Bob Myler
sage
Reged: 05/18/06
Posts: 224
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Thursday evening, the family CFO sent our son and I out to purchase a used 5kw generator. As part of a package deal, we picked up a "coffin" large enough to intern a 7 foot NBA center - and just as heavy.
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Bob Myler
sage
Reged: 05/18/06
Posts: 224
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The previous owner bought this long-focus reflector in 1972, off of the widow of the man who purchased it new. Not sure of its age (50's? / 60's?). It has been sealed - untouched - in this sized-to-fit container for the last 15 years. The OTA has a grey textured finish and - considering its age - appears to be in very good condition.
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Steve_M_M
scholastic sledgehammer
Reged: 06/09/04
Posts: 976
Loc: Moorpark, CA
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Wow! What a find. Should be in the top 5 for this year.
I am REALLY jealous.
Steve
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1956 Goto Optical 6" f15 Observatory Refractor
From the Titan Observatory as featured in S&T 1957-1959
&
1961 Nishimura 6" Reflector
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Telescopeman54
Vendor - Trapezium Telescopes & Services, LLC.
Reged: 08/17/07
Posts: 1541
Loc: New Hampshire
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OMG!!!
What about the mount?
Steve
--------------------
Stephen Forbes - President
Trapezium Telescopes & Services, LLC
61 Valhalla Farm Road
Hillsboro, NH 03244
Web: http://TrapeziumTelescopes.com
Email: Stephen.Forbes@TrapeziumTelescopes.com
Phone: 1.603.325.0619
6" f/15 Jaegers refractor on GOTO GEM
5.1" f/8 Burgess on CG-5 w/ iOptron GOTONOVA
102mm f/7 refractor on iOptron Mini Tower
1975 Celestron Orange Tube C8 on Equatorial Mini Tower
1978 RV-6 on iOptron Mini Tower
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Bob Myler
sage
Reged: 05/18/06
Posts: 224
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The cast iron mount is the heavy duty version - with 20" rotating saddle - usually reserved for the 12.5" and 16" models. Due to long term storage, it is coated in dust. Any significant rust appears to be isolated to the pedestal. Haven't checked it out yet, but the previous owner tells me that the RA drive needs new (cork?) clutch(es). The slo-mo manual DEC control functions smoothly.
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Bob Myler
sage
Reged: 05/18/06
Posts: 224
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As part of the "package", I picked up an original set of five Criterion eyepieces, mint Criterion Reflex Solar Filter Cell (a device that looks like a barlow, but positions the sun filter an inch or two further in from the focal point), a Criterion alignment eyepiece, Criterion E-6 Driver Corrector with remote hand box, "Dyn-O-Swing" camera support with extremely smooth helical R&P, five extra tube weights to counterpoise the ota, two extra very nice 55mm rings, a spirit leveler for the mount, and a cardboard box of miscellaneous parts.
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Bob Myler
sage
Reged: 05/18/06
Posts: 224
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Close-up of the five Criterion eyepieces, "solar barlow", and 1 1/4" alignment eyepiece...
Folks, I promised the man I purchased this from - that this telescope would see light again. It really needs and deserves a permanent mounting. Currently, I'm building an 8' round-base Exploradome for a 5" AP Starfire. I've always wanted a long focal length reflector, but this project will just have to wait until next year. The question for me now is: - should I just "clean it and use it"? - or attempt to restore everything to its previous glory?
Any advice from the Classic Telescope Group would be greatly appreciated!
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pbealo
super member
Reged: 10/12/06
Posts: 126
Loc: New Hampshire
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I'd come down on clean-it-up-and-use. BUT be careful with the solar thing...
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PeterB
15" fecker cass
12" Fecker cass
6" Fecker Celestar
4" Fecker Celestar
4"/4" dual tube Brashear
Porter Garden telescope
3.5" Mogey
Quantum 6
Quantum 4
6" AP Starfire
misc. smaller stuff
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tim53
Pooh-Bah
Reged: 12/17/04
Posts: 1458
Loc: Highland Park, CA
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My god!
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"We`re just waiting looking skyward as the days come down.
Someone promised there`d be answers, if we stayed around."
-Orchestral Maneuvers in the Dark, "The Romance of the Telescope"
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mikey cee
Post Laureate
Reged: 01/18/07
Posts: 3530
Loc: bellevue ne.
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Bob great catch. I'd definitely refurbish it. Because the longer you wait the harder it will be to get off dead center. Your son can help...a father and son project. 
Mike
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7x35 and 10x50 sears tower binocs, 3" f/10 edmunds reflector, 2.4" f/11.7 manon refractor, 6" f/8 jaegers refractor, "The 8 Ball" 8" f/13.3 brandt refractor, 3" f/15.8 sans&streiffe refractor, 3.1" f/15 selsi refractor(towa 339), 2.4" f/15 sears refractor, selsi 30x30mm spyglass, criterion 5-draw 25x45x75x spyglass(1957), 4.25" f/14.8 tasco 20te.
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actionhac
professor emeritus
Reged: 08/09/08
Posts: 735
Loc: WA
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O'boy, now that will be fun. If the same company made the mirrors for that one as in the RV-6 you should have a medic nearby at first light. Fantastic.
Robert
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Lew Chilton
Pooh-Bah
Reged: 10/20/05
Posts: 1022
Loc: SoCal
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Those eyepieces look like the Criterion version of the Gailand line of eyepieces sold by Telescopics. If so, they're among the best orthos of their era - and it looks to be the whole set!
What a beautiful telescope! I'll be drooling on my pillow tonite while dreaming about Dynascopes. 
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I don't get no respect, but my scopes do! 
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1961 Swift 60mm model 839 (2); 2003 TV-102/GM-8; 1959 8" f/6 Treckerscope; 1959 8" f/7.4 Murray Scope; 1959 Fecker Celestar-4; 1978 4" Edmund Astroscan; c. 1986 4-inch Celestron-Vixen SP-C102; c. 1950 20X60 Saturn spotting scope; 1963 7X50 Nippon Kogaku binoculars; Unitron #114 alt-az mount (Swifty-tron)
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albert1
Pooh-Bah
Reged: 01/01/07
Posts: 1371
Loc: Northern New Jersey
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Quote:
O'boy, now that will be fun. If the same company made the mirrors for that one as in the RV-6 you should have a medic nearby at first light. Fantastic.
Robert
Looks like that may even be the original crate. What a find. When I picked up my used generator all I got was a coffee. It was a great cup of coffee though.
Congradulations. I'd start with a cleanup and use it while considering the restore.
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Albert
1 Great 'ole Newt
6 Good 'ole Newts
3 Great 'ole Cats
1 Lousy 'ole Newt
One of these days I'll try a Refractor better than my 90mm finderscope
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BarabinoSr
sage
Reged: 11/17/05
Posts: 328
Loc: Slidell La
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Bob,that's truly one of the classics!Great acquisition.I've only seen or heard of a couple of 8" Dynascopes that appeared on various sites,but I think this scope is a rare one.The OTA is in great shape also.Can you get us a pic of the optics?Gary(G )
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12"GSO f/5.3" Newtonian Reflector 10" Meade LX-50 Fork Mounted Schmidt-Cassegrain
8" Hardin f/6 Newtonian reflector
6" Konus f/8 Refractor,Yulin 5"f/9 refractor,
4.5"TASCO Luminova f/9 Newtonian Reflector 4.5"TASCO 11TR(Lunagrosso) Red reflector
90mm Meade f/11 refractor,Tasco 10TE 76mm 1200mm f/l Refractor
60mm TASCO 7TE-5 1000mm f/16.7 Refractor 60mm TASCO 9TE 700mm f/l refractor
60mm TASCO 9TE-0 710mm f/l Refractor 50mm-TASCO 6TE-5 600mm f/l Refractor
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Telescopeman54
Vendor - Trapezium Telescopes & Services, LLC.
Reged: 08/17/07
Posts: 1541
Loc: New Hampshire
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That scope is VERY RARE! You got the entire set up! I'm insanely jealous! It certainly deserves to be fully restored to factory condidion. This is the first one that I have ever seen. Until today, I had no idea that it was actually produced! I remember seeing the ads in the catalog and S&T, but, it was strictly a made to order item.
I also have only seen a few of the 8" models mentioned/sold. Unless someone can tell us otherwise, you MAY have the only one ever made! At least, it's the only one that I have ever heard of being made.
I am certain that the optics are from the same house as the other Criterion OTAs. I agree that you may wish to have paramedics on standby when you give it first light.
By all means PLEASE keep us all informed of your progress.
CS
Steve
--------------------
Stephen Forbes - President
Trapezium Telescopes & Services, LLC
61 Valhalla Farm Road
Hillsboro, NH 03244
Web: http://TrapeziumTelescopes.com
Email: Stephen.Forbes@TrapeziumTelescopes.com
Phone: 1.603.325.0619
6" f/15 Jaegers refractor on GOTO GEM
5.1" f/8 Burgess on CG-5 w/ iOptron GOTONOVA
102mm f/7 refractor on iOptron Mini Tower
1975 Celestron Orange Tube C8 on Equatorial Mini Tower
1978 RV-6 on iOptron Mini Tower
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CHASLX200
Carpal Tunnel
Reged: 09/29/07
Posts: 1812
Loc: Tampa area Florida
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I have both the 8" and 10" Dynascopes from the 50's and both had great optics.
Chas
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CHASLX200
Carpal Tunnel
Reged: 09/29/07
Posts: 1812
Loc: Tampa area Florida
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I meant to say i HAD both, as i sold them many years ago. They also made a 12.5" and a 16".
Chas
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actionhac
professor emeritus
Reged: 08/09/08
Posts: 735
Loc: WA
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What do you think the focal ratio is? and the secondary minor axis?
Probably could have custom ordered anything you wanted.
Sad to think that the "jack of all trades - master of none" put an end to these superb planetary behemoths.
Robert
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CHASLX200
Carpal Tunnel
Reged: 09/29/07
Posts: 1812
Loc: Tampa area Florida
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My 8 and 10" were F/8.
Chas
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wfj
sage
Reged: 01/10/08
Posts: 259
Loc: California, Santa Cruz County
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Quote:
What do you think the focal ratio is? and the secondary minor axis?
Probably could have custom ordered anything you wanted.
Sad to think that the "jack of all trades - master of none" put an end to these superb planetary behemoths.
Robert
No - technology changed the game. Aperture became more affordable, and dark sky became more elusive/distant.
Your dollar went to increasing mirror size first, which only gave back when you transported the scope to dark sky.
These behemoth's, a kind of dinosaur, were fixed monuments to owners. There aren't as many places for them as there once was. Like dinosaurs, we mourn the passing of their time.
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