Building Conversion to ROR Observatory
- JayTee
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Building Conversion to ROR Observatory
Has anyone heard of or seen pictures of a home improvement store (Lowe's, Home Depot, Costco, etc) garden shed converted to an RoR observatory? If you have, could you share please.
Cheers,
JT
Cheers,
JT
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Re: Building Conversion to ROR Observatory
Speaking of my latest garden shed, it is made of plastic. Great value and size wise it would work. However the roof provides structural strength to keep the whole thing together. It is attached with multiple screws and I am pretty sure the shed would slowly disintegrate if I turned it into a ROR. So I would opt for a wooden shed, maybe I am stating the obvious.
... Henk. Telescopes: GSO 12" Astrograph, "Comet Hunter" MN152, ES ED127CF, ES ED80, WO Redcat51, Z12, AT6RC, Celestron Skymaster 20x80, Mounts and tripod: Losmandy G11S with OnStep, AVX, Tiltall, Cameras: ASI2600MC, ASI2600MM, ASI120 mini, Fuji X-a1, Canon XSi, T6, ELPH 100HS, DIY: OnStep controller, Pi4b/power rig, Afocal adapter, Foldable Dob base, Az/Alt Dob setting circles, Accessories: ZWO 36 mm filter wheel, TV Paracorr 2, Baader MPCC Mk III, ES FF, SSAG, QHY OAG-M, EAF electronic focuser, Plossls, Barlows, Telrad, Laser collimators (Seben LK1, Z12, Howie Glatter), Cheshire, 2 Orion RACIs 8x50, Software: KStars-Ekos, DSS, PHD2, Nebulosity, Photo Gallery, Gimp, CHDK, Computers:Pi4b, 2x running KStars/Ekos, Toshiba Satellite 17", Website:Henk's astro images
- pakarinen
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Re: Building Conversion to ROR Observatory
There are several examples and discussions on Cloudy Nights I think.
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Re: Building Conversion to ROR Observatory
Is this something you will be using to remotely control the scope or do you want to use it to do visual observing? (or both).
Gordon
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- mcolbert
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Re: Building Conversion to ROR Observatory
I'm afraid that my only experiences with 'kit' sheds is not very good, when I have looked at them they appear to be highly unstable and insecure. (We have also lived in places with such sheds and this has just reinforced my opinion). What I've realised is that if I were to purchase something like that and use it as an observatory, I would have to spend more time and money on a suitable concrete base, struts or some other internal or external support for the structure, insulation and so on. Recently we were playing around with the idea of an observatory and what we found (to work for our plans) was a small granny flat kit house. But, this is not for everyone obviously for various reasons.
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- JayTee
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Re: Building Conversion to ROR Observatory
I was interested in using this pre-built shed but came to the conclusion that the cost of the shed and the cost of the conversion might easily exceed the cost of building the obsi from scratch.
https://www.costco.com/Oakridge-8'-x-12 ... 68838.html
Cheers,
JT
https://www.costco.com/Oakridge-8'-x-12 ... 68838.html
Cheers,
JT
∞ Primary Scopes: #1: Celestron CPC1100 #2: 8" f/7.5 Dob #3: CR150HD f/8 6" frac
∞ AP Scopes: #1: TPO 6" f/9 RC #2: ES 102 f/7 APO #3: ES 80mm f/6 APO
∞ G&G Scopes: #1: Meade 102mm f/7.8 #2: Bresser 102mm f/4.5
∞ Guide Scopes: 70 & 80mm fracs -- The El Cheapo Bros.
∞ Mounts: iOptron CEM70AG, SW EQ6, Celestron AVX, SLT & GT (Alt-Az), Meade DS2000
∞ Cameras: #1: ZWO ASI294MC Pro #2: 662MC #3: 120MC, Canon T3i, Orion SSAG, WYZE Cam3
∞ Binos: 10X50,11X70,15X70, 25X100
∞ EPs: ES 2": 21mm 100° & 30mm 82° Pentax XW: 7, 10, 14, & 20mm 70°
Searching the skies since 1966. "I never met a scope I didn't want to keep."
∞ AP Scopes: #1: TPO 6" f/9 RC #2: ES 102 f/7 APO #3: ES 80mm f/6 APO
∞ G&G Scopes: #1: Meade 102mm f/7.8 #2: Bresser 102mm f/4.5
∞ Guide Scopes: 70 & 80mm fracs -- The El Cheapo Bros.
∞ Mounts: iOptron CEM70AG, SW EQ6, Celestron AVX, SLT & GT (Alt-Az), Meade DS2000
∞ Cameras: #1: ZWO ASI294MC Pro #2: 662MC #3: 120MC, Canon T3i, Orion SSAG, WYZE Cam3
∞ Binos: 10X50,11X70,15X70, 25X100
∞ EPs: ES 2": 21mm 100° & 30mm 82° Pentax XW: 7, 10, 14, & 20mm 70°
Searching the skies since 1966. "I never met a scope I didn't want to keep."
- Ben Cartwright SASS
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Re: Building Conversion to ROR Observatory
I think you could build an interior skeleton of 1x2 or 2x3's to hold it together. I keep thinking of something like that but keep asking myself, why when I haveSkyHiker wrote: ↑Mon Jun 17, 2019 11:32 am Speaking of my latest garden shed, it is made of plastic. Great value and size wise it would work. However the roof provides structural strength to keep the whole thing together. It is attached with multiple screws and I am pretty sure the shed would slowly disintegrate if I turned it into a ROR. So I would opt for a wooden shed, maybe I am stating the obvious.
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Re: Building Conversion to ROR Observatory
I expect a garden shed wouldn't have the stability to be sawn in two, and the top half rolled off.
However, I have seen one in which a shed was adapted so that either slope of the roof drops down to allow observing in either direction. No actual 'rolling' in that case.
Another had the telescope static but the whole shed ran off on rails to one side. The shed then became an observing hut.
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Re: Building Conversion to ROR Observatory
Possibly so. Actually with a plastic shed the roof is so light you could probably make a hinge and flip it open instead of having to add ROR rails. Hmm this got me thinking, those sheds are nonpermanent buildings as well so they can't fine me for plunking one down on my driveway... The main thing is to be able to have a permanent setup that offers some theft protection.Ben Cartwright SASS wrote: ↑Wed Jun 19, 2019 1:27 pmI think you could build an interior skeleton of 1x2 or 2x3's to hold it together. I keep thinking of something like that but keep asking myself, why when I haveSkyHiker wrote: ↑Mon Jun 17, 2019 11:32 am Speaking of my latest garden shed, it is made of plastic. Great value and size wise it would work. However the roof provides structural strength to keep the whole thing together. It is attached with multiple screws and I am pretty sure the shed would slowly disintegrate if I turned it into a ROR. So I would opt for a wooden shed, maybe I am stating the obvious.Bortle 7.5-8 skies
About my skies, they seem to be permanently solid grey...
... Henk. Telescopes: GSO 12" Astrograph, "Comet Hunter" MN152, ES ED127CF, ES ED80, WO Redcat51, Z12, AT6RC, Celestron Skymaster 20x80, Mounts and tripod: Losmandy G11S with OnStep, AVX, Tiltall, Cameras: ASI2600MC, ASI2600MM, ASI120 mini, Fuji X-a1, Canon XSi, T6, ELPH 100HS, DIY: OnStep controller, Pi4b/power rig, Afocal adapter, Foldable Dob base, Az/Alt Dob setting circles, Accessories: ZWO 36 mm filter wheel, TV Paracorr 2, Baader MPCC Mk III, ES FF, SSAG, QHY OAG-M, EAF electronic focuser, Plossls, Barlows, Telrad, Laser collimators (Seben LK1, Z12, Howie Glatter), Cheshire, 2 Orion RACIs 8x50, Software: KStars-Ekos, DSS, PHD2, Nebulosity, Photo Gallery, Gimp, CHDK, Computers:Pi4b, 2x running KStars/Ekos, Toshiba Satellite 17", Website:Henk's astro images
- Ben Cartwright SASS
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Re: Building Conversion to ROR Observatory
I know grey! That is my I like solar
a couple guys in my club do the flip open with the plastic sheds
a couple guys in my club do the flip open with the plastic sheds
I might not always be right but I am never wrong, once I thought I was wrong, but I was mistaken...
Ferengi Rule of Acquisition #59
Free advice is seldom cheap
"Sometimes having is not so pleasing as wanting, it's not logical but it is true"
Commander Spock
Canon DSLR's R7, R6II, 5D, 7D2, 90D 21 lenses incl. 100-400L mk ii, 70-200L mk iii f/2.8, RF600/11
Lunt LS50 DS, LS80 DS, Lunt 102ED, Stellarvue SV80 APO, Orion ST80, 127 MAK, Skywatcher Evostar 120ED, 102 MAK, Celestron 8" Edge HD, 102AZ
Skywatcher EQ6-R Pro
ZWO ASI071MC-cool, ASI174mm, ASI174mm-cool, ASI178MC-cool, ASI290 mini, ASI120MM-S, ASI120MC Revolution Player One mm (178 chip)
Ferengi Rule of Acquisition #59
Free advice is seldom cheap
"Sometimes having is not so pleasing as wanting, it's not logical but it is true"
Commander Spock
Canon DSLR's R7, R6II, 5D, 7D2, 90D 21 lenses incl. 100-400L mk ii, 70-200L mk iii f/2.8, RF600/11
Lunt LS50 DS, LS80 DS, Lunt 102ED, Stellarvue SV80 APO, Orion ST80, 127 MAK, Skywatcher Evostar 120ED, 102 MAK, Celestron 8" Edge HD, 102AZ
Skywatcher EQ6-R Pro
ZWO ASI071MC-cool, ASI174mm, ASI174mm-cool, ASI178MC-cool, ASI290 mini, ASI120MM-S, ASI120MC Revolution Player One mm (178 chip)
- jmfloater
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Re: Building Conversion to ROR Observatory
I was in the same situation several years back and found the costs for building from scratch were not all that bad. The construction was solid enough to endure hurricane Michael as the roll off roof design acted as hurricane ties to the roof. You may not have the problems with high winds but something to consider. It was more physical labor but well worth it to me.
John
Imaging scope Stellavue SV80S on a Losmandy G11 mount. Roll off roof observatory.
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Imaging scope Stellavue SV80S on a Losmandy G11 mount. Roll off roof observatory.
Software: PixInsight, SGPro, Phd2.
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