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After the second pier was poured
on May 19th, I used the mixer to make a slurry of clay and soil, which
was then used to back fill the remaining space around the pier
foundations. |
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| The top of the new pier was covered with a roof tile to keep any rain off. On May 20th, I got the chainsaw out to flatten the two tree stumps near the piers. I also dug out the remaining plants that were within the observatory floor plan.
On the 21st, I began to attach
the remaining legs, drilling the fixing plates to the concrete pads, but
were removed again. |
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| The legs were removed in order to fit the weed membrane. That was spread out so it could be measured for the pier holes to be cut. Once done, it was lowered into place and the legs bolted down permanently. Lynne continued to pull up weeds on the ramp area that would lead to the new upper lawn. |
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| Once the outer frame of floor joists was assembled, it was time to start cutting and fitting the intermediate floor joists. Soap on the 6 inch long screw threads was used to lubricate them to help them screw all the way in with less effort. |
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| The framing was all painted by the end of the 21st. On the 22nd, observatory work was paused to move the garden shed to its new location, now that the concrete had been given time to fully harden. With the shed moved, I checked the field of view from both piers. |
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| The new shed location didn't affect the field of view, remaining around 10 degrees to the East where targets would rise. The general view all round is better than the old Washington observatory. the 23rd was spent taking stuff to the tip and buying planks to box in the plinth. Ten out of nineteen were painted in bitumen on one side before the rain came. |
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