105 replies to this topic

[GreyDay]

I wasn't going to post this, but after much consideration it deserves it. This is undoutably my most used scope, it's not as fancy or as capable as most of the scopes posted but it's earned it's moment. My lowly Towa 30-90x60mm variable mag grab n go, dead simple to use, no need for an EP case. The optical train with helical zoom is way better quality than the "click stop" pull out version of the 5V-TE and other clones.

The downsides are, the tripod is minimal but works well enough and being straight through i have been sat on the floor to get zenith views of the night sky. The 30-90x view is crystal clear through all mags and works amazingly well, zero cooldown time and while CA is present it's minimal compared to the 5v-te and only obvious on bright stuff. The scope gets almost as much use as my 10x50 bino's as i regularly use it while other scopes are cooling down. Not an all time classic or even desirable but simple and easy to use, this is the hammer in my astro toolbox

 

[clamchip]

Single draw design.

You don't need a mount, you don't need eyepieces.

Erect image so you can observe ships in the harbor and birds too, and the optics

are excellent enough for astronomy.

This is my,

"Better to have a telescope and not need it than need a telescope and not have it" telescope.

Robert

 

Edited by clamchip, 09 June 2022 - 10:23 AM.

[tony_spina]

Single draw design.

You don't need a mount, you don't need eyepieces.

Erect image so you can observe ships in the harbor and birds too, and the optics

are excellent enough for astronomy.

This is my,

"Better to have a telescope and not need it than need a telescope and not have it" telescope.

Robert

 

post-50896-0-84474000-1640984923.jpg

post-50896-0-26841900-1640984997.jpg

post-50896-0-42500500-1422664805_thumb.jpg

Beautiful 

[Dave Trott]

 

 

a couple of my favorite old grab and go scopes.  actually,  it was Dave's classic scope YouTube videos that got me interested in seeking out classic scopes,  particularly that c80 and Polaris mount,  Thanks Dave,  i spend all my money on telescopes now

 

You are most welcome! Glad you like the videos. More on the way.

 

- Dave

[Terra Nova]

They really don’t get much more grab-and-go than my current Pronto setup which currently resides in a corner of my dining room. The whole thing can be picked up in one hand by the mini-pier. With the eyepiece case in the other hand, I’m out the door in a minute.

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[tony_spina]

They really don’t get much more grab-and-go than my current Pronto setup which currently resides in a corner of my dining room. The whole thing can be picked up in one hand by the mini-pier. With the eyepiece case in the other hand, I’m out the door in a minute.

Terra,

What ball head are you using? How is movement and vibration dampening times?

[Terra Nova]

Terra,

What ball head are you using? How is movement and vibration dampening times?

Hi Tony, It’s this one from Amazon:

 

https://www.amazon.c...0?ie=UTF8&psc=1

 

I leave it with the axle resting in the notch as in the picture below, which allows the entire ball to act as one large altitude bearing, producing very stable movement in altitude; smooth azimuth motion is accomplished on the lower circular horizontal bearing surface which allows 360° of rotation.

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Edited by Terra Nova, 09 June 2022 - 04:16 PM.

[Terra Nova]

BTW, FWI I added the Baader Vixen-style V-rail clamping jaw. That (the red knob) is not part of the stock ball-head. It has an Arca-Swiss (?) mounting plate.

[deSitter]

I wasn't going to post this, but after much consideration it deserves it. This is undoutably my most used scope, it's not as fancy or as capable as most of the scopes posted but it's earned it's moment. My lowly Towa 30-90x60mm variable mag grab n go, dead simple to use, no need for an EP case. The optical train with helical zoom is way better quality than the "click stop" pull out version of the 5V-TE and other clones.

The downsides are, the tripod is minimal but works well enough and being straight through i have been sat on the floor to get zenith views of the night sky. The 30-90x view is crystal clear through all mags and works amazingly well, zero cooldown time and while CA is present it's minimal compared to the 5v-te and only obvious on bright stuff. The scope gets almost as much use as my 10x50 bino's as i regularly use it while other scopes are cooling down. Not an all time classic or even desirable but simple and easy to use, this is the hammer in my astro toolbox

 

ANY decent telescope design can work! This sort of scope has a built-in erector system but if that's well made and properly mounted, it can work!

 

Single draw design.

You don't need a mount, you don't need eyepieces.

Erect image so you can observe ships in the harbor and birds too, and the optics

are excellent enough for astronomy.

This is my,

"Better to have a telescope and not need it than need a telescope and not have it" telescope.

Robert

 

post-50896-0-84474000-1640984923.jpg

post-50896-0-26841900-1640984997.jpg

post-50896-0-42500500-1422664805_thumb.jpg

No pirate hat?

 

-drl

Edited by deSitter, 09 June 2022 - 05:33 PM.

[DouglasPaul]

I don't know how "perfect" this one is given it's focal length and I haven't had a chance to use it at night given the absolutely horrible weather we've had around here but it certainly qualifies as grab and go. All Vixen optics. Case is 15x11x6.

 

My most used grab and go and by far my most used scope is a Celestron GT 102 mounted on a Chinese mount with wooden legs meant for a 114 mm reflector that I modified the clamshell to fit the 102 in. The mount stays in one piece except for taking two of the tray screw off and the counterweight. It's not pretty but it's dependable and gives pretty good views of solar system objects.

 

 

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Edited by DouglasPaul, 09 June 2022 - 08:32 PM.

[DouglasPaul]

Single draw design.

You don't need a mount, you don't need eyepieces.

Erect image so you can observe ships in the harbor and birds too, and the optics

are excellent enough for astronomy.

This is my,

"Better to have a telescope and not need it than need a telescope and not have it" telescope.

Robert

 

post-50896-0-84474000-1640984923.jpg

post-50896-0-26841900-1640984997.jpg

post-50896-0-42500500-1422664805_thumb.jpg

I had to buy a Hertel & Reuss out of jealousy. But mine has 2 (two) lenses and 2 (two) eyepieces, erect images and a nifty carry case! Ha!

https://shopgoodwill.../item/145603736

[tony_spina]

Hi Tony, It’s this one from Amazon:

 

https://www.amazon.c...0?ie=UTF8&psc=1

 

I leave it with the axle resting in the notch as in the picture below, which allows the entire ball to act as one large altitude bearing, producing very stable movement in altitude; smooth azimuth motion is accomplished on the lower circular horizontal bearing surface which allows 360° of rotation.

Thanks Terra

[clamchip]

Here's another draw telescope, unknown maker unknown age, I'll guess

and say French and probably pre-WW2.

Remember you don't need a mount or a pocket full of eyepieces

For your glove box, bicycle camping, hiking, ball game, bird watching, and

of course astronomy. I better strike ball game from the list if you have

someone sitting in front of you, it's long and you are libel to loose an eye in

all the excitement. 

It's brass but very thin and lightweight

I bought this one decades ago from a antique mall and all the leather

packing had dried up at the draw packing glands. I cut new ones with a

knife and it is all nice and tight again. The lens is really nice.

Robert

 

Edited by clamchip, 10 June 2022 - 09:54 AM.

[kjkociba]

Here's some pictures of my "perfect" grab and go.  2" Warner and Swasey. VERY compact, with alt az/tripod being housed in the old wood box as well.   One of these days I will re-leather the case.   The OTA was originally leather wrapped, appears to be a magnesium alloy that was severely corroded.  blasted and painted the OTA to save the tube from further degradation. 

. 

Still used as one of my grab and go scopes!

[Dave Trott]

What a beautiful scope!! It looks a lot like Henry Ford's Telescope seen here:

 

 

 

Attribution: Jackdude101, CC BY-SA 4.0 <https://creativecomm...enses/by-sa/4.0>, via Wikimedia Commons

Edited by Dave Trott, 10 June 2022 - 10:26 AM.

[kjkociba]

Don't recall seeing that as an exhibit last time I was down there!. I believe that one is the big brother of mine.  It looks like the 3" version (Longer housing on the porro prism) Wonderful little scopes!

[Senex Bibax]

Here's another draw telescope, unknown maker unknown age, I'll guess

and say French and probably pre-WW2.

Remember you don't need a mount or a pocket full of eyepieces

For your glove box, bicycle camping, hiking, ball game, bird watching, and

of course astronomy. I better strike ball game from the list if you have

someone sitting in front of you, it's long and you are libel to loose an eye in

all the excitement. 

It's brass but very thin and lightweight

I bought this one decades ago from a antique mall and all the leather

packing had dried up at the draw packing glands. I cut new ones with a

knife and it is all nice and tight again. The lens is really nice.

Robert

 

post-50896-0-84144200-1552410116_thumb.jpg

post-50896-0-84270400-1552410193_thumb.jpg

Perfect example of a telescopic baton

[DouglasPaul]

I don't know how "perfect" this one is given it's focal length and I haven't had a chance to use it at night given the absolutely horrible weather we've had around here but it certainly qualifies as grab and go. All Vixen optics. Case is 15x11x6.

 

My most used grab and go and by far my most used scope is a Celestron GT 102 mounted on a Chinese mount with wooden legs meant for a 114 mm reflector that I modified the clamshell to fit the 102 in. The mount stays in one piece except for taking two of the tray screw off and the counterweight. It's not pretty but it's dependable and gives pretty good views of solar system objects.

She does sport pretty nice rings though, and after setting it on a distant waterfall I have pretty high hopes for it's usability for astronomical use.

 

[Piaget]

Hi Friends , I have not posted in months , I do follow posts everyday. I have a little go-scope that is a Tasco model # 4100 50/400 8-32× Multi-Scope. It is all machined black metal with a super smooth radial 100mm focus range. Don't know the maker , but the optics are as good as my 10VR or RAO 80MM. It is great for birding & moon gazing. It has a great handmade leather tube carrier & attachments for astrophotography. I have only ever seen 1 other of this model. I think it is from the early 90's. Hope you all are well , Piaget

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[DouglasPaul]

Hi Friends , I have not posted in months , I do follow posts everyday. I have a little go-scope that is a Tasco model # 4100 50/400 8-32× Multi-Scope. It is all machined black metal with a super smooth radial 100mm focus range. Don't know the maker , but the optics are as good as my 10VR or RAO 80MM. It is great for birding & moon gazing. It has a great handmade leather tube carrier & attachments for astrophotography. I have only ever seen 1 other of this model. I think it is from the early 90's. Hope you all are well , Piaget

Good to hear from you Piaget, have you used your 10VR for night viewing? How does it rate if you have? Still waiting for an opportunity here.

[Jae]

Again not the "perfect" classic but could be close with a lightweight wedge and tripod with holes for battery pack and the whole thing is very light.  Far lighter than a C5+ with wedge and tripod.

 

This one has been taken apart and with the secondary and corrector plate aligned and tightened up so the images are truly great for a 4 inch SCT.

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[Jae]

more pics

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[Jae]

one more

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[Jae]

She does sport pretty nice rings though, and after setting it on a distant waterfall I have pretty high hopes for it's usability for astronomical use.

 

IMG_20220611_145831_copy_640x480.jpg

The 10VR, if you get a good one is a superb scope for astronomical use.   I was shocked how sharp it was, way beyond an Orion Short tube.  I'll have to revisit mine.  

 

Occasionally a less than sharp one might come through but it may be fixable with spacers or something like that, there was a thread on it. 

[Piaget]

Good to hear from you Piaget, have you used your 10VR for night viewing? How does it rate if you have? Still waiting for an opportunity here.

I have used my 10VR extensively for star gazing & lunar. It goes to 200x without distortion or aberration.  I5 is an amazing little scope. You will love it.