Complete beginner

[Deri-Boy]

Hi folks

Nothing like going in the deep end.... I haven't got a scope of any kind so I thought I'd build my own. This forum seems a likely place to ask the dumb questions first........where do I get Mirrors, eyepieces etc from?

Can You get plans with component suppliers....?

Any advice gratefully accepted

Thanks

Mike

Grumpy old Man

[gustavo_sanchez]

Hello,

I can't help with how to get telescope part suppliers, but the eyepieces and other accessories are easily found in many websites such as FLO (see the top of the page). However, you can take a look at this thread, which explain the construction of a very big refractor. Maybe you can get an idea of what lies ahead for you

http://stargazerslounge.com/diy-astronomer/96471-6-f-10-refractor-build-2.html

[astronymonkey]

Hi Mike, welcome to the forum.

There are a number of places that supply mirrors and in the past I have used mirrors from Beacon Hill Telescopes and also optics from John Nichol at Nicol Optical. Im sure a google search will find you links, John does some huge, high quality mirrors so im not sure if he does anything small anymore like a six inch.You could even go the whole hog and buy some blanks and grinding powders and grind your own mirrors .

As for drawing up plans you can draw up full scale plans using the back of a roll of wall paper, this lets you work out where your flat needs to go etc.

Im no expert on scope building but Im sure you will get loads of good advice from the folks on here.

Although making a scope gives a great sense of achievement there are some bargins around especially with regard to dobsonians which are a great way of getting a good sized scope for a relatively low cost...just have a look at the First Light Optics (FLO) website and youll see what I mean

cheers

Astro

[Deri-Boy]

Thanks to all for your response and greetings. I look forward to learning much

Mike

[The Warthog]

There are a good number of amateur telescope making sites under that name. If you can build a box, you should be able to make a working Dobsonian telescope.

[E621Keith]

I hope you don't mind me asking why you'd want to build your own scope and how much building do you want to do?

I don't know much about scope building but I found used scope can be very cheap, so it might worth getting a used one and strip it for parts. It might end up cheaper than getting various parts separately.

There is a 12" and a 18" mirror and flats for sale in Astro buy n sell at the moment, I think that interest you.

[E621Keith]

A quick search on Google turn up a company called Vacuum Coating Ltd. They seems to have all the things you'll need to grind you own mirror

Telescope making

[rabbithutch]

Hello Mike!

I have never built a telescope and never hope to build one. However, I came across plans for one in a very unexpected place today. It is from the 1950's and describes building a unit which would be better in a gun carriage (dobsonian) mount. Vintage Projects and Building Plans

If you take the road of building your own, I (for one) would love to read occasional progress reports and see pics.

[moonraker1234]

Very brave!

Good luck!

Perhaps a Dobsonian would be the easiiest to start with?

[Capricorn]

Galvoptics for mirrors:

telescope kits, build your own. newtonian , dobsonian

Think that Oldham sell the same ones:

Oldham Optical Web Site

Bits like mirror mounts try:

New Page 1

After that seaching round the net.

Places like Scope and Skies sell various scope components and they include Astro Engineering that have a decent assortment.

[brantuk]

Hi Paul - you might get lots of ideas and/or sources for stuff if you have a skim through this thread:

DIY Astronomer - Stargazers Lounge

Good luck and welcome to SGL

[sixela]

Hi folks

Nothing like going in the deep end.... I haven't got a scope of any kind so I thought I'd build my own. This forum seems a likely place to ask the dumb questions first........where do I get Mirrors,

The most satisfying is to grind your own, but obviously that's a different hobby.

Otherwise, try John Nichol or Orion Optics for mirrors (personally, I like Pro grade OO mirrors for price/quality; you need a bit of luck with some of OO's lowest bin mirrors).

For focusers, you have quite a price range. You can buy yourself a Feathertouch focuser (the Rolls), a Moonlite, the excellent KineOptics HC-2, you can buy one of the cheaper but good JMI focusers, you can buy one of the Synta/GSO mass market focusers, or you can build your own helical focuser from parts salvaged from an old photocamera zoom lens.

As for a spider, the most interesting thing to make is a wire spider, but you'll have to google a lot (include "Mark Cowan" or "Mel Bartels" as keywords). Otherwise, you can also buy an excellent ProtoStar spider, or parts from e.g. Dieter Martini (careful, don't undersize the spider if it comes from him!) if you're fluent in German and don't mind his rather idiosyncratic behaviour.

eyepieces

From the same sources as everyone else.

Can You get plans with component suppliers....?

You certainly want to read Kriege and Berry's "The Dobsonian Telescope". There are a lot of things that you'll know better after some time (sometimes, things are merely asserted or there are some jumps of faith in the logic, and they're easy to spot), but it's certainly *the* best work to read.

I went in the deep end and the first scope I built was my 400mm:

Turned out a lot better than I had expected.