HI there. making your own optics, you posted:

How exactly does one do that with out the rather expensive equipment you'd
noramly think involved?


Its actually fairly easy, although it is somewhat time consuming. The
grinding and polishing is done by hand with various abrasives and
polishing substances, and the tester can be made in almost any decent
home workshop (or you can buy one for not a lot of money). If you are
interested in how to do it, I might suggest the book, "HOW TO MAKE A
TELESCOPE" by J. Texereau (Interscience Publishers), as well as looking
at some of the telescope making supplies available from Willman-Bell
Publishing. Clear skies to you.
--
David W. Knisely
Prairie Astronomy Club: http://www.prairieastronomyclub.org
Hyde Memorial Observatory: http://www.hydeobservatory.info/

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