By Mel Lee

I had the privilege of joining Ben Wong to check out his new SDM scope at Pete’s place in Bunbartha. In truth, I mostly wanted to tag along to see “Santa’s workshop,” and Ben kindly let me come along. 🙂

We arrived in the afternoon and were treated to a personal tour of Peter’s workshop. The range of tools, jigs, and half completed components was incredible. Pete patiently explained what each tool was used for, and it was fascinating to see how he organises materials and moves each scope through the build process.

The Main Event: SDM #115

Then came the real reason for the trip: seeing Ben’s 20″ f/3.3 Lockwood SDM. What a stunning instrument. It stood fully assembled, gleaming in the afternoon light.

Peter walked us through collimation and the use of the Nexus DSC, which would come in handy later that night. Ben even got to learn how to use his new scope right there in the workshop — a rare privilege.

After a great dinner at a local Japanese restaurant, darkness had settled in, so we headed to a nearby property with a clear horizon to set up.

Under the Stars

Setting up the SDM was effortless, especially with the master craftsman himself lending a hand.

Once the scope was aligned and cooled, SDM #115 performed flawlessly. Sirius B (the Pup) was clean and obvious. 47 Tuc exploded with stars across the field. The Lockwood mirror was exceptional — pinpoint stars, razor sharp focus, and beautiful contrast across a range of eyepieces, especially in the Nikon NAV HWs.

Wrapping Up

As always, it was a pleasure catching up with Peter and seeing what he’s been working on. Sharing first light with Ben’s new SDM made the trip even more special.

https://www.sdmtelescopes.com.au/scope-showcase/sdm115-20-f-3-3/