Custom Newtonian Builders in the US? - Forums

Topic starter

May 8, 2024

Hi, I'd like to build a 10" F3 newtonian with a curved spider, and a Big Paracorr coma corrector for full-frame astrophotography. I want a carbon fiber tube and everything screwed into the focuser (including coma corrector) then OAG then Filter Wheel then camera. I think the tube would be about 70 cm long and it should weigh about 10Kg to fit on my Eq6-R. I've found a company that can make the mirror but doesn't actually make the telescope. I know TS-Optics in Germany can make ONTC telescopes but there are a couple horror stories out there and I don't want to deal with international shipping if there are problems.
Is there someone in the USA that can make me a complete telescope ready to mount on my Eq6-r?

andrea tasselli

Frequent contributor

May 8, 2024

Maybe this lot?
Telescopes - Optiques Fullum

Mike Hamende

May 8, 2024

I was one of those that had a bad experience with TS when I bought my ONTC. I would not buy another.

If I were to do it all over again I'd source the parts myself and build. Plenty of guidance out there on how to build a newtonian.

Carbonscopetubes will fabricate a tube to your specifications including cut outs for focuser and holes for the spider and mirror cell. Aurora precision makes high quality mirror cells. Plenty of focuser options you can choose from. Spiders can be sourced or you can design one to be CNC'd by pcbway or laser cut by sendcutsend depending on your ingenuity.

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Dave Erickson

May 8, 2024

Seems a great project, you could design and build things yourself including the mirror, for the full experience… Dave

John Stone

Topic starter

May 9, 2024

Dave Erickson:
Seems a great project, you could design and build things yourself including the mirror, for the full experience... Dave

Wow! I haven’t melted sand in a while… may take me a minute to come up to speed … 😀

Seriously though, I’m an expert in a few things but building telescopes is not one of them. I’ve got no problem bolting things together, like say from a kit, but there’s no way I could tell anyone where to cut holes in a carbon tube for instance.

thats why I was hoping to have an expert work with me to be sure it’s done right the first time because there any many things I don’t know I don’t know, if you get my meaning.

@Mike Hamende (and others) it would be great to get together and design all those unknowns and pick the right vendors to buy the parts to build a great telescope.

thanks.

Arun H

Frequent contributor

May 9, 2024

I own an ONTC scope and my experience with them was very good. International shipping was pretty seamless and DHL took care of the customs for a nominal fee, around $100, I believe. Other people having good experiences with ONTC was why I chose them. They were very responsive to questions, too.

i think, if you are looking for bad experiences, there is no manufacturer who can claim a 100% record of customer satisfaction. I have had issues with a bad scope from Takahashi and some questions about Stellarvue. The only possible exception is Astro-Physics, but good luck buying a scope from them in a reasonable time period. Building your own carries risks as well. Just my 2 cents.

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andrea tasselli

Frequent contributor

May 9, 2024

I shall add that Lacerta builds newts on order, I am told, and they might be more responsive to your requests (obviously for a price) although I doubt they can easily source a f/3 paraboloid.