Here's a 6" reflector that was started in the 1960's by Les Board and wasn't completed until it was donated to me. The following tells the tale.
Les started making this 6" f/8 newtonian open truss tube, with an equatorial yoke mount in the late 1950's. In 1962 he was transfered to Woomera and due to the nature of his work was not allowed to have a telescope. So, the scope sat in his shed waiting completion.
Although the scope was in many pieces and very rusty, there was little work left to do for first light. The metal components needed sand blasting and repainting, there was some fabrication needed for the mount, but this was a piece of cake compared with my last telescope restoration. Les certainly engineered this telescope to last, every component is extra heavy duty. The primary mirror ( Edmund scientific ) coating is like new but has some rub marks. This telescope performs well and is particularly good for the brighter planets. I manufactured a small Alt Azimuth mount for this scope, for two reasons. First, the yoke mount is very heavy and would need a permanent site. Second, the scope has no way of rotating in this mount, making it awkward to view in certain positions. At some stage I will complete the yoke mount, but it will only be used for show.
Les, a member of ASSA from 1957 to 1962, and was secretary for some time,
he along Bob Batersby, was involved in the construction of a 12" reflector at Goodwood high school. The telescope has a plaque with their name on it, Les would like to know whether the scope is still around?
He also constructed equipment for occultation timing using a seismograph and was involved in the Charles Todd memorial at Goodwood on behalf of ASSA. Les still has the speech notes which he will pass onto me.
Les now lives in Perth and has recently purchased a 8" Celestron with GOTO technology.
Les made the front part of the tube longer simply to mount the finder scope forward of the focuser. The finder is an old world war two military gun sight.
Les aslo cast the aluminium rings himself, then lathed and milled them to fit. I think thats amazing!
