Sky & Telescope - February 2025 - 68

S&T Test Report by Richard S. Wright, Jr.
Wood Wonders Eyepiece
Case and Stand
This elaborate case shows that some companies do still make them
like they used to.
Mythological Two Drawer
Eyepiece Case
U.S. Base Price: $359. Stand: $189
wood-wonders.com
What We Like
Beautiful and attractive
Heavy-duty brass components
What We Don't Like
No padding in drawers
OVER THE COURSE of my decades as
an amateur astronomer, I've bought
and sold many eyepieces. Lately, I feel
I've reached nirvana with a collection
of premium Pentax, Takahashi, and
Tele Vue eyepieces and accessories. For a
while I stored them in a cheap, foamlined
case. At the same time, I've accumulated
some fine instruments, which
I treat with reverence, so why shouldn't
my ocular collection deserve the same?
While attending the Northeast
Astronomy Forum a few years ago, I
came across the Wood Wonders booth
operated by craftsman Ron Burrows.
There he displayed his intricate eyepiece
cases, stands, and observing chairs. His
booth and products made me remember
a time when craftsmanship was a
thing to be cherished. So I looked up
their website and then decided to have a
closer look at the company's work.
Custom Cases
Located in Pinckney, Michigan, Wood
Wonders offers two primary products:
eyepiece cases and observing chairs.
Each is made from red oak, and there
are multiple sizes and additional
options for customization of the
eyepiece cases. The company offers a
single-drawer model, and a larger version
with two drawers. Both are available
with three design options: plain,
tThe Wood Wonders Mythological Two
Drawer Eyepiece Case with optional stand is
an ornate, heirloom-quality case for your eyepieces
and visual-observing accessories. The
eyepiece case is made of red oak with brass
hardware. The Celestial and Mythological case
models feature machine-engraved bas-relief
carvings of the planets or mythological figures
on the top, front, and sides.
68 FEBRUARY 2025 * SKY & TELESCOPE
celestial, or mythological. The Celestial
models include 3D bass-relief carvings
of the planets on the top, front,
and sides of the case. The Mythological
versions include relief depictions of
Perseus, Pegasus, and Centaurus as well
as the phases of the Moon and stylized
" shooting stars. " I chose the Mythological
Two Drawer Eyepiece Case with the
optional stand and tablet holder.
You can select from five different hole
layouts for the central eyepiece holder
or upload your own custom hole pattern
that accommodates your particular collection.
I chose one with enough 2-inch
holes for my best 2-inch eyepieces,
with additional 1¼-inch spaces for my
standard-size ones. The underside of the
lid has a hinged Plexiglass compartment
for additional storage of star charts and
maps, and it includes a dimmable red
LED powered by a standard 9V battery.
The light automatically turns on when
the lid is opened and off when closed.
The delivered case weighs 5.4 kilograms
(12 pounds) when empty and
measures 50.8 × 25.5 × 22.9 centimeters
(20 × 10 × 9 inches), with solid brass
hardware for the hinges, latch, and
carrying handle. By default, the wood
is covered with Minwax Helmsman
Spar urethane for long-term protection
of the wood, but for an additional $45
you can select from 22 different stains.
I chose the Colonial Maple stain. The
urethane was somewhat pungent when
the case first arrived, so you may want
to let it cure a bit more in the garage or
basement on arrival.
I took advantage of a few premium
customizations. First is the NiteGloConstellation
w/Personalized Monogram
option ($45) that allows up to
30 characters. I chose the Sagittarius
Teapot and my name, which turned out
even better than I expected when I saw
it in person. The design is etched into
the wood and filled with phosphorescent
resin rather than painted on, so it
won't get scratched or chipped off during
normal use.
I also selected the Tablet Option
($60), which adds a holder for an iPad
or Android tablet in the lid compartment,
so I could reference the more
ALL PHOTOS COURTESY OF THE AUTHOR
http://www.wood-wonders.com
Sky & Telescope - February 2025

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