Magellan Boy Posted December 24, 2012 Author Share Posted December 24, 2012 Sure...once its up and running... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Magellan Boy Posted June 18, 2013 Author Share Posted June 18, 2013 (edited) At last...some progress on my POD! New piccies on Page 1 of this topic... Edited June 18, 2013 by Magellan Boy Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brantuk Posted June 18, 2013 Share Posted June 18, 2013 It's looking really good Mike. Must be very close to completion. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Magellan Boy Posted June 18, 2013 Author Share Posted June 18, 2013 Cheers Kim. Yes I reckon one more day of construction should see the beast completed. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
+RonC Posted June 19, 2013 Share Posted June 19, 2013 Looks great Mike, couldn't work out why there was a POD in the photo's but you were waiting for one?? It's clear now! keep up the photo-shoot! Cheers Ron Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Magellan Boy Posted June 26, 2013 Author Share Posted June 26, 2013 Well time is all relative you know! Will keep up the photo shoot, cheers Ron Mike Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Magellan Boy Posted July 27, 2013 Author Share Posted July 27, 2013 My POD was finally built on the last day in June! Here are the piccies... (there are plenty of pics showing the earlier stages of construction on page 1 of the post too) 30th June 2013 The walls have been assembled including the all important door and one bay. These sit on the cushion vinyl flooring for what (I hope) will become a good seal. The primary dome has been attached... Anorther view of the primary dome... The primary dome is secured to the walls by three brackets like this one. These prevent the primary dome from being lifted off the walls and allow it to ride around on top of the walls. Side view of one of the brackets. These use the same skate wheels that are on top of the walls. Spacers have been measured, cut and added to the axles of each bracket to ensure that the wheels are in the correct position. The secondary dome has been added... The secondary dome in the open (observing) position... Somewhat providentially this parhelion appeared over Belper when we had finished building the POD! ...and here is the progress I've made in... July 2013 A view of the POD from my back bedroom! I've added black foam rubber seals to where the primary and secondary domes come together below the pivot. I smeared some Lexel sealant on top of these seals (although not on the mating surfaces!) to help waterproof them. Some of the rubber L-gasket that was left over from the primary dome has been added over these areas to form a gutter to take rainwater away from the pivot region - all as per the SkyShed POD assembly DVD! I've also sealed all around the base of the POD walls both inside the observatory and out to prevent water getting in under the walls. I've cut away the vinyl flooring back to the base of the POD walls to expose the decking. This will improve drainage. The flooring was only for the inside anyway and to provide what I hope will be a good seal for the base of the POD walls. I've cut away the vinyl flooring from the 'hatch' over the pier foundation. Not strictly neccessary but thinking it might be a good idea I've added a 5mm thick neoprene rubber gasket over the top of the pier foundation. This should provide a snug and smooth base for the pier, and a barrier to any damp or residual vibration. The SkyShed pier is bolted into place. Note that the walls of the POD have been secured to the decking using coach screws (M12 for the main walls and M10 for the bay - to fit the holes supplied in the POD). I found M12 too big for the bay holes so used M10. Pilot hole sizes were 2mm smaller diameter than the coach screws (i.e. a 10mm bit for the M12 and an 8mm bit for the M10). I couldn't use all the anchor points because some were over gaps in the decking planks - but most are used and these will be plenty. Note that the coach screws were inserted before any sealant was added around the base. The plywood cover is put back over the pier hole. I've also cut the piece of vinyl flooring I removed to match the shape of the cover. The flooring is complete... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
+Ibbo Posted July 27, 2013 Share Posted July 27, 2013 It looks the business I bet you can't wait for 1st Light I keep looking at these and the Pulsar domes but........ Steve Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Daz Type-R Posted July 27, 2013 Share Posted July 27, 2013 WOW. That's great, we now have a second dark site at Belper! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dawson Posted July 27, 2013 Share Posted July 27, 2013 Well jel. James Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BAZ Posted July 27, 2013 Share Posted July 27, 2013 Looks great Mike. Roll on Winter eah! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
catman161 Posted July 27, 2013 Share Posted July 27, 2013 Fantastic job! Only makes me want one at my new place even more! Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
+RonC Posted July 28, 2013 Share Posted July 28, 2013 That looks great, what do your neighbours think of it out of interest? Cheers Ron Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Magellan Boy Posted July 28, 2013 Author Share Posted July 28, 2013 Thanks everyone! Yes I can't wait to get the scope installed and have first light!! Regarding the neighbours - before I went ahead and ordered the POD I showed a Photoshop mock up of what the POD would look like in my garden to the lady next door. She was OK with it then and even said that they would have to come and have a look through it when it was complete. In the months following it became a topic of 'over the fence' conversation when I saw her, and she often asked about progress and was even positive a week or two after it was finally built. Then all of a sudden she admitted that they didn't like it - " we think it looks horrible" - and has asked for a new fence to be put up to hide it. As you can see in some of the pictures the existing fence is just a short picket one and my garden is higher than my neighbour's on that side. So I've now ordered a tall featherboard fence. This is probably a blessing in disguise as it will not only obscure the POD (mostly) from her view but also block the light spill from the patio doors at the back of my neighbour's house, and provide lots more privacy for both households. Anyway here are a couple more pics of the progress... The Altair pier adapter for my NEQ6 mount has been added. I've taken the azimuth bolt from the NEQ6 tripod and fitted it to the adapter. Levelling the top of the pier... The NEQ6 Pro mount is fitted. Interestingly I found that the bubble in the mount itself was not showing level once the mount was in place. After reading around various forums I gather that the bubble in the mount is not to be trusted anyway so I'll go with the levelling I did of the pier and ignore the bubble in the mount. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
+RonC Posted July 28, 2013 Share Posted July 28, 2013 Looking good Mike, neighbour's eh!!! Glad you're sorted! (I've just been told I can't have one, my RORO shed will be staying!!) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Magellan Boy Posted July 28, 2013 Author Share Posted July 28, 2013 Thanks Ron. I was originally thinking of a RORO but decided I didn't have the room! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest dardano Posted July 30, 2013 Share Posted July 30, 2013 Well done ! Congratulations ! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Magellan Boy Posted July 30, 2013 Author Share Posted July 30, 2013 Many thanks Frederic! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Magellan Boy Posted August 10, 2013 Author Share Posted August 10, 2013 I've replaced the existing clamp on my NEQ6 Pro mount with an after market universal clamp from Altair Astro: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
red dwalf Posted August 10, 2013 Share Posted August 10, 2013 looking very nice, i like those universal clamps, alot better than the standard offering from skywatcher Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
+Bino-viewer Posted August 17, 2013 Share Posted August 17, 2013 Just caught up with your updates to your pod Mike. Looks superb, a really professional job. Well done ! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Magellan Boy Posted August 19, 2013 Author Share Posted August 19, 2013 Thanks Rob, ...and Rob! I've now added a flat-pack desk to my POD bay. It fits really well and has head room to carry my laptop, a drawer, and room underneath for storage... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest dmahon Posted August 24, 2013 Share Posted August 24, 2013 Looks good. Isn't that cutout in the top plate intended to make it more comfortable to polar align? I notice you don't have it fixed due south. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Magellan Boy Posted September 3, 2013 Author Share Posted September 3, 2013 Thanks for the tip dmahon, I hadn't realised that was the purpose of the cutout! I shall re-configure... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Magellan Boy Posted September 21, 2013 Author Share Posted September 21, 2013 I've just had 13A mains power laid on to my POD. A switched spur from the RCD protected house ring main feeds an armoured cable out to the observatory where it terminates in a double socket. I got a qualified electrician to do the installation, testing and certification. I've also bought this power supply from Maplins to power my mount, dew heaters and cameras... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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