Telescope Reviews: Company Seven Unitron 114

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actionhac
Post Laureate

Reged: 08/09/08

Loc: WA

Company Seven Unitron 114
#5552072 - 12/03/12 01:40 PM Attachment (59 downloads)

I thought I would try my C5 spotter on my 114 mounting for a nice grab-n-go.
It's too dangerous and I don't recommend it. If you release the altitude lock the OTA can get away from you and damage it or knock your front teeth out before you even knew what happened.
It looks like it would work and I see all kinds of scopes on Unitron alt-az mounts but the geometry is wrong here:

Post Extras:

actionhac
Post Laureate

Reged: 08/09/08

Loc: WA

Re: Company Seven Unitron 114 new

[Re: actionhac]
#5552088 - 12/03/12 01:49 PM

After that failure I got to wondering about the forward facing counterweight on some of these Unitron alt-az mountings and then became completely side tracked when I came across Company Seven's 114 and noticed it is exactly the same as mine in every detail. No date is stated in the article and this leads me to wonder if they themselves don't know.

Anyone here know the age of Company Seven's 114?

I suppose I could email and see if they know but something tells me they don't knowing how difficult it is to date Unitron.

Its a great article. Unitron fans I'm sure are aware of it. They have other articles listed like the Unitron 142 and RV6:
http://www.company7.com/library/unitron/unitron_114.html

Robert

Post Extras:

starman876
Carpal Tunnel

Reged: 04/28/08

Loc: VA

Re: Company Seven Unitron 114 new

[Re: actionhac]
#5552128 - 12/03/12 02:13 PM

COMPANY seven is a gret site with a lot of good information

Post Extras:

actionhac
Post Laureate

Reged: 08/09/08

Loc: WA

Re: Company Seven Unitron 114 new

[Re: starman876]
#5552212 - 12/03/12 03:05 PM Attachment (39 downloads)

A few key items I noticed.
Tubes for everything on the telescope are saw cut as I marked here:

Post Extras:

actionhac
Post Laureate

Reged: 08/09/08

Loc: WA

Re: Company Seven Unitron 114 new

[Re: actionhac]
#5552219 - 12/03/12 03:06 PM Attachment (28 downloads)

As opposed to the later style die cuts as noted here:

Post Extras:

actionhac
Post Laureate

Reged: 08/09/08

Loc: WA

Re: Company Seven Unitron 114 new

[Re: actionhac]
#5552227 - 12/03/12 03:08 PM Attachment (22 downloads)

19mm finder

Post Extras:

actionhac
Post Laureate

Reged: 08/09/08

Loc: WA

Re: Company Seven Unitron 114 new

[Re: actionhac]
#5552231 - 12/03/12 03:09 PM Attachment (26 downloads)

No eyepiece tray in the spreader

Post Extras:

actionhac
Post Laureate

Reged: 08/09/08

Loc: WA

Re: Company Seven Unitron 114 new

[Re: actionhac]
#5552235 - 12/03/12 03:10 PM Attachment (23 downloads)

Leather case handle

Post Extras:

actionhac
Post Laureate

Reged: 08/09/08

Loc: WA

Re: Company Seven Unitron 114 new

[Re: actionhac]
#5552249 - 12/03/12 03:15 PM Attachment (21 downloads)

Plastic knob (1 only on model 114) and italic print

Post Extras:

starman876
Carpal Tunnel

Reged: 04/28/08

Loc: VA

Re: Company Seven Unitron 114 new

[Re: starman876]
#5552251 - 12/03/12 03:15 PM

By the way. That 114 mount I would say is a later one. I do not know when they started using plastic knobs, but the earlier mounts had metal knobs.

Post Extras:

actionhac
Post Laureate

Reged: 08/09/08

Loc: WA

Re: Company Seven Unitron 114 new

[Re: starman876]
#5552273 - 12/03/12 03:28 PM

For the focusers Unitron transitioned from precision machined aluminum to the attractive yet durable plastic knobs 1959-61.
I can't find anything for mount knobs.

Robert

Post Extras:

actionhac
Post Laureate

Reged: 08/09/08

Loc: WA

Re: Company Seven Unitron 114 new

[Re: actionhac]
#5552312 - 12/03/12 03:46 PM Attachment (21 downloads)

Altitude lock lever round rather than butterfly

Post Extras:

greju
Carpal Tunnel

Reged: 10/13/05

Re: Company Seven Unitron 114 new

[Re: actionhac]
#5552320 - 12/03/12 03:52 PM Attachment (24 downloads)

Love those leather handles. Says 50's to me. And the cork is pure genius!

Post Extras:

JonH
super member

Reged: 04/07/12

Loc: Brisbane Australia

Re: Company Seven Unitron 114-plastic focusers new

[Re: greju]
#5552556 - 12/03/12 06:30 PM

The plastic focuser issue is a bit deceptive. I have a 1955 Polarex in original condition that has a plastic focuser knob. I think it's like the Neanderthals - plastic and metal focusers coexisted for a while.

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actionhac
Post Laureate

Reged: 08/09/08

Loc: WA

Re: Company Seven Unitron 114-plastic focusers new

[Re: JonH]
#5552736 - 12/03/12 08:13 PM

Here is a 114 from Oct. 1966:
http://www.chesmontastro.org/node/8462

Robert

Post Extras:

starman876
Carpal Tunnel

Reged: 04/28/08

Loc: VA

Re: Company Seven Unitron 114-plastic focusers new

[Re: actionhac]
#5552821 - 12/03/12 09:02 PM

I have an original catalog from 1958 that shows the knobs are metal.

Post Extras:

greju
Carpal Tunnel

Reged: 10/13/05

Re: Company Seven Unitron 114 new

[Re: actionhac]
#5553073 - 12/03/12 11:12 PM

You might need to step down one size.

http://yumarin7.sakura.ne.jp/telbbsp/img/7504_1.jpg

Post Extras:

actionhac
Post Laureate

Reged: 08/09/08

Loc: WA

Re: Company Seven Unitron 114 new

[Re: greju]
#5553217 - 12/04/12 01:14 AM Attachment (19 downloads)

Yes a C90 would be a walk in the park.
I was having pretty good luck with the C5 and a camera tripod with fluid head, but I needed slo-motion controls to reduce the hairy job of unlocking the clutches to track.
A small equatorial would be safer. I did try this:

Post Extras:

strdst
Post Laureate

Reged: 03/23/08

Loc: Oregon Territory

Re: Company Seven Unitron 114 new

[Re: actionhac]
#5553251 - 12/04/12 02:14 AM

I have one Uni. All metal 62mm on the focuser..1954ish maybe 1955. I have a 1957 Goto which is the mirror image. Even the one focus knob is on opposite side.

Post Extras:

starman876
Carpal Tunnel

Reged: 04/28/08

Loc: VA

Re: Company Seven Unitron 114 new

[Re: strdst]
#5553526 - 12/04/12 08:26 AM Attachment (23 downloads)

You should try this instead. Much easier

Post Extras:

actionhac
Post Laureate

Reged: 08/09/08

Loc: WA

Re: Company Seven Unitron 114 new

[Re: starman876]
#5553753 - 12/04/12 10:58 AM

I've never looked thru a Questar.
You know your right I should try one.

Robert

Post Extras:

actionhac
Post Laureate

Reged: 08/09/08

Loc: WA

Re: Company Seven Unitron 114 new

[Re: actionhac]
#5553771 - 12/04/12 11:14 AM

Keith I'm absolutely stunned you only have one Unitron!
I'm not kidding, I felt my jaw drop when I read that.
I have seen pictures of it and it's a beauty. That is the bolt-on-tube, brass looking cell scope you have?
You should post a picture here if you have one handy. Its the oldest one I've ever seen.
What am I talking about I only have one complete Unitron myself!
My entire crazy collection of telescopes contains only one and a half Unitrons.

Robert

Post Extras:

starman876
Carpal Tunnel

Reged: 04/28/08

Loc: VA

Re: Company Seven Unitron 114 new

[Re: actionhac]
#5553813 - 12/04/12 11:38 AM

Only one Unitron

Post Extras:

greju
Carpal Tunnel

Reged: 10/13/05

Re: Company Seven Unitron 114 new

[Re: actionhac]
#5554053 - 12/04/12 01:59 PM

Like Keith I also have only one Unitron, and there is a reason for that.

Have viewed thru many and while a beautifull looking package not my cup of tea.

Post Extras:

sgorton99
Carpal Tunnel

Reged: 04/30/08

Loc: Wisconsin, Madison

Re: Company Seven Unitron 114 new

[Re: greju]
#5554383 - 12/04/12 06:16 PM

Quote:

Like Keith I also have only one Unitron, and there is a reason for that. Have viewed thru many and while a beautifull looking package not my cup of tea.

I just have one as well: one 4", one 3", one 2.4", and one 1.6"

Post Extras:

terraclarke
Pooh-Bah

Reged: 05/29/12

Loc: Over the river and thru the wo...

Re: Company Seven Unitron 114 new

[Re: sgorton99]
#5554406 - 12/04/12 06:32 PM

I've thought of doing the same thing with my extra 114 mount and my Lomo Astele 95.

Post Extras:

starman876
Carpal Tunnel

Reged: 04/28/08

Loc: VA

Re: Company Seven Unitron 114 new

[Re: terraclarke]
#5554563 - 12/04/12 08:10 PM

I will tell you the ones I do not have. The 5" and 6" Unitrons.

Post Extras:

actionhac
Post Laureate

Reged: 08/09/08

Loc: WA

Re: Company Seven Unitron 114 new

[Re: terraclarke]
#5554597 - 12/04/12 08:30 PM

If you pay attention the 114 alt-az is fine.
It is similar to tightrope walking.
A long optical tube is slow to react, like the walker when using a balance pole, like the Unitron f15 OTA.
A short optical tube reacts very fast just like a rope walker doing it freehand.

Robert

Post Extras:

terraclarke
Pooh-Bah

Reged: 05/29/12

Loc: Over the river and thru the wo...

Re: Company Seven Unitron 114 new

[Re: actionhac]
#5560649 - 12/08/12 10:41 AM

On second thought, I'll keep my Lomo Astele on the Vixen Porta Mount. That telescope is built like a Russian Tank and It balances flawlessly on that.

Post Extras:

terraclarke
Pooh-Bah

Reged: 05/29/12

Loc: Over the river and thru the wo...

Re: Company Seven Unitron 114 new

[Re: terraclarke]
#5560666 - 12/08/12 10:50 AM

My extra 114 mount has much wider thingies on the mount's base that the tripod legs bolt to (for lack of a better term) than the 114 that I purchased recently as a complete outfit. They are about 2 inches wide as opposed to the other one (about 1 inch wide). It also seems a smidge bigger and has a bit more stainless steel (the slo-mo knobs are still black plastic however). It was sold to me as a 114 mount but it seem designed for a bigger scope. Any thoughts?

Post Extras:

sgorton99
Carpal Tunnel

Reged: 04/30/08

Loc: Wisconsin, Madison

Re: Company Seven Unitron 114 new

[Re: terraclarke]
#5560703 - 12/08/12 11:13 AM Attachment (10 downloads)

Could it be from a 3" Unitron?

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terraclarke
Pooh-Bah

Reged: 05/29/12

Loc: Over the river and thru the wo...

Re: Company Seven Unitron 114 new

[Re: sgorton99]
#5560799 - 12/08/12 12:20 PM

It might, I'll post pics of them both.

Post Extras:

terraclarke
Pooh-Bah

Reged: 05/29/12

Loc: Over the river and thru the wo...

Company Seven Unitron 114- a tale of two mounts new

[Re: terraclarke]
#5560802 - 12/08/12 12:22 PM Attachment (10 downloads)

Here is a detail of my #114 Alt-Az mount. This one is from what I call my complete outfit, as it came the original box with the original paperwork.

Edited by terraclarke (12/08/12 12:30 PM)

Post Extras:

terraclarke
Pooh-Bah

Reged: 05/29/12

Loc: Over the river and thru the wo...

Re: Company Seven Unitron 114- a tale of two mounts new

[Re: terraclarke]
#5560807 - 12/08/12 12:25 PM Attachment (10 downloads)

Here is another of the same mount with ruler.

Edited by terraclarke (12/08/12 12:31 PM)

Post Extras:

terraclarke
Pooh-Bah

Reged: 05/29/12

Loc: Over the river and thru the wo...

Re: Company Seven Unitron 114- a tale of two mounts new

[Re: terraclarke]
#5560809 - 12/08/12 12:27 PM Attachment (9 downloads)

Here is the mount I bought separately off of eBay. It is in beautiful condition and works wonderfully, but the base "thingies" are wider.

Edited by terraclarke (12/08/12 12:32 PM)

Post Extras:

terraclarke
Pooh-Bah

Reged: 05/29/12

Loc: Over the river and thru the wo...

Re: Company Seven Unitron 114- a tale of two mounts new

[Re: terraclarke]
#5560813 - 12/08/12 12:27 PM Attachment (8 downloads)

One more of that one with ruler.

Edited by terraclarke (12/08/12 12:32 PM)

Post Extras:

strdst
Post Laureate

Reged: 03/23/08

Loc: Oregon Territory

Re: Company Seven Unitron 114 new

[Re: actionhac]
#5560989 - 12/08/12 02:38 PM Attachment (6 downloads)

Quote:

Keith I'm absolutely stunned you only have one Unitron!
I'm not kidding, I felt my jaw drop when I read that.
I have seen pictures of it and it's a beauty. That is the bolt-on-tube, brass looking cell scope you have?
You should post a picture here if you have one handy. Its the oldest one I've ever seen.
What am I talking about I only have one complete Unitron myself!
My entire crazy collection of telescopes contains only one and a half Unitrons.

Robert

Can't afford any more

But I sure like the one that I have!

I will attempt to post "A" picture but I doubt that's possible...

Post Extras:

strdst
Post Laureate

Reged: 03/23/08

Loc: Oregon Territory

Re: Company Seven Unitron 114 new

[Re: strdst]
#5560993 - 12/08/12 02:40 PM Attachment (8 downloads)

Hmmm, I KNEW IT!

Post Extras:

strdst
Post Laureate

Reged: 03/23/08

Loc: Oregon Territory

Re: Company Seven Unitron 114 new

[Re: strdst]
#5560996 - 12/08/12 02:42 PM Attachment (9 downloads)

just not possible.

Post Extras:

greju
Carpal Tunnel

Reged: 10/13/05

Re: Company Seven Unitron 114 new

[Re: strdst]
#5561000 - 12/08/12 02:47 PM

Nice knobs!

Post Extras:

starman876
Carpal Tunnel

Reged: 04/28/08

Loc: VA

Re: Company Seven Unitron 114 new

[Re: greju]
#5561008 - 12/08/12 02:52 PM

Those are nice knobs.

Post Extras:

starman876
Carpal Tunnel

Reged: 04/28/08

Loc: VA

Re: Company Seven Unitron 114 new

[Re: strdst]
#5561013 - 12/08/12 02:54 PM

I have some cells without any writing on them. Wonder what year these were made. No lettering, straight lettering, italic lettering. Phases in Unitron.

Post Extras:

starman876
Carpal Tunnel

Reged: 04/28/08

Loc: VA

Re: Company Seven Unitron 114 new

[Re: sgorton99]
#5561021 - 12/08/12 02:58 PM

There is a difference in size between the 114 mount and the 142 mount. Big difference for the 152 mount. All unitron mounts were significantly different in size from one model to the other. Even the mounts for the smaller 50 and 40mm were smaller then the 114 mount.

Post Extras:

sgorton99
Carpal Tunnel

Reged: 04/30/08

Loc: Wisconsin, Madison

Re: Company Seven Unitron 114 new

[Re: starman876]
#5561030 - 12/08/12 03:06 PM Attachment (6 downloads)

Yep - 42mm Unitron 127.

Post Extras:

actionhac
Post Laureate

Reged: 08/09/08

Loc: WA

Re: Company Seven Unitron 114 new

[Re: sgorton99]
#5561079 - 12/08/12 03:34 PM

Wow neat scopes. I love those metal knobs.
It's amazing Unitron was here in the USA way back in the early 1950's.
We were really into the solar system and watching crops grow on Mars right about then.
And we made some super good sci-fi movies like "Forbidden Planet" and "The Day The Earth Stood Still".
Then Sputnik and all of a sudden space became a serious topic. Sputnik transmitted for 22 days! until the batteries ran out. Wow how cool.
Duck and cover!

Robert

Post Extras:

starman876
Carpal Tunnel

Reged: 04/28/08

Loc: VA

Re: Company Seven Unitron 114 new

[Re: actionhac]
#5561337 - 12/08/12 06:57 PM

I got a ton of those metal knobs. I think the ones I have were only meant for focusers. Like them much better then the plastic ones. One thing I have found out is that they changed the pitch of the threads on some of the fccuser pinions on some models depending on year made. What a surprise. Never thought they would do that

Post Extras:

starman876
Carpal Tunnel

Reged: 04/28/08

Loc: VA

Re: Company Seven Unitron 114- a tale of two mounts new

[Re: terraclarke]
#5561342 - 12/08/12 06:59 PM

you need some real unitron legs for that mount

Post Extras:

terraclarke
Pooh-Bah

Reged: 05/29/12

Loc: Over the river and thru the wo...

Re: Company Seven Unitron 114- a tale of two mounts new

[Re: starman876]
#5562895 - 12/09/12 06:17 PM

I know, but I went with what I had. They are hard wood, sturdy and adjustable, and the mount isn't holding a unitron scope but an old but very good Mayflower ota. The legs btw came off of a Monolux. I call that scope my Frankenmaytronlux

Edited by terraclarke (12/09/12 07:44 PM)

Post Extras:

terraclarke
Pooh-Bah

Reged: 05/29/12

Loc: Over the river and thru the wo...

Re: Company Seven Unitron 114- a tale of two mounts new

[Re: terraclarke]
#5562913 - 12/09/12 06:28 PM

Fear not though, I also have a totally intact pristine Uni #114

Post Extras:

terraclarke
Pooh-Bah

Reged: 05/29/12

Loc: Over the river and thru the wo...

Re: Company Seven Unitron 114- a tale of two mounts *DELETED* new

[Re: terraclarke]
#5562914 - 12/09/12 06:28 PM

Post deleted by terraclarke

Post Extras:

starman876
Carpal Tunnel

Reged: 04/28/08

Loc: VA

Re: Company Seven Unitron 114- a tale of two mounts new

[Re: terraclarke]
#5562986 - 12/09/12 07:03 PM

come on, tell us one more time

Post Extras:

terraclarke
Pooh-Bah

Reged: 05/29/12

Loc: Over the river and thru the wo...

Re: Company Seven Unitron 114- a tale of two mounts new

[Re: starman876]
#5563043 - 12/09/12 07:45 PM

Darned iPad touch screen

Post Extras:

terraclarke
Pooh-Bah

Reged: 05/29/12

Loc: Over the river and thru the wo...

Re: Company Seven Unitron 114- a tale of two mounts new

[Re: terraclarke]
#5563051 - 12/09/12 07:50 PM

And Robert, don't forget The Thing From Another World and Invasion of the Body Snatchers ( the 50s originals of course). Those are my favorites. Sorry about being off topic

Post Extras:

actionhac
Post Laureate

Reged: 08/09/08

Loc: WA

Re: Company Seven Unitron 114- a tale of two mounts new

[Re: terraclarke]
#5563190 - 12/09/12 09:38 PM

Oh yes those are great too.
There were definitely some that stood out. And I almost forgot The Blob with Steve McQueen, truly excellent.

Robert

Post Extras:

actionhac
Post Laureate

Reged: 08/09/08

Loc: WA

Re: Company Seven Unitron 114 new

[Re: actionhac]
#5784175 - 04/07/13 04:04 PM

The company 7 Unitron 114,
would somewhere between 1960ish (transition from metal to Bakelite focuser knobs) and 1965 (end of saw cut tubes & accessories) be a safe guess???
http://www.company7.com/library/unitron/unitron_114.html

Robert

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