Datapanic
Carpal Tunnel
Reged: 10/17/09
Loc: Tucson, Arizona
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Another RV-6 Find!
#5434584 - 09/22/12 02:44 PM Attachment (103 downloads)
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Tucson had been quite dry of any kind of Classics on Craigslist for a long time, but yesterday morning, this RV-6 came up for only $50! Since I was getting ready for work and it was early, I didn't call the telephone number and sent an email instead with my number. Later in the morning, they called me back and it turned out it was located in Corona de Tucson, about an hour from my house, but only 10 minutes from work. So, I got the address, hit the ATM machine and zoomed on down and picked it up. A retired couple had it and didn't know anything about telescopes or this scope except the owner had it outside a lot, I think it belonged to their neighbor who passed away. Overall, it's in pretty good shape and not as bad as it looks! The main reason (besides the price) I went after this one was that I don't have any 6" scopes of any kind in the herd.
With Preston, Jon and others' threads on the RV-6, this one should be a breeze to restore, right?
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Datapanic
Carpal Tunnel
Reged: 10/17/09
Loc: Tucson, Arizona
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Re: Another RV-6 Find!
[Re: Datapanic]
#5434585 - 09/22/12 02:44 PM Attachment (46 downloads)
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This one has a label on the eyepiece end of the tube as well as the pier cap. Serial #2398.
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Datapanic
Carpal Tunnel
Reged: 10/17/09
Loc: Tucson, Arizona
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Re: Another RV-6 Find!
[Re: Datapanic]
#5434589 - 09/22/12 02:45 PM Attachment (39 downloads)
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The focuser's extension tube is stuck inside. The finder was the "new lens" the seller told me about, not the original, but maybe one will show up for sale sometime. One of the adjustment knobs was replaced but I think I have some extras laying around or can get one from Stellar Visions in Tucson.
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Datapanic
Carpal Tunnel
Reged: 10/17/09
Loc: Tucson, Arizona
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Re: Another RV-6 Find!
[Re: Datapanic]
#5434591 - 09/22/12 02:46 PM Attachment (41 downloads)
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The secondary vanes are a little bent up! Tube is in good shape except for a crack where the vane mounts to it at the 3 o'clock position.
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Datapanic
Carpal Tunnel
Reged: 10/17/09
Loc: Tucson, Arizona
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Re: Another RV-6 Find!
[Re: Datapanic]
#5434594 - 09/22/12 02:46 PM Attachment (38 downloads)
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The Mirror seems to be in good shape, no chips or scratches and just a good layer of dust on it. It was loose in the cell and the cell was loose in the tube. Maybe the seller wanted to clean it but the fasteners were too rusted to get loose and he gave up and left it like it is.
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Datapanic
Carpal Tunnel
Reged: 10/17/09
Loc: Tucson, Arizona
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Re: Another RV-6 Find!
[Re: Datapanic]
#5434595 - 09/22/12 02:47 PM Attachment (30 downloads)
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The back of the mirror has no stickers and is scribed with 50". There is some delamination on the end of the tube at about the 7 o'clock position.
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Datapanic
Carpal Tunnel
Reged: 10/17/09
Loc: Tucson, Arizona
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Re: Another RV-6 Find!
[Re: Datapanic]
#5434598 - 09/22/12 02:47 PM Attachment (40 downloads)
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The mount is complete, I guess, and at some point in time, somebody took a can of black spray paint to it 'touching up' the pier cap, shaft housings and the declination shaft. The label on the pier cap is not readable. The scope moves smoothly on both axises. I didn't test the clock drive, will save that task for when the mount is taken apart and overhauled.
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Datapanic
Carpal Tunnel
Reged: 10/17/09
Loc: Tucson, Arizona
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Re: Another RV-6 Find!
[Re: Datapanic]
#5434601 - 09/22/12 02:48 PM Attachment (44 downloads)
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The Dec Shaft is rusty on the lower end - I've seen worse! Toe Saver is there as well as the Criterion 100 counterweight.
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madeline
sage
Reged: 07/30/10
Loc: Bloomington, MN
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Re: Another RV-6 Find!
[Re: Datapanic]
#5434670 - 09/22/12 03:47 PM
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Great find and for $50.00, you can't go wrong.
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apfever
Carpal Tunnel
Reged: 05/13/08
Loc: Colorado
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Re: Another RV-6 Find!
[Re: madeline]
#5434685 - 09/22/12 03:57 PM
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I hope everything on that works good. It's an early one.
As in most things, even the VW Bug, there are small changes through time that help date the RV-6. The tag on the OTA stopped in the later years, along with labeling a serial number. The tag on the pier top is riveted instead of just a sticky label. If you remove the pier cap from the pipe, you will likely find a retaining groove that the set screws go into. Later models only had a smooth collar that slipped into the pier pipe.
The Lattitude clamp is probably from another scope, I could be wrong. I've never seen anything other that a cap bolt.
My earliest one here now is serial number 3298 while yours is 2398. Sweet. I believe a friend of mine has an even earlier one but he is out of town and I won't be asking his wife. I'll get it in about a month.
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simpleisbetter
Carpal Tunnel
Reged: 04/18/11
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Re: Another RV-6 Find!
[Re: madeline]
#5434688 - 09/22/12 03:58 PM
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Nice scope, gotta love those old Dynascopes.
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amicus sidera
Carpal Tunnel
Reged: 10/14/11
Loc: East of the Sun, West of the M...
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Re: Another RV-6 Find!
[Re: simpleisbetter]
#5434755 - 09/22/12 04:53 PM
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Beautiful find, Dan!
Btw, I believe those old Dynascope tubes are phenolic-impregnated kraft paper... I've had good results repairing this type of material by using fairly runny 24-hour-cure epoxy (to assure penetration into the base of the delamination), with masking tape to hold the repair until cured. Any repair to the cracks near the one spider vane should probably be reinforced - you might want to reinforce the areas near all the vanes, as well as the mirror cell, focuser and finder ring attachment points; this type of tube becomes quite brittle with age, especially in the climate of the desert Southwest.
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PiSigma
Pooh-Bah
Reged: 10/14/09
Loc: North Carolina
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Re: Another RV-6 Find!
[Re: Datapanic]
#5436763 - 09/23/12 07:01 PM
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Nice acquisition Dan. You do need a 6"!
These are awesome little scopes. Mine is a joy to use and produces quite spectacular views for a 6". When I don't want to roll a Cave out this is usually my next choice.
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Datapanic
Carpal Tunnel
Reged: 10/17/09
Loc: Tucson, Arizona
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Re: Another RV-6 Find!
[Re: PiSigma]
#5436789 - 09/23/12 07:14 PM Attachment (35 downloads)
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Thanks guys - this is the only 6" I've ever had 
I started to disassemble the scope this afternoon, mainly to see what the Clock Drive looks like, and found a bit of rust where it looks like water got inside the housing...
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Datapanic
Carpal Tunnel
Reged: 10/17/09
Loc: Tucson, Arizona
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Re: Another RV-6 Find!
[Re: Datapanic]
#5436795 - 09/23/12 07:17 PM Attachment (30 downloads)
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I removed the motor cover to find that the flywheel would not turn, as it's a little bit rusty. It might still clean up and work though.
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Datapanic
Carpal Tunnel
Reged: 10/17/09
Loc: Tucson, Arizona
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Re: Another RV-6 Find!
[Re: Datapanic]
#5437164 - 09/23/12 11:11 PM Attachment (34 downloads)
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After taking the motor off the mount and cleaning up the flywheel and stators with a dremel wire brush, fine sand paper and canned air to blow out the debris, I persuaded the motor to start spinning! It will start spinning all on its own. The gear box seems to be just fine and the output shaft turns very slowly.
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john gabriel
sage
Reged: 12/13/11
Loc: Southern California
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Re: Another RV-6 Find!
[Re: Datapanic]
#5437173 - 09/23/12 11:16 PM
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That is a great classic find, Dan, especially for $50. I'm finding that a good long focus 6" mirror can be a lot of fun! Congratulations!
John
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strdst
Post Laureate
Reged: 03/23/08
Loc: Oregon Territory
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Re: Another RV-6 Find!
[Re: john gabriel]
#5437238 - 09/24/12 12:12 AM
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That's a great catch Dan. Is there a date penciled inside the motor cover?
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Datapanic
Carpal Tunnel
Reged: 10/17/09
Loc: Tucson, Arizona
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Re: Another RV-6 Find!
[Re: strdst]
#5437337 - 09/24/12 01:37 AM
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Quote:
That's a great catch Dan. Is there a date penciled inside the motor cover?
I did an initial cleanup of the motor cover and there was no date inside of it, but it does have a clear plastic window to see if the rotor is spinning. This motor is all brass or something instead of aluminum or silver color.
But, while wiping off the goop on the motor housing, I found the specs: "A10 110V 60CY 3W 6 RPH () 34285R 10-70"
The "()" is a symbol that looks like a "C" with "SB" inside it. Pretty sure the 10-70 would be the date for October, 1970.
Edit: there is also a "6 RPH" after the "3W"
Edited by Datapanic (09/24/12 02:29 AM)
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Grava T
Pooh-Bah
Reged: 06/18/08
Loc: Quebec, Canada
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Re: Another RV-6 Find!
[Re: Datapanic]
#5437529 - 09/24/12 06:40 AM
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Nice find Dan. It's been pretty dry up in my neck of the woods latley as well. Hoping to find something classic soon.
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