Gina's Observatory

[Gina]

West wall and door

Vapour barrier fitted.
http://ginad.uk/ObservatoryBuild/WWallVapourBarrier.jpg

Cladding and north wall trim fitted.
http://ginad.uk/ObservatoryBuild/WWallCladding.jpg

Vapour barrier and cladding fastened to ROR and south warm room wall top part.
http://ginad.uk/ObservatoryBuild/SouthCladding.jpg

Door outer frame made to fit opening.  Complete with inquisitive little goat!  ? 
http://ginad.uk/ObservatoryBuild/DoorFrame.jpg

http://ginad.uk/ObservatoryBuild/CompleteDoorFrame.jpg

Vapour barrier added.
http://ginad.uk/ObservatoryBuild/DoorVapourBarrier.jpg

http://ginad.uk/ObservatoryBuild/DoorGoat.jpg

Cladding on door.
http://ginad.uk/ObservatoryBuild/DoorCladding.jpg

Hanging the door.
http://ginad.uk/ObservatoryBuild/HangingDoor.jpg

Door open.
http://ginad.uk/ObservatoryBuild/DoorOpen.jpg

[Gina]

Windows, Seals and Gutter

This photo shows clear acrylic sheet (Perspex) attached to the ROR and warm room north wall.  There is a gap between the warm room window and the ROR running rail and this needs fitting with a gutter to catch rainwater running off the window and barge board.

http://ginad.uk/ObservatoryBuild/NorthWindows.jpg

I made the gap between the roll off rail and the warm room roof a window. To cater for the rain water running down the window, I arranged a sort of gutter using an offcut of the rubber membrane used for the roof. Water will run down the "gutter" and out at the end.  A beam was added to form the bottom of the gutter  and a board to form one side, the running rail forming the other side.

This is a diagram showing cross sections at two places.  The window acrylic sheet is shown in light grey and the membrane in black. Woodwork is shown in various other colours. Left is at the east and and right near the west end.  Diagram not to scale.

http://ginad.uk/ObservatoryBuild/Diagram.jpg

Gutter from above.
http://ginad.uk/ObservatoryBuild/Gutter1.jpghttp://ginad.uk/ObservatoryBuild/Gutter2.jpg

Looking up the guttering.
http://ginad.uk/ObservatoryBuild/Gutter3.jpg

Weatherproofing the roll off roof using brush type draught excluder.
http://ginad.uk/ObservatoryBuild/Weatherproofing1.jpghttp://ginad.uk/ObservatoryBuild/Weatherproofing2.jpg

[MarkAR]

There's some excellent attention to detail in this build. You obviously thought it out well.

[Gina]

Thank you Mark.  Yes, I did spend quite a lot of time working things out!

[Gina]

My first telescope at night on NEQ6 mount and SW pier extension.  Yes, I made the pier too low!!  The fold down flap was wooden in those days - later I changed to a translucent window.

http://ginad.uk/ObservatoryBuild/Telescope.jpg

[Gina]

Finishing the Outside

Little bits of cladding etc. by the doorway.
http://ginad.uk/ObservatoryBuild/CladdingbyDoorway.jpghttp://ginad.uk/ObservatoryBuild/GutterEnd.jpg

Wood preserver applied to the whole observatory and south window in warm room finished.  Guttering and downpipe added to west end.
http://ginad.uk/ObservatoryBuild/WoodPreverver.jpg

Acrylic sheet added for north windows.http://ginad.uk/ObservatoryBuild/NorthWindows1.jpg

http://ginad.uk/ObservatoryBuild/NorthWindows2.jpg

There was a gap between the bottom of the ROR and the running rail so I added some weather proofing.
http://ginad.uk/ObservatoryBuild/Gap.jpghttp://ginad.uk/ObservatoryBuild/GapCovered.jpg

http://ginad.uk/ObservatoryBuild/Weatherproofed.jpg

[Gina]

Not directly observatory build related but on 01 December 2011 ordered Skywatcher Evostar 80 ED DS Pro.

02 December 2011 - New scope set up on mount. What a delight - a decent scope

http://ginad.uk/ObservatoryBuild/NewScope.jpg

First image with new scope, taken with DSLR.
http://ginad.uk/ObservatoryBuild/Tree.jpg

http://ginad.uk/ObservatoryBuild/MeImaging.jpg

[Gina]

Working on the Insides

05 December 2011 - Another small but vital job. I took some scrap neoprene foam and cut a piece to fill the gap between pier and cable duct and floorboards, to stop draughts and things falling down the gap.  Rather rough but does the job.

http://ginad.uk/ObservatoryBuild/PierGap.jpg  http://ginad.uk/ObservatoryBuild/PierGap1.jpg

Thermal insulation and plywood panelling for middle wall.
   

Warm room insulation.
http://ginad.uk/ObservatoryBuild/WarmRoomInsulation.jpg  

More insulation and also electrics and lighting.
http://ginad.uk/ObservatoryBuild/WRLighting.jpg

http://ginad.uk/ObservatoryBuild/RedLight.jpg

Warm room ceiling and main door insulation.
http://ginad.uk/ObservatoryBuild/MainDoorInsulation.jpg

[Gina]

A break from the observatory building, here is my first Moon image taken with the new scope and DSLR.

http://ginad.uk/ObservatoryBuild/Moon.jpg

[Gina]

Back to the build and insulating the warm room.  Insulation placed in between the uprights, wiring completed and 6mm plywood panel screwed on.
http://ginad.uk/ObservatoryBuild/PowerPanel.jpg 

Insulation and pannelling in warm room..
http://ginad.uk/ObservatoryBuild/MiddleWiring.jpg   http://ginad.uk/ObservatoryBuild/MiddleWallNInsulation.jpg  http://ginad.uk/ObservatoryBuild/MiddleWallPly.jpg  http://ginad.uk/ObservatoryBuild/WRNInsulation.jpg

Middle wall door.
http://ginad.uk/ObservatoryBuild/MiddleDoor.jpg  http://ginad.uk/ObservatoryBuild/MiddleDoor1.jpg  http://ginad.uk/ObservatoryBuild/MiddleDoor2.jpg  http://ginad.uk/ObservatoryBuild/MiddleDoor3.jpg  http://ginad.uk/ObservatoryBuild/MiddleDoor4.jpg  http://ginad.uk/ObservatoryBuild/MiddleDoor5.jpg  http://ginad.uk/ObservatoryBuild/MiddleDoor6.jpg  http://ginad.uk/ObservatoryBuild/MiddleDoor7.jpg

[Gina]

Door finished off with trim and latch.

http://ginad.uk/ObservatoryBuild/DoorDone.jpg

[Gina]

Back to the middle wall door - handles, trim and glazing.

http://ginad.uk/ObservatoryBuild/MiddleDoor8.jpg   http://ginad.uk/ObservatoryBuild/MiddleDoor9.jpg   http://ginad.uk/ObservatoryBuild/MiddleDoorA.jpg

[Gina]

Finishing the inside of the warm room.

http://ginad.uk/ObservatoryBuild/BenchFrame.jpg

http://ginad.uk/ObservatoryBuild/Bench.jpg   http://ginad.uk/ObservatoryBuild/WRPannelling.jpg  http://ginad.uk/ObservatoryBuild/WRPannelling1.jpg   http://ginad.uk/ObservatoryBuild/WRPannelling2.jpg

[Gina]

Finishing Touches and Improvements

Applying foam rubber tiles to the floor to reduce damage if things are dropped.  Also, makes the floor warmer to stand on.

 

[Gina]

I have yet to bring this thread up-to-date.  The wheels and track that the ROR runs on have undergone several upgrades and the fold-down flap on the east end wall was changed for a window.  A major project on automating the ROR is covered in another thread :-  https://www.backyardastro.org/community/observatories/ginas-observatory-roll-off-roof-automation-work-in-progress/

So I have one more thing to say at this time :-

TO BE CONTINUED.

[Gina]

Posted by: @james

If you were building it again today what would you do differently @gina?

I know a number of people who have warm rooms which are no longer used as they now operate remote from inside the house, do you still use yours or not?

Yes, I would.  My warm room is just storage space and houses the electrics that provide the power distribution.  It could also be smaller except that I would probably incorporate two piers.  Having lovely neighbours now that don't have their flood light on all night I could arrange for a better western view.  I would still use a roll-off-roof.