Rick on the "Ditch Witch". We trenched about 400' in all to get to the site. The machine did a great job in mixed till and rock, but contrary to the representations of the guy who rented it to us, it will not "cut through anything", at least without a good deal of maintenance afterward! |
The Montecristo Club Cabinet #30 Robusto is the official cigar of the Taconic Observatory. |
We cut a trench through solid bedrock underneath the building - very slow and hard. |
Needed a jackhammer to finish the job in the solid rock. |
Trenching Ann's flower garden and lawn. Perform at own risk. She was very cooperative, though. |
I used the "Witchette" for trenching near the house. It's still a large machine and difficult to maneuver. Worked fine in till but lacks the heft to tackle ledge. |
Panel box roughed in. |
Fiber optic cable and two strands of Cat5e cable bring internet and intercom to the site. |
We used plastic conduit and outdoor-rated boxes for the observing room. There are 7 quad boxes for 28 outlets total...we might have gotten a little carried away. |
Rick made all the decisions about electrical design and specification and did all the complicated installation. I pulled cable and nailed boxes in, usually in the right place. Everything he did passed review by my licensed electrician and by the electrical inspector with flying colors. |
Oh my God - there are lights - and heat - in the warm room! |
Progress inspection sticker from the electrical inspector - we must be doing something right! |
There's another 24 outlets in the 12' x 8' warm room: "Anything worth doing is worth doing to excess." We insulated the warm room and finished it with the same barn lumber purhcased at a local mill and used for exterior siding, here installed horizontally. |
Cat 5e and fiber optic transceiver under the installed desk in the warm room. |
January 1, 2005 - snow on the inside... |
...and exactly one year later, the snow is on the outside, and we're getting pretty comfortable: power, heat, internet connection, intercom to the house, a very nice cork floor and plenty of music. Ceiling has been finished and recessed lights installed. |