14 replies to this topic

[ericb760]

The suspense is over. The SGW Celestron 80 is, indeed, a Japanese Vixen. It arrived covered in dust so my first task was to remove the lens cell and soak it in distilled water with a drop of dish soap. With the lens off one of the plastic sliders on the focuser fell out of the tube so my second task was to tune up the focuser. I have yet to solve my Polaris counterweight issue so first light will be on a Celestron AZ3 mount instead. We shall see if this thing lives up to its reputation. Fingers crossed...
 

 

[Anony]

Nice.

 

I have the Chinese version of that scope (as well as a Meade 80/F11, Towa, I think)... both seem sharp to my eyes.

 

Although unfortunately I just have one mount/tripod w/ rings for both, so can't easily set them up to compare directly.

 

And I probably should play with the focuser on my C80 one day... mine is super tight....probably needs greasing or something.

Edited by Anony, 18 April 2024 - 08:45 PM.

[telesonic]

Good score!

 

Both of them that I've had - one with a family member, and the one currently I own, are really good optically.  Both were Vixen units.

 

I put a 2 speed Crayford 2" focuser (from ScopeStuff) on my personal C80. One needs a few extension tubes to reach focus with that setup, but I typically use a 2" filter wheel with it - so that takes up a bit of space, then only one shorter tube is needed.

 

If it came down to it, it would be one of the last scopes I'd sell.

[ericb760]

Nice.

 

I have the Chinese version of that scope (as well as a Meade 80/F11, Towa, I think)... both seem sharp to my eyes.

 

Although unfortunately I just have one mount/tripod w/ rings for both, so can't easily set them up to compare directly.

 

And I probably should play with the focuser on my C80 one day... mine is super tight....probably needs greasing or something.

I also have a Chinese C80, as well as a Mizar/Meade 80mm. It will be interesting to compare them all. Word on the street is that these Vixen 80's can be freaky sharp.

 

If you are in the market for a set of rings I have several sitting around. I also have an aluminum tripod with an AZ3 mount that is twice redundant that I was getting ready to list here on the CN Classifieds. let me know.

[upwinddan]

I am the fortunate custodian of a Vixen C80. I consider it to be beyond freaky sharp. It might be classified as scary sharp. my best views of Saturn ever have been through this scope. This is the one scope I will probably never sell.

[Anony]

I also have a Chinese C80, as well as a Mizar/Meade 80mm. It will be interesting to compare them all. Word on the street is that these Vixen 80's can be freaky sharp.

 

If you are in the market for a set of rings I have several sitting around. I also have an aluminum tripod with an AZ3 mount that is twice redundant that I was getting ready to list here on the CN Classifieds. let me know.

Thanks, but if I ever add another tripod it'd likely be a local pickup if I find one super cheap.  No real rush, as I have scopes piling up here as it is... and the ring thing is a bit tricky, as regular 80mms won't fit my Meade. I need to add 'filler'.  It's an 80mm but has a smaller tube than regular 80mms.

[Bomber Bob]

I also have a Chinese C80, as well as a Mizar/Meade 80mm. It will be interesting to compare them all. Word on the street is that these Vixen 80's can be freaky sharp.

 

Looking forward to your C80 vs Mizar 80 shoot-out...

[CHASLX200]

I also have a Chinese C80, as well as a Mizar/Meade 80mm. It will be interesting to compare them all. Word on the street is that these Vixen 80's can be freaky sharp.

 

Looking forward to your C80 vs Mizar 80 shoot-out...

All of my Vixens were past sharp. My past insane nuts super freaky sharp C102 just keeps on going past 400x like nothing. If i could just take the color away it would be the best the scope in the world and adding a 2" focuser would help also. I had the very first Celestron HD-102 in 1997 on the sad CG4 mount. I was shocked it was such a downgrade vs the Vixen stuff.  Optics seems ok to good but not Vixen good and not close to the build of the Vixen stuff.  

[Bomber Bob]

CHAS, you could put a 2" Baader ClickLock on that C102 -- open up the views!

[CHASLX200]

CHAS, you could put a 2" Baader ClickLock on that C102 -- open up the views!

But the draw tube us not 2" that i know of.

[Bomber Bob]

Doesn't have to be.  Baader makes these for most all of the popular refractors -- pretty sure the Vixen 102 is in that group.

[CHASLX200]

Not sure what good 2" eyeieces are if the draw tube is smaller.

[telesonic]

 and adding a 2" focuser would help also.

Having put a 2" focuser on my old ST-80 (family member has that one), then re-used that focuser for my C-80. Also had my machinist turn a crayford flange adapter down on the lathe, so that it fits my Towa / Sears tube.

 

Last I looked (it's been awhile) there were various sized refractor flanges for the GSO Crayfords. There might not be one that specifically fits the 102, but that doesn't mean you can't fit one to the tube. A simple spacer machined out of aluminum, it's OD sized to the ID of the 102 tube, and it's bore for the 86.4mm Crayford flange would seem doable by any competent machinist.

 

At least, in my mind - it should be something one could do. Motivation, and finding the right parts, and machinist willing to tackle that would be the limiting factors - methinks.

 

Heck, you could probably find a piece of ABS pipe that fits the snugly inside the 102 tube, and use that as a test for a spacer to fit the 86.4mm flange.

 

More than one way to look at the problem.

[CHASLX200]

Having put a 2" focuser on my old ST-80 (family member has that one), then re-used that focuser for my C-80. Also had my machinist turn a crayford flange adapter down on the lathe, so that it fits my Towa / Sears tube.

 

Last I looked (it's been awhile) there were various sized refractor flanges for the GSO Crayfords. There might not be one that specifically fits the 102, but that doesn't mean you can't fit one to the tube. A simple spacer machined out of aluminum, it's OD sized to the ID of the 102 tube, and it's bore for the 86.4mm Crayford flange would seem doable by any competent machinist.

 

At least, in my mind - it should be something one could do. Motivation, and finding the right parts, and machinist willing to tackle that would be the limiting factors - methinks.

 

Heck, you could probably find a piece of ABS pipe that fits the snugly inside the 102 tube, and use that as a test for a spacer to fit the 86.4mm flange.

 

More than one way to look at the problem.

Just not anything i wanted to deal with. There are no shops around me that do anything with scopes.  Just getting a shop to answer a phone is very hard. FL is just bad for all reasons when it comes to scopes.

[ericb760]

 A simple spacer machined out of aluminum, it's OD sized to the ID of the 102 tube, and it's bore for the 86.4mm Crayford flange would seem doable by any competent machinist.

 

 

I'm not sure where you live but I have contacted every machine shop within 50 miles to do exactly that. Not one of them would accept the challenge. I have resorted to using electrical tape to secure the W.O. lens cell I bought to the donor tube I already had. I did this as a proof-of-concept exercise, and it works surprisingly well.