About Van Slyke Instruments

Van Slyke Instruments (VSI) is a vendor to NASA, JPL, Ames Research Center, Los Alamos National Labs, Raytheon Missile Systems, Lawrence Livermore National Labs at General Atomics, Northrop Grumman, MIT Lincoln Labs, Naval Warfare Department, and many other government contractors and agencies. Observatories, universities, and colleges around the world use our professional-grade products to further enhance their research efforts. However, our most important customer has always been, and always will be, the amateur astronomer. Without support from loyal amateur astronomers worldwide, VSI would not be able to continue supporting the "big boys" with our unique products and services. We evolved, from a simple beginning, into what we are today because of past support from countless individual amateur astronomers who wanted quality, research-grade products at a reasonable production price. VSI remains dedicated to all our special friends out there in Astroland.

I would also like to thank Steve Allen, PhD (pictured left) at Lawrence Livermore National Labs for documenting his special use of a VSI product. Although I do know that our products are used for non-astronomical applications all the time, this is the first time that any of the above mentioned organizations have offered "after-the-fact" full documentation of their actual application of a VSI product. If you are interested in more pictures and info about this special application of a (now discontinued) VSI CYCLOID Rotator, click on the picture at left.

To continually thank you for all the decades of support, VSI has always offered our products at wholesale direct to you, our valued customer. This means that VSI products are only available from VSI, period! No dealers or representatives who would inflate our prices beyond the reach of the amateur astronomer. You may think VSI products are expensive, compared to others, but when you consider the unprecedented rock-solid, "quasi-tank" construction, functional simplicity, and exclusive features of VSI's products, our direct production pricing becomes an affordable asset for the advanced amateur astronomer with limited resources. In fact, many marketing and production engineers, over the years, have told me that my short-run "custom" products are priced way too low. They tell me I should [at least] triple my prices. Well, that ain't goin' to happen.

VSI looks at what's available on the market, and creates a product line that is far superior in every aspect. This is what I do! So when I say that our products are the best, they are! This is not ego. This is simply the truth. I build the best products by design, function, operation and application. All VSI products are constructed of stainless steel and aircraft-grade 6061-T6 aluminum. Unfortunately, everyone says their products are the best, and this can be very confusing, but their false marketing efforts are simply that, and little else. Most try to create the least expensive product possible, by using lesser designs and the cheapest materials available. This is not wrong. It is just the way it is, because they are appealing to the majority. VSI products are not for the majority, they are for the few who must have the best a specific market can deliver, like a truly hi-end luxury car - Audi, BMW, Cadillac, Mercedes, etc. There are many who claim they run with the hi-end crowd, like Lexus, but are seriously lacking to the uninformed. I am striving to save my fellow astronomers time, effort and money so they can go directly to the best, if that is truly what they want, bypassing lesser products. People have informed me of their judgement errors on numerous occasions. They tell me they could have saved countless hours of frustration and thousands of dollars by purchasing VSI products first (see COMMENTS link).

All VSI products have an unconditional 30-Day return policy and, if my products weren't constructed to last forever, I couldn't offer our lifetime materials and workmanship warranty, too. VSI's "after-the-sale" service and integrity is "second-to-none." Don't take my word for it, ask our customers or, better yet, visit VSI's COMMENTS link. VSI products are a solid investment in the future that will appreciate over time - like the valued Questars of yesteryear or a Warner & Swasey refractor from the turn of the last century.

Understand, VSI is a virtual 3-man operation, me, myself, and I (virtual is the keyword). "I" design and manufacture all the products. "Myself" processes, packs and ships all the orders. "Me" is the resident graphic artist/webmaster, too (can't you tell from this very retro, no-class, gaudy, "carnival act" antiquated web site?). That's right, VSI is actually a "one-man-band," so patience can be a virtue. Oh, there is actually one other real person involved in the business, my wife Angela, who takes care of the bookkeeping on the side, and works a full-time job too. Without her support, tolerance and understanding over the years, VSI wouldn't exist. Remember, I can only manufacture so many products a year, and when they're gone, they're gone until stock can be replenished.

And, don't forget that VSI's RETRO web site, with its unique "Old-School" look, is not just a bunch of microscopic pictures with a price tag, and little else. There's enough valuable astro-info, instruction, useful tips, user input, recommendations and super "koo-well" scope installations at this mega-linked site [alone] to write a book or two, so take the time to browse around. You'll find it worth your time and effort.  - PBVS

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