4.5" Telescope Overview with Plywood Cut Pattern

1/2" PLYWOOD CUT PATTERN FOR A TELESCOPE WITH A 4.5" MIRROR:

Notes:

You can make your job easier by having the lumberyard pre-cut your plywood on their panel saw. Most stores give you two free cuts and charge (50 cents?) for each additional cut. Hopefully, they can do the horizontal cuts above for you (if they can only do vertical cuts, modify the cut list accordingly--you have plenty of material). Then cut the pre-cut pieces into the necessary sizes at home. Note that for a 4.5-inch scope, you will be using less than a half-sheet of plywood--perhaps you and a friend can make two? Or, use scrap from your local friendly cabinetmaker?

A 4.5" telescope is going to be short. Instead of the 'normal' Ground Board above, you might think about using a three-legged stool instead (like the little girl on the front of this website) to elevate your scope and add 'cuteness.' I'd look for one (make sure it's sturdy--no wobbly legs) at garage sales and local thrift stores.

Make sure you tell the salesperson cutting the wood for you that these sizes are for the finished (cut) pieces of wood. Allowance will have to be made before cutting for the width of the saw blade ! ! ! (You lose about 1/8" of an inch for each cut, usually.) The wood sizes given should be the actual sizes of the cut pieces of wood.

Refer to the above drawing and plywood "cut pattern" throughout the following step-by-step instructions. Label all pieces (in pencil, chalk, or crayon) as they are cut! We will build our telescope from the "inside out," beginning with the tube.

Onwards to: Section "A": (Preparing Tube; Making "Spider"; Eyepiece Tube/Focuser)

Back to: Homepage, Table of Contents

Mail to: Ray Cash