5341 replies to this topic

[deSitter]

Saw it in the german classifieds. And had to have it!

Cause it`s a 50mm and it has this nice orange colour.

We call it "Warnfarbe" (caution colour). Warns of poor quality ...

Nevertheless I wanted it.

 

It arrived and it is nearly complete. Only one screw missing.

 

P1350932_.JPG

 

 

BOB stands for "Bresser Optik Borken".

Founded in 1957 by Josef Bresser in the german city Borken.

They never produced anything, just sold labeled products.

In 1979 after the death of Josef Bresser his son Rolf took over the company.

As far as I assume, "BOB" was used up to that year, later "Bresser".

 

P1350933_.JPG

 

 

On the type plate is a circle T, so it seem`s to be a Towa. Not too bad.

 

P1350934a_.JPG

 

 

The lens is clear, some little cleaning can be done.

Dewshield consists of metal.

 

P1350935_.JPG

 

 

Two eyepieces were included. A 12 mm and a 20 mm Huygens. That`s good.

 

P1350940_.JPG

 

 

Where only 15,- bugs, but I bought some intensive cleaning work ...

This 50 mm fracs are very seldom. So I`m happy about it.

By a strange coincidence I just had my 50/600mm out to test a new eyepiece. That scope is killer. Monolux 4348. Easily does 50x per inch (6mm eyepiece). Don't give up on it! I had to rattle mine around until the lenses settled into the right orientation relative to each other.

 

-drl

[CHASLX200]

Here's mine on the 6345, seen edge-on so you can get the right aspect ratio.

 

-drl

Looks good now make that thing come alive with a 1.25" focuser and some Nags.

[Cavs56]

I posted this in what did you do to your scope today. Happy with it paint match is so so. I really like the size.

[Cavs56]

I posted this in what did you do to your scope today. Happy with it paint match is so so. I really like the size.

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[strdst]

I have found a perfectly sized tin can, I think I can make one.

Sometimes for the larger aperture telescopes it takes aggressive dumpster diving to find institutional/industrial sized dew shields. 

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[Weisswurst Josef]

Long barlow. Must be 12x.

The type plate on this strange looking thing tells: "1.5 X IMAGE ERECTOR".

Looks strange inside too. Somewhat rusty and a small and polluted lens deep in it.

 

The best thing was that it contained the 20 mm H eyepiece. I didn`t expect this

little scope beeing so complete. Looked not like that in the classified pictures.

 

Just had luck ... :-)

 

Edited by Weisswurst Josef, 19 June 2024 - 07:57 AM.

[deSitter]

The type plate on this strange looking thing tells: "1.5x IMAGE ERECTOR".

Looks strange inside too. Somewhat rusty and a small and polluted lens deep in it.

 

The best thing was that it contained the 20 mm H eyepiece. I didn`t expect this

little scope beeing so complete. Looked not like that in the classified pictures.

 

Just had luck ... :-)

 

P1350932b.JPG

 

They have to be long because there is a transfer assembly of 2 achromats (if well made) facing each other, which move the image plane backward while flipping it right-side-up.

 

-drl

[singlecoated]

 

Hi,

 

couldn't help but jump on this (for 20 euro quid as the seller's picture hinted). He was selling this as an old finderscope (and I wonder how big the 'real' scope was).

 

It ended up being a massive and well made piece weighting more than my ST-80. All metal except by the dew shield which is solid old-school plastic. Metal lens cell too with lens in place via retaining ring. Focusing is achieved via sliding barrel and locking screw. Visual back can be unscrewed completely (didn't measure it yet), revealing two well finished metal light baffles inside the tube, which is finished in a not-completely-black matt kind of paint. Eyepiece is clearly smaller than 1.25 (.965?) and the intermediate locking screw is stuck in place so there seems to be an intermediate barrel between the focusing and the eyepiece one, will have to work on that.

 

A quick look at the moon returned a quite crisp and clear view, with no clear signs of CA so far. Seller said it came with an internal crosshair but seems to be missing, probably it was screwed at the end side of the eyepiece since it's threaded on the outside.

 

I tried to find any kind of marking or engraving or anything on it but found absolutely nothing. A search on the internet didn't help either. The smell from the oil-grease on the focusing barrel reminds me of my old Soviet cameras and binoculars, In essence, no idea what this thing may be so any information is welcome !

 

Thx !

Edited by singlecoated, 21 June 2024 - 08:36 AM.

[Senex Bibax]

Sometimes for the larger aperture telescopes it takes aggressive dumpster diving to find institutional/industrial sized dew shields. 

Andy Warhol's old scope?

[Cavs56]

I t took a while but I finally got it

[MisterDan]

Screenshot 2024-06-21 at 10.36.55.png

 

Hi,

 

couldn't help but jump on this (for 20 euro quid as the seller's picture hinted). He was selling this as an old finderscope (and I wonder how big the 'real' scope was).

 

It ended up being a massive and well made piece weighting more than my ST-80. All metal except by the dew shield which is solid old-school plastic. Metal lens cell too with lens in place via retaining ring. Focusing is achieved via sliding barrel and locking screw. Visual back can be unscrewed completely (didn't measure it yet), revealing two well finished metal light baffles inside the tube, which is finished in a not-completely-black matt kind of paint. Eyepiece is clearly smaller than 1.25 (.965?) and the intermediate locking screw is stuck in place so there seems to be an intermediate barrel between the focusing and the eyepiece one, will have to work on that.

 

A quick look at the moon returned a quite crisp and clear view, with no clear signs of CA so far. Seller said it came with an internal crosshair but seems to be missing, probably it was screwed at the end side of the eyepiece since it's threaded on the outside.

 

I tried to find any kind of marking or engraving or anything on it but found absolutely nothing. A search on the internet didn't help either. The smell from the oil-grease on the focusing barrel reminds me of my old Soviet cameras and binoculars, In essence, no idea what this thing may be so any information is welcome !

 

Thx !

Very cool.

 

I'm guessing the helical focuser does not rotate its collar and the drawtube.  Is that correct?

Is the drawtube brass? or is it perhaps anodized?  I'm guessing it's brass, but I thought I'd verify.

 

To me, the "zebra" knurling on the helical focuser suggests Japan.  I would not expect an old Soviet scope to include such knurling accents, but that's certainly not to say some didn't.

 

The locking screw nearest the eyepiece:  does it release/secure the eyepiece itself?  That may be an eyepiece adapter.  If you're able to release the "next" locking screw, it may reveal a 1.25-inch port and 1.25/0.965 adapter.

 

I would guess the objective is ~70mm.  Let us know if you verify its aperture.

 

Crazy-wild first guess would be Nihon Seiko, but it's definitely NOT ringing a bell in my head.

 

Keep us posted!  

-And thanks for sharing!

Dan

[singlecoated]

Hi !

 

Thanks Dan ! I'm adding some more pictures and some measurements. Indeed the second locking screw was holding a 1.25 / .965 adapter (which is great since I can now test it with my regular eyepieces). Screw is slightly bent so it was stuck in place and needed some extra help with pliers.

 

The zebra knurled knob doesn't seem to be a focuser, as turning it just unscrews the whole piece from the back of the scope (therefore rotating everything sitting on it), but at the same time seems a little bit too big for just being a visual back adapter. You can still focus by sliding the drawtube in and out (which indeed seems to be brass and slides inside a second brass tube fixed inside the knurled 'visual back'). As you can see you can take it out completely.

 

And good eye, objective lens is roughly 70mm. Brass drawtube is ~ 34.3mm OD. Threads from the knurled visual back are ~44.4mm.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Thanks again and clear skies !

 

O.

 

 

[MisterDan]

If that is a helical focuser assembly, it may simply be "gummed up" (e.g. old degraded grease) to the point where the rear port thread (back plate of the ota) is not as "gummed up" and disengages before the helicoid has a chance to.  In other words:  the force needed to turn the helicoid is now greater than the force needed to unscrew the entire assembly from the rear plate of the ota.  -Again, that's my own speculation.  I still think it's a helical fine focuser, but I've been fooled before... -and I'm sure I'll be fooled again. 

 

There appears to be a small hole in the flange just "inside" (to the left of) the thumbscrew seen in image #4 of your second batch (post #4537).  There may be a grub screw in there.  I'm just noting that! -Not suggesting you should mess with a possible grub screw and continue to dismantle everything, of course!

 

Curiouser and curiouser...

 

Thanks again!

[singlecoated]

If that is a helical focuser assembly, it may simply be "gummed up" (e.g. old degraded grease) to the point where the rear port thread (back plate of the ota) is not as "gummed up" and disengages before the helicoid has a chance to.  In other words:  the force needed to turn the helicoid is now greater than the force needed to unscrew the entire assembly from the rear plate of the ota.  -Again, that's my own speculation.  I still think it's a helical fine focuser, but I've been fooled before... -and I'm sure I'll be fooled again. 

 

There appears to be a small hole in the flange just "inside" (to the left of) the thumbscrew seen in image #4 of your second batch (post #4537).  There may be a grub screw in there.  I'm just noting that! -Not suggesting you should mess with a possible grub screw and continue to dismantle everything, of course!

 

Curiouser and curiouser...

 

Thanks again!

 

Actually... that is one option I considered too, as it almost *seems* to be an additional step in diameter in the outside of the aforementioned piece, suggesting there may be 'something else'... Amazing how much legal fun one can still get out of 20 bucks 

 

Will keep you updated, on optical performance too.

 

Best !

 

EDIT: guess what ? Took it out once more, started to play a little bit with it and it finally started moving. It was just a matter of turning the knob clockwise, as if basically tightening everything to the OTA and the whole brass drawtube started to come out smoothly. So yep, you were absolutely right and it ended up being quite a nice helical focuser in the end. Thanks once more !

Edited by singlecoated, 21 June 2024 - 03:35 PM.

[dnrmilspec]

This is probably  a red herring but I have seen that distinctive black with chrome strip "ring or adaptor" on Unitron Spotting scopes.

 

[Bob W4]

Took a road trip to a suberb of St. Paul, MN today to check out a Craigslist ad about a package deal of 2 classic scopes.  A mid 70s Edmund Super Space Conquerer, and a 1975 Cave 6" Student Deluxe..  The Cave came with 4 original correspondence letters signed by Thomas Cave,  along with the 2 canceled checks for deposit and final payment from the buyer.  Also, a couple of "Japan" Orthoscopic eyepieces and barlow lens.  An Empire circle T, 60mm refractor with rings for use as a guidescope Lots of misc books, and catalogs and telescope do-dads.  The scopes have both been used hard, and put away wet.  The best part is all this stuff for only $200.  A summer project in the making.

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Edited by Bob W4, 22 June 2024 - 07:24 PM.

[ericb760]

I posted this recent find elsewhere but figured I would post it here as well. An Orion ST90 of uncertain vintage. My research tells me that this scope was only available for a short time in the early 2000's (?). Unfortunately, the VB was missing, and I am in the process of hunting one down. It seems to be an odd size and none of my other VB's fit. In the meantime I fitted a GSO 2-speed focuser on it. I removed, cleaned, and re-spaced the front objective. Views are very crisp with little discernable CA, even on an almost full moon. The OTA has seen better days. It has a number of scratches on the tube. I am contemplating a respray. 

 

Edited by ericb760, 22 June 2024 - 10:58 PM.

[flyboyu777]

Took a road trip to a suberb of St. Paul, MN today to check out a Craigslist ad about a package deal of 2 classic scopes.  A mid 70s Edmund Super Space Conquerer, and a 1975 Cave 6" Student Deluxe..  The Cave came with 4 original correspondence letters signed by Thomas Cave,  along with the 2 canceled checks for deposit and final payment from the buyer.  Also, a couple of "Japan" Orthoscopic eyepieces and barlow lens.  An Empire circle T, 60mm refractor with rings for use as a guidescope Lots of misc books, and catalogs and telescope do-dads.  The scopes have both been used hard, and put away wet.  The best part is all this stuff for only $200.  A summer project in the making.

That's a fantastic haul!  Nice!

[RichA]

They will probably come off with a little heat without a problem. Way better than carving a SS# in them.

Besides, tough luck future boy! 

I wonder if people who do this have their names sewn into their underpants too?

[Weisswurst Josef]

I wonder if people who do this have their names sewn into their underpants too?

You caught me.

Also the socks.

[Senex Bibax]

They will probably come off with a little heat without a problem. Way better than carving a SS# in them.

Besides, tough luck future boy! 

The finderscope for my recently acquired Tasco 7TE-5 has an asset number - not merely engraved on it, but almost chiseled into it!

[cavedweller]

The finderscope for my recently acquired Tasco 7TE-5 has an asset number - not merely engraved on it, but almost chiseled into it!

 

A Cave 10" F/7 Deluxe was the last thing left in a garage that was being cleaned out. A desperate call from a former coworker then living in the Bay area says to go rescue it before it gets trashed, so I did. At some point it was property of a school district that had engraved an asset number on practically every piece part that was accessible to the engraving needle.

[Terra Nova]

Look what arrived in the mail today. Classic pure Vixen. This matches the rings, dustcap, and livery on my circa 1999-2000 Vixen ED102SS. It’s NOS that I found on eBay. It actually shipped from Anacortes Telescopes in Colville, WA. These tube handle/accessory plates, especially in this color, are extremely hard to fine.

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[cavedweller]

Look what arrived in the mail today. Classic pure Vixen. This matches the rings, dustcap, and livery on my circa 1999-2000 Vixen ED102SS. It’s NOS that I found on eBay. It actually shipped from Anacortes Telescopes in Colville, WA. These tube handle/accessory plates, especially in this color, are extremely hard to fine.

 

They sponsor (host. own?) Astromart.

[Terra Nova]

They sponsor (host. own?) Astromart.

Yep. I've known that for some time. I wasn't sure they were still in business. Anyway, I was most happy to find the part. Very prompt shipping too. It arrived in 72 hrs.