gnowellsct
Pooh-Bah
Reged: 06/24/09
Posts: 1152
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After our long discussion of the mirror this is an anticlimax, but since I got a number of requests I'm posting this series of pictures. Here's things to look for, and things to make suggestions about:
1. Most obvious age effect is some paint peeling spots on the equatorial head. Any thoughts on how to cover them cosmetically?
2. The Japanese finder of unknown make. This is a very good quality finder. Somewhere between Vixen and Takahashi I'd say. It does not appear to be OEM unless someone says otherwise. Robert Provin around?
3. Light rust on the chrome of the counterweight shaft. Any remedies?
4. On the mirror cell shot you will see in the lower left some striae or swirls. The largest one corresponds to the one in the Foucault test. (we marked the position) So whatever it is, it goes all the way through the mirror.
5. Thoughts about the diagonal spider? It looks to be designed for good adjustment. Protostar probably not needed???
6. Mirror cell is good.
7. Pedestal (pier) and legs are in excellent shape; one light brown mark on rear of pedestal.
8. The OTA is in excellent shape.
Can't think of anything else right now.
regards
Greg N
--------------------
"Aperture will get you through times of no money better than money will get you through times of no aperture."
featuring selected astrojunk:
bunch o' widefield eyepieces
bunch o' narrowfield eyepieces
couple o' Barlows
couple o' scopes
couple o' mounts
couple o' tripods
and a pier 'n' stuff
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gnowellsct
Pooh-Bah
Reged: 06/24/09
Posts: 1152
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Shot #2
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"Aperture will get you through times of no money better than money will get you through times of no aperture."
featuring selected astrojunk:
bunch o' widefield eyepieces
bunch o' narrowfield eyepieces
couple o' Barlows
couple o' scopes
couple o' mounts
couple o' tripods
and a pier 'n' stuff
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gnowellsct
Pooh-Bah
Reged: 06/24/09
Posts: 1152
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Shot #3
--------------------
"Aperture will get you through times of no money better than money will get you through times of no aperture."
featuring selected astrojunk:
bunch o' widefield eyepieces
bunch o' narrowfield eyepieces
couple o' Barlows
couple o' scopes
couple o' mounts
couple o' tripods
and a pier 'n' stuff
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gnowellsct
Pooh-Bah
Reged: 06/24/09
Posts: 1152
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Shot #4
--------------------
"Aperture will get you through times of no money better than money will get you through times of no aperture."
featuring selected astrojunk:
bunch o' widefield eyepieces
bunch o' narrowfield eyepieces
couple o' Barlows
couple o' scopes
couple o' mounts
couple o' tripods
and a pier 'n' stuff
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gnowellsct
Pooh-Bah
Reged: 06/24/09
Posts: 1152
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Shot #5
--------------------
"Aperture will get you through times of no money better than money will get you through times of no aperture."
featuring selected astrojunk:
bunch o' widefield eyepieces
bunch o' narrowfield eyepieces
couple o' Barlows
couple o' scopes
couple o' mounts
couple o' tripods
and a pier 'n' stuff
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gnowellsct
Pooh-Bah
Reged: 06/24/09
Posts: 1152
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Shot #6
--------------------
"Aperture will get you through times of no money better than money will get you through times of no aperture."
featuring selected astrojunk:
bunch o' widefield eyepieces
bunch o' narrowfield eyepieces
couple o' Barlows
couple o' scopes
couple o' mounts
couple o' tripods
and a pier 'n' stuff
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gnowellsct
Pooh-Bah
Reged: 06/24/09
Posts: 1152
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Shot #7
--------------------
"Aperture will get you through times of no money better than money will get you through times of no aperture."
featuring selected astrojunk:
bunch o' widefield eyepieces
bunch o' narrowfield eyepieces
couple o' Barlows
couple o' scopes
couple o' mounts
couple o' tripods
and a pier 'n' stuff
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gnowellsct
Pooh-Bah
Reged: 06/24/09
Posts: 1152
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Shot #8
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"Aperture will get you through times of no money better than money will get you through times of no aperture."
featuring selected astrojunk:
bunch o' widefield eyepieces
bunch o' narrowfield eyepieces
couple o' Barlows
couple o' scopes
couple o' mounts
couple o' tripods
and a pier 'n' stuff
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gnowellsct
Pooh-Bah
Reged: 06/24/09
Posts: 1152
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Shot #9
--------------------
"Aperture will get you through times of no money better than money will get you through times of no aperture."
featuring selected astrojunk:
bunch o' widefield eyepieces
bunch o' narrowfield eyepieces
couple o' Barlows
couple o' scopes
couple o' mounts
couple o' tripods
and a pier 'n' stuff
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gnowellsct
Pooh-Bah
Reged: 06/24/09
Posts: 1152
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Shot #10
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"Aperture will get you through times of no money better than money will get you through times of no aperture."
featuring selected astrojunk:
bunch o' widefield eyepieces
bunch o' narrowfield eyepieces
couple o' Barlows
couple o' scopes
couple o' mounts
couple o' tripods
and a pier 'n' stuff
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gnowellsct
Pooh-Bah
Reged: 06/24/09
Posts: 1152
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Shot #11--and end of sequence
--------------------
"Aperture will get you through times of no money better than money will get you through times of no aperture."
featuring selected astrojunk:
bunch o' widefield eyepieces
bunch o' narrowfield eyepieces
couple o' Barlows
couple o' scopes
couple o' mounts
couple o' tripods
and a pier 'n' stuff
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gnowellsct
Pooh-Bah
Reged: 06/24/09
Posts: 1152
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by way of conclusion--
1. You can see in the inside tube shot that the 1.25" drawtube protrudes through a much larger hole. I have ordered a Moonlite 2" focuser.
2. The OMI replacement mirror is here. (I don't know what to expect, getting very jaded about who can/cannot deliver a good mirror)
3. As I've mentioned I'm doubtful I will use this OTA on OEM mount, I'll probably get an adapter made for the AP900 and use it right on the pier as pictured. My plans are to keep everything else: rings, finder, etc.
regards
greg n
--------------------
"Aperture will get you through times of no money better than money will get you through times of no aperture."
featuring selected astrojunk:
bunch o' widefield eyepieces
bunch o' narrowfield eyepieces
couple o' Barlows
couple o' scopes
couple o' mounts
couple o' tripods
and a pier 'n' stuff
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rmollise
Postmaster
Reged: 07/06/07
Posts: 5314
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The RA housing looks like just plain black enamel...not crinkle finish...just sand and repaint.
Doesn't look like an original to me.
Doesn't look bad enough to do much worrying. Certainly you could have it redone, but I believe if you look around on the recent threads, someone came up with some paint that will serve.
Leave the spider alone. It is fine.
--------------------
Uncle Rod
Rod's New Book:
Choosing and Using a New CAT
Available now!
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gnowellsct
Pooh-Bah
Reged: 06/24/09
Posts: 1152
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Quote:
The RA housing looks like just plain black enamel...not crinkle finish...just sand and repaint.
Doesn't look like an original to me.
Doesn't look bad enough to do much worrying. Certainly you could have it redone, but I believe if you look around on the recent threads, someone came up with some paint that will serve.
Leave the spider alone. It is fine.
The RA housing is definitely original. The resolution of the pics doesn't show the crinkle very well. I might have a better shot. There was always a different texture in the RA housings from the main body of the GEM head, at least that was the way it was with my OC 4.25" and that came right off the show room. So I think it is original?
Can't you tell? The paint's coming off. They must have put as much work into that as they did into the mirror....
Well to be fair I've heard its very difficult to get paint to adhere to aluminum.
Greg N
--------------------
"Aperture will get you through times of no money better than money will get you through times of no aperture."
featuring selected astrojunk:
bunch o' widefield eyepieces
bunch o' narrowfield eyepieces
couple o' Barlows
couple o' scopes
couple o' mounts
couple o' tripods
and a pier 'n' stuff
|
gnowellsct
Pooh-Bah
Reged: 06/24/09
Posts: 1152
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This picture of the RA housing shows the texture better, I used a flash.
I don't think I'm going to sand and repaint. It is very difficult to do a crinkle.
--------------------
"Aperture will get you through times of no money better than money will get you through times of no aperture."
featuring selected astrojunk:
bunch o' widefield eyepieces
bunch o' narrowfield eyepieces
couple o' Barlows
couple o' scopes
couple o' mounts
couple o' tripods
and a pier 'n' stuff
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actionhac
Pooh-Bah
Reged: 08/09/08
Posts: 1093
Loc: WA
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That's a fine scope you have. Looks very nice and you should really enjoy having fun with it.
I wouldn't do anything to alter the classic experience, just carefully touch up the paint, remove the rust, and possibly a Spectrum standard recoat - nothing exotic, remember this is 1968! we havn't even landed on the moon yet!
Finder looks like it's close to the correct time frame. Interesting spyder with 4 collimation screws, I would for sure leave that it's part of it's classic charm, as well as the cool old focuser.
Robert
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gnowellsct
Pooh-Bah
Reged: 06/24/09
Posts: 1152
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Quote:
That's a fine scope you have. Looks very nice and you should really enjoy having fun with it.
I wouldn't do anything to alter the classic experience, just carefully touch up the paint, remove the rust, and possibly a Spectrum standard recoat - nothing exotic, remember this is 1968! we havn't even landed on the moon yet!
Finder looks like it's close to the correct time frame. Interesting spyder with 4 collimation screws, I would for sure leave that it's part of it's classic charm, as well as the cool old focuser.
Robert
You've missed the "Optical Craftsmen Sux" thread. There will be NO spectrum recoat for THAT mirror.
http://www.cloudynights.com/ubbthreads/showflat.php/Cat/0/Number/3425480/page/1/view/collapsed/sb/5/o/all/fpart/1
The OTA is pre-drilled for a two inch focuser and the OEM 1.25" focuser is bad/needs fixing. The diagonal is sized for two inch viewing. So no doubt about it: the focuser gets changed to 2". I checked out the Parks Optical offerings (in the style of the 60s but went with a Moonlite in a color to match the finder.
Greg N
--------------------
"Aperture will get you through times of no money better than money will get you through times of no aperture."
featuring selected astrojunk:
bunch o' widefield eyepieces
bunch o' narrowfield eyepieces
couple o' Barlows
couple o' scopes
couple o' mounts
couple o' tripods
and a pier 'n' stuff
Edited by gnowellsct (11/09/09 04:03 PM)
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rmollise
Postmaster
Reged: 07/06/07
Posts: 5314
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Quote:
This picture of the RA housing shows the texture better, I used a flash.
I don't think I'm going to sand and repaint. It is very difficult to do a crinkle.
Maybe not. If you don't demind 100% authenticity, just do as I did and apply a coat of the currently fashional "textured" spray paint and overcoat with black looks good.
--------------------
Uncle Rod
Rod's New Book:
Choosing and Using a New CAT
Available now!
|
deSitter
Post Laureate
Reged: 12/09/04
Posts: 3338
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I'm surprised at how cheap looking the spider is. I can do better than that without much effort. The mount is enormous! Does it move smoothly? What about the RA clutch?
Looks more like a Criterion than a Cave.
Crinkle can be done. Takes a lot of patience.
Love the setting circles. Are they in good shape?
I'm also surprised by the use of cheap machine bolts. These can be replaced of course (McMasters has everything).
-drl
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EddWen
sage
Reged: 04/26/08
Posts: 409
Loc: Here or There
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Don't know anything about the scope, but it's time to rake the leaves.
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Edd Weninger
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