Telescope Building Links
 
Here are a few online resources for telescope building. Below is a picture of the first telescope I built, a 6" inch f8 Dobsonian modelled almost exactly after the plans in Richard Berry's book "How to Build a Telescope."  I don't really care for the boxy appearance, but it's a pretty good telescope. The mirror was fairly easy to figure and is good to 1/8 wave accuracy.

Below is the second scope I built, for my son Isaac; at the time this picture was taken he was still a bit young to enjoy it..  It's a very compact 4.25" f4 Dobsonian.  I just made up the design as I went.  The entire thing weighs 8 lbs and is virtually indestructible.  Although the mirror is smaller, with such a short focal ratio it was a challenge to figure accurately.  With a low power 25 mm eyepiece this telescope has a massive 3 degree field of view.