stkoepke
sage
Reged: 01/11/08
Loc: Abilene, Texas
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Re: ASIGN Observatory II is back on track!!
[Re: bloodhound31]
#5515381 - 11/12/12 12:45 AM
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Everything is looking AWESOME!
I do have a couple of questions if you don't mind.
1. How will you "lock" the dome so that it doesn't move on it's own in the breeze?
2. How will you vent the heat build up? (Manually or electronically operated vents of some sort near the top of the dome?)
3. Being that the observatory is metal, are you planning for lightning protection in some way? A lightening rod or rods of some sort?
4. How are you planning to prevent or minimize "sweating" condensation on the inside of the dome? (I'm assuming that the dome will be covered by metal sheeting.)
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bloodhound31
sage
Reged: 03/01/07
Loc: Canberra, Australia
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Re: ASIGN Observatory II is back on track!!
[Re: stkoepke]
#5515456 - 11/12/12 02:34 AM
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Everything is looking AWESOME!
I do have a couple of questions if you don't mind.
1. How will you "lock" the dome so that it doesn't move on it's own in the breeze?
2. How will you vent the heat build up? (Manually or electronically operated vents of some sort near the top of the dome?)
3. Being that the observatory is metal, are you planning for lightning protection in some way? A lightening rod or rods of some sort?
4. How are you planning to prevent or minimize "sweating" condensation on the inside of the dome? (I'm assuming that the dome will be covered by metal sheeting.)
1. If you mean rotation - it's too heavy and that just won't happen. If you mean lift, there will be lock bolts/clips that will clamp the rotating ring to the support ring when not in use.
2. You must understand...the hole opening for the dome is HUGE! As soon as you open it, all heat within the dome will escape into the night air. For my last dome, I assisted this progress with a simple pedestal fan turned parallel with the inside curve. This circulated the air and spiralled it up and out of the dome, while sucking in cooler air from outside.
3. Not going to worry about it. Most of the trees around me are taller, many of the houses around me have tin roofs. At the very most I may run a copper cable from the dome to a ground stake, just to channel a direct hit.
4. I'll tackle that later. Last dome I had a padded fabric covering on the inside that took care of that. Really, with such a big opening in the dome, circulation should take care of it when I'm in there. I may install vents to keep that going when the dome is closed.
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Mirzam
Post Laureate
Reged: 04/01/08
Loc: Lovettsville, VA
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Re: ASIGN Observatory II is back on track!!
[Re: bloodhound31]
#5515594 - 11/12/12 08:14 AM
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My bare aluminum dome does not experience moisture condensation on the inside. Don't know exactly why, but it never does. Steel domes may perform differently due to the greater emissivity of steel.
JimC
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hm insulators
Post Laureate
Reged: 01/22/07
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Re: ASIGN Observatory II is back on track!!
[Re: Mirzam]
#5515765 - 11/12/12 10:56 AM
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I don't know how often you get lightning in Canberra, but I would definitely employ some form of proper lightning protection. Lightning is unpredictable as to where it can strike. Usually it is attracted to the tallest object in the region, but that rule-of-thumb is not foolproof! Don't forget a bolt can strike a tree, then "jump" to the observatory.
Better safe than sorry!
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Mike I. Jones
Carpal Tunnel
Reged: 07/02/06
Loc: Fort Worth TX
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Re: ASIGN Observatory II is back on track!!
[Re: bloodhound31]
#5516305 - 11/12/12 04:37 PM
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Man, seeing Alpha and Beta Centauri and Crux high in the sky over your obz makes me ACHE to get back to Australia! Nice looking setup for sure! Will be especially interested in your techniques for leakproofing your dome.
Mike
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Aquarist
sage
Reged: 08/27/12
Loc: Illinois
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Re: ASIGN Observatory II is back on track!!
[Re: Mike I. Jones]
#5518670 - 11/13/12 08:45 PM
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A wonderful thread and superb job. Can I ask a bit about dimensions? What is the diameter of the warm room? What scope are you planning?
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bloodhound31
sage
Reged: 03/01/07
Loc: Canberra, Australia
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Re: ASIGN Observatory II is back on track!!
[Re: Aquarist]
#5519107 - 11/14/12 06:33 AM
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It's five metres across mate. Putting my ED120 and ED80 on the EQ6 Pro back in there until I can afford an upgrade. Excellent imaging kit though.
I don't know how many times I have leaned on the unattached pier up on the top floor and nearly toppled over, so today I filled it with concrete and mounted the mounting plates.
Solid now and good to lean on!
1. Reo about to go in, pouring in concrete, then embedding the mounting plates deep into the wet concrete via three long threaded rods.
2. Filled with concrete and mounting base plates seated.
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bloodhound31
sage
Reged: 03/01/07
Loc: Canberra, Australia
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Re: ASIGN Observatory II is back on track!!
[Re: bloodhound31]
#5522338 - 11/16/12 07:05 AM
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The steel for the roofing arrived today. Thanks to a couple of good jobs with the chainsaw and a wonderful donation. Along with the roof sheeting, I also got the doors custom covered.
Thanks to the help of my next door neighbour and his friend, we got all the flooring in on the first floor today. Getting the first sheet in took a little work, but once we got a flow happening, the rest went in so quickly. Now I have something to stand on while I put the roof on.
As soon as we were done, it poured with rain, but I've had two test-pieces up there for months and they are not yet swelling or deteriorating from all the weather. Hopefully, I'll have the roofing on within the week and won't have to worry about that any more.
1. Colorbond sheeting cut to size and ready to clad the dome.
2. Dome doors covered with colorbond sheeting.
3. Flooring installed.
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bloodhound31
sage
Reged: 03/01/07
Loc: Canberra, Australia
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Re: ASIGN Observatory II is back on track!!
[Re: bloodhound31]
#5523869 - 11/17/12 05:28 AM
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Humble beginnings. This was my original cardboard concept I built all those months ago to get it right in my head during the planning stages.
A bit of mucking about today, finishing off the flooring, putting joiners underneath etc. Finally started on the roofing and got the first piece worked out. The four around the centre slot are the most complex, but once those are worked out, the rest are easy.
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bloodhound31
sage
Reged: 03/01/07
Loc: Canberra, Australia
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Re: ASIGN Observatory II is back on track!!
[Re: bloodhound31]
#5525558 - 11/18/12 06:05 AM
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Today's work. Attaching the hardest sheets first. Each sheet has to be clamped, traced along the bows, removed, cut to shape, re-clamped then screwed on. Getting sheets to bend on two axis has proven difficult.
My back is stuffed!
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HunterofPhotons
scholastic sledgehammer
Reged: 04/26/08
Loc: Rhode Island, USA
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Re: ASIGN Observatory II is back on track!!
[Re: bloodhound31]
#5525968 - 11/18/12 11:56 AM
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.... Getting sheets to bend on two axis [sic] has proven difficult....
Time to treat yourself to an English wheel? <g>
dan k.
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bloodhound31
sage
Reged: 03/01/07
Loc: Canberra, Australia
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Re: ASIGN Observatory II is back on track!!
[Re: HunterofPhotons]
#5526768 - 11/18/12 08:18 PM
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Quote:
Quote:
.... Getting sheets to bend on two axis [sic] has proven difficult....
Time to treat yourself to an English wheel? <g>
What's that?
dan k.
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HunterofPhotons
scholastic sledgehammer
Reged: 04/26/08
Loc: Rhode Island, USA
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Re: ASIGN Observatory II is back on track!!
[Re: bloodhound31]
#5527795 - 11/19/12 11:55 AM
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The English wheel is the traditional tool of choice for forming compound curves in metal, i.e. curves in two directions:
Wiki link
The good news is that it doesn't have a motor and is fairly inexpensive because of its simple construction.
The bad news is that it takes a while to master the technique.
dan k.
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bloodhound31
sage
Reged: 03/01/07
Loc: Canberra, Australia
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Re: ASIGN Observatory II is back on track!!
[Re: HunterofPhotons]
#5529210 - 11/20/12 12:26 AM
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The English wheel is the traditional tool of choice for forming compound curves in metal, i.e. curves in two directions:
Wiki link
The good news is that it doesn't have a motor and is fairly inexpensive because of its simple construction.
The bad news is that it takes a while to master the technique.
dan k.
Ah got it! Yes, that could fix it. I have another idea that might avoid the need though. I'll keep you posted.
Baz.
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csa/montana
Den Mama
Reged: 05/14/05
Loc: montana
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Re: ASIGN Observatory II is back on track!!
[Re: bloodhound31]
#5529705 - 11/20/12 09:54 AM
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What an awesome build from your tiny cardboard plan!
This is going to be a one of a kind observatory, truly beautiful!
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bloodhound31
sage
Reged: 03/01/07
Loc: Canberra, Australia
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Re: ASIGN Observatory II is back on track!!
[Re: csa/montana]
#5545133 - 11/29/12 09:05 AM
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Let it not be said that I have not spent blood on this observatory! Nearly dropped the door from the top of the dome today, caught it mid-slide but managed to run my forearm down the edge of the sheet-metal. Saved the door, lost some blood.
1. Interesting seeing the muscle under that many layers of skin.
2. Stitching it up, a couple more to go. Good as new and back to work!
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Aquarist
sage
Reged: 08/27/12
Loc: Illinois
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Re: ASIGN Observatory II is back on track!!
[Re: bloodhound31]
#5545364 - 11/29/12 11:29 AM
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Battle scars!
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Wmacky
Pooh-Bah
Reged: 11/24/07
Loc: Florida
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Re: ASIGN Observatory II is back on track!!
[Re: bloodhound31]
#5545525 - 11/29/12 01:08 PM
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Let it not be said that I have not spent blood on this observatory! Nearly dropped the door from the top of the dome today, caught it mid-slide but managed to run my forearm down the edge of the sheet-metal. Saved the door, lost some blood.
1. Interesting seeing the muscle under that many layers of skin.
2. Stitching it up, a couple more to go. Good as new and back to work!
You did your own stiches? 
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Erik30
member
Reged: 10/16/12
Loc: Cottage Grove, MN
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Re: ASIGN Observatory II is back on track!!
[Re: Wmacky]
#5545698 - 11/29/12 03:16 PM
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"I ain't got time to bleed"...
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Mary B
Vendor - Echo Astronomy and Electronics
Reged: 05/21/10
Loc: Minnesota
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Re: ASIGN Observatory II is back on track!!
[Re: Erik30]
#5545920 - 11/29/12 06:02 PM
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Blood sacrifice to the observatory gods. I took most of the tip of a finger off on some roof flashing when the wind caught it. 5 stitches later back to work.
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