What Amateur Telescope Making Supplies Do You Need

The best source for amateur telescope making supplies is a local mentor, someone who can take you in hand and help you through the amateur telescope making process. This person can undoubtedly tell you off the top of his or her head what supplies you are going to need.

Important general points of your amateur telescope making is that you work carefully and slowly and that you don't get into a panic if something goes wrong. Remember, this is a learning experience, and half the fun is in the creation.

One of the first things you're going to have to do to make your telescope is to grind your mirror. For that you'll need the following amateur telescope making supplies: a thick piece of glass, which is known in the astronomy world as a mirror blank. You can use either Pyrex (the best) or plate glass as long as it is thick; a homemade grinding tool constructed of plaster and tile; abrasives for shaping and smoothing your mirror's surface. For this you'll buy very coarse grits, at least number 80, made of either silicon carbide or aluminum oxide.

Other important amateur telescope making supplies include a spray bottle because you have to grind wet material. You'll need paper towels. These should be used instead of regular towels because your regular towels leave grit on your mirrors.

You're going to want a stand or board for grinding to keep that mirror steady while you are grinding. Find an oil drum, put in bags of sand to make it stable and then apply a board on the top of it, with three attached cleats to hold the mirror.