Telescope Reviews: Parks 10" Superior restoration

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Equipment Discussions >> Classic Telescopes

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John Carruthers
Skiprat

Reged: 02/02/07

Loc: Kent, UK

Re: Parks 10" Superior restoration new

[Re: Aircoffee]
#4151892 - 10/30/10 03:40 AM

or a projection screen bracket ?

Post Extras:

albert1
Carpal Tunnel

Reged: 01/01/07

Loc: Southern New Jersey

Re: Parks 10" Superior restoration new

[Re: Aircoffee]
#4152037 - 10/30/10 07:50 AM

If the mirror is half as good as your restoration job you'll have a powerhouse on your hands Paul. I love the blue w/chrome look. At first I didn't think I'd like the blue cause I hate it on cars but this looks great. Can't wait to see it complete.

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deSitter
Still in Old School

Reged: 12/09/04

Re: Parks 10" Superior restoration new

[Re: tim53]
#4152362 - 10/30/10 11:48 AM

You could also rig up a solar projection screen with that doohickey. Every scope needs one of those!

-drl

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deSitter
Still in Old School

Reged: 12/09/04

Re: Parks 10" Superior restoration new

[Re: albert1]
#4152376 - 10/30/10 11:52 AM

Quote:

If the mirror is half as good as your restoration job you'll have a powerhouse on your hands Paul. I love the blue w/chrome look. At first I didn't think I'd like the blue cause I hate it on cars but this looks great. Can't wait to see it complete.

Yeah agreed, I usually don't like colored scopes but this looks terrific - it's the polished aluminum that sets it off - I need to learn how to do that!

-drl

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Aircoffee
super member

Reged: 08/09/10

Loc: Inver Grove Heights, MN

Re: Parks 10" Superior restoration new

[Re: deSitter]
#4153185 - 10/30/10 07:34 PM

Quote:

Quote:

If the mirror is half as good as your restoration job you'll have a powerhouse on your hands Paul. I love the blue w/chrome look. At first I didn't think I'd like the blue cause I hate it on cars but this looks great. Can't wait to see it complete.

Yeah agreed, I usually don't like colored scopes but this looks terrific - it's the polished aluminum that sets it off - I need to learn how to do that!

-drl

The process is not complicated, just time comsuming and takes a lot of elbow grease.

I started with 80 grit sandpaper on my orbital sander to take off the paint and remove any severe scratches. Once this step is done, do it all again and again, moving to 220 grit and them to 400. When you get to 400, only sand back and forth, no more orbital sanding. Then step up to 1500 grit sanding at a 90 degree angle from last time. All sanding above 220 should be done wet. The end result takes time, but I'm enjoying the results of my labor. Finally polish with a pad or buffer wheel and metal polish. Yep, it's work, but these scopes deserve the attention.

Funny, I never thought about it, but my truck is blue and silver....guess I like the combination.

Post Extras:

Aircoffee
super member

Reged: 08/09/10

Loc: Inver Grove Heights, MN

Re: Parks 10" Superior restoration new

[Re: Aircoffee]
#4153594 - 10/30/10 11:47 PM

I've been thinking about that bracket and I'm going to try something. I've got a Droid with Google sky map on it. I'm going to set up an arm on that bracket to hold the Droid and use it as a guide. Just enter what I want to see and it'll tell me where to point the scope. Once I actually get to try this theory out, I'll report success or failure. Has anybody tried this??

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Compressorguy
Carpal Tunnel

Reged: 03/14/09

Loc: Clayton, NC

Re: Parks 10" Superior restoration new

[Re: Aircoffee]
#4153608 - 10/30/10 11:57 PM

Semi-auto goto...........Nice!!

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PiSigma
Pooh-Bah

Reged: 10/14/09

Loc: North Carolina

Re: Parks 10" Superior restoration new

[Re: Compressorguy]
#4154054 - 10/31/10 09:59 AM

Paul, Wow! you have some serious polishing going on there. It's going to look really nice when you get her all back together.

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Aircoffee
super member

Reged: 08/09/10

Loc: Inver Grove Heights, MN

Re: Parks 10" Superior restoration new

[Re: PiSigma]
#4155338 - 10/31/10 10:44 PM

Thanks Jon. I used your Cave as a reference that led me to painting the legs, instead of buffing them out. I've learned a world of information just reading all the Cave restoration posts on the site. I've found that the Parks scopes are nearly identical to the Cave scopes. I can safely say, "I love doing restoration!".

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Ham Radio
professor emeritus

Reged: 09/18/09

Loc: Baxter, Mn

Re: Parks 10" Superior restoration new

[Re: Aircoffee]
#4155901 - 11/01/10 09:11 AM

Paul when do you want to haul it down here to check it out under dark skies?? I am lucky in that I have pretty good skies considering all the yard lights around. Or we could haul it down to the MAS observatory south of here where it is REALLY dark!!

Rod

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Aircoffee
super member

Reged: 08/09/10

Loc: Inver Grove Heights, MN

Re: Parks 10" Superior restoration new

[Re: Ham Radio]
#4156594 - 11/01/10 03:44 PM

Soon. I'm off work Thanksgiving week and hoping to have it done by then.

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Aircoffee
super member

Reged: 08/09/10

Loc: Inver Grove Heights, MN

Re: Parks 10" Superior restoration new

[Re: Aircoffee]
#4662143 - 06/27/11 09:40 PM Attachment (52 downloads)

I finally got back to work on this scope. Not long now and I'll be ready to enjoy the fruits of my labor.

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GeneT
Ely Kid

Reged: 11/07/08

Loc: South Texas

Re: Parks 10" Superior restoration new

[Re: Aircoffee]
#4662272 - 06/27/11 11:08 PM

You found a classic. Good luck on its restoration.

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Aircoffee
super member

Reged: 08/09/10

Loc: Inver Grove Heights, MN

Re: Parks 10" Superior restoration new

[Re: GeneT]
#4667369 - 06/30/11 07:16 PM

I spent this afternoon going through all the collimation procedures for the telescope. I started with making sure the top of the scope was square. I then adjusted the spider to center it in the scope. The next step was to check the lazer beam and make sure the focuser was properly aligned. To confirm this I put a rod through the hole that the secondary attaches to the spider. The result was obvious... a lazer beam centered on the rod.

I then went through the process of aligning the secondary and then on to the primary mirror. The result was the ability to see the detail on a maple leaf three block away, using a 35mm lens. I want to thank all the people on cloudy nights. Without your informative posts and guidance I would have never made it this far. I am now the proud owner of a fully restored and really nice scope that I can share with family and friends for a long time.

Thanks!!

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Bill Griffith
sage

Reged: 08/12/09

Loc: Ca.

Re: Parks 10" Superior restoration new

[Re: Aircoffee]
#4668645 - 07/01/11 02:52 PM

Wow Paul!
Congratulations! What a gem of a custom restoration.
That amount of a labor. I bet it will never languish for love.

Bill

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madeline
sage

Reged: 07/30/10

Loc: Bloomington, MN

Re: Parks 10" Superior restoration new

[Re: Bill Griffith]
#4668899 - 07/01/11 05:44 PM

Paul, that is a beauty. You are one lucky man. Hope you are happy with that Sears Refractor.

John

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Aircoffee
super member

Reged: 08/09/10

Loc: Inver Grove Heights, MN

Re: Parks 10" Superior restoration new

[Re: madeline]
#4677729 - 07/06/11 07:57 PM

Hi John,
I took the Sears to my Dad in TN. He loves it. He's 80 years old and a small nice scope like that was exactly what he wanted.

We'll have to get together and play with the Parks scope once I do some tweaking and learn how to use it better. I saw my first object last night.... M15.

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greju
Carpal Tunnel

Reged: 10/13/05

Re: Parks 10" Superior restoration new

[Re: madeline]
#4677753 - 07/06/11 08:16 PM

Quote:

Paul, that is a beauty. You are one lucky man. Hope you are happy with that Sears Refractor.

John

And here I thought you were a female. I cannot understand why?

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madeline
sage

Reged: 07/30/10

Loc: Bloomington, MN

Re: Parks 10" Superior restoration new

[Re: greju]
#4679806 - 07/07/11 08:15 PM

Yupper, Madeline Island

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Aircoffee
super member

Reged: 08/09/10

Loc: Inver Grove Heights, MN

Re: Parks 10" Superior restoration [Re: madeline]
#5625237 - 01/15/13 09:32 PM

Well, after waiting over two months, I got my mirror back from the shop and it now has an enhanced aluminum coating. I was able to get a report on the mirror that showed it has a strelh ratio of .969..

Due to priorities in life, this scope will soon be for sale.

Edited by Aircoffee (01/18/13 07:50 PM)

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