![](https://pro2-bar-s3-cdn-cf3.myportfolio.com/2bdcb7b6-3542-4ecd-87af-1d06cbe21c46/42a42ae9-c601-487e-886d-739ad36593d6_rw_3840.jpg?h=a071d0995a48034869bfb183daa986c3)
NEXDOME...
There are only a small handful of dome manufactures out there and so not a whole lot of choices to pick from. NexDome is unique in a couple of ways:
- Modular design made from lightweight panels simplifies shipping, moving and installation
- Shutter opens past zenith
- At under $2K, it's the least expense, commercially available dome in the market
The dome took about 4 months to arrive after I placed the order (these are manufactured and shipped from Canada). Assembly took about 4 hours and that's taking my time. I would suggest having a helper, but one is not required if you have long limbs :) The modular ring on which the dome sits is a really weird pice of over/under-engineered crap... more on this later. I had it assembled and screwed onto the dome ring platform in under an hour and then had a neighbor help me lift the dome in place over it - it's light enough to lift by yourself but awkward to maneuver so yeah, definitely have another set of hands for the final placement!
![Yeah... what is this contraption, right?](https://pro2-bar-s3-cdn-cf5.myportfolio.com/2bdcb7b6-3542-4ecd-87af-1d06cbe21c46/623f8924-3673-4734-bb7c-097411b80a8a_rw_3840.jpg?h=f3cf71db0e5d0b3178b7b403f53f0683)
Yeah... what is this contraption, right?
![Unacceptable gap](https://pro2-bar-s3-cdn-cf2.myportfolio.com/2bdcb7b6-3542-4ecd-87af-1d06cbe21c46/3ebe6ff3-af45-4429-80e7-568a41000297_rw_3840.jpg?h=dc03ba08feed95c887c878c783d1c78e)
Unacceptable gap
![I mean... really???](https://pro2-bar-s3-cdn-cf3.myportfolio.com/2bdcb7b6-3542-4ecd-87af-1d06cbe21c46/41e22e70-9697-4ce4-a812-05ec8ba9e5c1_rw_3840.jpg?h=5993484112c7be2ebd57af5e53a7d197)
I mean... really???
![Assembled and ready to be lifted in place](https://pro2-bar-s3-cdn-cf4.myportfolio.com/2bdcb7b6-3542-4ecd-87af-1d06cbe21c46/5d641353-08ab-4476-9a5d-cfdec8d4dcf3_rw_3840.jpg?h=1724bb18a8ab495b762c8d3d13991c05)
Assembled and ready to be lifted in place
![And we're in business!](https://pro2-bar-s3-cdn-cf.myportfolio.com/2bdcb7b6-3542-4ecd-87af-1d06cbe21c46/8cbe1422-fbad-4513-bd53-80a280819ca3_rw_1920.jpg?h=c84283dd7a7496750653744fecb1bab2)
And we're in business!
![It's finally coming together!](https://pro2-bar-s3-cdn-cf6.myportfolio.com/2bdcb7b6-3542-4ecd-87af-1d06cbe21c46/787baec2-1131-480d-a1bc-3323f0fcc7e5_rw_3840.jpg?h=a344d154215f889308211c8704596cc1)
It's finally coming together!
RETRAX ROLL OFF...
When I first started researching roll-off roof options I tried thinking outside of the box and looked for any and all "roll-off" roofs, covers, lids, etc. that I could possibly somehow repurpose for the observatory. After settling on a dome solution instead of a roll-off, I basically gave up on that idea until I started designing the project via SketchUp. That's when a thought occurred to me: why not build a dual-roof observatory! Since I'm primarily interested in astrophotography, I could have my main imaging kit running under the motorized dome and then I could simultaneously do a quick moon or planetary observation under a roll-off.
That's when I happened to come across an "open box" sale on eBay for a Retrax roll-off - a truck bed cover that offers weather protection and quick and simple roll-off mechanism. This particular cover happened to be the largest size available, offering a roughly 5'x5' square opening. It was $300, shipped (as opposed to MSRP of $2K), so I pulled the trigger and had it delivered in a couple of days. Rest was a an engineering problem to solve in terms of installation, sealing, and a few other unexpected challenges, like water drainage, etc.
![Retrax roll-off installed](https://pro2-bar-s3-cdn-cf.myportfolio.com/2bdcb7b6-3542-4ecd-87af-1d06cbe21c46/85f8cb71-e2d9-4d25-a82c-ba66ad545eed_rw_1920.jpg?h=4d838ed6b5492d0b67ded1c521234f46)
Retrax roll-off installed
![Note the slope for water drainage](https://pro2-bar-s3-cdn-cf1.myportfolio.com/2bdcb7b6-3542-4ecd-87af-1d06cbe21c46/2ec45d55-470a-4cfc-b2aa-446c03f528c7_rw_3840.jpg?h=0e6d19688ddccdee83eba472f4a3a38a)
Note the slope for water drainage
![Closed](https://pro2-bar-s3-cdn-cf4.myportfolio.com/2bdcb7b6-3542-4ecd-87af-1d06cbe21c46/ff26d69f-826d-4d47-995c-46d8e75c95a7_rw_3840.jpg?h=778574b108dbc685ea61d5e7e9b74600)
Closed
![Alternative view](https://pro2-bar-s3-cdn-cf2.myportfolio.com/2bdcb7b6-3542-4ecd-87af-1d06cbe21c46/3f04b0c8-81c8-4fac-904d-7b0af347642d_rw_3840.jpg?h=74a074ee71a38a664071c5a7b3ca7ba0)
Alternative view
![Clean lines](https://pro2-bar-s3-cdn-cf1.myportfolio.com/2bdcb7b6-3542-4ecd-87af-1d06cbe21c46/26175705-b576-4679-806e-d9a6d6c0e24c_rw_3840.jpg?h=dd4b84bdf19e1eacd2793aa429fc4a60)
Clean lines
![Half-way there](https://pro2-bar-s3-cdn-cf6.myportfolio.com/2bdcb7b6-3542-4ecd-87af-1d06cbe21c46/0caeb9dd-1105-4bb4-a943-d72eca86ac6e_rw_3840.jpg?h=b27b15ee1d6b44a3b127aa0064fcb079)
Half-way there
![And we're open for business!](https://pro2-bar-s3-cdn-cf6.myportfolio.com/2bdcb7b6-3542-4ecd-87af-1d06cbe21c46/a943c8a7-45a7-476a-b36d-6e18091fff53_rw_3840.jpg?h=ad61f551f3e2b56fa5dabbfd998a127a)
And we're open for business!
![The lock also acts as a left for sliding](https://pro2-bar-s3-cdn-cf1.myportfolio.com/2bdcb7b6-3542-4ecd-87af-1d06cbe21c46/c492c45a-d91d-4228-9ee4-e3d3b37633f5_rw_3840.jpg?h=ebc3365b9f1eccf5ecc7da44ff7f41b5)
The lock also acts as a left for sliding
![Interior framework](https://pro2-bar-s3-cdn-cf1.myportfolio.com/2bdcb7b6-3542-4ecd-87af-1d06cbe21c46/cb3eeafb-98ce-4913-a8c8-a8b7ab2b2478_rw_3840.jpg?h=800326490296c703ec0e82371523bb95)
Interior framework
![Retrax roof rolls up into this black box](https://pro2-bar-s3-cdn-cf4.myportfolio.com/2bdcb7b6-3542-4ecd-87af-1d06cbe21c46/f5bf06f4-8882-44f2-9606-c95d78157205_rw_3840.jpg?h=e06ae3ebf01b612ab3060b2844247800)