When I get that scanner I'll be able to put some
pics on this page.
On the front page I said that "I'd made two or three". It's not that I can't
count, it's just I'm not sure if you can count the first one. I had this cheap
60mm refractor (Yes I know that now) which I smashed on the ground. Luckily the
objective glass survived intact, the focuser was easily glued back together and
the eyepeice could be re-asembled after I'd knocked it back into shape. The tube
was distroyed and was replaced with some drain pipe. I later added some balance
waights to it and that improved it's stability quite alot.
For the second one I brought the glass, £135 worth, and having a poor book to
copy from and cutting a few corners I ended with something that worked (after I
got it to focus on distant objects) but had a very bad mount. In the end I took
an axe to it which sadly didn't help.
I've only made one that really works ( well sort of ) but I will have a go at
making bigger and better ones in the , hopefully not too distant, Future. The scope that I've made so far was the six inch one out of Richard Berry's
book "BUILD YOUR OWN TELESCOPE".I descided to make it an F10 using 'Home-brewed
optics', the plans for which are in the back of Richard's book. I had three or
four goes at polishing it out because I wasn't sure what I was doing and in the
end I said "That's close enough", (at that point I would rather have had a
poorly made scope than no scope at all). It's not bad for a first attempt but
I'll do better when I do the next one.
At present I'm having another go. I openly admit that I'm an incureable ATMer
who's beyond help. (Please note I said "I'm an incureable" not "a good" ATMer).
If you need to ask what ATM stands for then now is the time to run away and save
yourself.
I'm working on a 6 inch, F5 scope but I'm not sure to give it to my sister or
keep it as a photographic instrument and use the F10 as a guide scope. Either
way I'll let you know (As if you're interested)