Hi Dan
For a Newtonian build I would recommend the Smith-Ceragioli-Berry book: read the chapters on optical theory and aberration to have a good yet accessible foundation on optical theory, then the chapter on the Newtonian design and finally the chapter on coma corrector for Newtonian. You will be set.
If you want more on optical theory I would recommend one of the free online grad course on the subject (I used a pdf for grad students from Rochester university, course freely available).
If you feel you need in-depth understanding of diffraction (for just building a Newtonian you don't) I also recommend the
very excellent book from Goodman on Fourier optics.
For pushing glass, Texereau has the fundamentals but I suggest modernizing with the input of for example Zambuto groups.io and Bartels web site.
I also like the "Newtonian collimation treatise" by McCluney on the Catseyes website.
Then I would venture one advice: get a set of Chinese mirrors and maybe a commercial mirror cell, so you can build your telescope and start using it within a few months. Then as you build your own mirror(s) and cell, gradually replace the commercial parts with the one you build, and sell the commercial parts. I believe telescope making is very much informed by time spent under the stars using the actual telescope, and improving every detail you don't like.
Then, if you come up with great designs and new ideas, I would encourage you to share with the community, maybe even distribution your CAD files and writing about your design. I have tried to do that
here.
Good luck, and have fun along the way. When it comes to telescope building, the journey is the destination.
BlackRig
