Roll off sheds

Whats the deal with roll off sheds ?Does the whole shed move on rollers or does the roof just come off?

Does anyone leave their telescope in it full time and if so are you worried about security?

And finally anyone have a picture they can post?

Brian - typically a roll-off shed refers to an observatory that looks like a shed and the roof rolls away from the main (static) structure.

I'm currenlty working on a complete 'shed' where the whole thing just rolls away.

I am building it precisely so I can leave the scope in there full-time - to avoid having to polar align every time I set up. Security is a consideration but whilst I'll take basic precautions (padlocks atc) there's nothing you can do to stop a determined thief. Even if the scope/mount is in the house, is it really any safer from theft? A basic padlock should deter an opportunist thief - besides, even if they got into my shed, they'd get a severe hernia within 50 yards of carrying the damned thing.

Here's what I'm planning (well, the principle of it)
www.philharrington.net/swo/index01.htm

And here's a link to a ton of amateur observatories, including roll-offs.
obs.nineplanets.org/obs/obslist.html

(Seanie - you might want to add this...)


Hope this helps

Cheers

Dave

thanks Dave, I guess if you build it strong enough security shouldn't be a concern.

The biggest roll off shed I have seen is in the public observatory in Antwerp (Belgium) and it is a huge shed that rolls back in it's entirity to reveal three telescopes including a 2m long f10 Newtonian. Becaue the shed is rolling on well laid tracks with good bearings on the wheel one person can actually easily open and close it which is rather cool!

Bart.

You can now install motors that can be controlled remotely through software - so you don't even have to get off your butt. And said butt can be thousands of miles away

You can even link the software up to a remote sensor that will automatically slew the scope to a preset park position and close the roof if it looks like rain is on the way... You'd presumably burn out the motors rather quickly in this climate

Eamonn Ansbro has a monster roll-off shed housing his 1m (aperture)scope (not sure of the length of the scope but probably 3 metres or so). I wouldn't like to open that shed by hand :shock:

Brian - I'd hope with my limited DIY skills to have a shed that will withstand at least the opportunists. That said, if they got in they'd still have to negotiate either an 8ft block wall, 7ft panel fencing or a 7ft side-gate with about 110kg of kit. I'd like to see them do it quietly...

Presumably, the only folks who would be interested anyway would be those from this board who have visited my house and are seriously coveting the AP1200... Hmmm....

Cheers

Dave McD

You can now install motors that can be controlled remotely through software - so you don't even have to get off your butt. And said butt can be thousands of miles away

You can even link the software up to a remote sensor that will automatically slew the scope to a preset park position and close the roof if it looks like rain is on the way... You'd presumably burn out the motors rather quickly in this climate

Eamonn Ansbro has a monster roll-off shed housing his 1m (aperture)scope (not sure of the length of the scope but probably 3 metres or so). I wouldn't like to open that shed by hand :shock:

Brian - I'd hope with my limited DIY skills to have a shed that will withstand at least the opportunists. That said, if they got in they'd still have to negotiate either an 8ft block wall, 7ft panel fencing or a 7ft side-gate with about 110kg of kit. I'd like to see them do it quietly...

Presumably, the only folks who would be interested anyway would be those from this board who have visited my house and are seriously coveting the AP1200... Hmmm....

Cheers

Dave McD

well dave,
i don't know about the people who visited your house . but seeing someone years ago managed to steal the 8ft transit circle over the wall of dunsink observatory, i would not put anything past anyone. i think it weighed about half a tonne, of brass.
stephen.