# Building a homemade telescope

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/building-a-homemade-telescope/132710>\
**Category:** Factual Questions\
**Created:** [October 17, 2002, 6:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/building-a-homemade-telescope/132710 "2002-10-17T18:44:37Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 2\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![JackL](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/ac91a4/32.png) [@JackL](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JackL)\
**Post date:** [October 17, 2002, 6:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/building-a-homemade-telescope/132710/1 "2002-10-17T18:44:37Z")

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Earlier, someone mentioned this site on a making a big telescope.

[http://www.geocities.com/telescope1999/14-5inch.html](http://www.geocities.com/telescope1999/14-5inch.html)

Brand-new optics cost over $1,000 and that’s probably why the guy ground the mirror himself–to save $$

BTW I have looked thru a big scope like this one and the images are amazing!

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**Author:** ![Phlosphr](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/c68b51/32.png) [@Phlosphr](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Phlosphr)\
**Post date:** [October 17, 2002, 7:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/building-a-homemade-telescope/132710/2 "2002-10-17T19:09:01Z")

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Yep that was me. And I am not buying them brand new. I may have said I was buying them brand new until I discovered I can use a friend of mine at Colgate University to use his departmental pull and get the optics a lot cheaper.  
[This](http://www.geocities.com/telescope1999/14-5inch.html) site was the one that got my energies going toward building one. I may not be able to use 14.5 inch as the Web site says here:

> [@](#):
>
> A 14.5 pyrex mirror blank (2.3 inches thick) was purchased as part of a kit that included a plate glass tool, numerous grits, burgundy pitch, and cerium oxide (CEO) polishing compound. By making a mirror of this size I would save hundreds of dollars compared to buying one already made.

But I will certainly be able to obtain the materials as part of a departmental purchase through a buddy. No shananagins I’ll pay top price, though I am sure it will be discounted tremendously.

I am very excited. I will be building an exact replica of the scope you see on the site, but my scope will be 10 inch instead of 14.5.

And OH yeah one more thing **JackL** … Welcome to the boards!!!