8 Inch Dobsonian Telescope

This is a mostly 3D printed Dobsonian telescope built around a 203 mm diameter, 18 mm thick, 1600mm primary.

This is my first venture into the world of telescopes, so feel free to give feedback and suggested improvements in the comments. I personally am very impressed by how it turned out, and functions. I hope to keep improving it in the future.

See the CSV file for a full BOM, and the TLA step file for completed assembly CAD.

Lots of screws, some small ball bearings, and other hardware are required. The screw lengths are generally not strict, so take a look at the TLA CAD for substitutions. The six mounting points for the lens are nylon screws. I highly recommend using a hard slippery plastic for the mounting points. The frame tubes are 1/2 (nominal) electrical conduit. It is relatively cheap and has good dimensional consistency. They should be available at all US hardware stores. I recommend painting it matte black as it usually has a rough shiny surface.

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