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(IAAC) Re: Lightweight Giants
>To: Mel Bartels <mbartels@efn.org>
>Cc: _Big Dob List <bigdob-l@ucsd.edu>,
> Art Russell <artrussell@mindspring.com>,
> "Atm@Shore. Net" <atm@shore.net>, _AAA <ATLASTRO@ATLASTRO.ML.ORG>,
> _IAAC Listserve <netastrocatalog@latrade.com>
Mel Bartels wrote:
> I am going to step in here and defend Overholt's book.
Thanks, Mel - I'll pass this on to Steve. Steve and I were showing the
sky to 200 High School kids tonight here in Marin County California.
Last Friday I had first light with my own lightweight LITEBOX, a
hawaiian built lightweight 17.5 inch truss tube scope a bigger version
of my 12.5 inch LITEBOX, and Steve was there for it as well, and to meet
the scope maker, Barry Peckham who was visiting me. Steve was using his
17.5 inch 58 pound two truss tube scope "the Owl" comparing the two 17.5
inchers. I'll see him Friday night at our west Marin observing site and
again on Saturday night at our Mount Tamalpais Star Party.
You all can reach Steve at:
Steve Overholt
C/O West Marin Astronomy Club
P. O. Box 2121
San Anselmo, CA 94979
Jane Houston
San Francisco Sidewalk Astronomers
West Marin Astronomy Club
>Sure, it is not as well organized as Kreige's and Berry's book, but then
>Overholt never intended his booklet to be the exhaustive professionally written
>and edited treatment of dobsonians. Instead, it is a nifty little booklet
>devoted to a single topic - very big mirror scopes that are very lightweight.
>
>Not everything in Overholt's book is covered by Kreige. The butterfly baffling,
>the spacer for the bottom truss tube points coming off the mirror box, and the
>alternative materials, are three significant ideas I can think of just off the
>top of my head (it's been a few years since I read the book).
>
>I am leery of a single major book, no matter how good, being the only source of
>telescope making ideas. I feel that it is vitally important for our hobby to
>have these small alternative books and ideas.
>
>This is a self published book - last address I have is
>Owl Books (or Steven Overholt)
>Box 154
>San Juan Capistrano, CA 92693
>
> Clear skies, Mel Bartels
> http://www.efn.org/~mbartels