Gina's Observatory

[Gina]

This is a view from the SW taken from my neighbour's field a few years ago.  I have other views which I'll sort out and post later.  The apex roof is the ROR and rolls back along rails.  On the south side about a third of the wall rolls off with the roof.  The south running rail is supported on a horizontal timber and vertical post (varnished mahogany).

[Gina]

Here are some views from the mount position.  Sometime I may make a panorama

[Carastro]

Lovely Gina, I remember watching this go up via your webcam.

Carole 

[Gina]

Thank you Carole.  I'll sort out a few build photos to post later.

[Gina]

There are very long threads of my observatory build "in another place" and I need to do a lot of pruning before I post the build process on here but I will post here in due course.

[Gina]

Here are some photos of my completed observatory.  I'll sort out and post some details of the build later.

I'll start with some photos of the observatory taken a few years ago. From the north looking roughly south and then from the south at various angles.

On a lovely sunny day in May 2015, I hopped over the electric fences into my neighbour's field and took some more photos of the south side and ends of my observatory, showing the east wall flap/window.

[Gina]

I guess those who haven't followed my observatory build in another place may be interested in seeing some photos and explanations here.  Unfortunately, a lot of my photos were stored on an online site and got lost but I have some still.  Anyway, I don't think too much detail would be appropriate so I will do a précis of the build to post here.

[Gina]

Been looking at build thread elsewhere and the vast majority of photos are on PhotoBucket and emblasoned with their logo ?   I have found this image of the observatory part built.

There are lots of photos of clearing the site, digging out and pouring the reinforced concrete block and pier. Here are a few examples.

The hole for the block, about 700mm square and 600mm deep.

http://i482.photobucket.com/albums/rr186/GinaDevon/Pier-base-hole2.jpg

[Gina]

Seems I can view these photos in WatsApp with the logo. then take a screenshot, change to JPG in GIMP and post here.

[Gina]

http://www.ginad.uk/ObservatoryBuild/Observatory.jpg

[Gina]

I shall now cover the site preparation followed by the build.

[MarkAR]

Great work Gina, well done.

[Jkulin]

That's a cracking RoR Obsy Gina, many would be so envious of the build quality

[Gina]

Posted by: @Jkulin

That's a cracking RoR Obsy Gina, many would be so envious of the build quality

Thank you John ? 

 

[Gina]

This is some of the equipment used for site preparation and building.  It wasn't all hand work but with clay arond a foot or less down it was still hard work.

[Gina]

This is the floor plan.  Six poured concrete blocks 2ft square and 1ft deep form the foundations, seated on the clay layer.  Then 3 second hand heavy barn roof beams 7" x 3"  sit on the blocks (with damp proofing on top of blocks) held down with fastenings embedded in the concrete.  We are on the SE side of a hill and have strong winds at times.  On top of the beams are joists screwed down with heavy duty long wood screws.  Noggins are fastened in between the joists at around 16" apart.   (There's an extra red line in this diagram and I don't remember what it means. ? )

[Gina]

I think this planning diagram still applies to the current dimensions.  There are many more noggins than shown here.

[geoflewis]

Hi Gina,

It’s going to be fun seeing this retrospective of your observatory build. I took a few images of my build back in 2016, thinking that I might write a blog, but have never done anything with them. Maybe I’ll dig them out and put them up on this new forum.

Geof

[TerryMcK]

Great the you are doing the build thread here as I didn't see it elsewhere.

I like how you have made the roof roll off within the same footprint rather than some other ROR observatories which roll off onto support timbers.

[Jkulin]

@Gina Love it Gina, you never fail to amaze me ? 

[Mick_H]

Nice obsy Gina, but.............................................

 Would be a great place to keep hens, coddled eggs in the morning please. ? 

[Gina]

Posted by: @geoflewis

Hi Gina,

It’s going to be fun seeing this retrospective of your observatory build. I took a few images of my build back in 2016, thinking that I might write a blog, but have never done anything with them. Maybe I’ll dig them out and put them up on this new forum.

Geof

Please do Geof, I know a lot of people love reading about observatory builds.  I certainly do.

 

[Gina]

@swb

We used to keep kens and there is still a hen-house on the property.  We had 40 hens at one stage and sold the eggs.

[Gina]

Posted by: @7170

You know @Gina you should put all of your guides and build threads into a book and self publish on Amazon. ?

That's a good idea but probably can't be bothered or have the time.

 

[Stub Mandrel]

One, rarely mentioned, benefit of an ROR over a dome is that it doesn't stand out on Google maps and attract the wrong sort of attention...