Observatory
DSCN1858.JPG

Two 24' main beams of tripled 2 x 12 PT. These things were HEAVY.

DSCN1859.JPG

Holddown brackets in place. They required a little field surgery with a chain saw to fit properly.

DSCN1860.JPG

Main beams in place. We jacked them level with a car jack and shimmed.

DSCN1861.JPG

Rick taking a breather after we humped the beams into position.

DSCN1864.JPG

Laying down the floor joists for the warm room. As you can see the building is cantilevered past the footings in both length and width. The pneumatic framing gun was an invaluable time and labor saver.

DSCN1865.JPG

Warm room joists complete, we're about to start building the box girders that will support the observing room.

DSCN1866.JPG

Box girders in place - just a sandwich of 3/4" plywood glued and nailed over a 2x4 frame. Would have been important to spend a little more time getting them plumb.

DSCN1870.JPG

Framing in around the scope pier.

DSCN1871.JPG

Joists in and flooring going down in the observing room, showing the difference in elevation.

DSCN1874.JPG

Stairs between the warm room and the observing room.

DSCN1875.JPG

Rick beginning to layout for the first wall section.

DSCN1877.JPG

Sheathing the south wall of the observing room, the first wall section to go up.