Customer Reviews

Amateur Telescope Making (Vol. 2)

5 star:		(5)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

Now updated, this book is the definitive introduction to the subject. It is against this book that others should be judged. If you are interested in Amateur Telescope Making you should buy it (and probably at least Vol.2 and maybe Vol.3). In my opinion this is one of those books that really deserves 6 stars.

What a great book! I decided to make my own scope, and so I bought this book, ground and polished a piece of glass, and I had a telescope! This book has one problem. It can get too technical at times. This can be desirable, but not when you are dealing with beginners.

If this book was revised to be simpler, I am sure it would be the choice book for amateurs.
--Matt Hanson

This book was written in the first half of the 20th Century, as one of three related volumes. In 1996, publisher Willmann-Bell rearranged the hodge-podge collection of articles, into a more logically arranged edition, also of three volumes. This first volume deals exclusively with: Newtonian Mirror Making, Optical Testing, Workshop Wisdom and Observatory Buildings.

Together, these stand-alone articles detail the thoughts, methods and techniques of that bygone era. A modern reader might find such practices "primative" these days, but one must remember that using the simplest of tools and measurements, ordinary (non-technical) folk were able to produce some excellent optics.

Still, this should no longer be considered a beginner's book of telescope making. Though the general concepts and principles remain, the actual materials, fabrication techniques and measurement methods have greatly improved, or at least no longer apply to the text. Instead, this book should be considered as a resource for ATM's with some actual experience, and who might have the historical or technical curiosity to see how others accomplished marvels a century before, without the benefit of personal computers, light emitting diodes, or off-the-shelf telescope hardware.

I also started making my own telescope in 1968 and wanted to use the most complete book on the subject (and so I chose ATM because it was promoted by Scientific American). I later realized that it was too technical, difficult to understand, and much of it was OUTDATED ALREADY IN 1968. They just keep printing it because it still sells. And it still sells because people still ignorantly think that if it has Scientific American's endorsement, it must be the best (just like I thought).

If you are a beginner, don't waste your money on this...If you are a pro at telescope making, then you may benefit from ATM, but that's about it.

--George Stancliffe

I had all three of these at one time and would rate them all higer if I could,, I ground many mirrors and lenses with the info from these,,,

Length:: 3:22 Mins

This is the final volume in the series of Amateur Telescope Making references edited by Albert G. Ingalls and published by Scientific American. While this series is well over fifty years old, the principles enunciated are relevant today. I highly recommend this book to the amateur telescope maker as one of the first works that should be in their library.

Please note that while I filmed this review at Stellafane, I am not affiliated with the Springfield Telescope Makers and nothing in my review should be construed as an endorsement by them.
Amateur Telescope Making : Books 1, 2, and 3, Complete in 3 VolumesAmateur Telescope Making 4TH Edition 3 Volumes

Amateur Telescope Making Book Three published by Scientific American and edited by Ingalls is the last in a series of three books devoted to the science of telescope making. Published in 1953, It is fascinating, but severely dated.

This work is a compilation of articles on such varied topics as High Vacuum equipment and spectroscopy. While dated, It nevertheless contains much worthwhile information and would be a welcome addition to any collection on the topic.

My favorite chapter is the Editors Chapter at the end of the book. It contains biographical information on most of the regular contributiors.

This book should not be confused with an authoritative treatise on modern methods of optical fabrication, but as a history leading to how we got to where we are today.

Francis J. O'Reilly

I made my first two telescope mirrors using (or in spite of) the information I found the original ATM Volumes I and II put out by Scientific American. There were a lot interesting tidbits but you had to mine for them thru a hodge podge of material that Ingalls thrown together (he even stated that books one and two he edited were in no particular order). But much of the information in these books was already obsolete by the time I made my first mirrors in 1968. There is much talk in the original books about using HCF "honeycomb lap foundations" as a quick (and inferior) polishing lap, making your own abrasives, making your own eyepieces and alike, that even 40 years had long since been abandoned. I even think these books discouraged as many people as they encouraged to make their own telescopes, a point of view I share with the great John Dobson There are far better, easier to understand books available today such as "Build your own Telescope" by Richard Berry, "Making Your Own Telescope" by Allen Thompson (written about the same time as the ATM books but far easier to follow), and of course the classic "How to Make a Telescope" by Jean Texereau. I have reviewed the the new editions reedited and reorganised by Willmann-Bell, and while they are a valiant attempt to resurect these tombs, what I found was a lot of the tidbits to be found in the later (post 1950) editions were gone. I would advise the novice if you've really gotten the bug to build a scope of your own from the primary mirror up, to get a hold of one or better yet of the all books I've listed above before you invest in the new edition of the ATM books. If your still interested in seeing what was in the original books try the used book sites on the web. There are still a number of them out there at reasonable prices from checking myself before I wrote this review. They are interesting to look thru to see what techniques and materials use to be used, but I would not want to make my first telescope again from them.