When I'm not building Iron Man, I build my space observatory.

[BuildsByBaz]

Sorry it's been a while since my last update. Lots of building materials have arrived so it looks like I'm going to be a very busy boy for a few weeks now! Here's what's happening:

Inside fitout begins.

It's been a big week for the observatory this week. I was able to purchase the thin plywood interior wall panelling and even cut some to size and fitted two sheets.

I tested a corner of the cypress slabs I picked up last week by belt-sanding them with some 40 grit to get the saw-marks out of it, then rubbed some raw linseed oil into the test-patch to see the colour. The yellow-gold natural colour takes on a rich red-gold.

I applied by letter to my local government for a large log that one of their services had a stockpile of. To my delight, they approved and happily donated a log.

I found a magnificent pine log, well seasoned with the bark just falling off it. It is my intention to cut it four ways down the length, to cut a post out of the middle of it. The post will be kept aside while the rounded slices will sandwich around the centre pier downstairs, making the pier look like a big tree-trunk. This will then be sanded and rubbed with raw linseed oil, as will the stairs and handrails.

Link to construction page here.

 

[BuildsByBaz]

1. Big sanding job! Got one slab of cypress de-barked and sanded down at lunch time. Look at the comparison with the sanded and unsanded slabs!

Debarked and sanded on top and both sides. Ready to make stairs!
2.

1. Sanding down the cypress slabs

3. All six sanded ready to build stairs.

4. Eucalypt deadwood handrail.

5. Handrail on tread

6. Wall panels in. Trims, skirts and architraves to go.

 

[BuildsByBaz]

1. Cut the hole through the inside and outside walls to fit the tubing for the air conditioner. Cut some steel mesh to size and fitted inside to keep the insects out. Sealed with silicone.

2. Built a small roof over the air-con outlet to stop rain from entering the tube.

3. Air-con fitted into the wall.

 

[BuildsByBaz]

Quick update.

I poured a concrete path to lead into the observatory off the main path.

I've been collecting bits of wood on the job at opportune trees we remove or prune. It's taking some time, but I've got some nice bits for handrails and banister. I still need three posts 2.6 metres x 100-150 mm in diameter for the stairs.

Getting there.

Baz.

 

[BuildsByBaz]

I've run out of money (looks like for quite a while now) so all I can do is the jobs that cost nothing. Today I sanded down another log for the stair supports then started digging the garden bed. The quality of the dirt is rubbish so I'll have to get rid of it and replace it with some good soil. I also have to dig two trenches in it, one for the drainage pipe near the wall to lay in, plus another on the outside of the bed to run a row of rocks in for the edge.

1. Sanded down log for stair support

2. removed the lawn and weeds to expose the bare clay.

3. Digging in the trench near the slab's edge for the drainage pipe.

4. Starting to lay in the rock edge.

 

[BuildsByBaz]

Just a few shots in and around the observatory last night.

1. Milky Way over my house and dome.

2. North east view.

3. Lookin' out.

4. Operations in full swing!

 

[BuildsByBaz]

Got busy today and dug the trenches all the way around for the drainage pipe and a row of border rocks.

Started on cutting the underlay to size for the obs and laid it in on the top floor, ready for carpet tomorrow.

1. Garden bed

2. My home-made compass for drawing big circles...

3. Underlay cut to size

4. Relax'n with an ale at the end of the day on the quiet underlay.

 

[BuildsByBaz]

The first images are up!!!

Not far from completing construction of the building, it's at the operational stage to at least be doing some serious imaging. Praise God, I got THREE clear nights in a row with no moon and no clouds!

I'm still learning the new full-versions of the programs that run the cameras, plus I have purchased a new planetary camera for our solar-system beauties out there.

So far this week, I have captured and processed hours worth of photons coming from the bright and grand old lady of the solar system, Saturn, plus the distant, faint, immense and beautiful Eagle Nebula, Trifid Nebula, Lagoon Nebula and the Southern Pinwheel Galaxy.

I urge you to go have a look at my galleries, that are now building up.

Is there any chance my brotap cobbers could help me get the word out and share my link on Facebook, Twitter, Google + or any other social networking you might have! Thanks!

Have a great week!!

P.S. I'm not sure what's going on with the colours, but they look great on my screen. however, as soon as I upload them to a hosting site or even my own website, the colours are a little more saturated for some reason.

1. Trifid Nebula

2. Eagle Nebula

3. Southern Pinwheel Galaxy (my file image looks blue - the uploaded/hosted image looks purple... am I the only one?)

4. Lagoon Nebula

 

[BuildsByBaz]

Got some carpet cut and put down on the floor. Now to get it layed properly and then steam-cleaned.

 

[BuildsByBaz]

Finally!! Work has started on the stairs!

The builder's carpenter turned up today and together, we plotted out the stairs. There's a lot to watch out for with building standards, made even more challenging by the curve. Stair calculations are fairly simple though, once you get the hang of them. I just happen to be doing a tertiary course right now and just last week, we had an assessment on stair calculations. Coincidence? I THINK NOT!!

With it all marked out, this week I'm going to crack on with cutting the support posts, fitting them and cutting the hole in the top floor larger to stop people from hitting their heads as they ascend the stair.

 

[BuildsByBaz]

Today I got an early mark from tech school, so I came home to work on the observatory.

I had another log to inspect and grade to see if it was good enough to support the stair stringers. This one had several layers of rot, but it was a beautiful piece of wood. I used a rotary chisel to rake back all the layers until I was happy with what was left. It turned out pretty darned good actually. So far I haven't yet oiled them, so their true colour is yet to come out, but I have left the borer insect marks on the wood as I just love the look.

1. Stairs marked out.

2. Log to strip back.

3. Scribbly little suckers. These patterns are gonna stay!

4. Three posts in position.

 

[BuildsByBaz]

Laying in the drainage pipe.

Drainage in, shrubbery planted and garden mulched. Outside FINISHED!

 

[BuildsByBaz]

Progress on the stairs. Four stringers cut to the correct angle and calculated for the rise, tread and number of steps. Posts rebated to firmly seat and bolt in each stringer.

Making a massive mess of the space, but it will look a million bucks when I'm done!

 

[BuildsByBaz]

Today was probably the most productive day I've had on the observatory in a long time. Not only did I get hours of precious time, but I also trialled a couple of new tools.

One was a flap disk to fit the angle grinder. It's a round disk covered in overlaying sections of very coarse abrasive. I used it to strip the bark off the wood I am using for the balusters.

The other is a rotary chisel. This is also a round blade for the angle grinder, but it has only three teeth in it. It takes of massive amounts of wood in a single pass and is also very dangerous.

Finally, instead of trying to manoeuvre the belt-sander all over the wood, I turned it upside down on the saw-horse and clamped it down. Now I can move the smaller and lighter pieces of wood over the belt sander with ease. The trick now is to watch the knuckles as I de-skinned two until I got a good technique.

I got the top of the stairs (top floor) cut to match the vertical line of the stringers, plus dressed the hole with some big pine. The stringers are all bolted in and I made a start on the hand-rails and balusters.

 

[BuildsByBaz]

Finished the handrails and balusters and started making templates with cardboard for the treads. Each piece of wood will be traced onto cardboard, then placed in position and marked where to cut to shape. I'll then put the cardboard template back on the wood and trace it on for cutting. This is the very best way to do it because the wood is worth a fortune and I can't afford to make a cutting mistake.

1. Balusters finished.

2. Tracing the wood shape onto the cardboard ready to make a template.

 

[BuildsByBaz]

WOOT WOOT!! YIPPYKAYAY!!

Finally I've made a start on the treads. The first one was the hardest, just working out how best to mark the template and deciding if I was going to go flush with the outer wall or take the tread right into the wall.

It worked out a lot more secure to go into the wall, fastening supporting timber inside the steel studs. Now I've got two treads in, custom cut to fit exactly. As I showed my wife and bragged about my superior craftsmanship, I jumped hard on both treads - SOLID AS A ROCK!

I'm well pleased. The second tread was a lot faster than the first, so now that I have a technique worked out, I should be able to get around three in every hour I get in there.

 

[spartan IV]

Those are going to be some beautiful stairs.

 

[BuildsByBaz]

Those are going to be some beautiful stairs.

Oh I'm hoping so mate! I'm hoping so.

 

[BuildsByBaz]

Ready for oil!

Well.... nearly...

I have one tread at the top of the stairs left to cut and install. It's a bit tricky because it is surrounded on two sides by thick steel and some bolts, lips, edges etc - lots to custom-cut around to make it fit.

The insulation is back in the walls with every nook and cranny stuffed to keep the temperatures out/in and also a bit of soundproofing.

The bulk of the work is done but there are a couple of gaps that I want to fill and tidy up. Now the wall-panelling can be cut for the stairs and fitted on the walls.

Big hole!

As soon as the stairs are dressed, there's the issue of the long drop from the top floor. A bannister needs to be constructed with a gate at the top of the stairs.

Stay tuned for the updates as I get to the task.

 

[Spartan214]

Wow I saw this in the activity stream and thought the title was a joke or something lol! This is just incredible and such dedication as well. I don't know how it can get any more awesome, but I can't wait to be proven wrong.