60 replies to this topic

[YourNotSirius]

Thank you for the information. Anything will be a help. I HOPE that this project can get under way, soon. It's really getting in the way! LOL

 

The first photo does seem to be the same mirror cell/back plate that we have here. The second one is definitely different. I believe that mount that we have (see photo) is the same one as in the first photo. Since everything is in black and white it's a bit tough to tell.

 

Now that the last (we hope) snow storm has passed then perhaps we can get things rolling! There are a few other major projects to finish first. Such as replacing the transmission in our old faithful Explorer and finishing rebuilding the rear frame on our Ranger. Having those on the road makes going after such projects much easier than trying to haul stuff in a Toyota Camry! LOL

 

I have attached the photo that was taken just before it was loaded into the Explorer for its trip back to New England.

 

We will do our best to keep everyone up to date on the project.

 

Q

 

 

Attached Thumbnails

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[jkmccarthy]

The Mercury is still in business. It should be possible to retrieve that article from 10/24/1967.

 

http://www.pottsmerc.com/

 

-drl

[...]

I have collected PDFs of this 1967 Pottstown PA local newspaper profile of Michael Spacek, as well as a PDF of the 2017 newsletter reprint on the 40th anniversary since (in 1977) the Lehigh Valley Amateur Astronomical Society (LVAAS) bestowed upon Michael Spacek an honorary lifetime membership in recognition of his contributions to their organization (see pages 13 - 17).   Anyone who might be interested in these articles profiling Mr. Spacek is welcome to download the PDFs from a Google Drive folder I've created here:

 

https://drive.google...-P0?usp=sharing

 

From public records on-line, I've learned that Michael S. Spacek passed away on 21-Jan-1991 in Pottstown, PA, at age 76, but my on-line search efforts to locate any newspaper obituary have so far been unsuccessful.  His family residence (incl. his basement optical shop and the roll-off-roof observatory on the property) was listed for rent since at least 2012 and perhaps even earlier, before being listed for sale in late 2015 and sold in summer 2017, again according to public records.

Last week I was contacted privately by a grandson of Mr. Mike Spacek, who had found this CN thread [and others] relating to Spacek Instruments Company telescopes, and who was kind enough to share with me yesterday the Pottstown PA newspaper obituary of his grandfather, for which I am very grateful, having known and respected Mr. Spacek back when I was a student (and already an ATM : - ).

 

I have now uploaded this PDF scan into the Google Drive folder cited above, where anyone interested in learning more about the history of Spacek Instruments Company and that of its founder, Michael S. Spacek, Jr., is welcome to retrieve it along with any of the other Spacek-related documents therein.

 

Respectfully,

 

        -- Jim

Edited by jkmccarthy, 18 July 2022 - 11:50 PM.

[John Rogers]

 

Here is the cover from their circa 1961 18-page catalog and a pricelist showing an effective date of 1 September 1959.  The catalog indicates that the optics are manufactured in-house.

 

 

[clamchip]

Its been mentioned about the K-4 being available as a "Kit" and I see a "K-4 Deluxe Telescope Kit" on

the above price sheet.

I believe I recently purchased one of these kits.

What makes me think this is my SpaceK sticker is inside of the tube so you can paint the outside. And

my telescope is blue, and from what I've been reading the K-4 is green.

Robert

 

[clamchip]

I'm cleaning up my new K-4.

The mirrors will need to be recoated due to oxidized coating on the primary but I think it

is good enough to test the scope.

I've got the eyepieces to go through next, and I don't relish this job. The Criterions came

with but I think I'll leave those for now and concentrate my efforts on the 3 original

Spacek eyepieces.

Robert

 

[clamchip]

I have the optical tube all back together and I bench tested the whole system with 

double pass autocollimation.

Dead straight jail bars. I don't know how difficult it is to figure a perfect sphere but

this is one. This scope is advertised 1/8 wave and I believe it.

I have a feeling Mr. Spacek was a one man operation and he obviously took pride

in his optics.

I'm not too excited about the rectangular diagonal, those sharp corners create diffraction.

Maybe its not noticeable, I don't remember how a rectangle diagonal affects the view.

A lot of the old scopes did use rectangular diagonals.

Robert

 

Edited by clamchip, 21 January 2023 - 04:35 PM.

[B 26354]

Its been mentioned about the K-4 being available as a "Kit" and I see a "K-4 Deluxe Telescope Kit" on

the above price sheet.

I believe I recently purchased one of these kits.

What makes me think this is my SpaceK sticker is inside of the tube so you can paint the outside. And

my telescope is blue, and from what I've been reading the K-4 is green.

Interesting. That would certainly explain why the focuser, mirror cell, finder mount, pedestal legs, and the EQ head are unpainted. Aside from my own, purchased as a kit in 1956, yours is the only other Spacek scope I've ever "seen". I lost contact several decades ago with the friend to whom I gave mine in '74... so I have no clue as to its current whereabouts.

 

Somewhere in my house there's a box of old photos that contains the one-and-only photo I took of my K-4. I'll try searching for it.

 

[John Rogers]

Great find Robert!  The smaller Edmund telescopes also came with rectangular diagonals.  I believe the 6-inch had an elliptical one, but the mirror grinding kit came with the rectangular.

[YourNotSirius]

Just for the fun of it, here is a photo of Mr. Spacek's personal Newt/Cass and mount. They happen to be sitting in our shop waiting for a full restoration. When that will happen is anyone's guess. LOL

 

 

 

 

Q

[Bomber Bob]

Just for the fun of it, here is a photo of Mr. Spacek's personal Newt/Cass and mount. They happen to be sitting in our shop waiting for a full restoration. When that will happen is anyone's guess. LOL

 

post-3946-0-12633600-1407618005.jpg

 

post-3946-0-46027500-1407618036.jpg

 

 

Q

I like it!  What's the aperture -- 10" / 12"??

[YourNotSirius]

I like it!  What's the aperture -- 10" / 12"??

12-1/2" f4/f16? I think?

 

We are still hoping to locate a photo of the original pier. It had been placed in the front yard for pick up and scrappers picked it up before we got there. If we can ever get a photo of the pier we should be able to duplicate it easily enough.

 

Q

[John Higbee]

As incredible as this sounds, I actually have a pier for a 12.5" Spacek Cassegrain...it came with the optics, tube fittings (no tube), and most of the mount fittings.  The pier is a monster (weighs well over 200 pounds), and is wrapped in shrink wrap, as I was able to get it "derusted" and primed before I took delivery.

 

Here's a picture that may help...will try to get you a picture of the actual mount in storage.

 

 

John

[Terra Nova]

I have the optical tube all back together and I bench tested the whole system with 

double pass autocollimation.

Dead straight jail bars. I don't know how difficult it is to figure a perfect sphere but

this is one. This scope is advertised 1/8 wave and I believe it.

I have a feeling Mr. Spacek was a one man operation and he obviously took pride

in his optics.

I'm not too excited about the rectangular diagonal, those sharp corners create diffraction.

Maybe its not noticeable, I don't remember how a rectangle diagonal affects the view.

A lot of the old scopes did use rectangular diagonals.

Robert

 

IMG_1186.jpg

IMG_1187.jpg

IMG_1190.jpg

That sure looks like an Edmund focuser right down to the small black bakelite knobs!

[B 26354]

That sure looks like an Edmund focuser right down to the small black bakelite knobs!

Pretty sure it's an original Spacek casting, Terra. See photo #5 in this post of his:

 

https://www.cloudyni...day/?p=12425208

 

[Terra Nova]

Pretty sure it's an original Spacek casting, Terra. See photo #5 in this post of his:

 

https://www.cloudyni...day/?p=12425208

 

I don’t know. It sure looks to me like an Edmund I had. Exact same little black knobs for sure.

[YourNotSirius]

As incredible as this sounds, I actually have a pier for a 12.5" Spacek Cassegrain...it came with the optics, tube fittings (no tube), and most of the mount fittings.  The pier is a monster (weighs well over 200 pounds), and is wrapped in shrink wrap, as I was able to get it "derusted" and primed before I took delivery.

 

Here's a picture that may help...will try to get you a picture of the actual mount in storage.

 

Mike Spacek w Cassegrain - sm.jpg

 

John

Anything at all would be most welcome. Thank you.

 

One thing that I see in that photo is the RA drive is either missing or much different than the mount that I have shown.

 

Note: Terra Nova is correct. That focusing unit is the same as Edmund and Jeagers They all had much of their stuff sourced through the same foundry.  It was easier and much more economical back then.

 

Note: One thing that people do not take into account with Edmund and Jeagers. They both use what is now loosely called "Battleship Grey" paint on the mounts, counterweights and pedestals. Those companies were military salvage vendors and they bought up thousands of gallons of surplus paint. There were dozens of shades of Battleship Grey and they used what was in stock at the time. I suspect that they even mixed batches when supplies were low. That is, in my opinion, the reason why certain parts, or entire mounts, may not match the next batch. Eventually, they used it all up and that may be why they started to change colors. It would not surprise me to learn that Cave and others also purchased some of that surplus paint, maybe even from those two leaders in the field.

 

FWIW

 

Q

[clamchip]

Yes same knobs and those knobs are still available today.

I haven't seen the red knobs anywhere, not even ebay.

Oh, and the white knobs, my chickens have more teeth.

Robert

 

[clamchip]

 

 

Note: One thing that people do not take into account with Edmund and Jeagers. They both use what is now loosely called "Battleship Grey" paint on the mounts, counterweights and pedestals. Those companies were military salvage vendors and they bought up thousands of gallons of surplus paint. There were dozens of shades of Battleship Grey and they used what was in stock at the time. I suspect that they even mixed batches when supplies were low. That is, in my opinion, the reason why certain parts, or entire mounts, may not match the next batch. Eventually, they used it all up and that may be why they started to change colors. It would not surprise me to learn that Cave and others also purchased some of that surplus paint, maybe even from those two leaders in the field.

 

FWIW

 

Q

And that brings up a good point about baking paint.

I've baked gray (I don't like to bake I think it sticks better if you don't) but

 sometimes I'm in a hurry. The baking will change the color. I've had gray turn a little purple, and

even khaki green.

 

Robert

Edited by clamchip, 25 January 2023 - 11:23 AM.

[B 26354]

Note: Terra Nova is correct. That focusing unit is the same as Edmund and Jeagers They all had much of their stuff sourced through the same foundry.  It was easier and much more economical back then.

I was wondering if that might be the case. Makes perfect sense. My point was simply that the focuser on your K-4 clearly shows "SPACEK INSTR CO" on its casting.   

Edited by B 26354, 25 January 2023 - 11:31 AM.

[Terra Nova]

Anything at all would be most welcome. Thank you.

 

One thing that I see in that photo is the RA drive is either missing or much different than the mount that I have shown.

 

Note: Terra Nova is correct. That focusing unit is the same as Edmund and Jeagers They all had much of their stuff sourced through the same foundry.  It was easier and much more economical back then.

 

Note: One thing that people do not take into account with Edmund and Jeagers. They both use what is now loosely called "Battleship Grey" paint on the mounts, counterweights and pedestals. Those companies were military salvage vendors and they bought up thousands of gallons of surplus paint. There were dozens of shades of Battleship Grey and they used what was in stock at the time. I suspect that they even mixed batches when supplies were low. That is, in my opinion, the reason why certain parts, or entire mounts, may not match the next batch. Eventually, they used it all up and that may be why they started to change colors. It would not surprise me to learn that Cave and others also purchased some of that surplus paint, maybe even from those two leaders in the field.

 

FWIW

 

Q

Thanks. And Edmund focusers had those small black bakelite knobs while Jaegers focusers had larger red bakelite knobs. That’s the only difference I could tell (I had one of each, both from mid 1960s).

[clamchip]

Its very possible all these similar focusers were cast in the same foundry.

This Spacek focuser has nicer machining, and I like the rack gear cut right in the

machined aluminum focuser tube. And the focuser tube's precision fit in the

body vs Edmund and Jaegers chromed brass tube with soldered on rack. 

The Spacek focuser also has a steel pinion which is a good idea.

Robert  

 

[Terra Nova]

Its very possible all these similar focusers were cast in the same foundry.

This Spacek focuser has nicer machining, and I like the rack gear cut right in the

machined aluminum focuser tube. And the focuser tube's precision fit in the

body vs Edmund and Jaegers chromed brass tube with soldered on rack. 

The Spacek focuser also has a steel pinion which is a good idea.

Robert  

 

IMG_1181.jpg

IMG_1182.jpg

And it says Spacek! I just now noticed that. Thanks Robert.

[Terra Nova]

I was wondering if that might be the case. Makes perfect sense. My point was simply that the focuser on your K-4 clearly shows "SPACEK INSTR CO" on its casting.   

I didn’t see that until just now Terry. I don’t know how I missed it in the pictures you linked but I did. I guess I was so focused on the photo showing the whole scope that I ignored the photo beneath it.

Edited by Terra Nova, 25 January 2023 - 04:01 PM.

[John Higbee]

Here's a picture of the focuser of my Spacek 12.5":

 

 

John

[YourNotSirius]

"And now, for something completely different...!"

 

An interesting fact about the Edmund product line is that much of their items were based upon regular products that could be found at any local hardware store then and, even today! Example being the venerable "adjustable Barlow lens" that came with every Edmund scope. The brass tubing was actually a household plumbing extension that can still be found in the stores today! They bought them without the chrome plating that is common today. Instead, they had them blackened chemically either in their facility or locally. I know because I needed a replacement for one and found one at a local hardware store. The lens fit perfectly and all I had to do was to blacken the inside to prevent glare.

 

The people back then were absolutely geniuses and very resourceful when compared to vendors of today. I fully expect that it was a combination of having been through the Great Depression and having just had survived WWII and had plenty of surplus "stuff" with which to play.

 

Food for thought.

 

We now return to our normally scheduled forum. LOL

 

Q