Telescope Reviews: U.S. manufacturing of binoculars and optics.

>>>Would it be possible for you to describe your optical design for us lay persons, Bill?<<<

Thanks; you guys are kind.

Well, the Baywatch--# 187 of which just sold yesterday—is not some brilliant design. It is just a good design that was built with common sense and the kind of pride in workmanship that used to be the watchword here in the States.

First, the tubing is 1/8th-inch wall brass—the TA weights 38 pounds.
The focuser alone weighs about 9 pounds.
It was designed for a wide-field, 2-inch EP and has 4 baffles.
It is blackened throughout.
The objective cell is made of bronze for its better thermal properties.
The objective lens was designed by me, using Zemax-EE, and was made in to my specs by Osborn Optical, formerly of Issaquah, Washington.
It is also 15% larger by volume than most similar lenses.
I use a ¼-inch helical rack and a stainless steel pinion.
The instrument is fully lacquered and
I have Teflon rings fore and aft in the focus mechanism to keep the lacquer from coming off the draw tube during focusing.

There are a lot of brass telescopes made on the west coast of India designed to separate rich, but unwary, Americans from their money. I just couldn’t do that.

Finally, the air-spaced 80mm objective lens was designed with Bk7 (crown) and F2 (Flint) glass. Sadly, many of the lenses in inexpensive telescopes today employ designs that were hand-calculated 50 years ago. I thought I could do better; I think I have.

Sorry, no rare earth glass; no aspherics; no fluorite. Just a well-thought-out design with care taken in the execution.

Thanks for your interest.

Cheers,

Bill

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William J. Cook, Chief Opticalman, USNR-Ret.
Founding Editor, Amateur Telescope Making Journal
20-year vet. of Captain's Nautical Supplies, Optics Dept. Mgr.
Optics Machanic, WG11-3306, Ft. Lewis, Tacoma,WA
Yata, Yata, Yata . . .