A much more extensive guide is at Stellafane: http://stellafane.org/tm/ http://stellafane.org/tm/ Keep in mind this is a long term project. If you're looking

A much more extensive guide is at Stellafane: http://stellafane.org/tm/ http://stellafane.org/tm/ Keep in mind this is a long term project. If you're looking for something to do with your hands, a physical object in the real world, that would keep you busy for months (assuming you're not working on it full time) - you've found it. Keep at it and you'll make a very high quality instrument. My first parabolic mirror came out at lambda/25 precision (and no ripples, no turned edge), whereas many commercial mirrors are only lambda/4 or 6 and the edge is sometimes questionable. As for the instrument itself (everything except the optics), it's not much harder than making a simple cabinet, and in some ways it's easier. Go slow, read a lot, think ahead, and you'll succeed.