ASIGN Observatory II is back on track!

[Barry]

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.

[Barry]

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.

[Barry]

Spent today building the upstairs banister out of steel. The thing is rock-steady. Soon I will bolt in some thick board behind it, which gives me three functions.... it blocks some light from below, (even though later there will be drop-hatches over the hole anyway).... it stops my young toddler from crawling through gaps when he's chillin' up there with me..... and finally, it gives me something to put some charts and space photos/posters on. There will be a gate on the end (left of photo) to stop folks from accidentally falling down the stairs.



Downstairs, I cut one more dead tree down to provide the final post on the far left. I also cut the wall-panelling for the stairs. The wall above the stairs is filled, now to put in the panelling for the wall underneath them.

[Barry]

SOOOOOO CLOSE!!

I can almost taste completion! The banister is looking great now filled in, painted, gate on one end and a big thick natural timber handrail to dress it all off.

Upstairs the only big job left is to lay the carpet properly then instal the lighting. That will conclude the upstairs construction and fitout.

Full construction page here.

[Barry]

1. I sold some of my unused astrophotography accessories this week, so I was able to afford some plasterboard to start covering the ceiling. It will be good to seal all that fibreglass insulation in and fit the lights.


2. I have found some foam-rubber on a roll that seals nicely the gap between the dome-support ring, and the dome ring itself. I've glued it to the bottom ring only, so the top ring slides nicely along it without binding or too much resistance around the circumference of the dome. You can see it just above the unlaid carpet in the picutre below. The other issue is to seal the light-leak from where the dome panels meet the weather skirt, as well as cover the sharp edge of the sheet-metal.


3. I cut some of the foam rubber into short strips and glued them all in. It dresses off nicely and makes it safer and light-proof.


4. Just to give it a bit more of a finished look, I've adhered the caution-tape to it. Looks good and clearly distinguishes the edge of the dome.


5. I think I'll leave it at that for caution-tape or else it will take over. The carpet looks worse and worse as the dome and fittings improve, but the great news is that someone has offered me much nicer carpet!


6. The stairwell is coming lose to completion too. A few sharp edges to clean up and a gap to fill and dress, then some trim around the end of each tread and it's done.

[Barry]

Got a spare few dollars this week so I could afford the last two sheets of plasterboard for the ceiling downstairs.

This afternoon, it was a race for the light as the sun set after work. I lay all eight pieces down, built a new compass and drew the radius out to fit inside the round building.

As I ran out of light, I managed to score the paper then used a plasterboard hand-saw to cut one sheet to size.

[Barry]

I made a start today as I had a few hours of beautiful sunlight to work with this morning.

Rather than purchase or hire those expensive adjustable struts to hold up the plaster, I made up these two supports out of some scrap wood. They are just a fraction too long, which give me the ability to wedge them in under the plasterboard as I hold it up to the ceiling. Easy peasy.

I got half the ceiling up so I should be finished the rest by the end of this weekend.

[Barry]

The ceiling is all up. Now it's a matter of joining tape, joint filler and some trim around the exposed edge in the stairwell.

I bought some thick board today for the trap-doors that will seal the heat in downstairs by blocking off the stairwell.

I picked up all the gear today thanks to a wonderful donation by a fellow in Victoria. I'll be getting to work tonight and over the next week to get the ceiling finished and ready for a coat of paint.

The last part of the ceiling was the trickiest, as there were many angle involved, lots of things to get around and rebate for, plus the sheet can't fit in the gap in one piece. I ended up making a template out of 3mm craftwood scraps. I then traced the template onto the plasterboard sheet and cut it out. I had to cut it into four pieces to get it in there though. It's all done though and ready for finishing.

1. Tracing the template

2. Plasterboard cut to shape

3. Fitted

[Barry]

Oils ain't oils

All I wanted to do today was apply paintbrush to timber. Unfortunately for my impatience, preparation prolonged my agony for an excruciating hour and a half before I could even wet the brush.

There was the bottom floor to clear of construction tools and materials, then peel up the temporary carpet and underlay. I gave the handrails and treads a final sanding then a meticulous vacuum of all surfaces.

The mix of mineral turpentine and boiled linseed oil was a 50/50 ratio, penetrating the wood deeper and hopefully causing the oil to set harder.

A few minutes after oiling the top couple of treads and stringers, the mix began to release aromas from the Cypress and Eucalypt. Unlike painting with paint, (which is a pain in the butt) oiling wood is a real pleasure. The speed at which the transformation occurs is gratifying and the colour change is stunning - it's richness paralleled only by the smell, which is akin to walking into an antique furniture shop.

Full story here.

[Barry]

Today I got into plastering the joints of the plasterboard, a job I've never attempted. To tell the truth, it was childishly simple, helped by the fact that all the boards are level and flush.