Q&A: Meade 16" Dobs

I'm looking for soom feedback on the 16" Meade Starfinder dobs. Specifically, I'd like some comments from those with firsthand experience using this scope. I know that the structure is poor, the finder sucks and the secondary is way too big, but I'd like to know about the otpics.
I am considering purchasing one of these and pilfering the optics to build a TT dob. I know I would have to upgrade the focuser and get a 3.1" secondary to do it right but I have also read that the mirrors Meade makes are very good.
Not great, but very good.

Where I live, a top quality mirror would be a waste of money and given the reasonble price for the 16" Starfinder, this may be a compromise worth considering for me.

Thanks in Advance - Rob

Hi Rob,

Meade's mirrors are indeed very good. They work to a fairly tight parameter for depth and smoothness. They've kept good QC in the newt mirror dept. in spite of "low profit" margins for dobs.
I was the moonlighting repairman for the now closed Astro. Shoppe, and have collimated, repaired and rebuilt several 16 inchers. No off-parameter mirrors were found.
We used to suggest people purchase the 16" dob, save the mirror and burn the rest of it. Build a new mount with new optical hardware, and enjoy a great scope for small money.

Thanks,
John

The variety of answers you get with M/C scopes is amazing...LOL. The 2 large Meades at our club are both quite nice. There is a 10" newt on a GEM and a 16" dob and both are pretty good optically. The 16" compares favorably to the 15" Obsession setup near it if collimated well (favorably means performace for cost ratio).