It
is cheaper
It
is better
If you still hesitate between starting
to make a telescope and buying one, this page may interest you.
It
is cheaper
It
is better
Do not
neglect stability.
Always remember you should oversize your instrument. Do not hesitate
to make it too strong and too heavy. The heavier a telescope is, the less
vibration you get. Using wood, will also diminish vibration. In case you
wanted to sell it, sell it by weight.
This design puts the eyepiece at the gravity center of the optical
tube, therefore the image is not much likely to move because of small jerks
from the eye of the observer. You can easily change the eyepiece without
changing the balance of the telescope, and without risking to lose the
object you are looking at. This Nasmyth focus is interesting to put heavy
experiments. When the focus is put at a suitable height, the comfort of
the observer is guaranteed. With the highly-situated finder, you can point
at zenith easily. The concrete block weights 45 kg (100lb), the pier, filled
with concrete, weights 25 kg (55lb). The complete instrument reaches 75
kg (165lb).
Start by
making a simple instrument.
If you are a beginner, do not mechanize your telescope immediately.
To learn how to observe, you had better use an altazimutal mount. Do not
forget you will have to assemble and dismantle your telescope at night.
Do avoid nut-and-bolt handling in the dark.
I designed this telescope for a very fast assembly and a visual use.
Le pier, the fork and the optical tube fit into each other very quickly.
Movements are slowed by friction between the taped steel axis and wood
brakes. This tip is as efficient as teflon but much cheaper. The vertical
axis turns in wood bearings. This loose axis is slightly tighten with cardboard
pieces taped on it.
Do not
try to copy telescopes sold in stores.
Telescopes sold in stores are light, fragile and expensive. Manufacturing techniques are different from the ones you may use. I already tried to copy some parts, I failed each time I did. Be creative.
Try
the hydraulic focusing system.
To start at a low cost, this is the cheapest alternative and it is very reliable for visual observations.
From these parts, I made 4 telescopes by taking each time the optics off the last one. The 2 first ones wobbled a little. I dismantled them to build the last one.
