1175 replies to this topic

[apfever]

The drool factor for the 8” Edmund...back in the 1960s...it had that supep-duper finder, a set of 1.25” orthoscopic eyepieces, and the HUGE eq. Mount. In those days, it was a whole observatory for your driveway!

For me it was the fork-mounted 8” Newtonian.

Too much to run by me. This is the "Ask Away" thread and you two are seriously asking for it. Ask and thou shall receive, or was that seek and ye shall find, something like that. It's a Matthew thing. Anyway, I'm not sure where to start with you two...Terra was first so...I think this is the 1962 catalogue.  I'm having a lax day and a camera so suffer through some stretch. I'm keeping this one pic as big as I can from pdf of the whole catalog.

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[apfever]

And here ya go from specific mention in entry #999, from the factory. 

 

Two sets of the eyepieces, as factory sets, not pieced together. Notice the subtle differences in print that denote a specific period set. There are many other factors easy to see in person that show each set to have been from original times. The sets came to me this way, completely independent of each other. This makes me think the 4mm was a factory sub, flub, or special request. 

 

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[Don W]

My interest in this hobby came from watching Sagan’s Cosmos. 
 

Therefore I received early 80s Edmunds catalogs along with many others from Astro companies of that era.

[apfever]

"...that super-duper finder..."

 

Ouch! Bummer. Here's the finder mount. The finder itself should be somewhere. Oh Lord, give it time, something somewhere. I don't see the finder in this Edmund group, maybe not during this set of entries. There are some other Edmund 'groups' around here.  To heck with that. It's the bracket that's cool, you know, all those finders look the same anyway.

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Edited by apfever, 27 September 2024 - 02:48 PM.

[apfever]

"...and the HUGE eq. Mount."

 

This link HERE is the before picture and this whole page 3 link HERE is the after. Both links are in the same string.  That's hiding reality behind the skirts of the past. I must confess. Off to the barn for rude, crude, if not embarrassing picture of 'now'.  Stand by one. 

Here's as is now in the barn. Only dusty, no dust in bad places. I'll vacuum and blow it off then cover it. Thought it had a cover. The leg spread is large. 

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Edited by apfever, 27 September 2024 - 03:28 PM.

[apfever]

The 8" string has parts of the OTA restored. The problem is the tube itself is as shown. The substantial damage is in addition to previous mods as shown by an old filled focuser hole. The back isn't great either. It can all be fixed up nice but I'd like to grab an original material tube for a replacement. Anybody?

 

A bit like a car without engine but

I think the moment is over.

Right Terra?

Right?

 

Only available as a preservation triple set with the DSC Palomar Jr., and SSC Palomar restorations. Also, not for sale or $1M whichever comes last. 

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[cavedweller]

I am looking for a Meade tripod to work with the LXD750 mount. The mount uses a center bolt and I have a tripod top piece that provides six threaded holes for bolts that would protrude upward through the top of the tripod. I would like it tall to work with the 152ED and/or 178ED Meade refractors.

It is different from the SCT tripods because the six bolts pass through the top of the tripod from below and thread into the bottom piece of the mount.

 

I added a picture I found in an ad (it seems I just missed a chance to buy one):

 

 

 

Edited by cavedweller, 27 September 2024 - 08:23 PM.

[apfever]

For me it was the fork-mounted 8” Newtonian.

Too easy.  I can't even really get to this one so this should be quick. It's all in there with a lot of options from the best of several scopes. Only one complete 8" fork out of the bunch but it's in there. 

Oh, second picture is two floors up from the shelf piles. Like I stated, lots of options. Lots of hit and miss restoration on sections. Some assembly required.  

 

But the moment is over right Don?  Make it $859.37 local pickup only plus $800 more for the Monster OAG focuser option. That should help, they're never worth that much, not even close. 

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Edited by apfever, 27 September 2024 - 04:08 PM.

[Terra Nova]

And here ya go from specific mention in entry #999, from the factory. 

 

Two sets of the eyepieces, as factory sets, not pieced together. Notice the subtle differences in print that denote a specific period set. There are many other factors easy to see in person that show each set to have been from original times. The sets came to me this way, completely independent of each other. This makes me think the 4mm was a factory sub, flub, or special request. 

I have that Edscorp Circle T 4mm Ortho, (Lower right). It’s a sharp eyepiece! (So is the Edscorp 12.5 above it.)

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Edited by Terra Nova, 28 September 2024 - 08:21 AM.

[Terra Nova]

My interest in this hobby came from watching Sagan’s Cosmos. 
 

Therefore I received early 80s Edmunds catalogs along with many others from Astro companies of that era.

Same with Don, my observing buddy up in Cincinnati. He went out and bought a brand new C8 because he was so inspired. He got it before the first run series concluded and still has it and uses it regularly.

[Cavs56]

I recently acquired a 102 ATM telescope tube. I need a f-15 102 mm objective. Or a 102mm objective with cell. It has a brass 110-100.2 32tpi female adapter the original cell screwed into.

[Cavs56]

Sorry 110mm possibly 110.2mm

[spereira]

I am looking to acquire an Edmund RKE 28mm eyepiece for my new-to-me Astroscan.

Please send a private message.

Thanks!

 

smp

[photoracer18]

Is there any other missing piece? This is an ideal candidate for JBWeld. That is not really a load bearing piece.

 

-drl

Also fixable using what used to be called Alumi-Weld which was really a kind of aluminum soldering system that was stronger than the original part. Has a different name now but the same system that can use propane or MAP gas cylinders to "weld" aluminum. I have used this on cracked holes in aluminum pier caps to fill in the hole and redrill and tap the threads. also to make custom mounts for aluminum radiators in race cars.

[flyboyu777]

Too easy.  I can't even really get to this one so this should be quick. It's all in there with a lot of options from the best of several scopes. Only one complete 8" fork out of the bunch but it's in there. 

Oh, second picture is two floors up from the shelf piles. Like I stated, lots of options. Lots of hit and miss restoration on sections. Some assembly required.  

 

But the moment is over right Don?  Make it $859.37 local pickup only plus $800 more for the Monster OAG focuser option. That should help, they're never worth that much, not even close. 

Wow.  Now I know who to go to for Edmund telescope knowledge.  Nice inventory!

[jkmccarthy]

The same levers are found on Synta light-medium duty mounts and Meade/Bresser medium duty mounts.

 

-drl

Thanks(!) ... I came up empty searching on-line for any source of Synta / Meade / Bresser replacement levers, but your suggestion also prompted me to search on-line for modern-day Vixen replacements, which I did succeed in finding. Tonight I installed two of them on my spare SP mount ... details posted here:   https://www.cloudyni...day/?p=13722851.   Please post any follow-up comments there (not here in the "ask away" thread).   Thanks again --- to all who responded above with suggestions ... much appreciated!   -- Jim.
 

[deSitter]

Need an eyepiece for a Vixen late 80s era 6x30 finder. $$$

 

-drl

[Terra Nova]

I am looking to acquire an Edmund RKE 28mm eyepiece for my new-to-me Astroscan.

Please send a private message.

Thanks!

 

smp

Mine will need to be pried from my cold, dead hand. They have become quite the collectable eyepiece in the past decade or so. And with good reason! They are lots of fun in most any scope, fast or slow. Love the floating in space effect. Good luck! If you can’t find one, Edmund Optics is still selling them so you can get a new one. Look for the red band only editions. Accept no substitutes!

[norvegicus]

Yep.  $111 every day of the week.

 

https://www.edmundop...-eyepiece/1913/

 

I have two and I'm keeping them.  It's extra fun in binocular mode.

Edited by norvegicus, 09 October 2024 - 10:35 AM.

[deSitter]

Mine will need to be pried from my cold, dead hand. They have become quite the collectable eyepiece in the past decade or so. And with good reason! They are lots of fun in most any scope, fast or slow. Love the floating in space effect. Good luck! If you can’t find one, Edmund Optics is still selling them so you can get a new one. Look for the red band only editions. Accept no substitutes!

I would like to see the details of this eyepiece, most importantly how much - or likely little - spherical aberration of the exit pupil it has. My favorite eyepieces have always been Orthos, because they have almost NO SAEP. You know what has literally zero SAEP? A window. These great eyepieces are so prized because they require no effort to capture the exit pupil. It's like looking out a window.

 

-drl

Edited by deSitter, 09 October 2024 - 11:18 AM.

[Don W]

For me it is the Meade Research Grade 28mm Ortho. I always carry one at star parties to check the quality of the optics in other telescopes.

DonW

[Terra Nova]

For me it is the Meade Research Grade 28mm Ortho. I always carry one at star parties to check the quality of the optics in other telescopes.

DonW

My Meade 7mm Research Grade Ortho is a definite keeper!

[bjkaras]

I could use a pointer from a Cave/Parks Dec setting circle. My old one fell off and got sucked into a black hole someplace. 

[deSitter]

Need an eyepiece for a Vixen late 80s era 6x30 finder. $$$

 

-drl

Just checked, the eyepiece from classic 6x30 finders fits right in. So if anyone has a spare 6x30 finder, maybe missing the objective or mangled beyond restoration, PM me.

 

-drl

[flyboyu777]

Mine will need to be pried from my cold, dead hand. They have become quite the collectable eyepiece in the past decade or so. And with good reason! They are lots of fun in most any scope, fast or slow. Love the floating in space effect. Good luck! If you can’t find one, Edmund Optics is still selling them so you can get a new one. Look for the red band only editions. Accept no substitutes!

I feel the same way.  The 28mm RKE is a fabulous eyepiece.