February 2002 Newsletter

Stockton Astronomical Society

Valley Skies

Valley Skies - February 2002 Issue

The Telescope Nut
by Jeff Baldwin

Glen's Opus

The SAS is blessed to have Glen Youman in the club. Not only is he a fantastic astrophotographer, but he's an excellent amateur telecope maker as well. His latest creation is a 12 ½" Dobsonian that has taken a left turn away from Kriege's book.

We are always joking about ATK --"according to Kriege"-- since the masses of ATMers rely on his word as gospel. Kriege is a landmark in ATMing. His book shows the optimization in ATMing as it now stands. It is to the point where everybody's telescope is a Kriege, and the name Dobsonian ought to be changed to Kriegeian. Kriege's scopes use Baltic Birch or Apple plywood for its strength, including wood disks for the altitude bearings. There is no variety amongst the religious Kriege followers.

Yet significant alterations or improvements are possible, changes that can generate more than one telescope design. Glen's telescope is a departure from the Kriege design. It is also a thing of beauty. The woodwork is remarkable.

Pat Lambertson used to refer to beautiful telescopes as 'furniture', something too pretty to take out in the woods and risk getting dirty. Good point, but Glen's telescope is absolutely beautiful, and is going to function wonderfully. It disassembles into a compactness that is engineered precisely, has the wheel barrow handle system, and sports a single ring secondary cage with a Kydex baffle. A Feathertouch focuser, the slickest focuser there is, is mounted on a board protruding from the ring, and a Telrad points it in the right direction.

Here is a photo album of his scope. Nice going Glen!

Photo shows wheel barrow handles (can be removed, but not required), walnut arms on the altitude bearing, metal altitude bearings.

Box holds single-ring secondary cage, light baffle.

Glen is tightening the truss bolts. The primary mirror is not yet aluminized. Notice the baffle only extends where light entry is a problem.

Glen finishing the assembly of the telescope. This took about 5 minutes.

Without the full shroud it appears skeletal, yet you can see how strong an 8-pole truss design is.

Glen with our new president, Eric Reichenbach. We stood there and studied this scope for quite a while. Glen's woodworking is unequalled.

Clear Skies!...Jeff Baldwin
For more information on Telescope Making jump to the ATM page.


Photo shows wheel barrow handles (can be removed, but not required), walnut arms on the altitude bearing, metal altitude bearings.	Box holds single-ring secondary cage, light baffle.


Glen is tightening the truss bolts. The primary mirror is not yet aluminized. Notice the baffle only extends where light entry is a problem.	Glen finishing the assembly of the telescope. This took about 5 minutes.


Without the full shroud it appears skeletal, yet you can see how strong an 8-pole truss design is.	Glen with our new president, Eric Reichenbach. We stood there and studied this scope for quite a while. Glen's woodworking is unequalled.