23 replies to this topic

[Runamuk]

Cleaning out the house I found Amateur Telescope Making (1928) and expanded volumes from 1951-53.  All published by Scientific American, contributors Russell W. Porter, et al.

 

Things have progressed quite a bit since these were published. Is there much point in retaining them?

 

Album: Classic Books

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[Russell Smith]

I would keep them if they were on my bookcase.
I love astronomy books.
Russ

 

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Edited by Russell Smith, 23 August 2024 - 03:08 PM.

[Kasmos]

Two words, Russell Porter.

 

I've had volume 1 forever and it's fun to go back and check it out.

[Runamuk]

I sure miss Sir Patrick. I have his Messier and Caldwell books. He was always such a good host on Sky At Night.

[jgraham]

These remain must-haves for ATMs that grind their own mirrors. The information on mounts is certainly dated, though much of the discussion is still valid. The basics are timeless, advanced topics like grinding thin mirrors are not covered. One thing that I enjoy about these books is that they provide a window into what it was like to be an amateur astronomer up to the popularization of the Dobson design.

 

So yep, worth keeping.

[Runamuk]

Two words, Russell Porter.

 

I've had volume 1 forever and it's fun to go back and check it out.

 

This copy is in good condition, with the binding still fully intact (unlike my 1911 Tresure Island) and the chapter on Mounting is very clear on types of mounts, how they work and why one might use one, including excellent pencil drawings.

 

I often lament aloud the high quality color photos these days which are poorly directed and whatever they are there to illustrate they miss almost completely.

[RichA]

Cleaning out the house I found Amateur Telescope Making (1928) and expanded volumes from 1951-53.  All published by Scientific American, contributors Russell W. Porter, et al.

 

Things have progressed quite a bit since these were published. Is there much point in retaining them?

 

They are interesting reads for the curious but unless you are building a scope, there is no real need for them.  I just hope we don't see more of what I've seen on television where a person being interviewed is backed by a wall, covered with wallpaper made to look like bookshelves.

[brian dewelles]

I sure miss Sir Patrick. I have his Messier and Caldwell books. He was always such a good host on Sky At Night.

Me too.

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[saemark30]

Yes! Classics.

[4Texans]

Definitely worth keeping. A great window to the past and still useful information. I remember grinding my first mirror when I was in 8th grade. Very satisfying!

[NinePlanets]

ATM Vols 1, 2, and 3 have been permanent friends of mine and fixtures of my home for over a half century. Those books are packed with useful information for the ATM and they are a wonderful window into the world of the 1920's and 30's. Some might say some of the information os "obsolete" but it all still works - it certainly isn't "broken".

 

They sit alongside Allyn J. Thompson's Making Your Own Telescope on the shelf, not far from the Sidgwick, Moore, And Mackintosh books.

[astrokeith]

ATM Vols 1, 2, and 3 have been permanent friends of mine and fixtures of my home for over a half century. Those books are packed with useful information for the ATM and they are a wonderful window into the world of the 1920's and 30's. Some might say some of the information os "obsolete" but it all still works - it certainly isn't "broken".

 

They sit alongside Allyn J. Thompson's Making Your Own Telescope on the shelf, not far from the Sidgwick, Moore, And Mackintosh books.

And still in print almost 100 years later.

[tim53]

I built my 8” Springfield based on the Porter articles in  volumes 1 and 2. I think these books are very relevant today. 

Edited by tim53, 29 August 2024 - 11:19 AM.

[tim53]

ATM Vols 1, 2, and 3 have been permanent friends of mine and fixtures of my home for over a half century. Those books are packed with useful information for the ATM and they are a wonderful window into the world of the 1920's and 30's. Some might say some of the information os "obsolete" but it all still works - it certainly isn't "broken".

 

They sit alongside Allyn J. Thompson's Making Your Own Telescope on the shelf, not far from the Sidgwick, Moore, And Mackintosh books.

Another good one for that shelf:  Peter Manly’s “Unusual Telescopes’

[Josephus Miller]

Well, you guys have done it now. I’ve gone and bought just about all of these books…

 

[gianluca]

Helloes.

 

Don't forget about Texereau's.

 

It also could be considered dated, but till today I find it one of the best references to start operations in the home optical lab.

It is detailed and clear on all steps to start building primary mirrors and subsequent optics at the amateur's reach.

Its accent are on precision and building the needed rigs by putting together simple parts.

 

For what I remember, today it is also freely accessible as it is no longer copyrighted.

 

I could add a few other titles, like Berry's "making your own telescope", which could be a pre-read to Texereau's and a depiction of possible (complete) projects at the young amateurs' reach.

 

Many others have been published, but the two above seems to me being the best ones to start with, with the ATM I, II and III series naturally being other "must have"...

 

Even Sam Brown's book is a very nice one, and it is a quite organic references (more on the "tinkering at home" side).

 

If interested in specific areas, you should consider titles from Willmann Bell (some addressed to specific builds, like refractors (Remer) , dobsonian (Kriedge, Highe) ... others to optical design and optical lab procedures (Ceriagioli, Smith, Geary...).

These are mostly intended for amateurs: they are quite complete, updated and reasonably priced.

 

Technical books are naturally available an dcould add interesting details, but in my opinion are mostly pointed to already experienced opticians with good expertise and lab apparel.

 

Clear Skies.

 

G.

[Alex65]

I have never made a telescope of any kind, nor do I intend to. 

 

However, I do have an old book about telescope making in my collection of astronomy books. It is very dated and rather basic though the using a telescope section is a tad more interesting. Of course, it stems from the era of 'being useful when observing'. The book is Making And Using A Telescope (1956) and was co-written by the two BAA bores and know-it-alls Wilkins and Moore. 

 

 

 

[Alex65]

Here is the contents page. The chapters on the Moon, planets and stars are, to me, the most interesting. As for the telescope making sections, the authors describe a sand operated telescope drive, seemingly with a straight face! 

 

[Terra Nova]

Cleaning out the house I found Amateur Telescope Making (1928) and expanded volumes from 1951-53.  All published by Scientific American, contributors Russell W. Porter, et al.

 

Things have progressed quite a bit since these were published. Is there much point in retaining them?

 

We had that same classic set of Amateur Telescope Making (ed. by Albert Ingalls) in our highschool library back in the 1960s. I consulted those volumes frequently while I was grinding the mirror and making my own 6” Newtonian. By bible tho was Making Your Own Telescope by Allyn J. Thompson, which still resides on a shelf in my library. Here’s the result:

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[steve t]

We had that same classic set of Amateur Telescope Making (ed. by Albert Ingalls) in our highschool library back in the 1960s. I consulted those volumes frequently while I was grinding the mirror and making my own 6” Newtonian. By bible tho was Making Your Own Telescope by Allyn J. Thompson, which still resides on a shelf in my library. Here’s the result:

Back in 1973 I used Thompson's book as a guide to build my first real telescope (with a lot of help from a hobby machinist friend of my grandfather).

I restored the scope back in 2020, I had to replace some of the missing original missing OTA components with modern one. 

Here are the results:

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[steve t]

We had that same classic set of Amateur Telescope Making (ed. by Albert Ingalls) in our highschool library back in the 1960s. I consulted those volumes frequently while I was grinding the mirror and making my own 6” Newtonian. By bible tho was Making Your Own Telescope by Allyn J. Thompson, which still resides on a shelf in my library. Here’s the result:

Terra,

Very nice-looking scope.

Steve T

[RichA]

I built my 8” Springfield based on the Porter articles in  volumes 1 and 2. I think these books are very relevant today. 

Foucalt testing by candlelight?

[tim53]

Foucalt testing by candlelight?

Lol.  No, I didn't make the optics for it.  The primary and cell are from my 1972 Optical Craftsmen 8" Discoverer.  I designed the mount and tube based on the porter articles about the Springfield, though I used flat stock for the mount, oak for the tripod (Texereau design), and Indian Rosewood Plywood for the tube.

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[Terra Nova]

Terra,

Very nice-looking scope.

Steve T

Thanks Steve. I knew it wouldn’t fit or be used in my new digs so I donated it to the Cincinnati Observatory for outreach before I moved.