I didn’t have much time for work on the observatory this weekend, but I did manage to cut some additional timbers for the frame to support joins in the external cladding where they didn’t end on an existing part of the frame. I deliberately chose to do this for the first seven or eight rows on the eastern side of the observatory because I’d have wasted a lot of cladding otherwise, and it’s well-protected from the elements by the stone wall alongside.
That done I nailed the remaining ends to the new timber. I had to drill pilot holes for the nails to stop the cladding splitting as it has dried out so much since I first fitted it.
Whilst I had the wood on the chop saw, I also added some additional diagonal bracing in the walls. I probably don’t need it, but thought I might as well given that I had the timber and I now have a better idea of the weight of the roof.