Click here if you are having trouble logging into the forums
Privacy Policy |
Please read our Terms
of Service | Signup and
Troubleshooting FAQ | Problems? PM a Red or a Green Gu.... uh, User
woodsman
Pooh-Bah
Reged: 03/12/08
Posts: 1079
Loc: Colorado Springs, CO
|
|
Wow, I just took another look at the original product. The difference is astounding. The brass wing nuts look great. I always wonder why they plate brass so often, I suppose the plating keeps it from tarnishing, but the brass really looks better to me.
It also looks like the tripod legs didn't have any checking to them. If the metal bottom leg points turned out as good as everything else seems to have, it should really look great.
--------------------
artisticwoods
C-14 Orange Tube, C-8, C-5, C-90 Astro Model, C8 Schmidt Camera 8" f1.5, C5.5 Schmidt Camera f1.65, SPI 42mm f/19 Refractor, Sears 90mm f/15.56 Ref, Sears 80mm f/15 Ref, Swift 77mm f/13 Model 831, Scope 60mm f/11.7, Sears 50mm f/12
Unitron Model 140 75mm/1200mm, Unitron model 128 60mm/900mm
|
Happy-Idiot
Carpal Tunnel
Reged: 04/06/06
Posts: 2836
Loc: 3rd Rock
|
|
Thanks Otto and John. 
Rich, you just hit on a bad point of the project. The metal points were in really bad condition. The rust mort agent and the body filler worked fine but the years of rust ran into the wood. It is hard to differentiate between the metal and the wood because the wood turned black on the border line. It will end up looking like a shabby paint job so i will have to come up with a solution. Im not too worried. I will post pictures tomorrow and you can see for yourself.
Rich, thanks for the tips i will be sure to wet sand with the 600 grit as you mentioned on the last coat. 
Below is a side by side before and after of the wing nuts.
Edited by Happy-Idiot (11/01/09 10:23 PM)
|
Happy-Idiot
Carpal Tunnel
Reged: 04/06/06
Posts: 2836
Loc: 3rd Rock
|
|
Quote:
Rich, you just hit on a bad point of the project. The metal points were in really bad condition. The rust mort agent and the body filler worked fine but the years of rust ran into the wood. It is hard to differentiate between the metal and the wood because the wood turned black on the border line. It will end up looking like a shabby paint job so i will have to come up with a solution.
Here is a picture of the black stain, it looks like burnt wood,it is impossible to sand out. This is only one of many areas bordering the spikes, but i am still happy with the results. Considering that where the spikes meet the wood is the worst affected area, almost at the point of scraping the legs, another few years and the checks would have splintered too much. Remember this is where the legs were driven into the sand/salt of the beach. Which caused the metal to rust and bleed into the wood. If it bothers me too much(which it doesn't)i will paint a thin black or red band above the spikes covering the stain. But so far i am OK with it, it justs adds to the character of the tripod. Hell, i am far from a perfectionist, i am a "Get er done" and get it over with type of guy.
Very little body filler was needed on the spikes, it was mostly sanding,rust mort, few coats of primer, and a few coats of paint.
|
Happy-Idiot
Carpal Tunnel
Reged: 04/06/06
Posts: 2836
Loc: 3rd Rock
|
|
If any of you 339 owners are reading this you will recognize these guide rings. These are mounted half way up sandwiched between the upper legs, the doweled lower legs slide into them to keep the legs alligned in position.
As i mentioned before the screws that kept these aluminum rings in place were made of brass and over time the two metals reacted in some galvanic corrosion and welded together. I snapped all six upon removal, so i filed the remainder of the broken screws flush with the ring and drilled new holes next to the failed screws.
--------------------
Brian
A small scope that gets used often is a better investment than a big scope that stays in the closet.
Unitrons, you spend more time looking at them than you do through them.
|
Happy-Idiot
Carpal Tunnel
Reged: 04/06/06
Posts: 2836
Loc: 3rd Rock
|
|
Then i tapped the hole with my old junk tap and die set (also classic) 
--------------------
Brian
A small scope that gets used often is a better investment than a big scope that stays in the closet.
Unitrons, you spend more time looking at them than you do through them.
|
Happy-Idiot
Carpal Tunnel
Reged: 04/06/06
Posts: 2836
Loc: 3rd Rock
|
|
I will clean up the rings because they look like they have been through a war. I will paint the outside of them black leaving the inside alone so not to have any unwanted paint rub off onto the lower legs when the slide in and out.
BTW Rich where are the photos of your Cassegrain case? Maybe a new post is in order? I can't wait to see your craftsmanship again, i have seen it before and i know we are in for a treat. 
--------------------
Brian
A small scope that gets used often is a better investment than a big scope that stays in the closet.
Unitrons, you spend more time looking at them than you do through them.
|
akman1955
sage
Reged: 09/07/09
Posts: 379
Loc: Alaska, USA
|
|
 Great Job brian!! We are watching ..so keep it coming and the red ring around stain is good ideal but like you said the stain add's character, so do what you think is good for you. Thanks, john  i'am a leg man myself but like it all 
|
|
5 registered and 2 anonymous users are browsing this forum.
Moderator: RLTYS, Glassthrower, Clive Gibbons
Print Thread
|
Forum Permissions
You cannot start new topics
You cannot reply to topics
HTML is disabled
UBBCode is enabled
|
Thread views: 310
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Previous
Index
Next
Threaded
[Re: 
Edit
Reply
Quote
