Building the telescope mount
How to make a reflector Telescope Part 8: how to build the mount
Now it is time for us to build the actual mount of the telescope. Not a difficult thing and we only need a few basic tools and a few basic supplies.
You have quite a few different options here and for all of this you can build things to the dimensions you like. But if you want to make things the same size as I have you can dowload this template. It has drawings with the various sizes of the parts needed for the feet and the yoke of the mount.
Let’s first take a look at the tube and the feet of the telescope mount. The tube is plumbers PVC piping and it is 3 inches internal diameter. Often referred to as 3 inch pvc. You can buy this at any hardware store or home improvement store. The pedestal tube is 27 inches long. The base of the tube is a 3″ coupling. You put that coupling on the end of the pipe. And it is to this coupling that we attach the legs.
There are three feet attached in equal distances around the coupling. And each foot gets two screws. So that is six holes in the coupling. But, it is difficult to get at those screws so you drill six more holes around the coupling. This way you can get a screw driver in there. The picture shows this.
And I added small furniture bumpers to the bottom of each of the feet. This insures it stands nice and stable.
There are three plumbing pieces at the top of the pedestal tube. They are a male, a female, and a 3 inch to 2 inch reducer. The important thing about this is that the male and female go together to form the threaded section that turns freely. The reducer holds the yoke in place. You can get these pieces right where you get the 3″ pvc piping.
