46 replies to this topic

[DreamWeaver]

I'm sure I would have been more impressed with the size of Mike's 20TE, had it not been set up next to his 10" f/11 R35 Istar/Chromacor N with Jaegers 6" f/8 piggy backed.  

[ccwemyss]

The synchronous motors run on AC, so you can't reverse the polarity. But some use a startup capacitor and coils to shift the phase with respect to the motor coils. 

 

http://interautomati...18/07/85-87.pdf

 

If this was a Canadian scope originally, it may use a 50Hz motor instead of the US 60Hz. 

 

Chip W. 

[stevenk]

Semlin those are amazing  - where did you find all those 

[stevenk]

Chip yes we have 50hz here as well 

I will have a look and see what the circuit looks like and determine from there 

You are right though this could be a 60hz but if the scope did originate in Canada it would be a simple process to replace the synchronous motor to reverse phase - Ill have a look 

[Terra Nova]

The synchronous motors run on AC, so you can't reverse the polarity. But some use a startup capacitor and coils to shift the phase with respect to the motor coils. 

 

http://interautomati...18/07/85-87.pdf

 

If this was a Canadian scope originally, it may use a 50Hz motor instead of the US 60Hz. 

 

Chip W. 

Thanks Chip, that explains it perfectly! I didn’t think about them being AC.

[semlin]

here are a couple more photos from undated rao catalogues.  i own the 1964 tasco canada catalogue.  the rest are from royal astro and astro catalogues i have found online.

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[semlin]

The synchronous motors run on AC, so you can't reverse the polarity. But some use a startup capacitor and coils to shift the phase with respect to the motor coils. 

 

http://interautomati...18/07/85-87.pdf

 

If this was a Canadian scope originally, it may use a 50Hz motor instead of the US 60Hz. 

 

Chip W. 

 

is it the same as a clock motor?

 

someone in our high school figured out how to reverse the clocks.  much hilarity ensued.  i just googled and there seem to be several ways to reverse them depending on design.

Edited by semlin, 30 June 2022 - 11:02 AM.

[CHASLX200]

here are a couple more photos from undated rao catalogues.  i own the 1964 tasco canada catalogue.  the rest are from royal astro and astro catalogues i have found online.

That 108 on the pier would be a rare dream scope for sure if one could be found in mint shape. Maybe  even more hard to find than a mint 6" Unitron.
 

Edited by CHASLX200, 30 June 2022 - 06:07 PM.

[deSitter]

The synchronous motors run on AC, so you can't reverse the polarity. But some use a startup capacitor and coils to shift the phase with respect to the motor coils. 

 

http://interautomati...18/07/85-87.pdf

 

If this was a Canadian scope originally, it may use a 50Hz motor instead of the US 60Hz. 

 

Chip W. 

Cheap inverters are available on Ebay - they don't make sine waves but they work fine with these motors. I would try to find a replacement motor with the opposite handedness (CW or CCW) and preserve the original unchanged.

 

-drl

[GaryM]

Well, I had a chance to buy this scope from Albert when I was there buying another scope from him, but it was just too expensive :-)

 

I shouldn't complain though, I still have my near mint Sears 6345!

[stevenk]

Well I'm not sure what Albert was asking at that time but it was somewhat expensive for me here as well but certainly no more than a 4 inch apo which are advertised here in Aus.  -

No way have I ever spent a lot on a scope before. And once I got the green light from my better half... I figured why not ??  It was well well worth it . 

 

The 6345 you have is a magnificent scope - I also had a complete one here purchased fro a song as it had been left here by a Canadian who went back home. Sadly I sold it to finance something else which never actually eventuated - Talk about a mistake !!!

 

I'm certainly glad you didn't buy the 20TE though - Thank you   

Steve 

Edited by stevenk, 24 July 2022 - 06:01 AM.

[woodsman]

I always enjoy looking through the old catalog pages that members post here.  Very fun to see the prices then and compare them to today's dollar.  Plugging in that to an inflation calculator, the 1964 price of that 20TE at $1495 indicates an inflation adjusted cost of $14,290 today.

 

No wonder the advertisements rarely show these larger instruments being handled by children!!  

 

One would have had to grow up in a fairly wealthy family for Dad and Mom to say "Hey let's get Junior that telescope he's been looking at, for Christmas". 

[Terra Nova]

“No wonder the advertisements rarely show these larger instruments being handled by children!!”

 

Nope. They were always handled by men with crew cuts and horn-rimmed glasses in white lab coats, or occasionally by a woman in a skirt and heels.

[woodsman]

“No wonder the advertisements rarely show these larger instruments being handled by children!!”

 

Nope. They were always handled by men with crew cuts and horn-rimmed glasses in white lab coats, or occasionally by a woman in a skirt and heels.

LOL   Of course they are!  Don't you always get ready to go out for a viewing session, and think to yourself "Darn it!  Where did I misplace those Stilleto Heels I just bought"?   

[GaryM]

Stevenk:

 

The price was around $4,000 which you can see here: 

 

https://astromart.co...efractor-427272

 

This was at that time way more than I could spend although I have spent considerably more on other telescopes (when I wasn't retired and poor).

[Terra Nova]

LOL   Of course they are!  Don't you always get ready to go out for a viewing session, and think to yourself "Darn it!  Where did I misplace those Stilleto Heels I just bought"?  

I need to do that sometime! Photo op!

[Napersky]

here are a couple more photos from undated rao catalogues.  i own the 1964 tasco canada catalogue.  the rest are from royal astro and astro catalogues i have found online.

The scope looks EXACTLY as the TASCO 20TE only exception the 20TE has 3 10 lb white counter-weights. I have been told that Royal Astro makes their own optics, my Sears 6345 90mm are as close to perfection as possible. Obviously TASCO'S 20TE was made by Royal Astro being in this catalogue. There are people writing that the Tasco 20TE has Carton optics. What do you know. I bought a 20TE and it will be shipped to me next week I can look for mark's on the focuser then.

[deSitter]

The scope looks EXACTLY as the TASCO 20TE only exception the 20TE has 3 10 lb white counter-weights. I have been told that Royal Astro makes their own optics, my Sears 6345 90mm are as close to perfection as possible. Obviously TASCO'S 20TE was made by Royal Astro being in this catalogue. There are people writing that the Tasco 20TE has Carton optics. What do you know. I bought a 20TE and it will be shipped to me next week I can look for mark's on the focuser then.

Holy cow! Where did you find that?! Congrats!

 

The 20TE will be an incremental improvement and may actually be worse for color, but MAN will it dwarf the 6345

 

-drl

[Napersky]

Facebook 

[Napersky]

 

Here is my TASCO 15TEA which I've owned for 13years with Royal Astro Logo. 

Edited by Napersky, 22 November 2024 - 12:26 PM.

[Napersky]

Holy cow! Where did you find that?! Congrats!

 

The 20TE will be an incremental improvement and may actually be worse for color, but MAN will it dwarf the 6345

 

-drl

The Facebook group "Vintage Telescopes."

[ErnH2O]

I need to do that sometime! Photo op!

I should do that with my 6345. I think black patent is in order.

E.