About Teeter's Telescopes
  Teeter's
Telescopes, LLC., was born out of the desire to provide
fellow amateur astronomers with quality products that
yield the best possible views of the night sky. We use
only what we deem to be the highest quality materials
in the construction of all of our products. We have
been in the Telescope Making arena for the last
twelve years (eight professionally)
and in that time we have seen our creations showcased
at the Stellafane
Telescope Making Convention, Vermont (award pictured
at right, below), for innovativeness and craftsmanship
and also at the Mason-Dixon Star Party for craftsmanship
(1st Place - 1998). Our products
have also been featured in Astronomy
Technology Today Magazine.
We have also been recognized by local
astronomy clubs such as ASTRA
(Astronomical Society of the Toms River Area) and STAR
(Society of Telescopy, Astronomy and Radio) for our
involvement in helping the clubs foster their telescope
making special interest groups. It is this craftsmanship,
radical thinking and guidance that we wish to extend
to customers and non-customers, alike.
We also bring our 17.5" f/4.5
Truss-Dobsonian out to many local elementary and middle
schools, along with libraries and boy/girl scout troops
to give these school children glimpses of the heavens
they might not otherwise see. Teeter's Telescopes also
works in conjunction with Pearl
Observatory to host StarLab Planetarium shows for
these same school children and to host the Stokes
Spring Star Party, the premier dark sky star party
in New Jersey.
When not educating the public, the
majority of the work done on our products takes place
"in-house" in our Northern New Jersey workshop,
or what we like to call the "Saw Dust
Factory!" We pride ourselves on the
finish of our products, therefore the majority of the
time spent is on the product's finish (sanding, staining
and varnishing). The work that is not done
in our shop is done by a local Millshop that handles
our importing of non-domestic plywoods (ie. baltic birch).
With their access to a large professional quality table
saw, bandsaw, mitre saw, router table and a whole host
of other professional-class tools, jigs and accessories
you can be assured our wooden products are made to the
highest standards.
 We
also employ CAD-drawing techniques to ensure that all
parts of our scopes fit together with zero slop and
backlash. Contrary to what our larger competitors do,
we complete each of our customer scopes one-at-a-time
so they are given an optimal amount of attention to
"dial them in."
Teeter's Telescopes staff is currently
comprised of husband and wife, Robert Teeter (Owner)
and Heather Teeter (seamstress and quality control;
President of Shrouds
by Heather). When calling or Emailing Teeter's Telescopes,
you will speak with either Rob or Heather, not a receptionist
or telemarketer. We believe we can better serve our
customers when it is a principal of the company answering
the phone and answering your inquiries. We look forward
to speaking with you and helping to design your next
telescope purchase! Also feel free to read an interview the Punk Astronomy blog conducted with Rob in 2009 about Teeter's
Telescopes, LLC.
Teeter's Telescopes is also proud to
announce the successful auction of the Stellafane-Donation-Scope
(SDS) recently sold for the benefit of the Springfield
Telescope Makers (STM's), organizers of the annual Stellafane
Telescope Making Convention! The auction netted $6,500.00
for the STM's and will help pay down their mortgage
on their new Flanders Pavilion.
Thanks to a host of gracious and generous
vendors, this 12.5" f/4.8 Truss Dobsonian had enough
accessories and upgrades that it would make the most
seasoned observer green with scope-envy! The full list
of participating vendors is available through the Stellafane
News web page. Teeter's Telescopes donated the structure
and our time to build the scope, install the ArgoNavis
digital setting circles, StellarCAT Go-To system, Markless
Astronomics DSC Stalk, etc. We also made the trip to
the 2008 Stellafane Convention to hand deliver the SDS
and to present a talk describing the build process.
A lot of credit should go toward Gary
Parkerson at Astronomy Technology Today (ATT) Magazine
for doing everything he could to make this project come
to fruition. Gary handled many phone calls and Emails
to many various vendors to round up the necessary components.
The build process of the SDS was chronicled in several
issues of ATT. At last check, the new owner of the SDS,
located in Southern California, is most happy with the
scope! Cudos all around!
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Can
Teeter's Telescopes build scopes faster than F/4?