63 replies to this topic

[caveguy]

I have a line on a 1960 or so Dynascope deluxe-as most of us know they were great scopes-and get this- virtually in NEW condition-including the “ dynoswing” camera support- all the original eyepieces-virtually perfect- tripod only no pier - this thing is amazing—-it is located in southern indiana—- I would buy it in a heartbeat- but can barely find the time to use my cave-so if your interested— let me know- reasonable price I imagine—

 

[caveguy]

I guess the real question is if the criterion better than my cave?I did not have a chance to do a detailed test- and my cave is a 10 in f7 compared to an 8 inch f8- but I will say the attention to detail on the dyno- is very impressive-and the tube assembly is amazingly light— great setting circles, really a fine mount compared to most of the era—and with the tripod- an adjustable chair would allow you to sit most of the time—a very well made scope!

[caveguy]

So if we could bring together all of the old classic reflectors- same size and focal length, who do you folks think would win?- optical craftsmen, cave, Dynascope,starliner,trecker—- ect.

[CHASLX200]

I have a line on a 1960 or so Dynascope deluxe-as most of us know they were great scopes-and get this- virtually in NEW condition-including the “ dynoswing” camera support- all the original eyepieces-virtually perfect- tripod only no pier - this thing is amazing—-it is located in southern indiana—- I would buy it in a heartbeat- but can barely find the time to use my cave-so if your interested— let me know- reasonable price I imagine—

I had one before back in 1980. It had the bell pier. I have some pics i can post on here whenever i get time to take pics of the pics.

[rguasto]

1959

 

 

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Edited by rguasto, 27 April 2023 - 02:05 PM.

[rguasto]

This is how I use it now

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[Terra Nova]

I have a line on a 1960 or so Dynascope deluxe-as most of us know they were great scopes-and get this- virtually in NEW condition-including the “ dynoswing” camera support- all the original eyepieces-virtually perfect- tripod only no pier - this thing is amazing—-it is located in southern indiana—- I would buy it in a heartbeat- but can barely find the time to use my cave-so if your interested— let me know- reasonable price I imagine—

It’s a shame that it doesn’t have the bell-pier. They were so cool!

[Bill Griffith]

I really like the serialization the Criterion Deluxe used.  Such as with rquasto's  859183.

 A hard stamped metal riveted plate.

8.00 inch scope  built in 1959 s/n 183.  

 

Bill

[apfever]

I really like the serialization the Criterion Deluxe used.  Such as with rquasto's  859183.

 A hard stamped metal riveted plate.

8.00 inch scope  built in 1959 s/n 183.  

 

Bill

Wow, that's great. I might even check mine if they have one. I don't remember any attention to the better model serial numbers. Nice to know some made sense. Boy, they sure didn't give a lick of sense to the RV series for any length of time. A general guide to RV serial numbers is that smaller numbers look older and bigger numbers look newer. This is especially true for later productions till they threw out the concept. No complaints, just the way it seems to me. It's still nice to have a good looking stamped metal label on there both OTA and pier cap (usually disassociated). That's human nature. 

Edited by apfever, 28 April 2023 - 09:56 AM.

[tim53]

So if we could bring together all of the old classic reflectors- same size and focal length, who do you folks think would win?- optical craftsmen, cave, Dynascope,starliner,trecker—- ect.

Some of this is going to be very subjective, of course, but my preferred classic Newt would have a mount from Optical Craftsment or a Criterion Deluxe Dynascope, and rotating rings from Cave.  Meade doesn't count, because their 1" shaft mounts were designed based loosely on the RV mount and the RG scope prototypes were modified Cave mounts.

 

Reason I like the OC mounts is because the RA circle (and/or pointers) is driven, so one only has to set them at the beginning of a session, not every time you move to a new target.  (but the Cave observatory mount had this feature as well.  They're just not as common).  I've never seen a Deluxe Dynascope up close, so I don't know whether the RA circle is driven or not.

 

-Tim.

[caveguy]

The later caves had the ra circle on the back of the drive and are driven/but I agree cave had the best rotating tube feature-but o.c. Had the better - but heavier mount—- cave mounts— “ heavy- without the stability- best of both worlds”

[caveguy]

Gets the job done— for visual-imaging? Good luck with that!

[tim53]

The later caves had the ra circle on the back of the drive and are driven/but I agree cave had the best rotating tube feature-but o.c. Had the better - but heavier mount—- cave mounts— “ heavy- without the stability- best of both worlds”

The problem is that the circle is a slip ring on the shaft, and the pointer is fixed to the clock cover.  What you need is for one of the two to be a slip ring on the drive gear in order to "keep time".  The OC mounts do that.

[CHASLX200]

It’s a shame that it doesn’t have the bell-pier. They were so cool!

I posted a pic of mine on here a while back. But don't see it on my computer.

[Bill Griffith]

The addiction of this forum is relentless sometimes.

 

Criterions Deluxe and The Optical Craftsmen threads are for me!

 

Anyway,  the one puzzler for me was the configuration of the field tripod leg orientation.   When I purchased my first Deluxe, I immediately noticed a lever arm panic. 

A little downward tug of the tube at rest lined to Polaris (North Hemisphere) and that girl is falling over!   

 

So luckily the base plate of the saddle and of the mount are flat surfaces so I flipped 180 degrees the feet orientation so now I felt safe.  

 

Reviewing my panic there was probably no reason for the rev. change, but we are creatures of habit. 

 

The other; the rotating rings work almost to well for a Barlow and modern oculars.

 

Bill  

Edited by Bill Griffith, 29 April 2023 - 11:29 AM.

[bjkaras]

I have a Cave and a Parks now. The Parks mount is a clone of the Cave 1.5” mount, but seems heavier than the Cave version. When it’s well balanced it tracks quite well, but it’s a beast to transport. The Cave is a 6” on their 1” mount. That mount is pretty good for a 6” scope and tracks very well, but might now be steady enough for an 8” IMO. The Parks is a 10” f5, and while the mount is pretty steady once it settles down I don’t know how it would be on a 12.5” scope. For the 10” it’s fine and tracks well. I bought a dual axis drive corrector from Vista Instruments and had to do some rewiring to adapt it to the Parks drive system. That was a big help with tracking.

[SamTheMan]

I have an 8" F8 Cave Astrola.  I remounted tube OTA on an LXD55 and that adapted to the original Cave pedestal.

save the bandwidth and see my other posts.

 

In a couple of days, I will be taking posession of a complete Dynascope 8 Deluxe on the pier.

This baby needs lots of TLC, so won't be posting pics for awhile.

 

I plan to have mirrors in both scopes recoated at the same time, then compare their images.

fun stuff.

Sam

[deSitter]

I have an 8" F8 Cave Astrola.  I remounted tube OTA on an LXD55 and that adapted to the original Cave pedestal.

save the bandwidth and see my other posts.

 

In a couple of days, I will be taking posession of a complete Dynascope 8 Deluxe on the pier.

This baby needs lots of TLC, so won't be posting pics for awhile.

 

I plan to have mirrors in both scopes recoated at the same time, then compare their images.

fun stuff.

Sam

Wow! Does it have the stowaway field tripod? I always thought that was the coolest thing!

 

-drl

[DAVIDG]

I have an 8" F8 Cave Astrola.  I remounted tube OTA on an LXD55 and that adapted to the original Cave pedestal.

save the bandwidth and see my other posts.

 

In a couple of days, I will be taking posession of a complete Dynascope 8 Deluxe on the pier.

This baby needs lots of TLC, so won't be posting pics for awhile.

 

I plan to have mirrors in both scopes recoated at the same time, then compare their images.

fun stuff.

Sam

 Before spending the money to recoat the mirrors I recommend you test them. All of the Cave mirrors I have tested have a smooth figure but are under corrected. The Criterion mirrors vary. On the more modern RV-8 they have been spheres,  and there are  threads here were the even the 12" from the Deluxe ones were also spheres and not a parabola.  A few minutes with a simple Foucault tester will show if the mirrors have correction or are  spheres.  If you know how to do a star test correctly it will also show what the correction is.  I would also test the secondary since many times they are not optically flat. 

   There is  a misconception that the optics are always made to some high standards, many times they are not and are the most variable in quality of all the parts in the telescope, especially these vintage ones.  People here spend many hours and good money restoring telescope to new condition yet never check the optical qiality. It is like restoring a car with $10,000 paint job and never checking  if the engine is any good. 

 

                  - Dave 

[SamTheMan]

I plan to test the Dynascope mirror before recoating.

I've made a few mirrors and can do this.

Thanks for mentioning this.

 

My prior Caves:

One 8" Cassegrain

Two 8" F8 (still have one)

One 8" F6

One 10" F 5.6 my first

Two 10" F6

Two 12 1/2 F6

 

They all performed very well.

 

Criterion scopes:

2 RV6

 

Meades, Maks, Newts, and SCT's:

too many to list. none were excellent, except the LX50 I currently own.

[SamTheMan]

picked up my new baby...

 

a 1963, one owner, Dynascope 8 Deluxe.

 

Mirror coating is excellent mainly because this was stored with both ends of the tube sealed.

The mount seems to be functional.

a lot of TLC, then I'll compare the Dynasope 8 Deluxe side by side with my 8" F8 Cave Astrola Deluxe and let you all know what I think.

Sam

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[1939Dodge]

picked up my new baby...

 

a 1963, one owner, Dynascope 8 Deluxe.

 

Mirror coating is excellent mainly because this was stored with both ends of the tube sealed.

The mount seems to be functional.

a lot of TLC, then I'll compare the Dynasope 8 Deluxe side by side with my 8" F8 Cave Astrola Deluxe and let you all know what I think.

Sam

If I could trade in the lot for one like this…..

[clamchip]

Sam did you find a tripod inside the pier?

 

Robert

[SamTheMan]

and my 8" F8 Cave Astrola on the Dynascope 8 Deluxe mount.

Sam

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[SamTheMan]

there was no tripod attached to the top cap and hidden inside the pier.

However, the bolts that once secured the legs were present and the casting was designed to accommodate the legs.

and, I just happen to have a very stout wooden tripod from a Vixen 6" Newt.  Not overly robust, but adeqauate, I think.

I'm also going to see if I can adapt the Dynascope top cap to my Cave pedestal.

I'll let you know.

Sam