One for the mirror polishers...

[FLO]

I have never polished my own mirror but always liked the idea.

I was wondering, couldn't someone buy one of the cheap 'acceptable' parabolic mirrors coming out of China/Taiwan, polish it to an improved spec, then have it re silvered? Surely that would save a lot of time and effort?

Thanks

[GazOC]

Theres a lot of people in the USA do that, or send them off to the "premium" mirror makers to re-figure.

[FLO]

Hhmmmm, I sense a project coming on 8)

Can anyone recommend a good book/website?

[GazOC]

A lot of 6" blanks come up on Ebay...you could make a nice f8 planet killer!!

[Naz]

Hhmmmm, I sense a project coming on 8)

Can anyone recommend a good book/website?

Try this link, there are loads of info on making your on telescopes of all sizes up to and over 24".

http://www.starastronomy.org/TelescopeMaking/WebRing/

nabban

[FLO]

A lot of 6" blanks come up on Ebay...you could make a nice f8 planet killer!!

Or even an f10, though I'd need to invest in some steps (thought I'd say it before someone else quipped ).

I'm thinking of a scope that would be good for viewing objects less effected by light-pollution for use from my back-garden. Planets, lunar, globulars and solar (with a filter!). It'll need lots of focal length and a small central obstruction so f8 or slower would be good and, I'm guessing, the mirror should be easier to figure...

Try this link, there are loads of info on making your on telescopes of all sizes up to and over 24".

http://www.starastronomy.org/TelescopeMaking/WebRing/

Thanks Nabban, that should get me off to a good start

[daz]

Keep us posted on this one Steve - sounds interesting!

[FLO]

Will do :toothy5:

I'm still very much at the info gathering stage; my fear is that I will need a ton of gear and a room to work in...

[OXO]

Steve,

I helped make a 10" Mirror a few years ago it turned out to be a 10" F/8 Dobsonian scope and is now used for planetry reports and drawings at the EP.

It isnt hard and you dont need a lot of gear at all what you do need is time though takes quite a while to get it perfected. The use of other equipment for measureing the wave lenghs et etc i don't know enough about to advise.

End of the day it's well worth it Steve.

James

[FLO]

End of the day it's well worth it Steve.

Thats what I'm thinking.

I like the idea of viewing the heavens thru an instrument that I will have made, at least in part, myself 8)

[OXO]

I like the idea of viewing the heavens thru an instrument that I will have made, at least in part, myself

Yeah thats the Magic of it Steve

[Ambermile]

A couple of years ago, SC made a 20" f/3.8 Dob mirror that I later machined the parts to make the whole thing goto. (fun!!) He started of with the 20" blank and an angle grinder...

[FLO]

He started of with the 20" blank and an angle grinder...

Haha! I have a couple of angle-grinders

[OXO]

20" f/3.8 Dob mirror

:shock: What were the views like Arthur? i wish i had a peek through it

[Ambermile]

Awesome. Truly. You could roam around the entire Veil. It was Alt/Az of course - took almost as long to work out the ratios for the Autostar as it did to make the scope but still... we used one of those cheapie Meade DS drive systems which meant a driven wheel of maybe 30" diameter and a drive of about 1/4". took ages to goto. Eventually it was push-to something and then sync on it for tracking.

Arthur

[OXO]

WOW that sounds like some setup :shock: an observers dream infact, you have been involved in some awsome ventures Arthur maybe you should write a book them aswell as your other one?

[paul t]

Hhmmmm, I sense a project coming on 8)

Can anyone recommend a good book/website?

Yes Steve, a good , but old book is Handbook for the telescope maker by N.E. Howard. I have used It on many occasions and it has been invaluable. And it is a good idea to buy a cheap mirror and re-figure it your self, go for it it's the best feeling in the world when you look through your scope for the first time and realise you created that.

[Ambermile]

WOW that sounds like some setup :shock: an observers dream infact, you have been involved in some awsome ventures Arthur maybe you should write a book them aswell as your other one?

Ah. The mirror now resides in a *proper* Dobsonian. A beautifully-made one actually, two local astronomers made the 20" and a 16" together. If you are at Kelling there's a fair chance they'll both be up there and you can see what I mean.

A book? No, I don't think so. It's taken rather a long time for what I've done already!

Arthur

PS - here's the previous incarnation... http://www.pmdo.com/20goto.htm

[GazOC]

Amazing Arthur,

I can believe those Meade motors did the job!! I get anxious when I put my refractor on my DS powered CG%.

Gaz

[OXO]

I will keep an eye out for that scope at star partys looks great

James

[FLO]

This is interesting:

http://stargazerslounge.co.uk/index.php?topic=2985.0

[FLO]

Plans for building your own 10" f/6, Truss Tube, Rotating Head Telescope:

http://www.rfroyce.com/10f6tel/

[GazOC]

This is interesting:

http://stargazerslounge.co.uk/index.php?topic=2985.0

A loss leader, you must have heard of them?

[FLO]

This is interesting:

http://stargazerslounge.co.uk/index.php?topic=2985.0

A loss leader, you must have heard of them?

Nope; please enlighten me

[GazOC]

Before you know it you've dropped a fortune on 10" (Royce) mirror to put in the scope....

The guy has an excellent (one of the best) reputation for mirrors in the USA, but they don't come cheap.