A User Perspective: Building a Skyward Telescope

As someone who’s passionate about 3D printing, astronomy, and public outreach, I’m always looking for projects that bring these worlds together. That’s exactly what I found in TenTelescopes.com.

The designer and creator behind the project is not only incredibly talented but also generous with his time and knowledge. Throughout the process of building my two telescopes—affectionately named Oreo and Joker—he was consistently helpful, patient, and enthusiastic. It’s clear that this isn’t just a hobby to him—it’s a mission to bring the night sky to more people.

The designs themselves are brilliantly thought out. Every part fits together intuitively, and the whole build process felt like the perfect intersection of engineering and creativity. As someone who loves tinkering and building, I found real joy in watching these scopes come together—layer by layer, print by print.

The retention ring and cap were 2 of the first prints I did. They were quick prints and allowed me to see quality.

The larger OTA parts followed. 2 of the 3 Neptunes putting down layers on the Spider and a Truss.

I used two Neptune 3 Pros and a Neptune 4 Pro to print the parts, and I was genuinely impressed by how little I had to tweak the settings. The models printed beautifully right out of the gate, even when using PETG filament from a couple of different manufacturers. That kind of plug-and-play experience is rare—especially in 3D printing—and it really speaks to how well the designs were engineered. Of course, every printer has its quirks and learning curves, but the overall process felt intuitive and rewarding from start to finish. That smooth experience played a big role in helping me print and build Oreo in just six days.

Rocker box assembly! - There are a bunch of easily installed heat set inserts.

Is that a Telescope I see!- Almost there, glass focuser and baffles.

What became very clear through this was also the sense of community and purpose behind the project. Whether it was printing, assembling, testing, or sharing results, there was always a sense that I was part of something bigger—something meant to inspire others to look up. These telescopes aren’t just tools; they’re conversation starters, outreach drivers, and gateways to curiosity.

Joker and Oreo enjoying the Moon together.

Outreach! Having others experience the night sky with Oreo is special.

Thanks to my introduction to TenTelescopes, I now have two custom, high quality Telescopes I can proudly take to events, star parties, or just my own backyard. And every time I do, I get to say, “Yeah—I built that and you can build one too”

Joker almost finished!

The best of friends - What an experience so far.