5857 replies to this topic

[Senex Bibax]

I found this old orange tube Celestron C100 on FBM on Monday and brought it home last night.

It’s big and it’s beautiful. That’s a C8 and a Tak EM100 in the frame to give you an idea of its size.

The  seller was gifted it just recently from who he says was the original buyer.

He tried using it but it didn’t fit their lifestyle.

It looks to have sat indoors for its 40+ years after its initial use.

Includes all caps..even both finder caps, 25mm & 6mm ortho. sun filter and an extra prism diagonal. 
It seems to be all there, no dents it the tube that I can see yet.

The mount is smooth and solid and seems like it can be made more solid with some simple fastener upgrades.
This one looks like it just needs to be cleaned up. Looking forward to comparing this with my FC-100.

Just in time for planet season. 

IMG_2024-09-11-181054.jpeg

IMG_2024-09-11-181515.jpeg

You forgot to mention the Astroscan on the shelf on the far wall!
 

[upwinddan]

I found this old orange tube Celestron C100 on FBM on Monday and brought it home last night.

It’s big and it’s beautiful. That’s a C8 and a Tak EM100 in the frame to give you an idea of its size.

The  seller was gifted it just recently from who he says was the original buyer.

He tried using it but it didn’t fit their lifestyle.

It looks to have sat indoors for its 40+ years after its initial use.

Includes all caps..even both finder caps, 25mm & 6mm ortho. sun filter and an extra prism diagonal. 
It seems to be all there, no dents it the tube that I can see yet.

The mount is smooth and solid and seems like it can be made more solid with some simple fastener upgrades.
This one looks like it just needs to be cleaned up. Looking forward to comparing this with my FC-100.

Just in time for planet season. 

IMG_2024-09-11-181054.jpeg

IMG_2024-09-11-181515.jpeg

Does the Tupperware triangle fix snuggly into the spreader tray?

[Terra Nova]

Here it is all finished and assembled for the first time.

I may need to do some collimation after bonding the tube back on to the rear cell, but not too bad after cruising

around the valley. I was hoping for a glint I could check collimation but no such luck today.

I like this telescope. In a way it seems like an ATM and not a commercially made job. The blue really brightens

up a dull day. The focuser is OK now, and I'm going to need to tighten it up a little, it's too buttery for me.

All the sand castings are just wonderful, and a phenolic tube, two of my favorite things.

Robert

 

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Those were definitely prettiest SCTs back then! Good job Robert.

[Nick Will]

Does the Tupperware triangle fix snuggly into the spreader tray?

Hi Dan,  There’s about 1.5” clearance on each side of the container. 
 

Edited by Nick Will, 17 September 2024 - 06:00 PM.

[Kasmos]

Vixen did make some models where the container was a tight fit.

As a matter of fact some of the trays only had bent 90° edges (didn't have a bottom),

so the container more or less had to be used.

I could be wrong, but I believe they were only offered this way on their domestic models.

Edited by Kasmos, 17 September 2024 - 07:26 PM.

[upwinddan]

Hi Dan,  There’s about 1.5” clearance on each side of the container. 
 

IMG_2024-09-17-185927.jpeg

Thanks for the photo. Seems Tupperware should have made it a tighter fit. 

[upwinddan]

Vixen did make some models where the container was a tight fit.

As a matter of fact some of the trays only had bent 90° edges (didn't have a bottom),

so the container more or less had to be used.

Vixen Bottomless Tray.jpg

I could be wrong, but I believe they were only offered this way on their domestic models.

That’s a new version for me. 

[clamchip]

I watched a Criterion RV-6 on offerup sit there for a week and I said OK I've had enough and I went and bought it.

It's completely frozen and all creaky like the tin man. I oiled the focuser so now it moves. I oiled the

rings and now they open. A drop of oil here and a drop of oil there and now the mount moves with a loud groan.

It has thick rubber end covers on the tube, original? so the innards are like new.

I'm trying to take photos, if I can put the oil can down I'll see what I can do.

 

Robert

Edited by clamchip, 21 September 2024 - 12:16 AM.

[deSitter]

Vixen did make some models where the container was a tight fit.

As a matter of fact some of the trays only had bent 90° edges (didn't have a bottom),

so the container more or less had to be used.

Vixen Bottomless Tray.jpg

I could be wrong, but I believe they were only offered this way on their domestic models.

This is one of those "what the heck were they thinking??" deals. Let's remove the bottom of the tray and put in a plastic part that can break or get lost. <scratches head>

 

-drl

[CHASLX200]

This is one of those "what the heck were they thinking??" deals. Let's remove the bottom of the tray and put in a plastic part that can break or get lost. <scratches head>

 

-drl

I never used mine. Just a pain.

[Cavs56]

I really like mine , just move it from scope to scope.

[CHASLX200]

I had a green one on the 80mm.

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Edited by CHASLX200, 21 September 2024 - 05:42 AM.

[clamchip]

I watched a Criterion RV-6 on offerup sit there for a week and I said OK I've had enough and I went and bought it.

It's completely frozen and all creaky like the tin man. I oiled the focuser so now it moves. I oiled the

rings and now they open. A drop of oil here and a drop of oil there and now the mount moves with a loud groan.

It has thick rubber end covers on the tube, original? so the innards are like new.

I'm trying to take photos, if I can put the oil can down I'll see what I can do.

 

Robert

First light with my new RV-6.

It looks like my mirror clips are too tight and pinching. I was hoping I wouldn't need to remove the mirror but I guess I will after all.

What a great scope it is. I did finally get some pictures.

Robert

 

[clamchip]

This RV-6 is an older model with cast iron focuser and shaft housings.

 

[clamchip]

Here's the rubber covers I mentioned, both ends of the tube. Preserved the insides like it was made yesterday.

Robert 

 

[SELDON]

A very nice telescope, and a superb equatorial mount.

[deSitter]

This RV-6 is an older model with cast iron focuser and shaft housings.

 

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IMG_2704.JPG

Identical to mine but with 2 weights - mine had one larger 10 lb weight. That's in excellent shape.

 

-drl

[Marc-Andre]

Here's the rubber covers I mentioned, both ends of the tube. Preserved the insides like it was made yesterday.

Robert 

 

IMG_2709.JPG

The covers look like the ones I got with my Meade 6" f5 OTA in 1981. Meade sold them separately if I recall. 

[Terra Nova]

A very nice telescope, and a superb equatorial mount.

What, no shower-cap?

 

Seriously Robert, very nice catch!

[Cavs56]

53 inches long, 4.5 diameter. 5 baffles, brass cell holder no objective. Finder brackets are 54mm inside. Focuser is milled from one piece of aluminum and very smooth. It has had two sets of holes drilled and tapped and will need another set if the finder scope is going to ride in the correct position. No makers marks on anything. I picked it up in Fort Wayne today. Any ideas who made it? The objective screws on.

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[Kasmos]

Home Built/ATM. 

[CHASLX200]

Looks a heavy focuser that would be good for back weight on top heavy fracts.

[flyboyu777]

Home Built/ATM. 

That's what I was thinking.  Like CHAS was saying, good to have the extra weight on the back end. 

[sunrag]

53 inches long, 4.5 diameter. 5 baffles, brass cell holder no objective. Finder brackets are 54mm inside. Focuser is milled from one piece of aluminum and very smooth. It has had two sets of holes drilled and tapped and will need another set if the finder scope is going to ride in the correct position. No makers marks on anything. I picked it up in Fort Wayne today. Any ideas who made it? The objective screws on.

I had my eye on this OTA while it was advertised in FB. Glad that you got it instead of going to trash.

Would be great to replace my cardboard OTA for this 4”/F15 objective.

 

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Edited by sunrag, 25 September 2024 - 10:59 AM.

[Cavs56]

Beautiful telescope! Yes this one is aluminum. It is flocked and someone did an outstanding job with the baffling. Maybe I can get lucky and find an objective.