August 27th

Meghan, Chan, and I got together on the last day of work on Viper for the summer and took apart the box which held the main mirror. This important piece of the telescope will be moved by Facilities nearby the telescope frame and we will rent a crane to place it inside the frame so we can hopefully have a working instrument by winter.  The trusses which are blue in the photos were also sent to a body shop to be sandblasted and repainted Siena green and gold.

August 9th

I cleaned and polished several door-like parts of the telescope today which had been marked by the original aluminum jelly.  We also were able to align and do the final bolting of the main telescope frame.  We are getting quotes from various body shops as to cost of sandblasting and repainting the originally blue trusses and other parts.

August 7th

Today I worked on cleaning the parts which came out of the box and power washed all the parts. We will be attempting to move the main mirror at some point this week.

August 6th

We opened up the box of telescope parts and moved them over by the telescope. There was a secondary mirror that ended up being put inside to prevent damage.  I also opened up the side of the box in preparation for removing the main mirror. We are discussing ways of moving the main mirror into it's place inside the telescope. I completed most of the bolting together of the two sides of the telescope frame.

August 1st

Today we received the remaining bolts and inserts for the telescope frame, which I installed in the places I was able to without help.  We had the box with the mirror brought up nearby the telescope and I removed the top and covered it with a tarp.  I marked out and cut the aluminum panels which needed replacing. We also had someone from a body shop come up to look at and price out a sandblasting and painting job for the previously blue parts of the telescope. We intend to have them painted Siena Green and Gold.

July 30th

Today we unloaded the parts to the telescope which Joe and Meghan had picked up from Johns Hopkins.  We put the large parts under a canopy behind Facilities and the more precision equipment will be kept inside.  I also researched information for a temporary greenhouse or other protective shelter for the telescope come winter.

July 26th

Today was Alyssa's last day for the summer, so we will be missing her! We got someone from Facilities to help us remove the stubborn rusted bolts which we were unable to remove, and re-tap some of the bolt holes where we removed rusted bolts.  I also ordered inserts for some of the bolts which will be used for adjustment, which will allow for easy use.  I also got a quote from a supplier for brackets to attach the aluminum panels to the body of the telescope.  Joe will be going down with some other students tomorrow to get the remaining parts from Johns Hopkins.

July 25th

I called McMaster-Carr a few times and after talking to several people over at the business and at the college, we decided that we were going to keep the painted honeycomb panels. McMaster does not have any panels that do not have any finish on them so we will use what we received and hopefully they will not interfere with the IR signals. They will have to be cut and have holes drilled to match the original panels. A few more screws and washers need to be ordered to complete the assembly of the pieces of the aluminum frame that are already on campus. Joe and one other student will go down to Johns Hopkins University to obtain the rest of the telescope this Friday.

July 24th

To start the day off a bunch of summer physics researchers rotated the telescope so that the mirror is pointing away from the wall. The screws holding the aluminum honeycomb panels were removed and the hex screws holding the panels to the frame were also removed after some convincing from the blow torch. Replacements will have to be ordered of the small hex screws and washers. New brackets will also have to be ordered that are as tall as the replacement panels to better stabilization. Unfortunately, the new honeycomb panels that Tom ordered were painted which was not clear in the data sheet and since we cannot have any materials that might be reflective in the infrared, they have to be sent back. I will look into the return policy for McMaster-Carr and hopefully we can get unpainted panels relatively easily after the mix up. A list was also made of the things that still need to be done so that we can keep an eye on the big picture.

July 20th

Today the mounting surfaces of the support beams as well as any other badly oxidized spots that require more attention will sanded. When the cleaning of these pieces are complete assembly will begin. This step will require multiple people. At least one person will have to hold the piece while another bolts it to the big aluminum frame. We started by loosely attaching the support beams to either side of the big aluminum frame that holds the mirror. Then we got a bunch of extra hands to help slide the two big pieces together and to tilt one side up so the two pieces could be bolted together via the support beams that we had just attached. We do not have enough of the right bolts to attach the two big pieces directly together, so we will have to wait until more are ordered so that we can finish the task. We also have to order replacements for the metal steel rollers sometime in the near future.

July 19th

Every day for the past few weeks has been pretty much the same. Tom tried drilling out some of the broken screws and used an extractor set to remove the remnants, but was unsuccessful. Drill bits broke as did the extractor set and even heating the aluminum to dilate the thread only helped some. No one knew how challenging this task was going to be and so only the necessary bolts will be replaced. A machinist will be hired to replace the broken and impossible bolts that we think need to be replaced. The rest of the bolts will remain in place. Depending on when we can get the machinist to come in, assembly may start before the impossible bolts are dealt with. 

Today the four support beams that were placed on top of the box prior to moving the big aluminum pieces were cleaned with the aluminum jelly. The mounting surfaces need to be sanded tomorrow so that they are as smooth as can be.  

July 10th

We sanded all mounting surfaces of the telescope, as well as a few other places where the oxidation was bad. Tom had to get Joe to borrow a propane torch from Facilities for the big stubborn bolts and it worked for the most part. The bolts that are broken off will have to be drilled out and an extractor will be used. We can hopefully this get from Home Depot tomorrow.

July 9th

Today we worked on the bolts and final cleaning of the mounting frame for the telescope. Tom sanded the mounting faces and discussed with Joe and Dr. Weatherwax using a torch to remove the few stubbornly rusted bolts.

July 5th

Today we worked mainly on cleaning the part of the aluminum frame that holds the detector. We applied two coats and power washed the frame down a few times. More work was done on the rusted bolts, but we'll have to wait until Monday to talk about using a torch to assist us.

July 3rd

We continued with the cleaning working on the part of the frame that holds the mirror. More work was done in regards to trying to remove the rusted bolts, but there wasn't much success. We are looking into getting new tools that will help in addition to soaking all of the rusted parts in perpetrator. Hopefully we will find something that will work, but if not, we will have to resort to using heat to expend the aluminum to try and ease the rusted bolts out.

July 2nd

More cleaning was done. The aluminum piece that holds the mirror has been coated everywhere with at least one coat of aluminum jelly; some spots were coated twice. Some areas need to have an additional coat applied and power washed and that will take place tomorrow. Tom started working on the rusted nuts and bolts. He was able to replace a few but this might be one of the most challenging steps.

June 29th

The cleaning continued. We decided to try applying the jelly a little more liberally and hopefully if we do so, it  will allow us to apply it one time instead of two and have the results be the same. Chan is going to stop at an electronics store to look at wi-fi cameras.

June 28th

Today we started cleaning. We borrowed a power washer and sprayed down the entire frame to get any loose dirt off. We gave the frame time to dry and then the aluminum jelly was brushed onto a small section of the frame to figure out an effective cleaning method. We let the jelly sit and then power washed it off. Not all of it seemed to come off with the first wash so we took cloths and wiped the frame down. Then the frame was washed for a second time and it seemed to work.

June 27th

The telescope was moved from the grass onto the deck and is now all ready to be cleaned. That process should start tomorrow with a pressure wash. I am also looking into purchasing a wi-fi camera that will take pictures every so often out of which we can make a movie to track the progress. We are looking at taking pictures once an hour and the price range is approximately $100-200, but Amazon has some less expensive ones to look into.

June 26th

The shipment of cleaning supplies and tools came in today. I made sure everything was there and put the supplies away. The weather calls for rain and storms the next few days. Weather depending, we can hopefully start cleaning the aluminum this week as long as we get the pressure washer.

June 22nd

The telescope has been moved to the location behind Roger Bacon adjacent to the walkway connecting Roger Bacon and the Morrell Science Center. They placed the large aluminum pieces next to the deck oriented how we believe they fit together. All the smaller aluminum pieces were placed on top of the box that contains the mirror so that nothing happens to them during the move.

June 19th

We picked up where we left off after the contractors finished securing the supports. We finished the deck after a couple of hours and a run to Home Depot to pick up more decking screws. Some of the boards were warped pretty badly, so it's not perfect. The wood was also wet when we were building it, but when the wood dries, the gaps will shrink. I have to admit, it looks pretty good.

June 18th

The platform should be completely finished within the next few days. Construction started this morning. On the side furthest away from the building, the ground starts sloping downward. The contractors are decided to go with concrete blocks to support the structure. Since the telescope is extremely heavy, they need to make sure the supports will hold. They got most of the way done with the frame, but need to secure the cross supports tomorrow. Before they left they showed us how to secure the decking. They left us the wood and deck screws and we started building the deck. We were able to complete about a third of the decking.

June 13th

We did some more testing of cleaners on larger sections of the aluminum to see which one works more efficiently. We decided on going with the Duro (aka Loctite) aluminum jelly and the Flitz liquid metal polish. We put in an order for the cleaners, polishes and tools. The MSDS sheets for each of the chemicals were printed out to be put in a folder at the site. The safety information needs to be available in the event anything happens. Stakes were also moved and placed in a 12'x18' rectangle to outline where the platform is going to be built.

June 12th

We started off the day by testing the different grades of sandpaper we picked up from Home Depot to clean the aluminum frame. We tried grades from 60- 600-grit. Even the finest grade sandpaper scratched the surface more than what we were hoping. In addition, we noticed the metal is pitted as a result of the corrosion. In search of a solution, research was done to determine the most efficient way to clean the aluminum of the aluminum oxide. We made a Lowe's and Ace Hardware run to get cleaner and polisher for the telescope frame. We picked up Loctite's rust dissolver, aluminum jelly, and two kinds of metal polisher that clean and polish. We brought a miscellaneous piece of the frame into the lab for testing. We tried all the various combinations or the two cleaners and the two polishes and found that they all work fairly decently when used together. Larger quantities of the chemicals will be ordered and as soon as the telescope is moved. We are also looking into getting an electric pressure washer to clean the frame before and after using the cleaner and polish. We need electric run to the site eventually, but we might be able to get away with running an extension cord to the site for now. We also need to get hoses for the pressure washer and plywood to cover the platform frame.

June 11th

The shipment of nuts, bolts, washers, etc. arrived. They were then sorted according to size into organizers. It was decided that contractors are going to build the frame of the platform so that it goes quicker and so that we know it will hold the appropriate weight. They should be finished within the next couple of days and then we will finish the platform by adding and securing the plywood. The telescope parts will be moved within the week as well weather depending.

June 8th

Pictures were taken of the site all staked out and added to a separate website that will be used for all pictures of the project. Links will be added to the original website and blog. I researched the fundamentals behind radio telescopes, radio astronomy and how we might go about testing the telescope once it is assembled. I also analyzed the platform to decide how many boards we would need and what type of vehicle we would need to transport it. A few trips in a pick-up truck would make the most sense because we need 121 boards of various lengths around 10 feet long for both the planking and frame. We also need to run the plans by a civil engineer to make sure the structure can withstand the 4,116 pounds of the aluminum parts of the telescope and mirror that we have here on campus.

June 7th

A trip was taken to Home Depot for the necessary tools required for the project. Items like hex keys, adjustable wrenches, gloves, safety glasses, toolboxes, etc. were purchased. Upon our return we staked out the location of the telescope using orange stakes. Then we organized the tools and placed everything in the toolbox and determined where we were to store everything. Schematics were then drawn up for the platform to run by a civil engineer to make sure the structure will be sufficient. Pricing was also determined for a few different methods for the building of the platform.      

A Survey Sheet of the Potential Construction Site for the Viper Radio Telescope on Campus at Siena College. 

Drawn up by T. Tamer Rice based on data obtained by Alyssa Endres, Thomas Dunn, and T. Tamer Rice.

June 6th

Today I spent the morning adding the teachers as administrators to the website and blog so they can keep tabs on what is going on easier. I updated the blog and worked on the website changing the text boxes and content. We remeasured the pieces for the telescope and took pictures if the individual pieces that were laying on the piece that holds the detector. Then we went out to look at the newest proposed location for the telescope and took measurements. We drew out a site map to scale where the tent, table, tool boxes, etc. will go. We then talked about scheduling and planned out a full schedule, beginning to end, of the project and approximate dates. An order was sent to Cynthia from Home Depot regarding our run for tomorrow.

June 5th

We started by going outside and compiling a list of the various sizes of rusted bolts, nuts, screws, washers, etc. as well as taking pictures of the pieces. Some of the hardware was stainless steel, but the rest of the pieces that are made from galvanized steel and need to be replaced. We also started predicting how pieces might fit together. It was a little difficult since we don't have all the pieces yet. When we are finished putting the Viper together, we want it looking as good as new. We then started pricing out the replacement hardware on various websites. We were told to make a new account on McMaster-Carr and so we built an order online using the website. The order was given to Cynthia and she said she was going to start working on it since it was a fairly lengthy order.

June 4th

The first day at work. We started reading up on radio astronomy and radio telescopes to learn about the fundamentals behind the Viper. Then we went outside to take a look at the state of the pieces we had here on campus. The rest of the pieces will have to be obtained from Johns Hopkins sooner rather than later. We started putting together a list of tools and information that we need to know before really getting started. Then we started sketching out a proposed schedule from now until the telescope is completely put together and in its permanent location.

Link to project tracking website:
https://sites.google.com/site/viperproject12/

Link to website with pictures:
https://sites.google.com/site/projectviperpictures/home