The framing begins inside the tank for the 1st floor walls. Framing detail showing support for 2nd floor.  The concrete foundation and framing for the 7 sided room Blocking for the stairs inside the tank.
 
The roof frames are up. The heptagon is starting to look like the drawings. Bolting the roof frames to the steel tank.  The roof installed, just in time for snow.
 
Coaxing the plywood panels down to the geometry of the roof frames.  The rest of the 12" diameter steel pier is welded into place, for a total height of 9 feet above the floor. The wood center support column will be attached to the concrete floor and isolated from the pier with this wood ring.  Center support column, glued, screwed and finished.
Building the circular stairs with the 2x12's salvaged from a construction site. The steel pier is temporarily capped. The plywood ring between the steel pier and support column will be removed. The insulation is in, the inside walls are sheeted and the stairs are finished.  Looking down from the second floor. The stairs turned out fantastic.
Finally we get to see the view from the top of the tank.  The center column supporting the 2nd floor joists.  The floor hatches upstairs are almost finished  The second floor is done enough to stand on and work on the top of the tank.
My helper stands by with the garden hose, as I torch off the top of the steel tank.  The top is cut off and slid down the temporary ramp. It will go to the shop for further cutting and welding.  Thanksgiving Day and we have plenty of muscle around to move the dome.  We carried the dome up the hill behind the observatory.
 More progress photos on page 3
The dome is placed on the ramp. Once the steel ring is finished, the dome will be slid up and onto the top of the tank.  
 Last update, December 6, 2008  www.nightskyobservatory.com