NeoDinian
Experienced Postmaster
Reged: 10/05/05
Posts: 12710
Loc: Rockford Illinois
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Ummmm....
Rodney... That center block is at a HIGH ANGLE. I hope you have at least the top 2 posts (on the hill) in concrete. At that angle, and with those deck blocks at that angle, your structure may take a ride down the hill!!!
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Neo... (Jeff)
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10" LX200-GPS/SMT UHTC "Draco"
 Rockford, Il.
NeoDinian's Eye on the Sky!
Coming soon:
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rodney
Vendor - Explora Dome
Reged: 03/08/05
Posts: 800
Loc: Asbury, NJ
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Thanks Jeff,
The angles have been dealt with.
Rodney
Updates and images available on the yahoo group below.
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My Explora Dome construction is 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
Edited by rodney (04/23/07 12:13 PM)
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Strgzr
sage
Reged: 04/16/06
Posts: 355
Loc: Apache Junction, Arizona
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Quote:
Thanks Jeff,
The angles have been dealt with.
Rodney
Updates and images available on the yahoo group below.
Rodney, I followed your link and it seems I can't view your updates and photo's without signing up for that group. I would like to check out that stuff but I would rather not sign up for the group since I am not an Explora dome owner. Is there an alternative?
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rodney
Vendor - Explora Dome
Reged: 03/08/05
Posts: 800
Loc: Asbury, NJ
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Hello Andy,
That is correct. One must be signed in to view the images. Unfortunately, I only have the images on the Explora Dome yahoo group. I figured it is the best place after all. If you sign up, simply choose to not get emails, or leave the group after viewing the images. Yahoo gives you that option.
Send me your email address and I will send some pics directly to you if you'd like.
Clear skies, Rodney
http://tech.groups.yahoo.com/group/Explora-dome
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My Explora Dome construction is 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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Keith Schlottman
member
Reged: 10/02/05
Posts: 50
Loc: Tucson, AZ
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Here's an image of Xanadu Observatory, in my Tucson backyard.
Yes, the strike really WAS very close!
Keith Schlottman
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Wishing you the Clearest of Skies
Xanadu Observatory
http://www.xanaduobservatory.com
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Manny Myles
Post Laureate
Reged: 11/29/05
Posts: 3458
Loc: Flatlandia
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Richard,
Would it be feasible to cut one side , removing a few inches of material and then wrap a ratchet strap and start crankin' it tighter to keep the cirle and pull the ends together and the weld it back up?
I have had to shrink big circles like this before and it seem to work just fine, the other thing I had to do was partially cut areas on the circles to let the thing bend in, then welded these cuts back up
Ratchet strap
http://www.northerntool.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/product_6970_11834_11834&issearch=1936
Just a thought.
Manny
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Light travels faster than sound. This is why some people appear bright until you hear them speak
Edited by Manny Myles (04/27/07 07:39 AM)
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Richard B. Drumm
Pooh-Bah
Reged: 07/14/05
Posts: 1482
Loc: Albemarle Co. Virginia
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If I tried to do the bend in one shot like that I suspect that the arc would bend at its weakest point and bend in just one spot to allow the gap to close. What I want, of course, is for it to bend all along the arcs, which is tricky. My first idea was to do like you suggested and make a bunch of cuts all along the inside of the arcs and bend these till the kerfs close up. Then weld the kerfs shut. I may yet do this, but I had a CAS (my astro club) member come by and he suggested that it'd be a shame to weaken the inherent strength of the unbroken circles of steel. I'm chewing over the alternatives. If I could do it with the feeder the current size, then I'd have the best of both worlds...
Still thinkin' . . . . . .
Rich 
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Orion Atlas 10 (10" Newt on an equatorial mount)
Celestron 15x70 SkyMaster Binocs
Coronado Ha PST
President, Charlottesville Astronomical Society
IOTA member
38° 10' 57"N, 78° 23' 09"W
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rwiederrich
Goldfinger
Reged: 11/17/05
Posts: 8305
Loc: Bremerton Washington
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Quote:
If I tried to do the bend in one shot like that I suspect that the arc would bend at its weakest point and bend in just one spot to allow the gap to close. What I want, of course, is for it to bend all along the arcs, which is tricky. My first idea was to do like you suggested and make a bunch of cuts all along the inside of the arcs and bend these till the kerfs close up. Then weld the kerfs shut. I may yet do this, but I had a CAS (my astro club) member come by and he suggested that it'd be a shame to weaken the inherent strength of the unbroken circles of steel. I'm chewing over the alternatives. If I could do it with the feeder the current size, then I'd have the best of both worlds...
Still thinkin' . . . . . .
Rich
Rich....I was looking at the same thing at my feed store the other day. I said, *Hey Richard is using these things for his OB*. So I looked one over. They look like they are build like a tank.
Modifying one might compromise its integrity, but then again it is steal, and once rewelded as you suggested, it will probably be far stronger then you really need.
Now, you want to make it bigger or smaller??? I forgot.
Ingenuity at work.....
Rob
GOMOC
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www.goldmtobservingcenter.com
A great place for amateur astronomers, and ATM's to come and enjoy their hobby.
http://tech.groups.yahoo.com/group/HomemadeRefractorTelescopes/ My homemade refractor group.
www.vimeo.com/6014031
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Elliot
super member
Reged: 09/12/06
Posts: 123
Loc: Medford NJ
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Here is mine;
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Celestron CPC 1100
APT Wedge
Celestron ED80 GuideScope
SkyShed
SBIG ST9XE
Celestron Ultima 2000
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Elliot
super member
Reged: 09/12/06
Posts: 123
Loc: Medford NJ
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And here is the inside;
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Celestron CPC 1100
APT Wedge
Celestron ED80 GuideScope
SkyShed
SBIG ST9XE
Celestron Ultima 2000
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Elliot
super member
Reged: 09/12/06
Posts: 123
Loc: Medford NJ
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Some more;
Notice the neat conduit (radio shack) that contains all the cables.
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Celestron CPC 1100
APT Wedge
Celestron ED80 GuideScope
SkyShed
SBIG ST9XE
Celestron Ultima 2000
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NeoDinian
Experienced Postmaster
Reged: 10/05/05
Posts: 12710
Loc: Rockford Illinois
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Nice setup!
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Neo... (Jeff)
-=-=-=-=-=-=-
10" LX200-GPS/SMT UHTC "Draco"
Rockford, Il.
NeoDinian's Eye on the Sky!
Coming soon:
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rwiederrich
Goldfinger
Reged: 11/17/05
Posts: 8305
Loc: Bremerton Washington
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Quote:
Some more;
Notice the neat conduit (radio shack) that contains all the cables.
Sweet set-up Elliot. Very well done.
Nice and clean.
Rob
GOMOC
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www.goldmtobservingcenter.com
A great place for amateur astronomers, and ATM's to come and enjoy their hobby.
http://tech.groups.yahoo.com/group/HomemadeRefractorTelescopes/ My homemade refractor group.
www.vimeo.com/6014031
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Joel
Carpal Tunnel
Reged: 07/08/04
Posts: 2584
Loc: Merrimack, NH
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Looks great Elliot! Nice and neat.
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Joel
10" LX200GPS UHTC-SMT
Vixen 80EDsf
Canon unmodded 350D
QHY8
Turkey Hill Observatory
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Elliot
super member
Reged: 09/12/06
Posts: 123
Loc: Medford NJ
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Thanks everyone!
I cannot stress enough what an observatory has done for my "viewing time". It is hard to explain. My son and nephew have sleep-overs inside my Skyshed. We spend most of the night studying the heavens and the rest of the night talking about it.
Really I don't know what is the best thing to get starting out in astronomy (telescope, binoculars, eyepiece, SkyScout, beer, cigar(s), SkyShed, etc...). An observatory really addresses the "using it regularly factor" that so many people talk about.
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Celestron CPC 1100
APT Wedge
Celestron ED80 GuideScope
SkyShed
SBIG ST9XE
Celestron Ultima 2000
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Greyhaven
super member
Reged: 05/11/04
Posts: 189
Loc: Greater downtown Maine
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nice set up Elliot. I really hope to have one as nice some day. It's wonderful being able to follow everyones experiences
in achieving their dreams.
Be Well
Grey
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Greyhaven
Celestron 5i
DSH12
ToUcam pro ll
Star Hoc 90
kodak cx 4230 digital
bushnell 7x50
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BradH
Pooh-Bah
Reged: 06/19/04
Posts: 1036
Loc: Spencer, Indiana
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Very nice Elliot. You have put a lot in the details. Good job.
Brad
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Mike Clemens
Post Laureate
Reged: 11/26/05
Posts: 4253
Loc: Wasilla, Alaska 61N
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Those are really nice setups, very inspiring stuff.
Here is my roll-off as of today, a bit cluttered with construction stuff. I am pulling some wires today.
http://www.pbase.com/mclemens1969/image/78131622/large
Mike
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1965healey
Post Laureate
Reged: 06/23/07
Posts: 3133
Loc: San Antonio, TX
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I'm bumping this to the top of the list for CSA
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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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mlcolbert
sage
Reged: 11/15/07
Posts: 353
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You guys are evil!:))
I made the mistake of checking out the thread and now.....:((
We are just about to purchase a small place on an island of 1500 people and now, thanks to you guys, I HAVE to start thinking about an observatory as well as renovations! Thanks a lot!!!!
michael )
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zeiss
APQ 130/3x500 mm Telephotos/2xMC80/MC35/5x7 back/lunar and planetary camera
Hasselblad
503cw/500el/m
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