80mm long focal length refractor

Thanks heaps guys.
I'm working on the two gussets at the moment but its all hand filing due to the silly shape I wanted.
Then I will be able to contour the short edge where it will butt onto the large aluminium boss at the top of the pier.
I'm waiting on a length of 20mm aluminium rod for the handle that will fit between the two split flanges that clamp the scope into the cradle.
Still so much to do.
 
Charles, I must say i'm impressed with how far you've come with this during my absence. Its a little bit steampunk'ish. I really like the polished look. Have you considered keeping it like that rather than powdercoating?
 
Thanks Phil, I'm only powder coating odd bits that wont polish.
 
That is awesome! Were can I find out more about making a telescope?
 
Savarin, absolutely outstanding work there! I have a passion for astronomy, used to have a C8, but sold it due to bad location. Now that I'm in Tucson, AZ, which is very light friendly for astronomy, you have motivated me to look back into it. Perhaps making my own.....

Thanks for a great thread!
 
hoth2o said:
That is awesome! Were can I find out more about making a telescope?
Click to expand...
Hi hoth2o,
do you want to build a refractor (what mine is) or a reflector?
Both have good and bad points
If a reflector do you want to buy the mirror or make one? Carl Zambuto makes what are considered to be the very best mirrors.
If a refractor then its easier to buy the objective lens and these two seem a good buy with a quick glance.
http://www.surplusshed.com/pages/item/l14233.html
http://www.surplusshed.com/pages/item/l3968.html

There are heaps of books available such as
Amateur Telescope Making 2nd ed - S. Tonkin (Springer, 1999)
Berry R. Build your own Telescope (1985)
MAKING YOUR OWN TELESCOPE by JJ PERSISTENT PUBLISHING INC
Texereau-HowToMakeATelescope (considered to be the classic)

atm_free@yahoogroups.com is worth while trolling through as well.
 
Thanks Craig, still making small bits to add on and a large casting to make a joiner for the central pier so it can be collapsed.
 
Mighty fine work, Sav. Certainly shows that there is a lot of detail in a nice optical piece like that, and shows that it's not out of reach for some determined person.
 
Now I've built the vertical slide I can at last get back to this project.
set up to mill out the curve to fit around the 90mm dia boss at the top of the pier.
milling-brackets1.jpg

I found this interesting as this face is the as purchased plate.
Its swollen in the middle according to this first cut.
At least it follows the centre line

milling-brackets2.jpg

The third pass and its almost done.
Still a bit of blue left.
milling-brackets3.jpg

Final pass, no blue and smoother than it looks. The curve can just be seen.
milling-brackets4.jpg

This is where they will bolt on and hopefully prevent the azimuth plate from flexing.
They still need the final polish.
milling-brackets5.jpg
I still have to make a decision on how I will fix it to the boss, just pegs, or, a bolt from the edge of the large hole.
I will sleep on it.

(edit - changed fourth pass to third pass)
 
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I'm pleasantly surprised that worked so well with that much tool hanging out on that bar.
That looks like hours of polishing. What is your process? Do you sand first and then polish?
Robert
 
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