John lives in Northern Johannesburg. He is a keen astronomer and do it yourself enthusiast. His latest project was to build a removable roof using 6mm Makrolon® multi-wall polycarbonate sheets. His objective was to convert the roof area of his workshop into an astronomical observatory. The roof needed to be light weight to allow it to easily move on rails to cover the high powered telescope.
High Impact Plastics (Pty) Ltd
Makrolon® Multi-Wall Polycarbonate
Reaching for the Stars
Materials Used
- 5 sheets of 6mm clear Makrolon® 5800mm x 2100mm
- Square aluminium tubing. The tubing was bent into the required radius by Bend A Tube in Edenvale
- at a nominal cost.
- Flat aluminium bar to fix the sheets to the tubing
- Polycarbonate H profiles to join the sheets
- Polycarbonate U profiles to finish the ends of the sheets
- Tex screws.
Method
The frame was built using the square aluminium tubing after it had been bent to the required radius by Bend A Tube in Edenvale. The distance between the aluminium arches was determined to allow the fixing points to be over the aluminium. Tex screws were used to fix the flat aluminium strip through the sheets to the square tubing. Where the sheets needed joined an H profile was used. The offcuts from the jumbo sheets were used for the side walls and the end walls. Polycarbonate U profiles were used to give a clean finish.
Figure 1
Main roof structure
Figure 2
Offcuts were used for the side walls and the end walls.
Figure 3
Polycarbonate U profiles give a neat finish.