Home Built 16 inch telescope

Here’s the scope you’ve always dreamed of. If you have aperture fever, now’s your chance to get in on the action. What I have for sale is a home-built 16-inch, f/6.4 (102.4-inch fl) Dobsonian reflector. This version is built like a tank. I’ve used this scope, dubbed the English Rose due to the purple color, since 2002. I retired it in 2008 when I obtained another 16-inch, which was more compact and easier on my body.

This scope is large. The tube is 9 feet long, a cardboard Sonotube, dewaxed on the inside and painted flat black. The outside is gloss white. The Dobsonian mount consists of a tube saddle with split rim tire side bearings that sit on Teflon pads, providing smooth as silk altazimuth movement. The base is sturdy ¾-inch plywood, reinforced where it counts. The heavy-duty mount has a lock bolt that falls in place so the axle and wheels can be attached, as well as the wheel barrow handles for transportation. The base of the mount is a Formica table top that sits on three large Formica pads.

The unit has been sitting in storage since 2008 so it comes as is. The mount is a bit creaky so you can either tweak it, throw it all away and start over again, or use it as is. It’s up to you.

Included are a set of plywood boards to roll it up into your truck and a 26mm Meade QX eyepiece.

There’s no finder for the scope. I couldn’t find the one I used to have on it.

The price is $600 and considering that even used ones go for much more, you’re getting a bargain, even for the mirror alone, even if you junk the rest of the scope. Just price the mirrors, you’ll see.

If you’re interested and would like to see the scope, view some objects, though it’s kind of bright in my back yard, just give me a holler at fred@fredrayworth.com
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