That we all stand on the shoulders of others was never more true than in the construction of a practical telescope. Many clever and inventive minds have been applied to the subject over a very long time. Often simply for the sheer pleasure of building something for themselves. Rather than any desire to be inventive with patents and vast profits in mind.
Telescope making is poorly paid in comparison with most wages or salaries. This may actually be a great advantage for those driven to build their own instrument. Those who are driven by monetary gain would be poorly served by pottering over minor details in the shed.
Fortunately there is a huge range of ways of making telescopes. From the crudest Dobsonian "cannon" built from the contents of builder's skips and scrap yard finds. To the finest construction and finish by highly skilled machinists. Both may admirably serve their purpose as instruments to observe the sky. Neither is really better as far as the builder is concerned. Though they may well covet the quality they see elsewhere. They say that comparisons are odious. We have all become rather spoilt by the cosmetic standard of the latest Asian offerings. Often making it difficult to exceed the visible quality standard by our own solitary efforts.
Decades ago, amateur telescope making was usually an attempt to bypass the very high prices of commercial instruments. Those who still choose to build there own instruments today have to find more compelling reasons to spend their free time making their own telescopes. Fortunately the creative spirit lives on in the hands of people from all walks of life.
The internet tells us the how and the why things have usually been done in the past. It also acts as a showcase for the competitive telescope builder. Many simply enjoy sharing their creativity for the benefit of others less able, less well equipped or simply less experienced. Why else would anybody contribute to an online forum? BTW: These are wonderful places to reassess one's knowledge base and to correct false assumptions. They often lead one to "think furiously." Provided one has an open mind, of course.
A complete instrument is often a gathering of many different ideas that have been seen online. Details garnered from existing instruments. Or new insights the builders have had themselves. Hopefully each new instrument pushes the boundaries of usefulness a little further forwards. We can't all invent Crayford focusers or Dobsonian rockers but our ideas are all equally valid to the sum of the whole. Even if they are a failed attempt to achieve the impossible. One learns and moves on to better proven ideas.
If I had the price of all the hobby materials I have wasted over the years I could easily afford a brand new telescope. But would be very much the poorer for never having tried something for myself. The skills I learned making telescopes have lead directly to employment, given me a very wide range of housebuilding abilities and an understanding of a many different materials and tools. More importantly, no matter how poor or insignificant my contributions to telescope making, the effort was honestly made. At least I didn't fritter my life away on crime, religion, gambling, spectator sports or drug and alcohol abuse.
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