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Alleline
professor emeritus
Reged: 02/07/06
Posts: 583
Loc: Farmington, New Mexico
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New build - advice please
07/02/08 02:27 PM
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I've decided to build a roll-off-roof observatory and would appreciate your friendly warnings. If you think I'm heading toward a problem, tell me now! Advice especially appreciated from those who have built a DIY roll-off-roof.
The observatory will house two mounts - my Meade DS-16 on original GEM and a CG-5 goto for my C-8 and refractor to alternate. I plan to use a green laser on the go-to so I can trace the beam with the DS-16 and find faint objects.
My yard is dark to very dark, with a little ambient light from town 2 miles away and my neighbor's annoying security floodlight to the NE. Great views in three directions, but trees block most of the east. I intend to roll the roof off to the NE, to block neighbor's light. I believe the opposite gable will block my other neighbor's driveway and occasional headlights coming up the road.
I plan to start very simple and rebuild in pieces as needed to get fancier. I am not 100% sure which site will be best. So I will put a 7'9"x11'6" shed on pressure-treated footers, with 4' side walls and gables/roof pitch of 3/4, so the peak will be at 7.' The floor will be 5-6" of crushed rock with three level pads for each mount - so I can adjust locations until I get two that work for all purposes.
I expect to paint the interior flat black before erecting the walls, and have only one wall opening - the door in the gable end opposite the rails.
Roof will be green metal on 2x4 trusses with cross-piece no lower than 5', on fixed 2" wheels from Home Depot. Triangular screens at the peaks to provide some vent. I will use stops to prevent the roof rolling all the way off the rails, and 1x8 side pieces to straddle the top of the walls and keep the wheels rolling on the rails. No motors - I think the roof will weigh about 200 pounds. I intend to build it on the ground and lift it into place.
Any immediate red flags pop up for you experienced builders?
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Tom
Meade DS-16 (F4.5), C-8, Synta 120mm F8.3 refractor.
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