 66 Triplet
Celestron C11
SkyWatcher EQ-6 Pro
Stiletto focuser for Canon DSLRs for sale
One small but fearless dog (observing companion)
my astrophotos on flickr
|
soreneck
professor emeritus
Reged: 04/01/06
Posts: 695
Loc: Toronto, Canada
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Quote:
That Elvis lip on Sam tells me you may have built your obs over some prime puppy real estate. Hope you haven't truly buried some of his treasures! Not much more terrifying than a disgruntled dog.
Hi Karen, Sam has agreed to tolerate the new building as long as he's allowed to hunt raccoons while I observe.
Edited by soreneck (07/07/08 02:37 PM)
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csa/montana
Astro Ambassador
Reged: 05/14/05
Posts: 28619
Loc: montana
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Let's stay on topic, please 
--------------------
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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soreneck
professor emeritus
Reged: 04/01/06
Posts: 695
Loc: Toronto, Canada
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Quote:
Let's stay on topic, please
Done! Sorry about that.
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rcd47
sage
Reged: 03/15/08
Posts: 220
Loc: East Texas, USA
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Quote:
Thanks Randy. Yeah, I went with an off-center pier for a couple of reasons: 1) I wanted room on one side of the observatory for a small desk, and this seemed to be the best floor-plan compromise, and 2) it affords a slightly better south view from my particular location.
The pier's concrete base sits flush with the plywood floor, and the pier itself will be roughly 48" high (at the mount base). I say "roughly" because I haven't fabricated the two top plates yet -- one will be welded to the pier column, the other will bolt above this via 4 nut-adjustable rods of stainless steel. With my HEQ5 mount, this should afford just enough height to view over the 6' walls up to ~24 degrees above the horizon (my horizons are obstructed up to that in all directions anyway).
Hope this helps! Looking forward to hearing about your project as well, please post pictures when you can!
Cheers,
Adam
Thanks for the info! It definitely helps.
--------------------
Randy
Edmund Astroscan
Meade ETX125PE
Skywatcher 102mm F5 & Alt/Az Mount
Orion ST80/Mini EQ1
Tasco Starguide 114/Celestron Hand Paddle
Pentax 10x50 Binoculars
Philips SPC 900NC
Stellacam EX
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