Homemade Dobsonian

Doing a little research on the internet it looks like making a homemade
Dobsonian does not appear to be all that difficult. If I purchase a
quality mirror and optics the rest seems fairly easy. Has anyone here
made one before? Also your thoughts and ideas please.

Thanks,
Jim

Hi Jim
I built a 20 inch dob last year using the Excellent book The Dobsonian
telescope by David Kreige and Richard Berry. The telescope turned out to be
a joy to use. The book is mainly about building telescopes over 12 inches
dia, although it does describe how to make a 8 inch dob.

--
Wishing you clear dark skies
CfDS local officer
Jim Vincent
Telescope making and equipment www.jimsastro.com/
Castle point astronomy club http://www.cpac.org.uk/
"~Jim~" wrote in message
...
Doing a little research on the internet it looks like making a homemade
Dobsonian does not appear to be all that difficult. If I purchase a
quality mirror and optics the rest seems fairly easy. Has anyone here
made one before? Also your thoughts and ideas please.

Thanks,
Jim

I half built a dob, (bought the tube, mirror etc) and yes, I think providing
you purchase the optics, it should be an enjoyable pursuit. I can think of
nothing more rewarding than using a dob you've built yourself.
Wouldn't fancy grinding my own mirror though!

.. Has anyone here
made one before? Also your thoughts and ideas please.


I made one last year using a Tal 150mm f8 mirror set I bought on ebay. I
used a postal tube bought from Essex Windings and made a tube cage and mount
using ideas gleaned from various internet sites.

It took quite a while but it was great fun and the finished product works
very well.

On my first night of viewing I saw considerable surface detail on Mars, the
thrill and satisfaction was immense.

I would recommend getting some good tools if you go for it. In particular
the router and homemade jig I used to cut the circles and curves for the
cage and mount was a godsend. A jigsaw would have made a much poorer job.

"~Jim~" wrote in message
...
Doing a little research on the internet it looks like making a homemade
Dobsonian does not appear to be all that difficult. If I purchase a
quality mirror and optics the rest seems fairly easy. Has anyone here
made one before? Also your thoughts and ideas please.

Can anyone give some ideas as to where to get good quality mirrors and
optics... preferably cheap, of course, if cheap and good quality mirrors and
optics can be used in the same sentence! LOL

Schneck

I've never bought from them, but I bookmarked this site ........

http://www.vacuumcoatings.co.uk/vacu...ricelists.html

because the prices for flat first-surface mirrors beg for a home-made 'sky
window' binocular mount to be made :-)


"Schneck" wrote in message
...
"~Jim~" wrote in message
...
Doing a little research on the internet it looks like making a homemade
Dobsonian does not appear to be all that difficult. If I purchase a
quality mirror and optics the rest seems fairly easy. Has anyone here
made one before? Also your thoughts and ideas please.

Can anyone give some ideas as to where to get good quality mirrors and
optics... preferably cheap, of course, if cheap and good quality mirrors
and
optics can be used in the same sentence! LOL

Schneck

Thanks for your responces. I will get the book and Jim your web site is
informative. It sounds like building one is already getting fun.

Schneck, It appears the money saved on building as opposed to buying
will more than offset the cost of quality optics.