AN OBSERVATORY FOR THE GARDEN

Pots sound a really good idea.

 

Hi Joolz, no, the pots won't make any difference to any condensation inside the Dome. When I've got it sealed at the base properly so that no water can get in the pots on the outside rim of the base will just look nice without doing any damage.
I wanted an 8' wide concrete base which is slightly bigger than the Observatory base as I thought it would look better, but when the Landscaper added the edging of cobbles that added an extra 12" making it a 9' wide concrete circle.

 

Well, I've searched the Web and found some hi-tech mastic sealant and sealant paint that will actually cure and set in wet conditions to help solve the problem of rain water seeping under the Observatory walls and flooding the flooring. So I ordered it and after drying out the inside of the Observatory I first applied the mastic sealant under the flange and on the concrete on the base of the Observatory. That cured well so I applied the sealant paint on top of that and it has worked absolutely brilliantly. So now no water is seeping into the Observatory and, after waiting a day or two to make sure there was no leakage what so ever, I've covered the inside floor with Visqueen, [which is a plastic membrane used by Builders to make a damp proof course in brickwork etc.]. So today I spent putting down some of the 40mm thick rubber floor tiles, selecting a place for the power board and then finishing off the construction of the actual power board. My hands and fingers are sore from drilling, screwing, cutting, painting, connecting the wiring for the three double RCD sockets and the two way connectors With luck I will connect all three double sockets to outside power tomorrow. I will have to prove the system and identify which cables are feeding which double sockets and tag them. After that it's a matter of putting and fitting square rubber tiles onto a circular floor So I guess I will be cutting the outer tiles to shape with a long sharp knife.....that should be fun.!!

 

Coming on well but be careful when cutting the curves to make sure you don't cut through the sealant around the edges.

 

Hi Sheal, I have a friend who is a professional electrician who will give the system a once over. But he knows I'm proficient in electrics and has seen my plans/diagrams for the whole RCD Power source, the connections, the 3 RCD double sockets power board. But it will be nice of have him test the system. I've brought the power board into the Observatory now and connected up one of the sockets to the armoured cable so that leaves two more to be done and, hopefully, I can then have power permanently in the Observatory instead of having to use an extension cable from the House.

Hi Shiney, there's no chance of cutting the sealant around the edges when shaping the curve of the Observatory on the tiles as I'm doing that in the garage.
My hi-tech tools are A4 sheets of paper connected by cellotape to the same size as the tile, a marker pen, and then I line up the paper against the previous tile and mark the curve on the paper where it meets the Observatory wall to make the template. Then I mimic the curve from the template onto the tile with tape. Then just to make things quicker and easier I use a Grinder to cut, [lots of black smoke!]the shape of the curve into the tile. After that it's just a case of using a Stanley Knife to cut deeper and through the tile. Although the tile itself is 40mm thick it is actually one and a quarter inches thick in total due to the moulding of "Egg Box bottom" legs under the body of the tile, so it's really thick and tough to cut through. I think I have about 6 tiles to shape to the curved edge and then two that are a bit awkward to shape but that should be it. I'm really pleased with the thickness and quality of the rubbert tiles and the fact that they interlock with each other makes it solid and very pleasant to walk on. Underneath the tiles and the concrete base is a layer of Viscreen as a barrier to any moisture creeping up from the working area of the base just as a OTT extra protection.

Hi Fern, yes, thanks, the hi-tech sealant has worked very well and allowed me to get on with the work needed inside the Observatory. It should be up and running by next weekend. I had to stop late in the afternoon today due to working in cramped and awkward positions, sore fingers and hands, and also because I was getting mentally tired as well. Some of the "simple" jobs seemed to take longer than they should have, but that's always the way Also, for some reason, my mind last night was full of things to do today in the Observatory so I had one of those nights where, although tired, I just could not get to sleep. So I spent the night lying in bed, my eyes shut, and found myself working out what methods to use to finish the power board and cut the tiles to shape with the tools and resources I had to had. It was gone 5am before I dropped off to sleep and then, mercifully, Jenny the Cat didn't wake me up by banging on the bedroom door until 7.30am.
After the electrics and tiles I still have to fit 12 volts transformers into permanent positions, telescope heaters, LED lighting around the inside of the base of the Observatory. I will also have to test the motorised roof to see that it connects properly to the computer on the mount of the telescope and will turn in synchronisation with the telescope when it's targeting and following a star, DSO, or planet, so there's still a fair amount of work to do.......but we're getting there and the end is in sight, which it didn't seem to be when I was trying to seal the base.

 

Well, I can still remember Ohm's and Kirchoff's law even though I haven't serviced an aircraft or a radar installation for a couple of decades!!

 

Which is why I have a brown paper label attached to my lapel with my name and address on it....just in case.

 

All my brown paper is reserved, alongside the vinegar, for bruises and sprains.