Speaking of photographs, here are a few notes on the practical end of making them for publication, as checked over by our layout and make-up editor, who often groans about some of the art (editorial lingo for illustrations) we hand him with the request that he do a miracle in reproducing it.

WITH the most thoughtful intentions W many persons break our partly Scottish heart by going to the added expense of having enlargements made from photographic negatives which they make of telescopes and so on, because the ordinary size prints do not seem to be sharply in focus. Wasted money! If the original negative is not sharp enlargement only makes matters worse-the fuzziness is enlarged with the rest. Then, when we have half-tones made for reproduction from these fuzzy enlargements, they have to be reduced-possibly to the original negative size-and we are right back where we started, only a little worse off. There is always some loss of definition in a half-tone reproduction. Hence, if we have to start with a fuzzy print, the reproduction will be proportionately worse than from a clear sharp print.

The game can't be beaten by enlarging fuzzy negatives. But fine half tone reproductions can be made from sharp contact print of almost any ordinary size. Of course, if you use 35-mm or "half vest-pocket" film your camera, it is preferable to enlarge to 3 by 4 inches-a photographic enlarging camera usually seems to do a better job than the engraver can do when making half-tone negative. If, however, your camera takes negatives 2-1/4 by 3-1/4 or larger, concentrate on getting sharp negatives and send us contact prints on glossy paper.

"Spend the difference between the cost of contacts and the cost of enlargements on drink-ice cream soda, of course." So our layout editor suggests, and, he adds, "While we are on the subject of photos: When mugging your telescope or whatever, look to the background as well as the subject. A telescope, for example, photographed against a background of trees or building of approximately the same general tone as the scope will be quite successfully camouflaged. If possible, set up a background of neutral tone-an old bed sheet is fine-or try shooting against the sky. The subject will then stand out like a sore thumb, without distracting or camouflaging objects in the background."

GETTING back to telescopes, Figure 1 shows a simple one of conventional 6" beginner's size but it has a feature: it jack-knifes. Roy A. Seely, 3818 Spuyten Duyvel Parkway, New York, N. Y., who lives in an apartment house where every cubic foot of space is expected to store two cubic feet of something, is the maker. The "spinal column" is hinged amidships and folds when the owner decides that Jersey mosquitoes have made the New York park uninhabitable and wants to go home. Unfortunately the little picture at the right was trimmed, involving the upper half of the telescope, but it still shows the folded telescope feature. The short end tubes exclude stray city light, and rubber base pads shunt off city vibration for New York trembles at all times: subway trains and heavy trucks.

FIGURE 2 is a 9" wooden tube reflector made by Clifton W. A. Bartlett, Pembroke, Maine. In fact, he says, the whole rig is wooden, with the exception of one bolt. He points out the eyepiece end feature: "I cut two slots, one on either side into which the eyepiece assembly slides with a blank in the other slot. Thus you don't have to break your neck observing." This feature also permits taking the eyepiece and diagonal indoors without complication. The double yoke type of mounting is a neat, clean-looking type, especially rigid, easy to build, and inexpensive. We urge the construction of more of them. A relatively small drawback is that a little patch of sky around the Pole is out of reach.

AMATEURS in Indianapolis, Indiana, are incorporated into the "Indianapolis Amateur Astronomer's Association," Victor E. Maier, 1306 Parker Avenue, being the energetic secretary and he wants the world to know that Indianapolis is in, of, and on it. He writes: "Our group is constantly growing, the number in good standing now totaling 93. Better telescopes all the time.

"One of our members, Dr. L. F. Smith (DDS) has finished an 8" Springfield of superlative design and workmanship. I enclose his photo (Figure 3). Some of the machining on this job required real hocus pocus. The machine work was done by our ace machinist Harry Jordan. This particular instrument has several innovations. In order to get his necessary portability the entire assembly is made of aluminum, with the exception, of course, of the detachable counterweight and braced arm and the gears. The 'friction drive' is very accurate, such that the telescope can be pointed in any direction quickly, and the slow motions used immediately without loosening or locking. The offset hand wheel in R.A. gets away from limitations in driving when west of the meridian. The cast iron worm gears and steel worms were cut by Mr. Jordan. They can be driven in a complete circle. The diagonal holders and focusing device are of the 'Jordan design' and permit easy, accurate adjustment. The Pyrex mirror, which Dr. Smith finished, possesses one of those rare 'lifesaver.' smooth figures, with the 'crest' at the proper place. All told, we believe this to be a very outstanding instrument. In the close-up (Figure 4 ), note the offset hand drive for R.A. It allows much greater degree of rotation. Fiber friction disks sandwiched between the gears (home made) and aluminum castings do away with locking devices."

SHOP NOTE: When, in polishing and figuring, it seems impossible to get a sphere, try abandoning the very short strokes recommended elsewhere and substitute long, firm, fearless ones. We discovered this accidentally when we got mad and didn't longer care what happened, and since then two others have tried it and likewise found it did business. But, it requires a good hard lap-no mush (Everest scale one pound pressure, finger nail, 1/4" mark, 20 seconds or more), and this in turn requires rouge that hasn't scratched yet. We found it possible with this to extend the strokes to equal full diameter of mirror in their total sweep, without turning the edge. Avast, then, with fiddling, timid little one inch strokes to get spheres. Instead, get mad at 'em. Try it at your risk, and please report findings, since it might have been our own bad language, and not the long strokes, that did it.

THE 6" portable telescope with welded pipe stand, shown in Figures 5 and 6 and made by Fred L. Prescott, 3111 Brooks St.. Dayton, Ohio, deserves commendation on the score of its declination axis, which is large enough at the bottleneck, and the same strength is carried through to the tube. Too often mountings which have a sufficiently large delineation axis at the bottleneck, have this same large axis shaft attached to a light plate on the tube-thus wiping out the gain in rigidity conferred by the large axis shaft. Here, however, the design is consistent, straight through. The wing nuts that show on the flange near the polar axis are attached to the ends of metal bands passing around that axis; the end of the polar axis does not quite touch the declination axis (hidden in the photos shown here).

Outside of the simple yet rigid latitude adjustment, also with wing nuts, the chief item is the clock drive about which the maker writes: "The polar axis turns in a tube with suitable bushings, which in turn rotates in the polar axis housing. This tube has a 5" drum at the lower end over which a stranded wire cable (airplane contro1 cable) passes, making 1-1/2 complete turns. The clock, an old alarm clock, has the spring removed and a l-1/4" drum fitted with the cable passing around it several turns and fastened to the drum. On the other side the cable winds up on a 7/8" drum to which an 8-day spring is connected. The spring thus draws the cable in, turning the polar axis hearings in sidereal time, the clock escapement regulating the speed. The 4:1 ratio is just right, since the key of the clock makes four complete turns in 24 hours. The diameters given are "pitch diameters"-to the center of the cable.

'To the 5" drum is attached an index reading against the hour circle, and thus, once set on some known star, right ascensions are read without correction for local time throughout the evening, as in 'A.T.M.' p. 145. The upper polar axis bushing must incorporate the flange against which the thrust comes, otherwise the telescope will not run positively with the tube and bearings No lock is required, the telescope being turned freely to an object which it follows until moved to another.'

Mr. Prescott also describes a hard lap which he has used: "A smooth piece of cotton cloth is stretched over the tool. Bits of beeswax are laid over the lap and the whole slowly warmed in the oven until the wax melts and saturates the cloth. The extra wax is removed with a piece of cloth. The edges are notched about 3/8" deep, about 1" apart, all around, to guard against turned edge. This lap works from the edge inward, because the radius of curvature of the lap is about .005" to .010" greater than that of the mirror. With good rouge, this lap is fast and about as free of scratching as HCF. It has the advantage that its radius does not change during the polishing, and it works very smoothly." Mr. Prescott sends along two ronchigrams indicating very good workmanship. We have not tried out this lap but see no reason to doubt its value.

With regard to notching the circumference of a lap to guard against turned edge, this is a common expedient, though properly speaking, it is a sort of makeshift and compromise. The notching out is likely to make a transition zone, being mighty hard to do just right. However, we confess doing this same stunt, even though it is a frank confession of something or other suspiciously like not knowing our trade or not having much pride in it. A good hard lap ought not to turn an edge, even when not notched out. All this advice is cribbed from the most expert mirror maker we know. Wally Everest; it was he who first gave us Hell for using notched out edges on lap.

THIRD portable or semi-portable telescope-an 8"-which is very finished in appearance but embodies something of the type of attachment plate at the tube, which was mentioned above, is shown in Figures 7, 8, and 9. Figure 7 was published some months ago but without any detailed information The maker is Dr. M. N. Duxbury (another D.D.S.), 805 Bellin Building. Green Bay, Wis. Dr. Duxbury sent several large, detailed blueprints, but these could not be reproduced here; besides, we are still stubbornly "sot agin" the blueprint idea. If any wish to copy this telescope they may obtain blueprints direct from the maker. The telescope is one of the most finished in outward appearance we know of.

The truck (Figure 7) has three leveling screws used in connection with level vials. It has a removable tongue. Quite a few amateurs are so situated that their telescopes must be taken out of doors, and a truck mounting of this type is almost the only solution where a fairly heavy telescope is desired.

Figure 8 shows the clock motor, made by the United Air Cleaner Corp, Chicago; it is a United Phonograph Motor, Blue Flyer Model. The gear box contains two worm gears, a gear, and pinion, and the maker has the patterns, which he states may be rented. The hand wheels are sewing machine fly wheels.

The controls are all within a short radius immediately beneath the eyepiece. The details of the declination and R.A. slow motion controls shown in Figure 9 are of much interest and warrant close study.

Another interesting feature is the tube, which will rotate without a wrestle, as there are roller bearings between it and its retaining bands.

The truck assembly was made by the Green Bay Vocational School, under the direction of Mr. Edward McMonagle, the tube by the same school under the direction of Mr. Thorpe. The eyepieces, mirror, and diagonal were made by Mr. C. T. Elias, and the silvering was done by Dr. Stephen F. Darling, both of Appleton, Wis.

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