Two walls of siding installed.

This morning we wake up to sunny skies and look out the bedroom window and see something out there  - an observatory dome!  Also, we saw a deer out in the yard nibbling on stuff on our grass.  Just another cool indication that we aren't living in the city anymore.

Dome, a deer, a male deer....

Another nice sunny day, sunscreen needed since we were out back all day in the sun. Today it was time to start installing the trim on the corners and the siding.  I was hoping to get all 4 sides done, but we had a learning curve to deal with when installing the Hardi plank siding.  Kind of weird stuff, reminds me of glued sawdust with cement mixed in.  Better quality than Ikea furniture, but but probably just as fragile. 

I look like a dork, but probably how I usually look after
whacking my finger with a hammer.  First side is done. 

I was really hoping to have all four sides done with the siding this weekend, but we just ran out of daylight once again.  We got the last siding plank installed after sunset in the dark on the back side of the observatory.  After it gets dark watch where you are hammering,  whacked my finger pretty good in the dark with the hammer and had Tracy pass me a cuss jar to fill. Ouch. 

Next week - probably buy a door with a frame and modify it for the 4ft tall doorway.  We are probably stuck until next weekend until we get the rest of the siding done.  

Work has a way of getting in the way of pretty much anything important.  

The last piece before sunset installed.

Wrapped and dome installed.

Window is in.

We had another rare sunny and nice October weekend this week. Temps in the mid-70s.  Again we did more work on the observatory, getting it closer to being completed - at least on the outside.
Window was installed after work last week in the brief daylight we have left in the early evening.
Yesterday we got the weatherproofing tar paper on the walls and got the dome installed.

Take the tarp off, and get dumped on!
It was a short and heavy shower.

The dome is just put up finger-tight right now, I'll need to get a few more nuts and bolts of the stainless-steel type, and a few springs that were rusting and leaving ugly stains on the dome.
The dome flange needed a little coaxing (and yes, a little cussing - that's a requirement with anything with astronomy) to get it all lined up on the flange.

With some tweaking and nudging, it fit on the square
support pretty well. 

Ring around the dome, and wrapped walls

Half dome installed. 

Once the flange was up, the dome ring with the roller wheels was next.   This was easy, but it always takes a lot of tweaking to get the rolling ring to line up and not stick in certain parts.  The dome halves went in easy enough, but will require some adjustments as expected to get a good smooth rotation.   Always a pain...I think I  mentioned that already?
I spent all of Saturday working on the dome install and other things with Traci's help.  She did all the tar paper while I was up on top.
Our shortening days (Sunset around 6:45) is really making this a race before darkness to get done.  As seen in the last photo, darkness doesn't stop me from the last few adjustments!

At least I'm on a short ladder this time.  The last observatory
I was balanced dangerously on top of the "don't step here" step
on the step ladder.   

Just one more attachment do to before putting tools away for
the night!

Astro-shack now has a roof.

After the marathon build of the roof panels, tar paper and shingles yesterday, we had 3 out of 4 of the roof sides done.  Today we had the procedure figured out pretty well and the final side was done this morning.  We got the edge shingles installed also and they look quite nice!
Traci had to finish the top shingles along the top square since I had to go into work for a few hours and assist with a software upgrade  *ugh*.
I made it home before dark and we worked on a raised edge that the dome flange will sit on, and some flashing for the joint between the dome and roof.   More photos of that later.
Rain forecast the next few days, so it's tarped over again.  Probably not enough daylight after work now to get much done, but next weekend's forecast is looking ok so far.  I'm hoping to have the dome in place and get started on the siding and maybe have that done.

Our engineering of the roof worked.  No inside support is needed. 

Close up view of the roof along the corner. 

Roof done, now the dome is next.  

Roof nearly completed.

Traci and I did a marathon build today.  Our good friend Ryan even came down to assist with cutting wood for roof panels and measuring twice before I cut once.  

Wood panels were installed, then we did a trip to Home Depot and traded in some flashing that wasn't quite right.  (don't tell anyone, but the person at the refund counter screwed up and I got $90 instead of about $30.  I bit my tongue not saying anything, the ran down down the aisle with a big smile - woot!). 

Tar paper was quick and easy to staple onto the wood panels, the flashing installed, then we spend the rest of the time until the way-too-early sunset at before 7:00pm and got most of the roof shingles installed.  We are in a race again before the Monday forecast rains return.  

Adding the roof panels.

Tar paper and flashing installed for rain protection.
(and we get plenty of that in this area)

Traci watching a plane take off, while installing
the shingles on the roof.  

Sunset over the Astro-shack.

We had a pretty sunset last night while I was out working on the roof with our dwindling daylight after work.  I managed to get the larger roof panels all installed.  Just the smaller ones left to put on.

Those clouds will thicken with the "astronomer's curse" as the Astro-Shack nears completion.

This weekend we got a truckload of roofing materials, trim, siding and other stuff.  I've carried a lot of parts home in my Toyota hanging out the back, but we had to rent the truck again to get stuff home.   Not a bad deal for $20, and sure makes it easier.  

Today we didn't get as much done as we hoped, it was low 80s today (unusual for this area at this time of year) and I was getting damn hot out in the sun.  Nearly felt sick after a while, so had to sit down and drink a lot of water. 

We got the flange around the roof installed and the corner pieces between the rafters.  Yes, that was another alignment nightmare that took a long time to get working right.  We scored a great find a bunch of nails, screws, brackets and a rubber ducky airplane for Traci's bath time!  Probably nearly $40 worth of stuff for $3.50 - yeah!

I miss having a truck, but this rental is a nice deal.

All rafters done as well as corner and fascia boards.

Ready for roof panels. 

Building the roof.

Supporting the dome flange (Traci taking a picture of
me taking a picture).

The roof is coming along.     We first put up some cross piece boards and then the square that will support the flange for the dome.  After a lot of tapping, nudging, some cussing, more nudging and measuring then finally a few nails to hold it.  
Putting in the rafters was an extreme pain.  At this time, it kind of looks like a mini-McDonalds with a drive through window, but that will change as work progresses.  The rafters were fairly symmetrical between the north/south and east/west sides.  The walls are 10 feet, and 9 foot 9 inches, so there is some differences.

Don't even think of asking for fries and a Big Mac.

Another perspective of the construction.

A couple nights ago I was going a flight review with a friend.  We flew over Crest and circled the house for some photos.  Observatory is easy to pick out in the photo.  Someday this will be a photon's final brief view inbound from a many light year journey to be sucked into the Meade, bounce off a couple mirrors and be preserved on the camera sensor.

View from 2,000 feet. 

Photons from across the universe will fall into that square. 

Walls getting covered....

Tonight after work I was able to install most of the wall panels.  I still have some large gaps to cover, then a a 6 inch or so strip along the top of all the walls.  I should have that done early this weekend I hope. Then the fun of designing the roof starts.  
I have a few ideas for the roof, but will get to that soon enough.   I really hate this time of year when the days get shorter, every night I have less time to work until I need to turn on lights.  Weather here has still been like summer, and expecting some low 80s again this next weekend.

Daylight fading while walls go up.  The covering in the middle is over
the pier hole, it would suck if I fell down in there.  

Construction supervisor Alex on duty.

Almost done with the outer walls. 

When it gets darker, just attach a light and keep hammering nails. 

Four wall frames standing on their own.

I guess this is a major milestone that says this will really happen.  Wall frames are standing on their own on the cement pad.  I did drill a hole and add one more bolt for supporting the walls, but I think the rest should be ok.
I cut notches in the base of the frame to fit around the power and network conduit pipes, I'll drill holes in the wall later to run the cables.  You can see the blue foam between the cement and the treated wood, just something to help as a moisture barrier.  Nailing wall panels on is next...

Wall frames up. 

Just a closer view of the electrical/network feed.

The walls move out to the yard.

Last night I got two of the four walls up on the cement pad in the backyard.  Careful measuring where to drill the holes in the wood for the bolts in the pad worked out well and everything lined up nicely. This photo was taken tonight before I put up the other 2 walls.  Measure twice, drill once - and again it all lined up well.  
Photos of the 4 walls later.  The shortening days are a problem, so I had to use a flashlight to finish.   Alex the construction supervisor cat is seen in this photo.

Four framed walls.

I didn't get as far as I wanted today.  I was hoping to have 4 walls on cement today, but that didn't happen yet.  We are expecting rain tomorrow, and I didn't want the wood to soak up water and end up warped, and I didn't have a tarp yet.   Better to wait a few days until the dry weather is back trough next weekend, then the walls will be moved from the hangar to the cement.

Later this winter, we'll be building an airplane here, but for now it's the spaceship. 

Four walls standing.  I'm only off by about 1/4 inch on one side, but that can be shortened easily.