Chuck's 16" String-Strut 99.99% complete...

Chuck's 16" string-strut with Sky Commander, Moonlite 2-speed focuser,
Easy Transport and dew shield. Note the "strings.

Detail of the top ring with curved-vane spider and dew-solution for secondary.
Note the Moonlite focuser. The two clamps are for Chuck's Telrad.

A single fan to facilitate cooling for equilibrium. The primary sits
on a 6-point mirror cell with larger knobs for easy collimation.

The dew shield and bottom end of the "strings".

The secondary dew-solution installed and completed.

The Sky Commander cabling is in place. A Velcro
strip keeps the wire in place and out of the way.

Two 16" Telescope -- Completion This Week???

My goal is to complete Chuck and Steve's 16" telescopes this week.
Here's hoping!! Getting real close....

Two 16" Telescopes -- Coming Along....

 Rocker boxes for the two 16" telescopes. The slightly taller sides, for the
truss, is on the left.

Altitude bearings for the string-strut installed.

Altitude bearings for the truss installed too!!

The "strut" rocker box....

And, the truss rocker ...

Chuck and Tom's Telescope ... Two 16's... .

Chuck's truss telescope, in the foreground, and
Tom's string-strut. Both 16" F4.5's. Now that
the OTAs are virtually complete, I like to test
them "under the stars". These two work perfectly.

Now to add the primary dew shields and altitude
bearings. I've yet to make the custom mirror covers.

Two 16" Telescopes . . .

Chuck's 16" string-strut OTA with
Easy Transport option.

Tom's full Upper Tube Assembly for his truss telescope.

The two 16" primary mirrors on their respective mirror boards.

The strut single-ring (L) and full UTA. both have 4" secondaries and
curved-vane spiders. Note the focusers are 2-speed Moonlites.

The beginnings of rocker boxes and 24" altitude bearings. Each is a slightly
different width. The truss telescope is about 1" smaller in O.D.

Two 16" Telescopes -- Continued...

Tom and Chuck's 16" F4.5 mirrors on their respective mirror boards.
The truss to the upper-left, the strut, lower right...

The UTAs completed too. Tom's "full UTA" for his truss telescope while
Chuck's is a "string-strut" with single ring.

A Visit from Steve and ...

Steve, and his wife Dian, came by from Berkeley, California
to pick up his 11" F4.6-ish telescope. We had a delightful
visit, talked telescopes and thoroughly enjoyed getting to
know each other. Thanks Steve. It was great fun.

Tom's 16" Truss Telescope...

Upper Tube Assembly for Tom's 16" truss telescope with 4-vane
curved-vane spider and 4" secondary..... The focuser is a Moonlite 2-speed
2" crayford with 2" to 1.25" adapter.

When 2 x 16 Doesn't Equal 32!!

Two 16" telescopes underway, one   for Tom in Salt Lake city and one for Chuck in
Lakewood, Washington. The full UTA, on the left, is for Tom's  truss-telescope.
Chuck's a string-strut design. Both optics are F4.5.

Focuser board and finder board starts making this UTA look just right!!