Posts Made By: dan gieruszak

Hello,

Every few months someone asks about dome plans. They are available, both roll off and hemisphere from John Hicks 905-476-3496- 49.95. See sky and Tel Feb 2003. He is an architect and has been designing and building domes in his spare time for twenty years.

As some of you know, I could not go the Polystar route although it is a super low cost solution.

I ordered John's plans for a hemisphereical dome - very detailed - and will post construction notes once I begin.

And some of you know I was going to get into the fiberglass dome business - but with municipal elections and a provincial election here, I'm putting those plans into slow motion.

To avoid the problems many of you have faced with dome manufacturers, once I'm into production, I'll post a notice here, and to avoid problems, for purchases made by anyone on this group, you won't have to make payment until the dome is delivered and installed to your satisfaction.

Clear and Steady Skies


Dan

Hi,

Does anyone know how to/ where I can find out how to size gores? Someone has to have a cad program that allows you to take a hemisphere, cut a slit in it for the door and then divide it into gores. Cad program shoud be able to print out the various gore dimensions based on hemisphere radius and slit size ...

Can help/point me inthe right direction?

Dan

Thanks for your posts re: third story obsevatory... I'm considering builda two story roll top roof ... roof could be removed and converted to a traditional roof if I ever deside to move and can't find an astro nut who wants a clear view.

Roof would be 20x 30 and move 20 feet to accomodate a large dobsonian.

My question, building codes were there any to follow for your construction? How did you handle building inspectors etc.,?

Any info from anyone whould be very helpful,

Thanks

Dan

Hello John,

Don't be afraid to try things that have not been done before ... flatbed tracktors that drop off huge hi hoes etc., usually charge a pick up and drop off fee, 10x20 is not that big, another fee for a crane to pick it up, another fee at the other end to unload it ... I don't know what the fees for these things are in your area ... around here if the economy is good nobody has time to do these small one of jobs ... it may take a few phone calls ... and if you hit road blocks ask for references of someone who might be interested in the job ... around here there are also companies that make prefab homes ... they truck 16'x50' half homes on a regular basis and these homes are lifted on and off with cranes ...

good luck ... hate to see you lose all the value you have put into your roll off roof...

Dan

Hey Lucy, you got a lot of esplain in to do if those pictures are not better than the one I took ... great to hear you have a trailer for a potential travel dome ... I also have an old tent trailer that may make the conversion to a star party traveler ... Merlin how high is yours?

take care of those knees Tom ..,

Dan

tom, I forget the dimensions of you calf hut ... I think at the widest diameter it is 86" which includes a 3" lip so interanl diameter at the widest is 80" so depending on focal length etc., of your newt you are I think approaching the limit of the calf hut. The polydome fish tank model # 10260 is listed on their website as 102" diameter but is only 98" add the 3" lip and widest diameter is 91". that should be very comfortable for your 10" newt. thge Fish tank is also nice and high, about 72" with rounded top, you can get it in blue or black? so you won't have to paint the inside ... but it is more than twice the cost of the calf hut.

Tom, since the last time I saw you I've upgrade my 10" newt to 16" so that was another reason the 10260 fish tank was not big enough for me ... but it would have been tremendous for the 10" ...

Hope this helps,

Dan

Hello All,

Polydome fish tank- on the polydome site (I have not been there recently so it may have changed), you can get access to polytank.com, it is the same company. At polytank they have a fish tank model 10260, which if you have read my posts you know is 98" in diameter not 102" as the web site indicates. It is about 74" high, and you can get it in black, blue or opaque. I got the blue one, and it is a super size for our application ... unfortunately I had built a base for the 102" and did not want to kluge the tank to fit a 101" base ...

Hope this helps ... if you have trouble finding the fish tank, repost and I'll search the polytank site again.

Dan

Hi Rich,

I've desided on the rollover. I think it is easier to build, and less prone to problems from wind. Opening to the sides act as wings. I've been told by people who have had them for 20 years that there is no problem with them. I was concerned with snow and ice build up but they say no problem.

Dan