Tom....If you start with a 6" mirror, I'd suggest making it about f/7 or f/8. It can still be quite portable. If you go with a lower f/#, you will have a hard time getting adequate magnification, and you will find that you are always hunched down to get at the eyepiece, if you put it on a dob mount that rests on the ground. 6" f/8 or 8" f/6 is the standard first scope recommendation. .....RICH
-------------------------------------- Date: 4/30/95 10:30 PM To: Richard Combs From: atm@best.com I've been lurking on this list for a while now and it's finally time for me to ask some questions. Does anybody have a suggestions for how I should start building my first telescope? I used a cheapo 60mm refractor when I was young, and I now I think I'd like to grind my own mirror for a new scope. I was think about either a 4.25 inch or a 6 inch. It's quite light polluted around my home, so portability it a big factor, so I was also thinking that I'd like to keep to focal length short (say around 5 or 6 if I go with a 4.25, 4 or 5 if I got with a 6). Is it reasonable to expect I could produce a decent mirror in those ranges on my first try? Also, if anybody has any suggestions for where I could get a kit, and what prices would be for one, I'd appreciate it.
-- Tom Hayko tjhayko@io.org
------------------ RFC822 Header Follows ------------------ Received: by quickmail.llnl.gov with SMTP;30 Apr 1995 22:27:32 -0800 Received: (majordom@localhost) by shell1.best.com (8.6.12/8.6.5) id UAA25977 for atm-outgoing; Sun, 30 Apr 1995 20:38:27 -0700 From: tjhayko@timper (Tom Hayko) Message-Id: <2097e084.e2be2-tjhayko@timper> Subject: Suggestions for a beginner wanted X-Mailer: //\\miga Electronic Mail (AmiElm 5.42) To: atm@best.com Date: Sun, 30 Apr 95 23:38:46 Sender: owner-atm@best.com Precedence: bulk Reply-To: atm@best.com