26 replies to this topic

[bigbangbaby]

I really didn’t need another 60 mm refractor, but it was a short drive away and $20. Lens is in perfect condition.

 

Hardly a rigorous test, but it put up a clear, sharp image of a street sign 1/2 mile away. Came with three eyepieces and a Barlow. Will need a hybrid diagonal to use 1.25 in. eyepieces. Mount is fair.
 

Anyone know something about these scopes? Any idea how old it is? It’s made in Japan and has a Circle T on the nameplate. Towa?

 

 

[zakry3323]

Yep, circle T is Towa. Nice find, congrats!

[bigbangbaby]

Spiffed up a bit. Disassembled the focuser and mount, removed the gummy grease, and applied a light coat of lithium grease. Cut off a plastic set screw and inserted it ahead of the azimuth locking screw. Now the screw can preload the axis without galling the rotating sleeve. A washer was missing on one of the altitude tension knobs. I installed a nylon washer. Smooth motion and no more binding. I ordered a hybrid diagonal but may just use the .965 stuff. I haven’t tried the other two eyepieces yet, but the 15 mm is very nice. Super sharp and reasonable eye relief. The scope is ridiculously lightweight.

 

 

[DouglasPaul]

Spiffed up a bit. Disassembled the focuser and mount, removed the gummy grease, and applied a light coat of lithium grease. Cut off a plastic set screw and inserted it ahead of the azimuth locking screw. Now the screw can preload the axis without galling the rotating sleeve. A washer was missing on one of the altitude tension knobs. I installed a nylon washer. Smooth motion and no more binding. I ordered a hybrid diagonal but may just use the .965 stuff. I haven’t tried the other two eyepieces yet, but the 15 mm is very nice. Super sharp and reasonable eye relief. The scope is ridiculously lightweight.

 

IMG_4021.jpeg

Is that a metal ring in place of the spreader tray? It looks like a cd. 

[bigbangbaby]

It’s a metal ring and looks to be original. Other than the focuser knobs and mount knobs, it’s all metal components. 

Edited by bigbangbaby, 16 October 2023 - 06:59 AM.

[bigbangbaby]

+
 

Edited by bigbangbaby, 16 October 2023 - 06:09 AM.

[Kasmos]

It’s a metal ring and looks to be original. Other than the focuser knobs and mount knobs, it’s all metal components. 

The spreader tray is a replacement. I can't think of any Towa that didn't use a triangle spreader tray. I've seen a ton of similar scopes branded by Bushnell and others and they all have a triangle tray. Bushnell used the same model number even when they were made by the later different makers like Diamond Z, and DK and they did as well.

 

Then there's these:

 

https://offerup.com/...etail/321622263

 

https://www.varagesa...i-model-78-5500

 

https://auctions.ejs...5500_4C64052AAA

 

 

Plus the Diamond Z version:

 

https://www.ebay.com...d=&toolid=10050

 

BTW, Round trays on other makes like Mizar always have a raise lip and are painted to match the other components.

[bigbangbaby]

Thanks for the info, Kasmos. It appears to have been replaced awhile ago, and done well.  It'll stay unless I happen upon the correct triangle spreader. Any idea when these scopes were made?

Edited by bigbangbaby, 16 October 2023 - 01:43 PM.

[bigbangbaby]

What are the odds of finding another Bushnell Sky Chief 1 close by? Interestingly, this one is also made in Japan but, unlike my Towa example, mostly plastic (OTA, focuser body, lens cell, finder). The focus knobs and altitude tensioners are metal. Odd. I swapped over the altitude tensioners and the triangle tripod spreader to my Towa. 
 

 

 

 

[deSitter]

The Sky Chief was like SkyLab. The original from the 50s had no Roman numeral appended. Call that one version 0. Alas no mount, but a beautiful OTA. The SkyLab flights were officially 1 for the lab and 2-4 for the crews. But people called the first crew SkyLab I etc.

 

Here is the badge.

 

-drl

 

 

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[deSitter]

The Sky Chief was like SkyLab. The original from the 50s had no Roman numeral appended. Call that one version 0. Alas no mount, but a beautiful OTA. The SkyLab flights were officially 1 for the lab and 2-4 for the crews. But people called the first crew SkyLab I etc.

 

Here is the badge.

 

-drl

There are many like it but this one is mine (thanks Kaz!) I have yet to test it Need to register it.

 

-drl

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[Bomber Bob]

Registered both SC's...  If you'll PM Ol' BB with details, I'll flesh-out the basic entries....

[bigbangbaby]

Well, the person I gifted my Tasco to fell in love with the Sky Chief, so I gave it to them and my Tasco is back home. I have to say, that Sky Chief was growing on me. Freaky sharp, as Chas would say, at 88x with a Celestron 8-24 zoom cranked all the way up, and so lightweight.

[Erlend L]

I have one of those. Got it around 1983. Good enough to see the rings og Saturn and cloud belts on Jupiter. I haven't used it for 30 years of so. The mount was a bit frustrating, to be honest. I think the optics, focuser and eyepieces were decent for their time, but they threw in som junk accessories, like an utterly useless single element Barlow. The finder scope is also singlet, but it works OK.

[deSitter]

I have one of those. Got it around 1983. Good enough to see the rings og Saturn and cloud belts on Jupiter. I haven't used it for 30 years of so. The mount was a bit frustrating, to be honest. I think the optics, focuser and eyepieces were decent for their time, but they threw in som junk accessories, like an utterly useless single element Barlow. The finder scope is also singlet, but it works OK.

The one I have is from no later than the early 60s, and I'd say late 50s. Superb optics and an excellent finder with a 30mm achromat. No astigmatism and razor sharp. Focuser is, like its contemporaries, made with precision and works perfectly. Bushnell was bounced around and quality declined.

 

The original has a beautiful gloss navy blue and silver hammertone color scheme. The serial number on the badge is done in red. Just a beautiful instrument. I don't have the mount.

 

-drl

[ericb760]

 

 

The original has a beautiful gloss navy blue and silver hammertone color scheme. The serial number on the badge is done in red. Just a beautiful instrument. I don't have the mount.

 

-drl

Like this one HERE?

[deSitter]

Like this one HERE?

I think that is the 60/700mm Jr. Very tempted - low shipping.

 

-drl

[Kasmos]

Like this one HERE?

That's the little 60/700 Bushnell Jr.

Those are basically a Shrine Manon/Mayflower 814 in Silver and Blue and like them it should be a great little scope.

 

desitter has one of my former twins.

They are just plain Sky Chiefs (60/910) and they precede the other silver and blue Sky Chief I & II's.

No makers marks but other than the color and the fluted cell, the OTAs are very similar to the early Tasco 227 and 305 7-TEs.

Edited by Kasmos, 24 October 2024 - 03:39 AM.

[grif 678]

I have the Sky Chief II. and it has some of the best 60mm images I have ever seen in a 60mm scope. And it is built so solid, will never wear out. Just the OTA, I use it on a unitron mount.

[Kasmos]

I have the Sky Chief II. and it has some of the best 60mm images I have ever seen in a 60mm scope. And it is built so solid, will never wear out. Just the OTA, I use it on a unitron mount.

Bushnell used the same name and number for several years and on completely different telescopes. It would help see a photo or to know if it was one of the a silver and blue models or a later white and black model. 

[grif 678]

Bushnell used the same name and number for several years and on completely different telescopes. It would help see a photo or to know if it was one of the a silver and blue models or a later white and black model. 

I can't do pictures, but it is one of the older silver and blue ones, optics made in Japan.

[Erlend L]

The one I have is from no later than the early 60s, and I'd say late 50s. Superb optics and an excellent finder with a 30mm achromat. No astigmatism and razor sharp. Focuser is, like its contemporaries, made with precision and works perfectly. Bushnell was bounced around and quality declined.

The original has a beautiful gloss navy blue and silver hammertone color scheme. The serial number on the badge is done in red. Just a beautiful instrument. I don't have the mount.

-drl

[Erlend L]

Inspired by this thread, I took a new look at my old telescope. I did a star test a few years ago, but it was disappointing. A lot of spherical aberration which discouraged me from using the scope. I remember that I took the lens apart as a child/teenager (of course did) . Today I took it apart again, and this time made sure to put it together correctly (there are so many ways to get it wrong) The star test, using artificial lights far away, is actually not bad. I would not say identical at each side of focus, but very smooth and I see no serious issues. Now, I am really excited to test it under the stars.

[deSitter]

Inspired by this thread, I took a new look at my old telescope. I did a star test a few years ago, but it was disappointing. A lot of spherical aberration which discouraged me from using the scope. I remember that I took the lens apart as a child/teenager (of course did) . Today I took it apart again, and this time made sure to put it together correctly (there are so many ways to get it wrong) The star test, using artificial lights far away, is actually not bad. I would not say identical at each side of focus, but very smooth and I see no serious issues. Now, I am really excited to test it under the stars.

Use a green filter when testing.

 

-drl

[Erlend L]

I have tested the old sky chief a bit more.

STAR TEST

I used an artificial star and did a star test. It is brighter than most real stars, and brings out more fuzz. My star testing is basic. I can't tell 1/6 wave from 1/7. I have three categories:

1. There's something seriously wrong here...
2. Decent. Don't worry. Enjoy the views.
3. Fantastic! Be happy!

Keep in mind that a star test is VERY sensitive. There is some signs of spherical aberration. The defocused star is a bit more fuzzy on one side of focus than the other. There is some astigmatism. The defocused star is slightly oval close to focus). It is not enough to turn the stars into "plus signs" in focus. In focus, it produces an airy disc with a bright, core with dim diffraction rings. I figure that any scope can do that can deliver a bright airy disc, it is more limited by diffraction than anything else. The diffraction rings are stronger on one side, like slight coma. Something you don't expect to see in a refractor. I guess the lens is a bit decentered because i opened it. It is something I will try to correc.

All in all, the verdict is "decent". I have seen worse, but also better. Maybe even a decent+ if I can center the optics better.


UNDER THE STARS

I took a quick look at Jupiter last night through a hole in the clouds.
The moons look pinpoint. The cloud bands are readily visible. The FOV of the original eyepieces is really narrow. I know there is false color in achromats, but I didn't really notice much.

The most annoying defec is reflections due to scratches inside the diagonal.

The mount is bad. It's very light, which is in itself a good thing. I think the wooden tripod is a bit better than light camera tripod. The alt-az head The most annoying thing is that it is front heavy, and that the thumb screws that fixes it in Alt becomes loose when the scope is moved. Not a good design.


The focuser is pretty ok. Tight at sturdy.

CONCLUSION
I remember everyone was knocking ok these scopes 20 years ago. There were comments like "Is that a Bushnell, or did someone cr@p on my tripod?". It was a bit off putting, and I was convinced that the scope was useless. I don't think it's a Takahashi by any means, but it's decent. Little CA. Fairly sharp. Mostly glass, steel and wood. It's a real telescope with real optics, and certainly way better than the modern cheap frac that Ed Ting recently reviewed.

WHAT DOES THE FUTURE HOLD.
It has spent 35 years in the attic. I want to bring it to life again. I have bought a Vixen bar and a 0.96" - 1.25" adapter, and I will do some imaging one day. Jupiter maybe. :-)