Observatory Progress

[Mike]

What about toggle clamps?

[MarkS]

Toggle clamp!  That's it!

Thanks Mike - that's exactly what I had in my mind.  I had never seen one before but that is perfect for what I want.

Mark

[mickw]

Excellent, I'd only ever seen them in sort of tool box sizes

[MarkS]

Excellent, I'd only ever seen them in sort of tool box sizes

It's the kind of thing that potentially has lots and lots of uses ...
Every observatory should have one!

[mickw]

I feel the need to build an observatory so I can use them 

[Mike]

They are sometimes called 'Claw type toggle clamps' or 'Latch and hook toggle clamps'. There is also the push kind...



Which are normally used in carpentry for holding pieces of wood down whilst you drill or route them.

This place has a wide range...

TOGGLE CLAMPS

[JonH]

I was going to suggest, toggle clamps.
Also used a lot for making quick realise jigs. Is impressive how tightly they can hold things down!

[MarkS]

Mike,

I've found something even better on the site you suggested:

Toggle Latches


They are lower profile, resistant to coming undone from vibrations and cheaper: £10.50+VAT for a 6500N holding force.

I've ordered 5 for the flaps.  If they work well I'll order another 4 - one of each corner of the roof, to lock it in place.

Thanks Mike (and Jon!)

[Mike]

Excellent

[MarkS]

Latest pic:



I should be able to start the external shiplap cladding at the weekend.

[mickw]

Fantastic progress

[MarkS]

Fantastic progress

The great thing about the this time of year (I hesitate to say Summer)is that I can do a couple of hours on some evenings.

[MarkS]

I've found a company online that will fabricate my pier top plate.

A steel disc 300mm in diameter, 15mm thick which will be bolted onto the concrete pier with M16 threaded rod.  Drilled with 9mm holes to accept an Altair Astro EQ6 pier adapter plate.  The Altair Astro EQ6 adapter is mounted off-centre to give the scope more freedom of movement without hitting the pier.

Diagram here

They have quoted me £25 for each top plate + £10 postage.  I reckon that's pretty good value.

Mark

[MarkS]

Thanks to the Saturday afternoon visitors from DSC who helped get the first shiplap boards in place and the first flap successfully operating with hinges.  (Fay also helped by taking a few photos - of horses and flowers, I think).

Here's one of the images from the timelapse camera:


Here's the state of play at the end of Sunday:


Two walls (almost) completed and two to go ...

[MarkS]

The pier head steels discs have arrived.  

Here's one of them:


Not the prettiest of things but the holes were drilled perfectly to my specification for the off-centre mounting.  I'll give them a coat of paint.  The discs I mean - not the holes!

Mark