I got the latest issue today and read the build article while standing in line at the post office. Wow, this is great! Thanks for all your work. Now I just need to talk my machinist buddy into helping with the project...

I haven't tried making the hole that small for the cross hair cell. I would like to know how it works if you try. The only thing is you might loose some field of view doing that way.  the field of view is all ready limited because of the diameter of the lenses. 
It would be a good experiment. the first one i built i did not use the reducer and could not see anything. i had to much light through the tube. when looking thought the scope it was a white blur once the reducer was placed in it cut light and was able to see thought the scope i had to play with the hole diameter until I was happy with the brightness of the scope. Just remember to start small with this hole and open it slowly until it is bright enough for your liking. try to not get so big that you get ghosting around the edges.

Has anyone here sucessfully built a scope according to these directions besides deadeye ?......I have the lens and cells made but no matter what, I get an upside down sight picture...any body have a clue why this would happen ?
Thanks
Ron

OK< finally got it, I had to move the objective out to 35 inches, anything less will not work, I have 279 up front, then 97 then 42 for ocular.

Don if you go to Edmund Optics online and email the support they will help you, I emailed a guy there and he gave me the lens number and ran through a program to figure the distances and FL needed for a specific eye relief and scope length, for what I gave him I needed to buy the 55 dollar lens, so I just saved the info for now and used the lens listed above, only thing is for 45/70 I will need to put a slot and rail system on the scope so it will slide forward upon firing, the eye relief I have is just to close..anyway if you tell them the power you want, eye relief, scope length and lens diameter they will figure out all the specs and lens size for you.
EMAIL this guy

Eric Herman (EHerman@edmundoptics.com)

That is not a dumb question. I don't see why you couldn't use aluminum. the reason for brass is traditional. You could use steel or plastic it is all up to the builder on what material is used.

Please Post Pictures For others to see what you have built. 

That looks really nice made out of brass.  What did you use for the knurled sections?