Help me design a telescope case

[Kenzie]

Good evening, my wife has a telescope and nobody seems to do a case. I was thinking of making one for it. Anyone good with wood that could advise how to do it?

[DarrenSV650S]

wideload

[Wideboy]

what kind of case are you looking to make? what criteria do you have for the interior or are you looking at making just a box?

[Kenzie]

Probably a wooden one with a hinged lid. Either padding or supports inside with storage for some eyepieces and other related items. I'm thinking maybe a piano hinge for the lid and a couple of carry handles.

[Wideboy]

Piano hinge is ok if you can get a decent quality length of it, its pretty universal. Depending on how long your telescope is I'd be tempted to go for 2-3 but hinges then they can be cut them in so the lid sits down nice and flush with minimal gap, would look neater. How are you planning on fixing the piano hinge? If its between the lid a bottom (so the hinge leafs are hidden inside the fold when shut) you be left with 2-3mm gap on the hinge side. That's why I'd go for hinges.

Construction wise theirs quite a few ways of doing it but it will come down to how confident you are with wood (snigger)

[Kenzie]

Well I haven't done any woodwork since high school some 14 years ago! I am always will to try my hand at stuff. If multiple hinges would give a better fit then thats what I would go with. What wood would be best? The scope is 850mm x 170mm diameter with a 90mm eye piece on the side.

[Wideboy]

If it was being done professionally it would have halved dovetail joints but they're not easy to do. Something like a housing or small halving joint on the end is probably the easiest and effective joint if you're not massively experienced (hard to explain how wood joints look but they'll come up on google). Mitre'ing the corners would work but they're not particularly strong joints even with dowel, if your knocked it over or dropped it it would just fall apart.

Make it so the internal dimensions are about an inch longer than your scope eboth ends and once its together buy some polystyrene blocks, cut them to fill the inside then shape it out for your scope to fit in. You can felt it afterwards but be carefully if you use glue as some will melt polystyrene.

There's loads of different ways of putting something like this together but it's all down to what you like and are hapoy with. Wood wise avoid oak, everyone loves it but it moves all over the place over time. Sooner or later it will develop splits and start falling apart. Mahogany/sapele are the best timbers for boxes and case, but I prefer walnut for its looks. If your not into the look of dark wood then ash is a good allrounder.

[NTECUK]

My dad made one of my guitar cases.
He rebated the piano hinge so it's flush when closed.
We covered it in black vinyl so ply was used.
For my mike and floor effects possessr I bought a. Telescope. Case and just removed the foam. Cut out ploy with a Hot wire and lined it with black velvet. Used corrrydex rubber solution glue.

[Kenzie]

I would probably try and cover it with something so I was thinking a simple butting up of the corners with maybe a dowel or two and a L-brace on the inside.

[Wideboy]

well if you're going to cover it just use plywood like ntec's and but, glue and screw it together.