finally finished dobsonian

I know I told everyone I finished my dobsonian the other day but I just had to talk about it some more.Nobody here at home is interested and maybe none of you guys are either,but at least you know how I feel.After everyone gave input on how to get my focal length I finally figured it at 46".So after figuring the length of my focuser with about an inch racked out I installed the focuser and it was perfect the first try.I cant believe the views I'm geting from something that I actually built myself,considering astronomy has been my hobby now for about 5 months.Everything is crystal clear especially since the mirrors are only generic mirrors bought from an auction from Bill Green.I viewed Saturn for about an hour,I used the celestron eyepieces I bought from telescopes.com ,even the 4&6mm ep's gave great views.The 6mm gave as clear a view as my 32mm gave when in my meade ds2130 5" mirror.I could see the spaces between the rings,the tan color of the planetand everything.The Butterfly cluster and Lagoon nebula were terrific along with some of the Messiers I could find.I cheated here a little bit,I used my goto on one of my other telescopes to help guide me to where I needed to go.I'll go now,I just had to talk to someone who knows the feeling that I'm having.I had'nt built anything since the lamp I made in workshop in about 1974.clear skies,Darrell Hensley-telescope builder,ha-ha

Hello:
Congratulations on building your first scope. You do realize that very few people build just one. I remember the first scope I built, a 6" f/12 newtonian. Ground and polished the mirror myself in highschool, bought the tube, mount, focuser, etc., and put it together. I remember my first views of Saturn were some of the best I've ever had. Although I built the scope myself, and knew in detail how it worked, it still seemed like magic. The idea that a mirror I polished with my own hands, in a scope I screwed together that afternoon, was now actually working and producing an image, just seemed a bit unreal. Since then, I've built a two more scopes, and first light for each is still special, and I'm always a bit stunned when a new scope actually works.

Cheers
Mike Connelley
3 scopes and counting

Way to go, Darrell.

It is a great feeling to get one of these things finished. It's fun to just look at it knowing you did it. It is even more fun to look through it.

Many years of enjoyment are ahead of you.

Alex

It sounds like you have had great success on this project! Maybe now it is time to tackle that 20"?

Hi darrell
Congratulations On completing your "First" scope! Sounds like you have the bug as bad as anyone now.and feel free to bring it up anytime! how about posting some pictures of the new instrument? 8)