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.

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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.

Al's 16" F4.5 Truss Telescope.

Completed is a 16" F4.5 for Al in Redding California. The telescope is a truss with full Upper Tube Assembly, Moonlite focuser and Moonlite filter slide and Destiny Observatory Heavy Duty Spider. A dew shield for the primary and Sky Commander digital setting circle is included.  Under the stars, this telescope performs beautifully. It sports a JMI 1/16th wave primary mirror.

Included in a Moonlite Focuser and filter slide as
well as a Destiny Observatory Grade Spider.

The Primary mirror is a JMI 16" 1/16th wave optic.
Under the stars, the telescope performs flawlessly.

Detail of the 6-point flotation mirror cell
Optimized with Plop.

Rocker Box for Al's 16" F4.5 Telescope.

16" F4.5 for Al -- Alt Bearings in Place.

16" F4.5 Truss OTA for Al in
Redding, CA., Virtually Complete.

Al's 16" Upper Tube Assembly is complete. So, his telescope
is coming along.

Upper Tube Assembly for Al S. in Redding California.
The Focuser is a Moonlite 2-speed 2" Crayford.

A Moonlite Filter Slide is also Installed.

Upper Tube Assemblies for 16" Telescopes.

The two Upper Tube Assemblies continue to come together. The time-consuming task of fitting each with its Kydex light-baffle. Once the spider and secondary are mounted, I'll locate and mount the focuser. The truss blocks will finish this phase of the construction.

The 16" mirror for Al in Redding California.
Here the mirror cell is centered on the mirror.
I use silicone to affix the cell to the mirror. It cures for 24 hours.

Two 16" Upper Tube Assemblies coming together for Al and Robert's F4.5 telescopes. 

One of the two 16" F4.5 Upper Tube Assemblies coming
together.  The Kydex baffle/shield, focuser and finder
board is yet to be installed.

Left is a 6-point flotation cell.
Right, a Meade Lightbridge 18-point mirror cell.

The two 16" telescopes are coming together. Here you see the mirror cells mounted on the mirror boards. See captions for details.

The 6-point cell is more than adequate to support the 16" mirror and has been optimized with Plop.

A rear hole in the mirror board now only looks pleasing
but allows very adequate ventilation.

My "Restored" 3" Stellarscope by
Harry Ross of New York

As a 10 year old Fifth Grader, I was introduced to astronomy by my teacher Mrs. Cameron. During that class we had a chance to visit the Griffith Planetarium where I looked through a telescope for the first time. I was hooked! In a class-room collection of Junior Magazine I saw an ad for a "real" 3" reflecting telescope from Harry Ross of New York. It was $14.50. After mowing laws and working around  the house to earn the money, I was able to send away for one. Once received the first object I observed, with my own telescope, was the moon.

That telescope disappeared long ago -- then recently I was able to obtain one from a fellow in New Jersey. For the cost of shipping, he sent me the telescope! It was EXACTLY the telescope I had as a child. Now restored, as best I could given the materials at hand, it now sits proudly in my living room.

I looked at the moon last night. It was a memorable sight!!

Me and my Harry Ross Telescope
at about Age 12

Construction continues on Robert and Al's 16" F4.5 Here the altitude bearings and rocker box sides take shape. The alt bearings are 24" in diameter.

Two 16" telescope . . .

Under construction are two 16" F4.5 telescopes for Al in Redding California and Robert in Los Angeles. Both of these telescope will have a traditional dual-ring upper tube assembly and truss configuration.

This is an Example of the Completed
16" F4.5

An amazing telescope...

Don C., from Pembina, North Dakota, put together one of our kits into this awesome 17.5" F4.5 telescope.  Don says:

"Here's a photo of my . . .  dobsonian.  I made a few mods.  I added wheels on the front and drilled holes in the back to allow poles to be used as a wheel barrel to move the scope around.  The regular broom handle poles screw into place so I can back up as well as go forward without the poles pulling out.  You can see the poles in place in the pic.

I painted the scope black and then added some astronomical pictures  using decoupage and then varnished everything.  I also made a hollow hole in the center pin for some wires and added some red LEDs to the bottom of the base so it glows a faint red on the grass at night - that way I can see the base and wheels in the dark.  A very fun project to work on.  Thanks for your excellent telescope parts to play with.

I have dreamed of making a telescope like this but never thought I'd be able to make all the wood parts - thanks to you a small dream comes true."

I've seen some neat "custom finishing" on my telescope kits, but this one is "outa the park"!!

Matt's 12" F5 telescope is packaged
and on its way!!