How to make an optical sight at home. How to make a homemade telescope with your own hands - diagram and instructions

The times when anyone could make a discovery in science are almost completely gone. Everything that an amateur can discover in chemistry, physics, biology has long been known, rewritten and calculated. Astronomy is an exception to this rule. After all, this is the science of space, an indescribably vast space in which it is impossible to study everything, and even not far from the Earth there are still undiscovered objects. However, in order to practice astronomy, you need an expensive optical instrument. Is making a homemade telescope with your own hands a simple or difficult task?

Maybe binoculars would help?

It is too early for a novice astronomer who is just beginning to take a closer look at the starry sky to make a telescope with his own hands. The scheme may seem too complicated for him. At first, you can get by with ordinary binoculars.

This is not as frivolous a device as it might seem, and there are astronomers who continue to use it even after becoming famous: for example, the Japanese astronomer Hyakutake, the discoverer of the comet named after him, became famous precisely for his addiction to powerful binoculars.

For the first steps of a novice astronomer - in order to understand whether this is mine or not - any powerful marine binoculars will do. The bigger, the better. With binoculars you can observe the Moon (in quite impressive detail), see the disks of nearby planets, such as Venus, Mars or Jupiter, and examine comets and double stars.

No, it's still a telescope!

If you are serious about astronomy and still want to make a telescope yourself, the design you choose may belong to one of two main categories: refractors (they use only lenses) and reflectors (they use lenses and mirrors).

Refractors are recommended for beginners: these are less powerful telescopes, but easier to make. Then, when you gain experience in making refractors, you can try to assemble a reflector - a powerful telescope with your own hands.

What makes a powerful telescope different?

What a stupid question, you ask. Of course - by magnification! And you will be wrong. The fact is that not all celestial bodies can, in principle, be enlarged. For example, you will not magnify the stars in any way: they are located at a distance of many parsecs, and from such a distance they turn into practically points. No approach is enough to see the disk of a distant star. You can only “zoom in” on objects in the solar system.

And the telescope, first of all, makes the stars brighter. And this property is responsible for its first most important characteristic - the diameter of the lens. How many times is the lens wider than the pupil of the human eye - that is how many times brighter all the luminaries become. If you want to make a powerful telescope with your own hands, you will have to look, first of all, for a very large diameter lens for the objective.

The simplest diagram of a refracting telescope

In its simplest form, a refracting telescope consists of two convex (magnifying) lenses. The first - the large one, aimed at the sky - is called the lens, and the second - the small one, into which the astronomer looks, is called the eyepiece. You should make a homemade telescope with your own hands exactly according to this scheme if this is your first experience.

The telescope lens should have an optical power of one diopter and a diameter as large as possible. You can find a similar lens, for example, in a glasses workshop, where glasses for glasses of various shapes are cut out of them. It is better if the lens is biconvex. If you don’t have a biconvex lens, you can use a pair of plano-convex half-diopter lenses, located one after the other, with their convex sides in different directions, at a distance of 3 centimeters from each other.

Any strong magnifying lens will work best as an eyepiece, ideally a magnifying glass in an eyepiece on a handle, such as those that were produced before. An eyepiece from any factory-made optical instrument (binoculars, geodetic instrument) will also work.

To find out what magnification the telescope will provide, measure the focal length of the eyepiece in centimeters. Then divide 100 cm (the focal length of a lens of 1 diopter, that is, a lens) by this figure, and get the desired magnification.

Secure the lenses in any durable tube (cardboard, coated with glue and painted on the inside with the blackest paint you can find will do). The eyepiece should be able to slide back and forth within a few centimeters; this is necessary for sharpening.

The telescope should be mounted on a wooden tripod called a Dobsonian mount. A drawing of it can be easily found in any search engine. This is the easiest to manufacture and at the same time reliable mount for a telescope; almost all homemade telescopes use it.

It is best to entrust the repair of an optical sight to a specialist, but if one is not nearby, we take matters into our own hands. This article will generally help you understand the structure of optical sights, learn how to disassemble them and carry out simple repair work. Please be patient and attentive - we are plunging into the precise world of optics.

Before we delve into the insides of the optical sight, let’s understand its technical structure. The sight consists of the following components:

Lens. This is a complex system consisting of several lenses. One of the key parameters of a lens is aperture; it directly depends on its diameter. The outer lens is coated with an anti-reflective coating.
Sighting reticle. Thanks to it, you aim your weapon accurately. The reticle is localized in the focal plane of your scope (ocular or objective). The simplest grids are half-cross and cross.
Wrapping system. It consists of a pair of lenses that reverse the image, making the picture “straight”.
Eyepiece. An enlarged direct image is fed to the eyepiece, thanks to which the shooter examines the target. In rifle scopes, the focal length of the eyepiece is about 50-70 mm. Often the eyepiece is equipped with a rubber eyecup.
Mechanism for entering horizontal/vertical corrections. Combines two points - aiming and hitting. Two types of correction mechanisms are common - tactical drums and permanent correction devices. The drums are equipped with a scale along the axis of which the handwheel rotates. When adjusting, the arrow is guided by characteristic clicks.
Illuminated aiming reticle. Modern sights are equipped with an LED that illuminates the central part or the entire reticle. Some scopes have a brightness adjustment that allows you to adjust the acceptable level of illumination.
Frame. Usually the body of your optics is plastic, sometimes it is made of a lightweight and durable alloy. The housing connects the components of the sight into a common structure that is resistant to overloads that occur during shooting.

Disassembly

Before disassembling the scope, make sure you have the necessary tools and “accessories.” You will need:

repair kit (set of flat screwdrivers);
inexpensive transparent sealant (solvent-free);
cotton buds;
a clean cotton cloth;
jars (for storing small bolts);
flashlight.

As an example, consider disassembling the VOMZ-P model. You will encounter the following configuration:

lens;
eyepiece;
lever;
screw;
lid;
net;
angular scale of lateral corrections;
lens wrapping system;
installation ring;
aiming angle scale.

First you have to unscrew the lenses (back/front). The adjusting drums are screwed in until they stop (clockwise), then unscrewed together with the pressure washers. Then the pressure and locking bolts are unscrewed one by one. Half of the pipe is unscrewed. The cassette containing the adjustment lens is carefully squeezed out.

The lens is removed from the cassette (while trying not to touch the glass with your fingers).

The lens-turning system is localized in the remaining segment of the pipe. If desired, it is not difficult to unscrew it - the system is secured with one microbolt.

The structure is assembled in reverse order. Pay attention to the stained lenses - they should not be touched with your fingers. The lenses are wiped with one-sided movements (zero pressure).

Do-it-yourself scope repair - highlights

The time has come to study the mounting of the basic components of the optical sight. Please note that this is a fragile device, so you need to disassemble it with extreme caution. It starts to act up after about one and a half thousand shots. To prevent future problems, tighten the mounting screws and watch for horizontal alignment.

Attaching the lenses

Lenses for hunting weapons have a large diameter, designed for shooting at short distances (150-200 meters). Hunting optics have many rubbing surfaces that wear out over time. Backlashes, mechanical displacements and optical parallaxes occur.

The lenses are attached using sealant. After disassembling the sight according to our instructions, you reach the ring nut that holds the crosspiece. The next procedure is as follows:

squeezing out the cassette (do not lose the pressure spring);
unscrewing the front nut, lens and guide screws (2 pcs.);
removing the adjustment lenses from the inner cylinder (this must be done carefully, without giving the cylinder a vertical position);
remembering the location of the lenses;
repair.

If the tuning lens (usually the front one) has a loose locking ring, the threads will have to be lubricated with sealant. After waiting for it to dry, reassemble the entire structure in reverse order.

Pressure spring

During repairs, you will inevitably encounter a pressure spring, which you need not only to preserve, but also to ensure its functionality.

A little advice: you can unscrew the nuts (if you don’t have a repair kit at hand) with pointed tweezers.

Loose screws and nuts (if they do not tighten well) should be placed on sealant. Now the repaired structure, together with the spring, must be pushed back into the pipe - this is a rather labor-intensive process. One end of the spring should end with teeth, the other should be completely smooth.

If necessary (presence of jags), the second end of the spring must be sanded. The spring is installed in the central part of the sight - between the holes intended for the adjustment drums. The tube slides onto the cassette with the assembled lenses, while the spring must be held through the holes.

Lubrication

Not all parts and components of an optical sight require lubrication. And even more precisely, only the rings need this. It is highly undesirable for grease to get on the surface of the lens. For the lubrication procedure you will need:

alignment control rods;

abrasive lapping paste;

tools (torque screwdrivers, wrenches and levels);

thread locker.

Aluminum, steel and titanium rings are used to mount the sight. After lubricating them, install the scope so that the nuts are on the other side of the receiver port and bolt handle.

Backlight repair

The basis for the illumination of the aiming reticle is an LED lamp. It is connected to the battery, but it receives energy not directly, but through a stabilizer. Repair activities need to begin with checking the stabilizer.

Having disassembled the microscopic power supply, take a closer look at the ballast resistor (capacitor). If the resistor burns out, it must be replaced. Sometimes the diodes in the rectifier also burn out - they should also be checked. The third potential problem is low-impedance current limiting resistors.

If the LED is made in Asia, it means that a primitive Chinese capacitor has burned out. Replace it with a new one and live in peace.

A brief overview of three models of the Lupold optical sight: VX-6, VX-R, Mark 4. Features of care and battery replacement, design and installation. What is the magnification factor for these models?

Elimination of reticle displacement

Modern optics use a luminous aiming mark with brightness adjustment. The brand illumination should turn off automatically after a certain time. This saves battery power, as many shooters forget to turn off the battery. In general, aiming marks are of the following types:

stump;
Mildot;
PSO-1;
Crosshair;

The aiming mark tends to shift due to recoil - this should not be allowed. Paradox: the mobility of the aiming mark is welcomed when zeroing a rifle. The brand is adjusted by turning the drum (you need to focus on the number of clicks). The offset scale varies depending on the scope model and manufacturer.

Having discovered a mark shift, it is worth examining the scope mount - did you do everything correctly? Proper installation guarantees long service life for your aiming system. You should not save money by purchasing cheap mounts - this is self-deception, leading to a loss of accuracy.

Adjustment

“Zeroing” the sight (adjustment) is the process of bringing together the mechanical and optical axes. The need for adjustment arises after purchasing a new sight - the shooter is not yet sure of the correct range set by the adjustment drums. The sequence of actions for adjustment is as follows:

The vertical correction drum is turned all the way down, and the horizontal drum is turned all the way to the left.
The vertical and horizontal drums are clicked (“up” and “right”, respectively). In this case, it is necessary to count the number of clicks over the entire range.
It is best to do this in splendid isolation - members of your household can throw off your mental calculations. In addition, a rifle occupying the kitchen table (on a special machine) is not the most positive sight for a wife.
Let's assume that you are 300 clicks away from the extreme positions of the drum. Count halfway (in this example, 150 clicks). This is the middle of both ranges. The sight is “zeroed” - its optical and mechanical axes are combined.

To reduce the risk of repair work, protect your scope from bad weather - heat, humidity and direct sunlight. Cover the lenses with caps, avoid mechanical damage and contact of harmful substances (lubricants, alcohol solutions) on the lenses. Periodically (after 1000-1500 shots) check the internal fastenings. Have a good hunting!

Before we delve into the insides of the optical sight, let’s understand its technical structure. The sight consists of the following components:

Lens. This is a complex system consisting of several lenses. One of the key parameters of a lens is aperture; it directly depends on its diameter. The outer lens is coated with an anti-reflective coating.
Sighting reticle. Thanks to it, you aim your weapon accurately. The reticle is localized in the focal plane of your scope (ocular or objective). The simplest grids are half-cross and cross.
Wrapping system. It consists of a pair of lenses that reverse the image, making the picture “straight”.
Eyepiece. An enlarged direct image is fed to the eyepiece, thanks to which the shooter examines the target. In rifle scopes, the focal length of the eyepiece is about 50-70 mm. Often the eyepiece is equipped with a rubber eyecup.
Mechanism for entering horizontal/vertical corrections. Combines two points - aiming and hitting. Two types of correction mechanisms are common - tactical drums and permanent correction devices. The drums are equipped with a scale along the axis of which the handwheel rotates. When adjusting, the arrow is guided by characteristic clicks.
Illuminated aiming reticle. Modern sights are equipped with an LED that illuminates the central part or the entire reticle. Some scopes have a brightness adjustment that allows you to adjust the acceptable level of illumination.
Frame. Usually the body of your optics is plastic, sometimes it is made of a lightweight and durable alloy. The housing connects the components of the sight into a common structure that is resistant to overloads that occur during shooting.

Disassembly

Before disassembling the scope, make sure you have the necessary tools and “accessories.” You will need:

repair kit (set of flat screwdrivers);
inexpensive transparent sealant (solvent-free);
cotton buds;
a clean cotton cloth;
jars (for storing small bolts);
flashlight.

As an example, consider disassembling the VOMZ-P model. You will encounter the following configuration:

lens;
eyepiece;
lever;
screw;
lid;
net;
angular scale of lateral corrections;
lens wrapping system;
installation ring;
aiming angle scale.

The lens is removed from the cassette (while trying not to touch the glass with your fingers).

The lens-turning system is localized in the remaining segment of the pipe. If desired, it is not difficult to unscrew it - the system is secured with one microbolt.

The structure is assembled in reverse order. Pay attention to the stained lenses - they should not be touched with your fingers. The lenses are wiped with one-sided movements (zero pressure).

Do-it-yourself scope repair - highlights

This video explains how an optical sight works and how to repair it (Leapers 3-9×40 model):

Attaching the lenses

The lenses are attached using sealant. After disassembling the sight according to our instructions, you reach the ring nut that holds the crosspiece. The next procedure is as follows:

squeezing out the cassette (do not lose the pressure spring);
unscrewing the front nut, lens and guide screws (2 pcs.);
removing the adjustment lenses from the inner cylinder (this must be done carefully, without giving the cylinder a vertical position);
remembering the location of the lenses;
repair.

Pressure spring

During repairs, you will inevitably encounter a pressure spring, which you need not only to preserve, but also to ensure its functionality.

A little advice: you can unscrew the nuts (if you don’t have a repair kit at hand) with pointed tweezers.

Lubrication

The vertical correction drum is turned all the way down, and the horizontal drum is turned all the way to the left.
The vertical and horizontal drums are clicked (“up” and “right”, respectively). In this case, it is necessary to count the number of clicks over the entire range.

It’s best to do this in splendid isolation—household members can throw off your mental calculations. In addition, a rifle occupying the kitchen table (on a special machine) is not the most positive sight for a wife.
Suppose you are 300 clicks away from the extreme positions of the drum. Count halfway (in this example, 150 clicks). This is the middle of both ranges. The sight is “zeroed” - its optical and mechanical axes are combined.

There are things that can be very helpful for successful air rifle or rimfire hunting. Or even with a crossbow, there are also such amateurs.

One of these things is optical sight. After all, open, regular or diopter, cannot provide the required accuracy.

Of course, any such thing can be easily bought. However, many are interested in making a useful thing with their own hands. Making an optical sight is a very troublesome and intricate task. But quite accessible for independent implementation.

Implementation

The implementation, of course, may be different, but it is based on a single theoretical basis. Let's turn to it, the theory.

An optical sight is a small telescope with a Kepler optical system, complemented by an aiming reticle (mark) and a wrapping element. (Galileo's system is not suitable because it is afocal.)

The simplest scheme is this. The first lens is the lens. An aiming mark (reticle) is installed in the focal plane. It appears as clear as the target image by being positioned precisely in focus.

At the other end of the scope tube is the eyepiece lens. They look into the eyepiece from a distance of 5-7 centimeters, no less.

Therefore, you need at least three lenses in total (although they put more in scopes to ensure high quality). The sights end up being quite long because you have to take focal lengths into account.

A little practice about optical sights

There is a lot of talk about the aperture of the lenses used. Like, if it’s good, you can hunt in the twilight. This is true. However, on a bright sunny day you will need filters and lens attachments. Especially in winter, when everything around is glittering with snow. There is no way to make a light filter - then there is no point in chasing the aperture ratio.

Now a little about practice. Focal lengths and the location of the reticle can be determined experimentally. Place everything along a regular ruler, move the lenses and grid until you get a high-quality image, see how many millimeters are there - and then design the pipe.

The scope must provide at least four times magnification. Anything less will not be effective enough.

Reticle

The reticle is usually made by gluing hair to a ring. Then it is glued into the focal plane. To ensure that the crosshair is exactly in the center, the ring is placed on graph paper. Or at least on a squared piece of notebook paper. Otherwise you won’t be able to glue it evenly.

Instead of hair, a thin thread will do. Very thin, woven from nylon. True, it may not have to be glued, but welded. Or the wire from a coil of broken miniature headphones, also quite thin.

Making the reticle is the most difficult stage, truly a jewel. It’s better to make several at once, so that you can quickly change them later (if the previous one, for example, is torn by a lens that fell off due to vibration).

You can also make a mesh from needles, but thin enough ones are unlikely to be found. Although, there is a lot of room for experimentation. The pipe itself and its fastenings too.

If it is impossible to make a thin reticle and it turns out to be thick, then you can try installing it in the focal plane of the eyepiece lens rather than the objective.

Internal surfaces of the sight

The question of how to blacken the internal surfaces of the sight is also relevant. Smoking with soot, as advised, does not always work. A simple option is to paint over it with a wide waterproof marker. Black, of course.

Then, when everything is ready, you need to sight the sight - adjust its mounts so that the crosshairs look at the center of the target, and the bullets hit there, and do not fall somewhere to the side. That is, to put it slightly simplified, so that the optical axis of the sight becomes parallel to the axis of the barrel in the vertical and horizontal planes.

It is very difficult to design and arrange lighting in a steam room. After all, high humidity, abundance of steam and high temperature are not entirely favorable for the use of electricity. Despite this, fiber optic backlighting has become increasingly popular. Its use is relevant not only for baths; the optical harness is used even in apartments and houses. This is explained by the fact that such light is much more economical and safer than standard light sources, and also allows you to create decorative lighting for a room. In this article, we will tell you how to make fiber optic lighting yourself, providing a system connection diagram, as well as installation instructions.

What does the system consist of?

As a rule, such systems are sold as a set, which already includes everything necessary. But in addition to the main components, you can add additional elements that will help create an individual interior. This is, for example, special lighting using an LED strip or special lenses or crystals.

Fiber optic lighting includes the following components:

Projector. Of the entire system, only it is connected to electricity. The amount of light emitted depends on the power of the device.
Fibers. Thanks to these elements, you can also regulate the amount of light that is released and distribute it around the entire perimeter of the bath at your discretion. When choosing a harness, it is better to give preference to a glass model, since it is more resistant to temperature changes. There are two types of strands: side glow (creating light patterns using fiber weaves) and end glow (creating a starry sky).
Lenses and lamps. With the help of such elements, fiber optic lighting acquires a directional glow. After all, it is precisely such lenses and crystals that regulate the dispersion and direction of the light flux.

When choosing the configuration of a fiber optic system, you should pay attention not only to the length and number of fibers, but also to what kind of lamp is used. Halogen and HID lamps require cooling, and since some cooling systems have noisy fans, this can ruin your holiday.

Side glow method

You can make such lighting yourself, as it does not require complex electronic circuits. Installation is simple: just install the projector outside the sauna. This is done as follows:

A projector is installed in the room in front of the bathhouse. The place where it is mounted must be next to the steam room (have a common wall). If the projector is installed in one room, it should be located at a distance from the heat source.
If desired, you can install additional accessories on the device, for example, color wheels.
According to the diagram, mark the places where the optical fiber will be placed.
We install fiber optic lighting.
If desired, you can install color attachments (lenses or crystals). Connecting this effect can be either automatic or manual.

Important! When installing optical fiber, it is necessary to take into account the permissible bend of each light pipe. It depends on the diameter. Therefore, the focal length of products should be more than 85%. All this is thought through when the system diagram is drawn up.

End glow method

It is better to install such light before interior finishing. You must first draw up an exact layout of the point elements.

Installation of fiber optic backlight should be done in the following order:

Cut the bundles to the required length. And in order to find out the length, you should measure the distance from the projector to all glow points.
Place the fibers in place, first secure them with tape.
In order to preserve the pattern and fix the bundles vertically, it is necessary to install dowels in certain places to which the fibers are attached with the assistance of the wire. To make it convenient to attach, the dowels should protrude three centimeters outward.
The surface is sheathed and all unnecessary tape and dowels are removed.
Then you need to cut the fiber optic bundle. This is done according to the level of the skin. Next, sand the ends of the harness using fine-grained sanding paper.
The other ends of the fiber are connected into a connector and connected to the projector.

During installation, you need to carefully monitor the bends of the light pipes. Upon completion of installation, you can optionally add various lenses and crystals to the system.

This fiber optic lighting connection scheme is also suitable for the washing department. Especially if there is a pool, then such lighting will look very good on its bottom. In a recreation room, living room or bedroom, fiber optic lamps can be combined with standard lighting fixtures. The atmosphere created in this way will help you relax.

How to make an optical sight at home. How to make a homemade telescope with your own hands - diagram and instructions

Maybe binoculars would help?

No, it's still a telescope!

What makes a powerful telescope different?

The simplest diagram of a refracting telescope

Disassembly

Do-it-yourself scope repair - highlights

Attaching the lenses

Pressure spring

Lubrication

Backlight repair

Elimination of reticle displacement

Adjustment

Disassembly

Do-it-yourself scope repair - highlights

Attaching the lenses

Pressure spring

Lubrication

Implementation

A little practice about optical sights

Reticle

Internal surfaces of the sight

What does the system consist of?

Side glow method

End glow method

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