16.12.2020 Swing that ring on a scale drawing.

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I am continuing to picture the new building layout relative to the original observatory. Though my desire to avoid expansion on the northern side does increase the complication. 

Fortunately the new building is larger than the old. Should I leave the two support posts nearest the shed untouched? Then work around them? That makes good sense. Their angle to the shed wall actually helps the cause. By swinging the new building's footprint more southwards.

The rest of the building falls safely outside the original form. So I can keep adding new foundation blocks. Then just ignore what lies inside that circle. At least for the moment. With more support posts than before and closer together. 

My thinking is that these will provide increased anchorage against gales. While simultaneously resisting sinkage. Though on the last dome I lifted and dropped the concrete footings in their holes repeatedly to firmly compact the gravel.

I just hope I can get in and out of the existing door! Post spacing will be 98cm instead of 121cm. That is only 23cm difference. There will just be more posts spread around a larger circumference.

Ideally the panel nearest to the shed and both of its supporting posts remain firmly in place.  The new building's shell will be slightly more rounded and further out. By enough, not to cause interference between the two structures.

It has occurred to me that I could use pairs of bolted or screwed together 2x4s, instead of sawn 4x4s for upright posts. They would be considerably lighter to handle. Provided I can get them in the correct length [4m] and straightness. They are not subject to weathering nor ground contact. So normal timber quality is fine. 

I have bought and drawn in 12 new support blocks. Which places them slightly closer together than the original building. Which also means there is only room for a single door rather than the present rather narrow double. Of which I only use the right side making it even narrower. 

I made it double to allow large objects to be brought in. A more normal width, single door would do just as well. I can still make one out of a single sheet of grooved cladding plywood and internal spacer battens.

12.55 and the first glimpse of real sunshine in what seems like two weeks! Without the RA drive I'm not set up for imaging. I have spent the entire morning measuring and endlessly redrawing to scale.

It took some time to temporarily fit the steelwork and remove the concrete blocks from the trailer. They are slightly tapered towards the top. This is intended to resist lifting out of well compacted ground. Roughly 50x20x20cm [19"x8"x8"] and weighing about 36kg each with the steel brackets. Which makes them much easier to handle than as bare blocks.

I have just heard from the calf dome stockists with a tentative price. Plus delivery, of course. Which will have to be on a smaller vehicle than yesterday's 40' container, articulated lorry. I must avoid having a massive pallet sitting on a blind corner in the the middle of the road! A rigid lorry with a tail lift and pallet truck is vital. They can manage the drive without a problem. How can a heavy, 5m long pallet be unloaded with a fork lift truck? Surely it would have to be loaded into a curtain sided lorry? Or, it would have to be lifted and rotated on the raised tail lift.

 

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