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Equipment Discussions >> Classic Telescopes

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CHASLX200
Post Laureate

Reged: 09/29/07

Loc: Tampa area Florida

Re: Star Instruments 6" f/4 on Edmund mount... [Re: amicus sidera]
#5732650 - 03/14/13 05:55 PM

Quote:

Anyone remember Star Instruments, out in Irvine, California? I recall them from the late 1970's. Here's what appears to be one of their 6" f/4 OTA's on a late 70's/early 80's Edmund Scientific medium-duty GEM:

Boston, MA CL

I sure do. That was another nitmare story. Back in Oct of 78 at age 15 i ordered a 6" RFT from them, tooks many weeks to get it, and when i did get it, the 2ndary and holder worked loose from the spider and chipped the 2ndary and main mirror. I had to send it back for another one. The main mirror was held in place by a center bolt.

Chas

Post Extras:

*skyguy*
Pooh-Bah

Reged: 12/31/08

Loc: Western New York

Re: Star Instruments 6" f/4 on Edmund mount... [Re: CHASLX200]
#5732713 - 03/14/13 06:42 PM

Quote:

Quote:

Anyone remember Star Instruments, out in Irvine, California? I recall them from the late 1970's. Here's what appears to be one of their 6" f/4 OTA's on a late 70's/early 80's Edmund Scientific medium-duty GEM:

Boston, MA CL

I sure do. That was another nitmare story. Back in Oct of 78 at age 15 i ordered a 6" RFT from them, tooks many weeks to get it, and when i did get it, the 2ndary and holder worked loose from the spider and chipped the 2ndary and main mirror. I had to send it back for another one. The main mirror was held in place by a center bolt.

Chas

Paul Jones from Star Instruments made a 26" f/4.45 mirror for me back in 1985. The mirror was 1.5" thick and it also had a center hole that was used to mount the mirror. It made a great "light bucket", but ... not surprisingly ... it fell a little short at high powers. The pyrex mirror blank was purchased as "surplus" from Kodak for $200 and Paul Jones ground and figured the mirror for $2000. All told, $2200 for a 26" mirror was a great bargain ... even in 1985!

Post Extras:

CHASLX200
Post Laureate

Reged: 09/29/07

Loc: Tampa area Florida

Re: Star Instruments 6" f/4 on Edmund mount... [Re: *skyguy*]
#5732735 - 03/14/13 06:55 PM

I would think a center bolt would pinch the optics somewhat.

Chas

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tim53
Postmaster

Reged: 12/17/04

Loc: Highland Park, CA

Re: Wray [Re: terraclarke]
#5732842 - 03/14/13 07:55 PM

Quote:

Wow, that is cool. Not 5800 bucks worth of cool, at least not for me, but it is a neat telescope.

One or two K would be my reckoning. I have a Bardou without the tripod (and with either a chip or a "decementation" going on, and I paid less than $300 for it).

-Tim

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tim53
Postmaster

Reged: 12/17/04

Loc: Highland Park, CA

Re: Wray [Re: actionhac]
#5732849 - 03/14/13 07:59 PM

Quote:

It should be 90 inches but I've got to measure it.
Yes its very nice looking but it does have a few clamchips.
It seems odd to be what appears to be a ancient mirror but so thin, I don't know how long thin mirrors have been around but I thought it was only since the 60's with John Dobson and porthole glass.
It has me completely baffled because it looks like a manufactured mirror blank, the way its edged.
A thought I heard glass can turn blue from the mineral impurities, possibly it could be a porthole I don't know.

I just measured 92.5" which makes it a 15"f6.2 holy swiss on rye batman. I wish I had a way to test it. At least I think its a telescope mirror and not a Searchlight reflector!

Robert

My guess would be that it's plate glass from the 80s. Who put center rings on their mirrors before then?

-Tim.

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actionhac
Post Laureate

Reged: 08/09/08

Loc: WA

Re: Wray [Re: tim53]
#5733025 - 03/14/13 09:25 PM

I guess when I think about it the 80's were 30 years ago. It could look very old and be from the 80's.
Also the more I think about the thickness I'm getting worried that it may not have a very good figure. I don't know how anyone could grind and figure such a thin piece of glass without it moving and flexing from the pressure of the tools.
Well, I need to test it and find out. I think I'll build a "reflector on a stick" and see.

Robert

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terraclarke
Pooh-Bah

Reged: 05/29/12

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

Re: Wray [Re: actionhac]
#5733125 - 03/14/13 10:15 PM

When I ground my 6 inch mirror (from an Edmund Sci. kit) back in the mid 60s for a school science project, the tool was green plate glass, and as I remember around 5/8 inch thick, but the blank was clear Pyrex and about 1 and 1/4 inch thick- for only a 6 inch dia. mind you.

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Mirzam
Post Laureate

Reged: 04/01/08

Loc: Lovettsville, VA

Re: Wray [Re: actionhac]
#5733153 - 03/14/13 10:30 PM

For certain it will need a floatation cell to ensure that the mirror does not warp under its own weight.

For testing, try pointing it straight up with the mirror resting on bubble wrap.

JimC

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actionhac
Post Laureate

Reged: 08/09/08

Loc: WA

Re: Wray [Re: Mirzam]
#5734081 - 03/15/13 12:50 PM

Good idea the bubble wrap. In fact I may be even try incorporating it into the permanent cell.

Robert

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dgreyson
sage

Reged: 11/06/12

Loc: South Carolina

Re: Wray [Re: terraclarke]
#5734200 - 03/15/13 02:05 PM

I ground a 10" mirror from an Edmund kit and they sent two full sized pyrex blanks saying "pick one for the tool". Those were both thick clear pyrex. Wish I had kept up with that tool, but never thought it was anything special at the time.

Common Soda-lime glass is clear when thin and gets greenish when thick as in Coca cola bottles etc. Blueish glass usually has some cobalt in it, going to deep blue if potash is also in it. Dont think portholes were intentionally blue but can't swear to it. maybe they just got a good deal on a lot of surplus colored structural plate glass used on buildings and cut it into mirror blanks.

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bob midiri
Carpal Tunnel

Reged: 06/17/04

Loc: pa 19320

Re: Wray [Re: tim53]
#5734291 - 03/15/13 03:02 PM

Hi there is a Tasco 76.2 mm FL 1200m w 3 eyepieces and wooden box at an estate sale today and tomorrow in Annapolis. The owner wants $350 in case anyone is interested. http:// annapolis.craigslist.org/for/3681887640.html

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bob midiri
Carpal Tunnel

Reged: 06/17/04

Loc: pa 19320

Tasco 10TE in Annapolis? [Re: bob midiri]
#5734297 - 03/15/13 03:05 PM Attachment (16 downloads)

He also sent me a picture

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Stargoat
super member

Reged: 04/10/05

Loc: Illinois

Goodwill Vintage Telescope Stand new

[Re: bob midiri]
#5736170 - 03/16/13 12:22 PM

This telescope stand looks similar to the ones sold on late 50's or early 60's 40x60mm scopes by Selsi and other makers.

See http://www.shopgoodwill.com/viewItem.asp?ItemID=12708408

Stephen

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snork
super member

Reged: 01/27/12

Loc: NE Ohio

Re: Goodwill Vintage Telescope Stand [Re: Stargoat]
#5737209 - 03/16/13 08:40 PM

...and it's just the ota??
http://www.ebay.com/itm/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=140933558184&i...

Post Extras:

gelkin
scholastic sledgehammer

Reged: 09/22/10

Loc: Western, MD.

Re: Goodwill Vintage Telescope Stand [Re: snork]
#5737265 - 03/16/13 09:03 PM

Quote:

...and it's just the ota??
http://www.ebay.com/itm/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=140933558184&i...

I'll sell a complete De Luxe for half.

Thats just crazy. No just un-educated.

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Ruimteman
member

Reged: 04/03/12

Loc: Tokyo

Something unusual from Japan [Re: snork]
#5737269 - 03/16/13 09:03 PM

http://page16.auctions.yahoo.co.jp/jp/auction/u46200207

I must warn though, "Too, you're just hoarding personally, I feel is too good."

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amicus sidera
Carpal Tunnel

Reged: 10/14/11

Loc: East of the Sun, West of the M...

Re: Goodwill Vintage Telescope Stand [Re: snork]
#5737400 - 03/16/13 09:37 PM

If memory serves, about six months ago one of these 8" Criterions up in New England, in decent condition with an original mount, sold for around $350.

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snork
super member

Reged: 01/27/12

Loc: NE Ohio

Re: Goodwill Vintage Telescope Stand [Re: gelkin]
#5737408 - 03/16/13 09:39 PM

Quote:

Quote:

...and it's just the ota??
http://www.ebay.com/itm/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=140933558184&i...

I'll sell a complete De Luxe for half. Thats just crazy. No just un-educated.