29 replies to this topic

[Chardo]

Picked this project up today at an estate sale. 

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[DouglasPaul]

Picked this project up today at an estate sale. 

I have no idea what it is, but it looks like a lot of fun.

[Chardo]

Some more pictures 

 

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[Chardo]

I have no idea what it is, but it looks like a lot of fun.

Its a Meade 826 I believe. They were asking $800. I left my # and walked away. They called me back Sunday morning and asked if I was still interested. 

[DouglasPaul]

Looks like a good weeks worth of tinkering, factoring in time waiting for parts to arrive. I wish I had a place that I could utilize a setup like that.

[MikiSJ]

Enjoy the spring cleaning chore to get this scope into some sort of usable condition.

[William Whitaker]

Love the backward facing guide scope!

[CHASLX200]

I have no idea what it is, but it looks like a lot of fun.

A 8" F/6 Newt made around 1981 by Meade.

[DouglasPaul]

I love old restores. Good luck, hope it goes well without too many snafu's and hope the price dropped considerably. 

[Chardo]

Love the backward facing guide scope!

I know. I had a laugh when I first saw the picture. 

[Chardo]

I love old restores. Good luck, hope it goes well without too many snafu's and hope the price dropped considerably. 

It did. By more than 80%

[DouglasPaul]

It did. By more than 80%

Sweet, well worth it.

[Bomber Bob]

Congrats!  I lurv my 826 -- it's like a 6" APO, but without the weight or the TALL cradle requirements.

[Jim R]

Backwards finder too.

[Chardo]

Congrats!  I lurv my 826 -- it's like a 6" APO, but without the weight or the TALL cradle requirements.

Do you have a picture of your mount? Trying to narrow down the model. Never mind I just answered my own question.

Edited by Chardo, 07 March 2021 - 10:15 PM.

[Chardo]

I like your optimism.

Looks like a good weeks worth of tinkering, factoring in time waiting for parts to arrive. I wish I had a place that I could utilize a setup like that.

[DouglasPaul]

I like your optimism.

I'm only including your time working on it, not the time waiting for deliveries. 

[apfever]

A Meade 856 is a loaded version of the 826. The 856 had all the factory drives, that fancy tray on the column, guide scope, and etc.  I'm not sure of the exact package, no more catalogue stuff here but you get the idea.   It would be nice to know what Meade used for the guide.  It quite possible the guide is labeled other than Meade, maybe a Japan symbol on the label. All of mine are gone, had a few 826, one complete rebuild. I still have one mount, modified by a previous owner, illuminated circles and pointers, nice.  All of them nice optics, like that first look on a good night when you know you're going to be a little discerning - and never a disappointment on the 3 or so I've had for 8". 

 

That scope was posted in the 'Cl, EB, and classic ads' string a few days back. I would have bought it if it was local here, a no brainer, awesome deal. There are quite a few different versions of the mount. I think yours is the straight 115V plug, no ports which is good, and no fine tune RA knob which is even better.  The older and simpler the way better the mount. 

 

Good score.

[Chardo]

It does have the optional dec port and motor but the cable is missing. This one appears to have all the bells and whistles. Hopefully it cleans up well. The only rough spot seems to be the counter weight shaft. 1/2 of it is rusty.

[photiost]

Nice scope, enjoy!!

[Chardo]

I'm missing the cable that runs from the power supply to the declination motor. Any ideas what kind of cable it would use to connect the two?

 

[apfever]

My DEC motor has an integral cord that is internally attached. I have not opened the motor box to see how the cable is attached inside. The cable is most likely soldered on, but might have wire nuts. 

 

Have some pictures of your DEC motor box where there is no cable?  Is there a small mouse door where a cable would go in? If you have a mouse door for a cable then you will have to open the box to see what's up inside for cable ends.  Put up some pictures including internal and I'll compare with mine. 

Edited by apfever, 13 March 2021 - 02:06 PM.

[Chardo]

Here’s the power supply side. The RA motor plugs into the back. 
milk pist a pic of the RA motor. When I get home. 

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Edited by Chardo, 13 March 2021 - 05:56 PM.

[apfever]

According to post #19 and 20 above, the DEC motor is the one in question, not the the RA. 

[The Planetman]

I'm missing the cable that runs from the power supply to the declination motor. Any ideas what kind of cable it would use to connect the two?

Mine had a 3.5mm audio type cable that plugged into both the dec motor and drive corrector