Clay's 17.5" F4.5 Telescope.

Now that the OTA is complete, finishing the telescope goes rapidly. Here is the rocker box coming together.

17.5" F4.5 for Clay C. in Horse Shoe Bend, Idaho.

Clay's 17.5" F4.5 Mirror on its Mirror Board
Clay lives in Horseshoe Bend, Idaho.

A "Steve Swayze" refigured mirror for Clay's 17.5" F4.5 telescope. A first look with the optics shows beautiful "tight" pin-point stars.

No doubt this is a great mirror!!

Custom-Made mirror cover in-place.
The Next Step is to Assemble the OTA.

Manoj K.  from Campbell, California came by for a visit and to preview his new telescope, now under construction, a 10" Ultra.

Manoj was accompanied by his wife Garvi and daughter Saanvi. We talked about telescopes, travel and India.

The beer was pretty good too!!

It was a delightful visit and I look forward to seeing these fine folks again soon.

A 17.5" F4.5 from optics maker Steve Swayze arrived today for Clay in Horsehoe Bend Idaho. This is going to make a heck of a telescope....

The 6-point flotation mirror is being affixed
to the mirror with 100% silicone.

The 10" "Ultra" taking shap for Manoj in Campbell California.  Here you see the mirror box and rocker box in two configurations: 1) with the option to use an encoder on the altitude axis, and 2) without the option. Nice.

With the encoder "rail" in place.

The struts attached. The motions are great.

Easy Travel Telescope option on the 13.1" just sold to Dan in Florissant, Missouri.

Nice.....

The 10" F4.5 "Ultra" for Manoj, in Campbell, California, is slowly coming together. This is a new design for me, so it takes a while to figure it all out!!

The motions are great. There's a Teflon disk on the right side for a smooth motion -- the "axis bolt" has to be tight to keep the assembly together. Works nicely.

The double-struts are attached to the
lower end of the telescope assembly.

Fun....

New -- 10" Ultra

A 10" F4.5 for Manoj in Campbell, California is coming together nicely. Here you see the "mirror box" and top of the rocker box assembly.

I call the telescope "The Ultra" for ultra-ultra lite!!


More to follow....

The Mirror Box is only 4" in height.
Here, the mirror is still in its wrapping.

Coming together is an 10" F4.5  Ultra ULTRA lite telescope for Manoj in Campbell, California. The very small, "minimalist" scope can be lifted with one hand!

The 10" mirror sports 96% enhanced coatings.

The Rear of the Mirror Box and Mirror Cell.
Conical springs on the mirror cell make for a very low profile.

Here the Kydex-type Shield is being fit into place.
This will be a permanent part of the assembly

Ross Sackett's "Moonsilver" Telescope are the
inspiration for this telescope.
(Used by Permission).

Greg and his 8" F5.4 in Pinellas, Florida.

It's always nice hearing from my customers. Here's a picture of Greg S. in Pinellas, Florida with his 8" F5.4.

Best of all is his "shirt" -- check it out!!

Thanks Greg.

 
 Robert B. from Los Angeles stopped by and picked up his 16" F4.5 telescope. We enjoyed a great visit  and talked telescopes. Had a great time.....

All packed up and ready to go.

A few comments and pictures from our "kit customer" from down under!! in Melbourne, Australia.

Richard and his 16" Telescope
He lives in Melbourne, Australia.

Hi Dennis!

I hope things have been well for you over the pas couple of months.  I'm very happy to say I've finally finished the telescope and took it out last night for the first time.  I think I may hold the record for the longest time taken to build one of your kits! 

It's a marvelous scope and I could not be happier.  Considering I raced to finish it only hours before I left to go observing, it performed very well.  I'm going to tweak it a bit over the next couple of week and I'm sure it will get even better.  Your instructions were clear, the kit went together easily, and it was simple to breakdown, transport and setup.

As promised attached are a few pictures of the finished kit.  I'll work on some better ones next time I take the scope out.  I went with a dark grey-black stain and I'm not sure the pictures do it justice.  I think it's beautiful, despite my limited finishing skills.  These pictures are from the Astronomical Society of Victory December star party, and there were a number of people interested in the scope.  A few people recognized it as one of your kits, and it received quite a number of compliments for it's unusual design and clean aesthetic!

Thank you again for the kit and for all of your help.

Cheers,
-Richard

All Set Up for a Testdrive!!

16" F4.5 for Robert B. in Los Angeles is 99% complete.

A Baltic Birch mirror cover is standard on all of our Telescopes.

The 16" mirror sits on the Lightbridge mirror cell.
A fan is visible in the center of the cell.

A Telrad and Antares Finder on the Upper Tube Assembly.
The secondary is a 1/30th wave Antares on a Destiny Observatory Grade Spider.
Also installed is a Moonlite 2-speed 2" focuser and filter-slide.

13.1" F4.5 w/Refigured Mirror -- SOLD to Dan in Florissant, Missouri . . .

Sedona Red Custom Color.

My "personal" 13.1" F4.5 telescope is currently for sale. I'm putting together a bit different telescope for myself. The features of this telescope:

1) Custom Red Sedona Color.
2) 4000-tick encoders included.
3) A DSC "stage" for your Argo or Sky
    Commander
4) Refigured Discovery mirror with enhanced coating and 0.954 strehl.
5) Moonlite focuser.
6) Destiny curved vane spider.
7) Sky Commander (XP-4) available
    ($299)
8) $1995 plus shipping.

Discovered Refigured 13.1" F4.5 mirror.
Enhanced coatings with overcoat.

4000-tic Encoders and Mirror Cover Included.

Moonlite 2-speed 2" Focuser.
Destiny curved-vane spider.
DSC "stage"

Heavy Duty Baltic Birch Mirror cell with
1.75" Thick Discovery Mirror.

Optical Tube Assembly for Robert B. in Los Angeles.

Telrad, Antares Finder, Paracorr and 17mm Nagler Eyepice.
An Antares 3.5" secondary and Observatory Grade Destiny Spider.

16" F4.5 Meade Lightbridge Mirror and Mirror cell, Baltic Birch mirror cover
and three 1# weights for the rear of the telescope.

\

Mirror Cell with Fan. The telescope rests on 3 lighter weights
with the additional "outer" weights to offset the finder.

Upper Tube Assembly and Mirror Box for Robert B's 16" F4.5
(A Dew Shield will be Included)

Al S. and his wife Linda, drove down from Redding California to pick up his 16" F4.5 telescope. We talked telescopes and enjoyed a pleasant visit.

It's always a pleasure meeting with my customers. Thanks for the visit Al and Linda. It was fun. . .

All Packed up and Ready to Go.

Robert's 16" F4.5  Upper Tube Assembly
with Telrad -- Finder is to the side.

Another view of Robert's UTA with both Finder
and  Telrad in place.

The Upper Tube Assembly for Robert B. in Los Angeles is 99% complete. I just need to add the truss blocks. The UTA houses an "observatory grade" Destiny curved-vane spider as well as a Moonlite filter slide. The focuser is a Moonlite also.

The secondary is 1/30th wave mirror from Antares Optics.

Nice!

16" F4.5 Mirror mounted on Mirror Board
The cell is modified from a Meade Lightbridge.

Rear of the mirror board. The fan is just visible
in the poor lighting.

Baltic Birch mirror cover in place.