Declination Axle alignment at L & F Industries’ new assembly building

The 61-inch (1.55 meter) for the U. S. Naval Observatory at Flagstaff, Arizona was the first large aperture complete telescope designed, manufactured and installed by Boller & Chivens as a joint venture with L&F Industries.
After that time, all telescopes with apertures up to 52-inch (91.32 meters) were assembled in a new Boller & Chivens assembly building at the South Pasadena plant.

Installation of upper tube with its Serrurier trusses and secondary mirror support ring

Final assembly showing lower tube Serrurier trusses and wiring of the telescope
In the background, the 40-Inch telescope for Siding Spring, Australia

Harry Boller at the console showing the operation of the 61 Inch telescope using the remote control paddle.

The Observing Building telescope assembly area has a rolling roof that can be fully opened to observe the night sky.

Located in the far background is a 16-inch telescope for the University of Montana telescope. It is mounted to a special base made at the South Pasadena latitude angle and ready for acceptance testing. Observing real celestial stars with the telescope will check tracking accuracy of its right ascension drive system.

In front of the 16-inch telescope is a 30-inch telescope polar axle housing for the University of Texas with its RA and Dec drives installed. Included are the tube saddle, declination axle, and declination drive complete with all wiring installed.

This telescope is also ready for final assembly when the testing base is available. The telescope tube with optics will then be installed for the final testing.

To the right of the two telescopes is one of their bases with the correct latitude angle
On top of the two cabinets at the rear wall are two finished 16-inch telescope tubes.
Moving forward on the right are finished weldments for the Kitt Peak Solar Observatory twin Heliostats.

Telescope Electronic cabinets being wired in the center.
Two Telescope control consoles are standing on the right of the cabinets.

A 5-ton rolling overhead crane services this assembly area.

Two 8-foot deep assembly pits are centered in line. Telescopes larger than 30-inch will be assembled in this area.  Over each pit are ceiling openings that can be opened for optically testing telescopes against the nighttime sky.

Progressing down the right wall: a 24-Inch polar axle housing being assembled on a assembly stand.
Moving back & left, a 40-Inch polar axle housing on a skid.
To the right, a 40-Inch RA counterweight torque tube with counterweights attached.

John James is drilling holes in a 24 inch polar axle housing. Dick Nason is observing.

Near the far wall are parts for the Kitt Peak Heliostats. On the floor, skids with parts for instrument rotators.

Ron Plate with Dick Nason assembling a mirror cell on a 40 Inch telescope in the #2 assembly pit.

To hold an array of optical collimators, there were 121 identical machined holes in the casting at different angles all pointing to a single focal point.

Bank of Engine Lathes

Horizontal Mill, Wayne Kendal shown machining a 24-inch telescope tube

50-Inch Gap-bed Lathe machining large mirror cell

Machinist turning 42-Inch telescope polar axle

Bank of Vertical Mills
from Left to Right: Leo Keller, Rudy Hergert, Wayne Kendal, Ted Karpinsky

Vertical Mill – Machining small telescope parts

Surface Grinding – Abram Steyn surface grinding small telescope part

Precision Tool Room Lathe – Machinist turning intricate telescope part

Precision Inspection – Abram Steyn checking telescope part

Bank of Engine Lathes

Telescope part on Vertical Lathe

Large Mirror Cell on 50 Inch Gap-bed Lathe

Abram Steyn surface grinding small telescope part

Abram Steyn checking small telescope part

Finish turning 24 Inch Telescope polar axle

Machinist turning intricate telescope part on precision lathe

A bank of vertical mills. Pictured left to right: Leo Keller, Rudy Hergert, Wayne Kendal, Ted Karpinsky

John James Drilling holes in the skirt of a 24 Inch Polar Axle Housing

Telescope Electrical cabinets being wired. Two Telescope control stations in the background.

Progressing down the right wall: a 24 Inch polar axle housing being assembled on stand, A 40 Inch polar axle housing on a skid, to the right of the 40 Inch axle is the 40 Inch RA counterweight torque tube. Behind the 40 Inch polar axle is John James drilling holes in the 40 Inch mirror cell with the 40 Inch base weldment behind him. On the far wall are more parts for the Kitt Peak Heliostats.

A completed 16 Inch telescope ready for acceptance testing in the far background. A 16 Inch base to its right. Moving forward on the right are finished weldments for the Kitt Peak Solar Observatory twin Heliostats.
In front of the completed 16 Inch telescope is a completed 30 Inch polar axle assembly that includes the tube saddle, declination axle, and declination drive complete with instrument wiring.

Ron Plate with Dick Nason assembling a mirror cell on a 40 Inch telescope in the #2 assembly pit. The telescope will be optically tested using a ceiling opening.

A Boller and Chivens Worker Operating & Testing an assembled project
in a Semi-Clean Room Environment.