Telescope Reviews: Project: Skylight F15m (mini): launching at NEAF!

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Doug76
Long Achro Junkie

Reged: 12/05/07

Loc: Refractor Heaven

Re: Project: Skylight F15m (mini): launching at NEAF! new

[Re: ukcanuck]
#4485500 - 03/30/11 08:32 PM

Now that's a scope!
The brass knobs and Skylight logo will really make it unique.
Bravo on the finder bracket redo, very classy now.
You've really done a nice job.

Post Extras:

philjay
super member

Reged: 12/02/09

Loc: UK Derby

Re: Project: Skylight F15m (mini): launching at NEAF! new

[Re: Doug76]
#4497482 - 04/05/11 07:26 AM

That looks the business now Richard and with the brass focus wheels on the crawmach it'll look superb

Have a good NEAF

Phil

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ukcanuck
Vendor (Skylight Telescopes)

Reged: 11/07/06

Loc: London, UK

Re: Project: Skylight F15m (mini): launching at NEAF! new

[Re: BillP]
#4497546 - 04/05/11 08:27 AM Attachment (51 downloads)

Thanks to all for your positive comments.

I'm very pleased with how the scope has turned out given its' unusual conception and build process. The idea was committed to in January, and building didn't start until the second week of Feb. This means the Skylight F15m has gone through the stages of design/prototype/build/final finish on the first examples in under two months!

Quote:

Quote:

Beautiful is right!

I can't wait to see these scopes in person at NEAF.

I can't wait to see it in person in my back yard!!

Bill, yours was the first to be fully assembled

and here is the scope that will be in your back yard. Please note that these images show the brass dew shield. This is an optional accessory.

My metal guys found a real prize for the dew shields, they found a very old piece of brass tubing that has gone unused for many years, so the dew shield is almost antique in itself! The first 4 examples will use this tubing.

The heads on the brass collimation screws were a little too wide for the available space on the cell, so each and every screw (on all the F15m's that follow too) have a millimetre or two spun on the lathe (by hand, naturally).

Enjoy:

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ukcanuck
Vendor (Skylight Telescopes)

Reged: 11/07/06

Loc: London, UK

Re: Project: Skylight F15m (mini): launching at NEAF! new

[Re: ukcanuck]
#4497551 - 04/05/11 08:29 AM Attachment (59 downloads)

Closer:

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ukcanuck
Vendor (Skylight Telescopes)

Reged: 11/07/06

Loc: London, UK

Re: Project: Skylight F15m (mini): launching at NEAF! new

[Re: ukcanuck]
#4497553 - 04/05/11 08:30 AM Attachment (54 downloads)

Closer still (spot those pesky collimation screws):

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ukcanuck
Vendor (Skylight Telescopes)

Reged: 11/07/06

Loc: London, UK

Re: Project: Skylight F15m (mini): launching at NEAF! new

[Re: ukcanuck]
#4497560 - 04/05/11 08:36 AM Attachment (50 downloads)

...and one more (taken in cloudy London weather).

Please note that the custom focuser is still not shown (the sample is hanging off the back in this image

). I will update the thread just before NEAF and include some pictures of the completed scope with the focuser.

While the rings are boring Synta-type

(and used begrudgingly and out of necessity), the mount is a nice vintage Towa 339 EQ:

Post Extras:

BillP
Postmaster

Reged: 11/26/06

Loc: Vienna, VA

Re: Project: Skylight F15m (mini): launching at NEAF! new

[Re: ukcanuck]
#4497686 - 04/05/11 09:49 AM

Quote:

Bill, yours was the first to be fully assembled and here is the scope that will be in your back yard. Please note that these images show the brass dew shield. This is an optional accessory.

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Astrojensen
Post Laureate

Reged: 10/05/08

Loc: Bornholm, Denmark

Re: Project: Skylight F15m (mini): launching at NEAF! new

[Re: BillP]
#4497940 - 04/05/11 11:48 AM

Now that's my kind of scope! It looks great, Richard! You have a winner there.

Clear skies!
Thomas, Denmark

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GlenM
Vendor - Lyra Optic

Reged: 05/20/07

Loc: Lancashire England

Re: Project: Skylight F15m (mini): launching at NEAF! new

[Re: ukcanuck]
#4498570 - 04/05/11 04:38 PM

Hi Richard,

I'm sure I saw one of your scopes on The Sky at Night:Baker Street Irregulars.

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croys
journeyman

Reged: 06/03/07

Re: Project: Skylight F15m (mini): launching at NEAF! new

[Re: GlenM]
#4499022 - 04/05/11 08:11 PM

Gorgeous grab-n-go.

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ukcanuck
Vendor (Skylight Telescopes)

Reged: 11/07/06

Loc: London, UK

Re: Project: Skylight F15m (mini): launching at NEAF! new

[Re: GlenM]
#4500667 - 04/06/11 02:39 PM

Quote:

Hi Richard,

I'm sure I saw one of your scopes on The Sky at Night:Baker Street Irregulars.

You did. I've been to a few of their meetings and was there that night with an F15. They're a nice group, and it's nice to share the London skyglow with people...

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ukcanuck
Vendor (Skylight Telescopes)

Reged: 11/07/06

Loc: London, UK

Re: Project: Skylight F15m (mini): launching at NEAF! new

[Re: ukcanuck]
#4514752 - 04/13/11 04:32 AM

Thanks to everyone who has contributed to this thread over the past weeks.

As a footnote to this saga, I have now posted price & order details in the NEAF forum here!

I'm now leaving on a jet plane...see you at NEAF!

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hfjacinto
I think he's got it!

Reged: 01/12/09

Loc: Land of clouds and LP

Re: Project: Skylight F15m (mini): launching at NEAF! new

[Re: ukcanuck]
#4522771 - 04/16/11 07:36 PM

For anyone that hasn't seen this scope in person, I saw it and it is extremely beautiful. Pictures don't show how nice this scope really is. Richard made one of the nicest looking scopes ever. It is really a work of art.

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croys
journeyman

Reged: 06/03/07

Re: Project: Skylight F15m (mini): launching at NEAF! new

[Re: hfjacinto]
#4648438 - 06/20/11 02:21 AM

I took delivery of my F15m (number 3? 4?) last Friday.

It is beautiful, feels solid and the optics are great. The focusser is smooth and suits the scope well. The finder rings, subject of much feedback, look great. The finder appears to be the same as the finder on the f13, and is gorgeous. The optical quality of the finder is very good, one thing that caught me slightly by surprise when I got my f13. Not that I was expecting a poor finder, but I was focussing on the objective and the design, and forgot about actually using the finder. Looking through it was a pleasant surprise.

Edited by croys (06/20/11 02:22 AM)

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ukcanuck
Vendor (Skylight Telescopes)

Reged: 11/07/06

Loc: London, UK

Re: Project: Skylight F15m (mini): launching at NEAF! new

[Re: croys]
#4649665 - 06/20/11 06:24 PM

Quote:

I took delivery of my F15m (number 3? 4?) last Friday.

Hi Stuart, I'm pleased to hear you like the scope. Yours is number 3, you should see it engraved on the rear finder support when viewed from the focuser...

I'm currently finishing off a new batch of F13's, but plan to start building another batch of 60mm's in the next week.

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Doug76
Long Achro Junkie

Reged: 12/05/07

Loc: Refractor Heaven

Re: Project: Skylight F15m (mini): launching at NEAF! new

[Re: ukcanuck]
#4655855 - 06/24/11 08:48 AM

Well, my scopes aren't in the fancy dress and fine finish your's are (

) but a couple of them use the same optics, and I can attest to the excellent quality of them.
Here is hoping you are a big success for years to come Richard.

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jrbarnett
Eyepiece Hooligan

Reged: 02/28/06

Loc: Petaluma, CA

Re: Project: Skylight F15m (mini): launching at NEAF! new

[Re: GlenM]
#5043307 - 01/28/12 09:08 PM

"I'm sure I saw one of your scopes on The Sky at Night:Baker Street Irregulars."

It must be a small scope thing.

Regards,

Jim

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trotts1
journeyman

Reged: 10/04/11

Re: Project: Skylight F15m (mini): launching at NEAF! new

[Re: Astrojensen]
#5337765 - 07/27/12 01:00 AM

Hi Thomas,
Great "Classical" Reisefernrohr! Hope you are not planning of following all the suggestions on this thread. Classical is best.
What is lens inscription and focuser serial number?
Bob Western Australia

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