CarolG
scholastic sledgehammer
Reged: 10/16/06
Posts: 963
Loc: Oklahoma
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Next I put the transition panels up, and here's where the problems began. I got them up but the lips next to the dome ring were too long, so I had to take all the panels down and trim about 1/2" off along the top. Then I put the panels up, put a cargo strap around the ring where the panel lips met the ring and pulled it tight. It took several hours of adjusting the panels so they were even all around, but I finally got it done. Then I noticed the corners stuck up and the centers sagged. If I pulled the corners down, the ring lifted up. To make a long story short and several hours later, my husband and I decided to put 10' 2x4's on each side and layed them on the wood roof rafters just before the 2x6 edge. This lifted the edges evenly and made the roof panels much more solid. Next time I will nail 10' 2x4 spacers between the panel overhangs and the walls and screw the panels to those 2x4's. Here's a pic of what it looked like before putting the 2x4's under the panels.
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Carol
Cor Caroli Observatory
NS11 XLT w/ HyperStar
TV85 w/FeatherTouch/DM4/SC on a Scopebuggy
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CarolG
scholastic sledgehammer
Reged: 10/16/06
Posts: 963
Loc: Oklahoma
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My son joined us this trip, so since he was there, we decided to try to get the dome on. We thought about several ways to do it, but finally decided to just lift it up. My son and I lifted it up onto the side and pushed while my husband, who was inside, pulled it over the rollers. It wasn't hard at all. So, all this is to say that I'M NOW DOMED!! 
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Carol
Cor Caroli Observatory
NS11 XLT w/ HyperStar
TV85 w/FeatherTouch/DM4/SC on a Scopebuggy
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rodney
Vendor - Explora Dome
Reged: 03/08/05
Posts: 902
Loc: Asbury, NJ
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Carol,
Congratulations on being domed. I can easily understand your situation with those transition panels. Mine also turned upwards at the corners at first. I figured it was from how I had them stored. After getting them where I wanted them and a few days of sun light they flattened out nicely. The spacer 2 by is in the instructions from what I recall.
How did the dome rotate? Did you anchor the ring down? Those cross braces I thought were to go up and down as oppossed to flat. Then again, thre isn't much there to cause any concerns down the road. I got an email today from someone that now has an all aluminum support structure. It eliminates the need to build that upper support all together. Oh, yeah, there is also now a full automation package available for the Explora Dome. PM me for more info on that.
 
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Explora Dome information can be found here:
www.exploradome.us
Rodney
Meade 10 SCT
AT 8/F4 imaging scope
13 Truss
C8-NGT
Orion 80mm/F11
Canon 300D
Canon XSi
Two AS-GT mounts
Extremely happy Explora Dome home observatory owner
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andyschlei
sage
Reged: 03/05/06
Posts: 414
Loc: Los Angeles, CA
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Congratulations on getting domed!
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Observatorio de la Ballona
Mar Vista
Lake Riverside Estates
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CarolG
scholastic sledgehammer
Reged: 10/16/06
Posts: 963
Loc: Oklahoma
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Thanks, Rodney and Andy. I thought about the panels being stored and getting out of shape. Perhaps the sun in the next week will help. I have temporarily secured the ring, but need to figure out a more secure way of doing it. I just used some hurricane straps, but they don't seem to hold it very well. I saw the pictures of the new metal transition piece. Darn!! That would really have been nice. The dome turns easily. The braces were supposed to go in vertically, but I decided to put them in horizontally to make a little more head room. They are strong, because I put my full weight on them and swung on them.
I'm also considering the automation and will get in touch when I decide to do it.
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Carol
Cor Caroli Observatory
NS11 XLT w/ HyperStar
TV85 w/FeatherTouch/DM4/SC on a Scopebuggy
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CarolG
scholastic sledgehammer
Reged: 10/16/06
Posts: 963
Loc: Oklahoma
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Hubert, I got an adjustable strike plate for the door, and it works like a charm. Thanks for the tip!!
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Carol
Cor Caroli Observatory
NS11 XLT w/ HyperStar
TV85 w/FeatherTouch/DM4/SC on a Scopebuggy
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csa/montana
Den Mother
Reged: 05/14/05
Posts: 43817
Loc: montana
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Carol, Beautiful! You are doing such a fantastic job; you can be so very proud of all you've accomplished!
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Carol
AstroTech 16" Dob (Thanks ASTRONOMICS!)
Vixen 80MF/AstroTech Voyager
Masuyama's 7.5, 15, 25W, 35mm,
Pentaxes; 5XW, 7XL, 10XW.
14mm Meade 4000 UWA
TV Panoptics; 22, 35
DreamCatcher Dobservatory
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Bob Griffiths
Getting Grouchy
Reged: 10/10/05
Posts: 7253
Loc: Frederick Maryland
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Carol:
Congratulations !!!!!
And "we" can now officially welcome you to the Brotherhood (or sisterhood) of the Domed.....SO WELCOME....!!!! and ya did good..real good !
Also glad you did not have to make a bunch of adjustments to get the Dome to rotate rather easily this means you followed instructions and built it right..SO WAY TO GO GAL...
You will notice however that it actually will rotate a little easier in the summer due to expansion so it sounds like you are good to go...
I can not tell if you have your retainer rings in place but from looking at the picture you definitely will not have any problems putting them on...
My corners of the transition panels do in fact sit a little high...but you can not the slight raise at the corners because I put up rain gutters on my building... My building is elevated so the gutters are about 11 foot off the ground...
Bob G.
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CPC1100
Nexstar 8i + GPS & Rays Brackets
Denk S1 power switch
Orion 100 mm Refractor
Meade LXD 55 ...AR-5 127 mm Refractor
Exploradome Observatory S.I.E. (Smiling Irish Eyes)
Gerbring Heated Motorcycle clothing in the winter
39*21'03" N
77*28'12" W
The sky over my head....
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Chris Schroeder
Postmaster
Reged: 12/11/04
Posts: 6795
Loc: N.E. WI Sky Glow
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Congrats on getting domed Carol
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Chris
Mallincam Color Hyper Plus
10" DSH with SC DSC, CPC 800 XLT
M110 Doublet ED, AT 102Achro, ZS80FD 10th Anniv, ZS66SD, PST
CG5-AGT, EZ-Touch, Voyager
POD XL3 http://POD.SchroederCity.com
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CarolG
scholastic sledgehammer
Reged: 10/16/06
Posts: 963
Loc: Oklahoma
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Thanks, Carol, Bob, and Chris! I am so happy to now be a part of the domed 'personhood'!! I may not attach the roof panel edges to the spacer board for awhile. I'm hoping that the panels will flatten out in the sun, as Rodney said his did. Also, I still plan on attaching guttering, so I want the edges to be free for awhile. Bob, I did attach the retainer rings. That was a little tricky. The picture in the instructions did not show which way the retainer rings went. Does the "L" shaped ring go with the "L" right side up on the dome skirt or upside down? I installed them with the "L" upside down. The instructions said to hit the corner so the screw won't stick out too much. I was only able to do that a few times. Most of the screws do stick out some. I hope that is not a problem except if you reach underneath and grab the retainer rings. I thought about making something to "cap" those screw ends, but I can't see them being much of a problem. I still need to attach the rope pulley system on the shutter doors and the motor assembly.
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Carol
Cor Caroli Observatory
NS11 XLT w/ HyperStar
TV85 w/FeatherTouch/DM4/SC on a Scopebuggy
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Bob Griffiths
Getting Grouchy
Reged: 10/10/05
Posts: 7253
Loc: Frederick Maryland
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Carol:
My retainer ring is installed like yours...that is (the "L") is upside down.. therefor not visible and located higher inside the dome so that it will catch easier or faster..IF were had a Major "blow"
The bolts I used came with acorn nuts (all stainless) I pushed the bolts from the inside out so that the acorn nuts are all on the outside the bolt head is on the inside and can not interfere with the rotation...
I can't help you with the rope system for the shutter as I just use a short dogs leash .. Remember my Ed is one of the 1st off the production line.. before Dan even offered the rope system, or offered a black interior, or adjustable wheels or a rotation ring for that matter... And I have no plans for automating it...
It is in the middle of its 3rd full winter now and has worked completely problem free from day one...total time doing maintenance has been about 1/2 hour (it needed a bath).. and is due for its second bath in the spring.. Other then that I do check the bolts every so often to make use they are tight...always have been but I still check them whenever I have some time to kill and want to escape (hide out) in the Obs
Bob G.
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CPC1100
Nexstar 8i + GPS & Rays Brackets
Denk S1 power switch
Orion 100 mm Refractor
Meade LXD 55 ...AR-5 127 mm Refractor
Exploradome Observatory S.I.E. (Smiling Irish Eyes)
Gerbring Heated Motorcycle clothing in the winter
39*21'03" N
77*28'12" W
The sky over my head....
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CarolG
scholastic sledgehammer
Reged: 10/16/06
Posts: 963
Loc: Oklahoma
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Thanks, Bob. Well, I guess the retainer ring installation is one thing I won't have to redo. WHEW!! The retainer screws that came with the kit did not have acorn nuts. Wish they had, because the exposed screw tip is very sharp. I installed the retainer ring with the "L" upside down, because I didn't want to take a chance of that sharp screw tip hitting the dome ring or anything else, except curious fingers!
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Carol
Cor Caroli Observatory
NS11 XLT w/ HyperStar
TV85 w/FeatherTouch/DM4/SC on a Scopebuggy
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Pedestal
Post Laureate
Reged: 03/11/06
Posts: 3989
Loc: Smoggy Bottom, Baytown,Texas
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Way to go, Carol!
Hubert
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Hubert
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www.smoggybottom.org
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Fish
sage
Reged: 10/13/07
Posts: 475
Loc: Norridgewock, ME
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Carol,
I had fun with the rope pully system. The instructions were a bit vague and it turned out I was missing the pulley! A phone call fixed that - no problem. But I had to read the instructions a few time to figure it out.
One thing is for sure - you'll get tired of opening and (especially) closing the slit without the ropes wery quickly!
A real picture may be worth 1000, well at least 417 words. If you'd like, I'll take a closeup or 2 of the installed rope and pulley system and PM it to you. It may save you some grief.
Regards, Marc
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Goseck Observatory
Kunming 152 f/5.9 & Baader Wedge
Orion ED80 & LS75FHa2/B1200
Meade 102ED & LS18CaKMDd2
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SometimesKen
professor emeritus
Reged: 07/15/05
Posts: 556
Loc: Bad Moon Observatory
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Wooo Hooo!! Congrats on your Domed Day!!
Isn't it a wonderful thing? 
Thanks for sharing
Ken
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Resistance is not futile, do not be assimilated ... '92 Hugos w/100K miles can not be pristine!
Bad Moon Observatory - February 1, 2007
39° 54' N - 74° 09' W
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CarolG
scholastic sledgehammer
Reged: 10/16/06
Posts: 963
Loc: Oklahoma
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Thanks, Marc. I'd appreciate seeing some pictures. I've read about some problems with the ropes getting caught in between the rollers. Have you had that problem? If so, what was your fix? I should have installed the ropes on the upper shutter at least while the dome was on the ground, but live and learn.
Ken, it's hard to believe that I really have a domed observatory!! I keep thinking I'm going to wake up from this dream! There's still a lot left to do, but knowing that the inside is now out of the weather is a comfort. It is going to be soooo much fun using my new "home".
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Carol
Cor Caroli Observatory
NS11 XLT w/ HyperStar
TV85 w/FeatherTouch/DM4/SC on a Scopebuggy
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llanitedave
Humble Megalomaniac
Reged: 09/26/05
Posts: 13753
Loc: Amargosa Valley, NV, USA
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That looks great, Carol! I hope you pop into your house from time to time just to say hi to your husband! You don't want him forgetting all about you...
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"Since the process of science generates more mysteries than it solves, we can never learn everything, we'll simply generate new ignorance at the speed of knowledge."
"S.O.E." (Sauron's Other Eye), with 16" Royce conical mirror: A permanent work in progress.
10" Homebuilt dob, old Coulter mirror
Under Construction: The "Eye of Sauron" Observatory!
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WidowMaker
Catchy Title
Reged: 12/29/07
Posts: 1097
Loc: Frankfort, Ky
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Wow, looks fantastic Carol!
Following your thread is quite an adventure, now I know how others must have felt walking me through the building of my own!
Nice work! 
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Sleep is the Cousin of Death
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Mare Nectaris
Pooh-Bah
Reged: 03/09/08
Posts: 1471
Loc: Toijala, Finland
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You did it, Carol 
All the best for further fitting up for cosy and adventurous observing!
Enjoy the journey to the gardens of stars, and please keep us posted 
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Share - and you shall have it all
Timo Keski-Petäjä
CtheMoon
Observation shelter KuuMaja (MoonHut)
TAL 250K*Celestron C8-N*SkyWatcher Skymax 150 Pro*TAL1(Mizar)*EQ6 Pro SynScan*Celestron Advanced GT (CG-5 GOTO)*Baader Hyperion Clickstop Zoom 8-24*17 mm UWA-70*TeleVue BIG 2x Barlow*Celestron 2x Barlow Ultima SV Series
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CarolG
scholastic sledgehammer
Reged: 10/16/06
Posts: 963
Loc: Oklahoma
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Thanks, Dave, Michael, and Timo. All the help and advice offered by everyone helped give me the confidence and knowledge to get the job done.
Dave, my husband has been watching all through this project and helping when he thought I needed an extra hand. He told me after we put on the dome that he thought it was such a nice building that we should install a small air conditioner and heater and live out there to save on our cooling/heating bills!!
Michael, when I was installing the door knob and lock, I thought about you and your frozen lock problem. Glad you got that worked out. Actually, your entire obs project has been a real inspiration for me, and I thank you for sharing your journey with everyone.
Timo, you thoughtful words of advice and encouragement have been much appreciated. Thank you very much, and I will indeed enjoy my "journey through the garden of stars"!
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Carol
Cor Caroli Observatory
NS11 XLT w/ HyperStar
TV85 w/FeatherTouch/DM4/SC on a Scopebuggy
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