Pedestal
Post Laureate
Reged: 03/11/06
Posts: 3794
Loc: Smoggy Bottom, Baytown,Texas
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Every since I built my little observatory, I've been plagued by "drips" when it rains. So I decided to fix that, as it seems we are in a long, dry spell.
Took the old slot doors off an then made a batch of these:
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Hubert
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www.smoggybottom.org
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Pedestal
Post Laureate
Reged: 03/11/06
Posts: 3794
Loc: Smoggy Bottom, Baytown,Texas
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The wooden arcs form a raise "lip" around the slot opening:
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Hubert
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www.smoggybottom.org
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Pedestal
Post Laureate
Reged: 03/11/06
Posts: 3794
Loc: Smoggy Bottom, Baytown,Texas
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Another look at the raised lip
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Hubert
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www.smoggybottom.org
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Pedestal
Post Laureate
Reged: 03/11/06
Posts: 3794
Loc: Smoggy Bottom, Baytown,Texas
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The slot doors fit down over raised lip
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Hubert
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www.smoggybottom.org
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Pedestal
Post Laureate
Reged: 03/11/06
Posts: 3794
Loc: Smoggy Bottom, Baytown,Texas
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The upper door folds down overlapping the lower door about 4", and also overlaps the side. I uses solid plastic piano type hinges on the lids.
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Hubert
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www.smoggybottom.org
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Pedestal
Post Laureate
Reged: 03/11/06
Posts: 3794
Loc: Smoggy Bottom, Baytown,Texas
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I think a new paint job is gonna be done, soon as I recover... 
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Hubert
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www.smoggybottom.org
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4Texans
super member
Reged: 12/08/07
Posts: 103
Loc: TX
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I understand the recovery part with the heat wave we're having.
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Meade LXD-75 8" S/N
Meade 826C
Tal 100R
7x50 binoculars
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quantumac
sage
Reged: 12/17/07
Posts: 324
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Suggestion: might want to check your work with a garden hose, just to make sure everything is sealed properly. Best to know before Mother Nature discovers any problems for you.
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Scope: Meade 10" LX200R
Guide/Planetary Camera: Imaging Source DBK41AF02.AS
DSO Camera: QHY8
Guide Hardware: Celestron OAG, Shoestring Astronomy GPUSB
Software: Mac OS X, Starry Night Pro, Nebulosity, PHD Guiding, PixInsight. No Windows anything.
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Chris Schroeder
Postmaster
Reged: 12/11/04
Posts: 6519
Loc: N.E. WI Sky Glow
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Looks great Hubert, I would second the garden hose idea as well.
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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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Pedestal
Post Laureate
Reged: 03/11/06
Posts: 3794
Loc: Smoggy Bottom, Baytown,Texas
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Ya know, I tried the garden hose thing, and the grass reached up and grabbed the hose out of my hand! I barely managed to get the valve turned off... 
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Hubert
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www.smoggybottom.org
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hm insulators
Pooh-Bah
Reged: 01/22/07
Posts: 1330
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Pedestal
Post Laureate
Reged: 03/11/06
Posts: 3794
Loc: Smoggy Bottom, Baytown,Texas
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Got the doors finished, and repainted the whole obs with the white RV paint. However, since my weather station is on the fritz, I have not had a chance to check temps. Anyway, here is a couple of shots with the lids open.
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Hubert
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www.smoggybottom.org
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Pedestal
Post Laureate
Reged: 03/11/06
Posts: 3794
Loc: Smoggy Bottom, Baytown,Texas
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I also changed the opening mechanism so I can open the lids standing on the floor, instead of having to use a stool.
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Hubert
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www.smoggybottom.org
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csa/montana
Den Mother
Reged: 05/14/05
Posts: 39492
Loc: montana
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Hubert, Outstanding job! That really looks nice; & it's so much better for you opening it up!
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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, #2
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AlienFirstClass
professor emeritus
Reged: 02/13/09
Posts: 688
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The doors on the dome...how have they worked out for you?
I understand that you are adding the lips to the dome but you apparently are not changing the doors themselves.
How did they seal before the modifications?
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texag
member
Reged: 05/24/07
Posts: 65
Loc: SE Texas
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Hubert.
I hope the elastomeric paint on the building walls helps moderate the temperatures in your observatory. I started monitoring the temperatures in my dome on Thursday. Friday morning I painted the walls with the elastomeric paint. The daily high temperature is now lower in the observatory than the recorded high here in town.
Thursday (unpainted walls) Observatory high: 98.4 League City high: 98
Friday (painted walls) Observatory high: 98.1 League City high: 100
Saturday Observatory high: 97.5 League City high: 99
Kevin
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Pedestal
Post Laureate
Reged: 03/11/06
Posts: 3794
Loc: Smoggy Bottom, Baytown,Texas
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Yeah, Carol, climbing up a stepstool, trying to use the scope for balance without putting any pressure on it wa not fun!
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Hubert
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www.smoggybottom.org
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Pedestal
Post Laureate
Reged: 03/11/06
Posts: 3794
Loc: Smoggy Bottom, Baytown,Texas
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Although they look the same, the doors are new. Since I was going to the trouble, I also made the slot about 6" longer, as I found the original slot a bit "tight" at zenith. There was a low "lip" originally, and the old doors laid down flat on top of the lip. I probably could have got by just making new doors with a lip, but decided to just make sure. Basically a case of my inadequate design from the getgo.
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Hubert
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www.smoggybottom.org
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Pedestal
Post Laureate
Reged: 03/11/06
Posts: 3794
Loc: Smoggy Bottom, Baytown,Texas
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Kevin, thanks for the info, it looks like it's working for you. I should have my weather staion back in a few days, and can start monitoring.
(I really like your dome!)
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Hubert
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www.smoggybottom.org
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AlienFirstClass
professor emeritus
Reged: 02/13/09
Posts: 688
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Quote:
Although they look the same, the doors are new. Since I was going to the trouble, I also made the slot about 6" longer, as I found the original slot a bit "tight" at zenith. There was a low "lip" originally, and the old doors laid down flat on top of the lip. I probably could have got by just making new doors with a lip, but decided to just make sure. Basically a case of my inadequate design from the getgo.
Thought so...I figured the doors would change.
As for it being a case of inadequate design...no my friend...it is a case of ONGOING design. ;<)
In my experience, one is never done tweaking a design to make it even better.
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