Re: ATM size DOES matter

["Don Clement" <clement@san.rr.com>]

Size does matter. For the TN, I believe the focus should be on the size (and
quality) of the optics. A great many large scopes have been built by
amateurs that did not even possess a mill or lathe. Having a large mill or
lathe may actually limit the size of scope projects. For me that used to be
the case. Years ago I bought the big lathe, a 13"  massive old American made
Rockford. The lathe became the end and not the means to make better
copes.( I have a set of scrapers and even have Connelly's book on Machine
tool Reconditioning...but that is another subject best left for another
list) What I think happens is that one gets the idea that the largest part
is what can be turned on the lathe. But what I have learned form this list
is there are lots of  other means to make large scopes without  large
machine tools. For example, large discs can be made by using a router with a
circle fixture.

I was living in a condo when the need arose for building the prototype for
my focuser invention. A mill seemed out of the question since all I had was
a spare bedroom and an unwilling wife! But then,  I found Sherline <
http://www.sherline.com/ >.  I bought a miniature mill that fit in the spare
bedroom and was able to complete the prototype! So don't let the size of
your machine tools limit the size of your scope projects. They should only
be limited by the size of ones imagination.

Don Clement
San Diego/Running Springs
The Clement focuser (patent pending)