Telescopes

=TELESCOPE MANUFACTURE=

this page is roughly divided into links for different topics, however, there is a lot of overlap between topics (and sites)
useful links:

SOURCES OF MATERIALS
[|Crayford Tubes] - I haven't checked this out yet, but it looks like a possible source

MIRRORS
[|Galvoptics] mirrors, mirror blanks and aluminumising service [|Orion Optics] - telescope mirrors [|Mirror making part I] - grinding [|Mirror making part II] - polishing [|Mirror grinding] [|Large thin] mirror making [|Mirror making log] Mike Hanlon - [|mirror testing] - Ronchi test The [|Ronchi test] for mirror testing [|Donkey's and Fat Boy's] telescope page - Australian page, some nice simple explanations of how to do it [|Stellafane ATM] pages - load of information [|How to grind mirrors] - a US supplies website, but with some useful explanations

TELESCOPE PLANS, and how to
[|Plans for a Dobsonian] - San Francisco Sidewalk Astronomers building a [|12.5 inch Dobsonian] Dale Keller's amateur [|telescope page] Building a [|6 inch Dobsonian] (all prices in $s) [|NEWT] telescope design Freeware - apparently a bit old now, but it is supposed to be quite good. I haven't tried this yet. Amateur telescope design forum -[|Archives] an [|unusual 12.5 inch Dobsonian] - open structure Miscellaneous links on [|Robert May's] web-site [|Build your own Dobsonian] [|Bruce Sayre's] ATM website [|Dave's ATM] website [|Jan van Gastel] Amateur Telescope making [|Useful advice] for beginners - A French site - but with an English Version [|Log of grinding a mirror] - with some useful hints - Dutch site - English Version [|Mike's ATM] page [|Astro-Tel] - Australian site, lots of stuff (possibly a bit advanced for beginners)