 24" Quick Clamp. |
 24" steel bar clamp by Jorgensen. |
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Allow me to preface this section by stating that I am not a carpenter, nor do I play one on TV. I am a systems analyst by trade, although I enjoy woodworking. I am not particularly good at it (woodworking, that is), but I enjoy it nonetheless. My primary recommendation is that you read the TeleKit construction manual - more than once. It is an excellent publication that covers all facets of constructing your new telescope. The manual will be shipped to you shortly after placing your order, so there will be plenty of time for reading it prior to beginning construction. The list of tools and supplies presented in the manual represents those items which will be necessary to construct the telescope. On this page I shall offer my comments on the practical application of this list.
The manual calls for you to have a total of 8 bar or quality band clamps. I used a total of 8 clamps, but on some days I could have accomplished more if I had more clamps, so 10 or 12 would not be unwarranted. Remember, if you do not want to purchase clamps they can be rented in some locales. AstroSystems will rent you 8 clamps for a month for $40. I chose to purchase clamps, as I forsee getting more use from these invaluable tools. I utilized a combination of the trigger-grip Quick Clamps (two - 24" and two - 12") and the Jorgensen steel bar clamps (four - 24"). While the steel bar clamps may not be as convenient to use as the trigger-grip variety, they are about half as expensive. Another consideration is that the Quick Clamp has a padded jaw (to protect the wood) while the bar clamp does not. Whether you buy or rent clamps, you will need to get some wood to use as clamping strips. I used flat moulding about an inch wide. It is quite inexpensive and easily trimmed into usable pieces. I covered the clamping strips in cling wrap plastic to ensure they would not be epoxied to my telescope.
24" Quick Clamp. |
24" steel bar clamp by Jorgensen. |
The only power tools that were required were a drill, a sander and a router. I suppose you could do all of the sanding by hand, but a decent random orbit sander will only cost about $30 (that's what I paid for a 5" diameter Ryobi model at Home Depot). And it is a matter of preference to round the corners, so you may consider a router as optional. Or, you may opt to sand the corners. For consistency I chose to use a router, which I already owned. As an addendum to the required power tools, you must also consider their supplies: sandpaper, drill bits, and router bits.
 A 3/8" drill. |
 A 1½ horsepower router. |
 A 5" Random orbital sander. |
I used four grades of sandpaper: 80, 100, 150, and 220 grit. This selection allowed me to match the sandpaper to the task at hand. For a couple of bucks I obtained a sanding sponge, which came in quite handy. I also decided to use new drill bits, but that is certainly optional depending on what you already have on hand. I purchased three router bits (at a total cost of about $60): a 1" flush trim bit for making short work of the epoxied finger joints; a 1/8" round-over bit for all flat edges; and a 3/8" round-over bit for the finger joints. I consider it an absolute necessity to use bits that employ a guide bearing... your routing skills may not mandate this requirement.
A drafting triangle or square is necessary, and I utilized both. I purchased a roofer's triangle for about $3 and a 16" combination square for about $13 - and could not have achieved square boxes without them.
 A 16" combination square. |
 A $3 roofer's square. |
In the area of supplies, I found the list in the manual to include all necessary items. I bought a box of 100 disposable latex gloves, and used all of them - epoxy and polyurethane and acetone can be messy. I also bought a roll of thin plastic sheeting for about $4 and always kept a fresh sheet over my work surfaces. I chose to use removable Loctite adhesive as opposed to cyanoacrylate (super glue) for reasons which should be obvious. A pint of paint thinner was used to prepare the diluted polyurethane for the sealing coats, as well as for cleaning brushes and paint stirs. Acetone was also used for cleaning purposes.
I used semi-gloss Minwax Helmsman spar urethane, a clear, durable finish for wood with exposure to sunlight, water or temperature changes. It is dry enough to re-coat in about 6 hours. I used one quart for the entire project, including the diluted portion. I applied a total of four coats to all surfaces. I also bought an aerosol can of this same product, but preferred the brushed-on coats. Speaking of brushes, get a decent quality brush specifically made for applying varnish.
I found that I needed additional sticks for mixing the epoxy, and a few more brushes for its application. The former can be found at a crafts store ('popsicle' sticks), the latter at a home improvement store. During this project I became a proponent of the blue masking tape. While it is more expensive than the standard tape, it can safely be applied over any surface without incident upon removal.
In summary, I present the list of tools and supplies used during my project. This list includes all items used; some were purchased specifically for the project, some were already in my workshop.
And, dont forget the most important tool of all: safety glasses. A new telescope won't be of much use if you damage your eyesight during its construction.
Tools:
Supplies:
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© 2002, 2003 Peter Argenziano, all rights reserved.
Page last updated on 17 February, 2003