Although all the advice you have been given is true and correct, wouldn't it be nice though to stand back and say, yep, i made that.
A long long time ago, about thirty years ago to be exact, i built my first 8 inch reflector from the mirror grinding, to the finished product.
It was hugely to heavy, but that is me, I like to make it strong, and it saw many upgrades, had been about 20 different colours in it's life time, but i built it and was proud of it.
I only sold it about a year ago, but that is me.
Leon