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JSeay86
super member
Reged: 04/26/09
Posts: 133
Loc: Norman, OK
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I am looking to get into ATM, and in particular maybe building a medium sized Dob in the future.
I saw someone in another thread talking about "The Book." What's the real name of this bad boy and some other great ATM books.
Thanks for the help.
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Jared
Orion XX12 Dob
Ten Acre Observatory
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DavidinFL
member
Reged: 08/28/09
Posts: 52
Loc: Navarre, FL
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I'm guess "The Book" for dobs is "The Dobsonian Telescope" by Kriege and Berry. Although "The Book" for other scopes and mirror making is probably "How to Make a Telescope" by Jean Texereau.
Willmann-Bell publishes a lot of astro books on the topic. Here is a link to their ATM books. http://www.willbell.com/tm/index.htm
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Orion XT8 - Orion StarMax 102 EQ
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Crayfordjon
Inventor
Reged: 06/17/09
Posts: 371
Loc: UK
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The ATM bible is " Amateur Telescope Making" books one and two published by "Scientific American" editor,Albert. G. Ingalls. There is a book three, but this deals with advanced ATM. The books were compiled in the 1920's, but dont be fooled by this, because they say everything about mirror, lens, and flat making, that is still germain today. These books are still being published. They do not treat telescoope engineering to deeply, and there are plenty of modern books on this.
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RossSackett
professor emeritus
Reged: 08/17/07
Posts: 691
Loc: Memphis, TN
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I love and collect ATM books, but they aren't always the best source of current information. Kriege and Berry is primarily about bigger truss dobs in the 14"+ range, with a chapter on a smaller conventional tube dob of about 8" aperture. What is "medium size" to you?
Ross
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"A craftsman relies on science when the state of knowledge allows it, tradition and experience when it does not, and makes art whenever he can."
12 scopes from 4.25 to 18" and a 24" in progress. 12 ATM awards. Webpage: http://stardazed.com/ Some more scope pix at http://www.flickr.com/photos/8315630@N04/
Anagrams: Amateur astronomer = A mature moon-starer; Dobsonian maker = Debonair as monk
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Crayfordjon
Inventor
Reged: 06/17/09
Posts: 371
Loc: UK
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Ross, there must be modern tecniques that I have not heard about for making optics, I still use the old and tested methods which are engrained into my psyche, so that working is almost automatic, however I like new ideas. I wrote a thirty thousand word book on telescope engineering excluding the making of optics, about a million years ago while I was at the Old Royal Greenwich Observatory, it was edited ready to go when funding dried up, so it never made the bookshelves. Yeah I collect them too, anything about scopes goes onto my bookshelves. Medium size, hmmm! I would say about 10 inch , although I am currently making scopes in the 127 to 90mm range. A large scope for me is the 42 inch truss job I built back in the early 90's, and of course the 30 inch refractor, but I cannot build too many of them as I am limited for room.
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StarStuff1
scholastic sledgehammer
Reged: 04/01/07
Posts: 976
Loc: South of the Mason-Dixon Line
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A "must have" reference for me is Sam Brown's "All About Telescopes". Chock full of ideas and great line drawings on how to make your own scopes and accessories although it is really focused on small optics. When it was first published 30-40 years ago an 8-in newtonian was considered a really large scope for an amateur. Still, I love this book and refer to it frequently.
Richard Berry's "Build Your Own Telescope" ain't too bad, either.
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Tools that make objects very far away appear much closer than they actually are.
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RossSackett
professor emeritus
Reged: 08/17/07
Posts: 691
Loc: Memphis, TN
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Crayfordjon--Wow, a 30,000 word book on telescope engineering? Do you own the copyright? If you don't think it has commercial potential anymore, please consider putting it online: I am sure we all would love to read it. I do certainly agree about tried and true methods--I remain skeptical of contemporary fads like polishing pads, having made hash of two mirrors with them. When I am at the grinding stand, Texereau and Brown are always by my side (so is Ingalls, though admittedly I rarely consult it).
Starstuff--I second the endorsement of Sam Brown. He was an amazing illustrator and popular science/technology writer. While superficially it seems dated now, in fact his explanations are so clear and the illustrations so effective that it continues to have great value. One often finds his advice repeated on the ATM forums, usually without attribution, so clearly he has had great influence (at least in the U.S.). I have fantasized about writing an addendum to his book that covers a simple dobsonian, bit I haven't mastered his wonderful mid-Century modern graphic style.
Ross
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"A craftsman relies on science when the state of knowledge allows it, tradition and experience when it does not, and makes art whenever he can."
12 scopes from 4.25 to 18" and a 24" in progress. 12 ATM awards. Webpage: http://stardazed.com/ Some more scope pix at http://www.flickr.com/photos/8315630@N04/
Anagrams: Amateur astronomer = A mature moon-starer; Dobsonian maker = Debonair as monk
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tim53
Pooh-Bah
Reged: 12/17/04
Posts: 1440
Loc: Highland Park, CA
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I used Neale Howard's 'Standard handbook for telescope making' when I nearly finished an 8" f/9 35 years ago(telescopis kit)! (I still have it, and am threatening to make a planet-slayer out of it!)
As for getting ideas... The Ingals books are amazing. Another one that winds up in a similar vein, though I'm not sure it was his intent, is "Unusual Telescopes" by the late Peter Manly. I haven't been able to locate my copy since a fire at our house 8 years ago. I hope it didn't get burned or lost!
I also have Sam Brown's books that I bought in mint condition at one of the local swap meets for a couple bucks. As others have said, even though the overall layout of scopes, and even the focus of the hobby today, are very different now than they were when the books were written, they're so well illustrated and so much information is packed into each page, that they retain their practical value today.
Now, if I could only teach myself how to use Sketchup before I build my next Springfield!
-Tim.
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"We`re just waiting looking skyward as the days come down.
Someone promised there`d be answers, if we stayed around."
-Orchestral Maneuvers in the Dark, "The Romance of the Telescope"
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tim53
Pooh-Bah
Reged: 12/17/04
Posts: 1440
Loc: Highland Park, CA
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Another source for ideas, that kind of surprised me when I realized I was using it for that: 'Astronomy Technology Today' magazine.
I wouldn't have thought I'd want to read something so commercially-oriented. But I've been getting ideas for small projects and ways to configure and use the telescope gizmos I have accumulated over the years that I might not otherwise have gotten by reading my favorite old publications (or S&T's all-too-short telescope making articles) alone.
-Tim.
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"We`re just waiting looking skyward as the days come down.
Someone promised there`d be answers, if we stayed around."
-Orchestral Maneuvers in the Dark, "The Romance of the Telescope"
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Wes James
Post Laureate
Reged: 04/12/06
Posts: 3453
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Quote:
"must have" reference for me is Sam Brown's "All About Telescopes".
I agree... my favorite book!
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Wes
Atlantic Beach, FL
Some bino’s from Miyauchi 5x32 Binon's up through Garrett 20x110 Signature's,
Some telescopes from a Stellarvue 80mm NHNG up through a couple of 8” reflectors…
And a wonderful 4.25" Delmarva Shiefspiegler!
Some good friends, made here on C/N.
Oh- several cats and a wonderful wife!
Anyone want a cat???? :-O
"When your work speaks for itself- Don't Interrupt" -Gamble Rogers
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Feidb
super member
Reged: 10/09/09
Posts: 124
Loc: Nevada
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I have used Neale Howard's book and Allyn J. Thompson's book, and after the fact, finally got Texereau. They all have their good points. I made my 16" using Howard. However, there are many many books on ATM to choose from. Telescope Making Vols 1, 2, and 3 are great references, even if a lot of the stuff is either outdated, or incomprehensible (at least to me).
My vote is for either Texereau or Howard.
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Present gear:
16" Meade LightBridge
Meade 50mm straight through-finder
Lumicon green laser pointer
Orion Q-70 26mm, 32mm, and 38mm
Parks 2X 2" Barlow
Hyperion 17mm, 8mm
1 1/4" 18mm Russell Optics Bertele
1 1/4" 12.5mm and 6mm Coulter Optical Orthoscopics
1 1/4" X 2" 32mm Edmund Scientific war surplus Erfle
Tirion star atlas (white stars, black background) hand-laminated
Megastar
And a partridge in a pear tree
To nudge or not to nudge, that is the question
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JSeay86
super member
Reged: 04/26/09
Posts: 133
Loc: Norman, OK
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Quote:
What is "medium size" to you?
Ross
I would say around 10"-16." Thanks for all the help everyone. I will probably get several.
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Jared
Orion XX12 Dob
Ten Acre Observatory
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