Home Made telescopes

Hey,

I was down at the galway astronomy club meetin last night. A guy there had this huge home made telescope, unfortuntly the mirrows were knocked out of allignment and we couldnt use it. it was some piece of equipment, looked really good!

Anyhow does any one know any web sites providing easy plans/blueprints to do this yourself. Nothing too technical but so-so! Wouldnt mind a nice little project like this .

thanks

Neil

Hi Neil,
For starters, have a look at this to see what some of the lads on this site have done
www.irishastronomy.org/boards/viewtopic.php?t=6773

For a smaller mirror you can use a traditional dobsonian design.
here is a link to the basic plan

members.aol.com/sfsidewalk/cdobplans.htm

Basically you stick a pair of mirrors and a focuser in / on a pipe. Knock a few bits of wood together and thats it.

There are literally thousands of websites devoted to building your own telescope - Google "ATM" or "Amateur Telescope Making" or sign up to the ATM mailing list which is probably the world's largest grouping of ATMs and ATM knowledge - a fabulous resource.

Phil.

Perhaps Neill, as a former young budding telescope maker (I'm almost 30 now!), one of the best ways to learn was first to read up a good book on the subject, and then give it a go yourself. I made an 8" equatorial Newtonian for my Leaving Cert construction studies project in '95/'96. It wasn't brilliant in design and construction, but it did work a charm astronomically.

However, a great source of inspiration was the book "Handbook for Telescope Making" by Neale E. Howard. The book might have been first published in 1959, but that in my opinion is the beauty about it. Materials back then were not cheap, so it gives a guide as to how to successfully build a top-notch telescope (from the grinding process up) affordably.

Today, most materials needed are very affordable, as everyone is getting a telescope, so it should be easy peasy to get what you need to make the scope. I have built 3 scopes in all, and this book helped me greatly along the way.

Just an alternative 2 cents worth.

Seanie.

If you are just looking for a telescope (and not the pleasure in actually making one yourself you should have a look at the prices on the BC&F site. They were selling the 16" lightbridge for just a little over £1000. Amazing value. I am guessing you would struggle to buy the parts for a homemade 16" scope for that sort of money never mind a complete package.