8 replies to this topic

[strdst]

I'm wondering, (ready to accept it's just me) , do the petty little things about refractors like metal vs. plastic focus knobs, wood vs, metal tripod legs, and glue on stickers vs engraved or metal badges affect how you feel about your classic refractor?

 

In my collection Sears (Royal Astro Optical), went glue-on (1970?), Monolux plastered stickers on everything in the kit!. I think all the Towa (circle T) were stickers. Even Hino/Mizar are stuck. The earlier, but not exclusively refractors had, (to me), the more appealing metal or engraved focusers. Nippon Kogaku, early Goto, most RA scopes (even rebranded by Tasco), Swift comes to mind. Contrary to just vintage my Takahashi FS102 has a "real" badge with metal focus knobs (circa 1998). 

 

And then there are the focus knobs. When possible I've swapped out metal for those wide plastic knobs in the later made scopes that I've collected. I have a 1960'ish Nippon Kogaku that has nylon-esq knobs. what were they thinking?? Goto used quite a bit of Bakelite but I've made an exception and embrace it. A Goto idiosyncrasy? I do understand the logic if you are inclined to lick a focus knob on a brutally cold night you probably would prefer plastic

 

Tripod legs being made of wood just add to the allure. Glass, metal, wood. That makes a good telescope! A wood cabinet is super nice too, not that I'd carry it around like a suitcase. K-chink, ka-chunk, k-chink! 

 

In my case I enjoy telescopes just being more often than the few nights just seeing... through.

 

Rambling-musing on a Sunday night.

 

 

[Jethro7]

Hello strdst,

Plastic always bothers me. I like glass, metal and wood. I have one vintage classic scope. A Cresent (Towa) D60 F/800 cir.1958. It is nothing special other than it's still in excellent condition for a 67 year old scope. I have converted it to use modern 1.25" eyepieces.  Even though I own modern premium APO's I have to admit that there is something about these old vintage refractors that is alluring beyond nostalgia.  Like the 4" Unitron that Mr. Wilson had from the "Dennis the Mennis" show. Or a nice 80mm GOTO Kokaku. Maybe one day I will decide to pull the pigs tail and aquire one for the collection. 

 

HAPPY SKIES AND KEEP LOOKING UP Jethro

 

 

Edited by Jethro7, 27 January 2025 - 01:03 AM.

[therealdmt]

…Like the 4" Unitron that Mr. Wilson had from the "Dennis the Mennis" show…

 

Good one! I hadn’t known about or didn’t remember that one. Season 1, Episode 5; ‘Innocents in Space’. Had to look it up and give it a watch. It feels familiar, and I watched plenty of Dennis the Menace on reruns back in the day, but I don’t have a clear memory of having watched that episode. Probably though. Especially the part where Mr. Wilson mistakes the scary face on Dennis’ balloon for the man on the moon definitely rings a bell. Also the part where he’s handing out all the newspapers he’d bought. Anyway, pretty fun. Thanks for bringing that up.

 

It’s funny, I can relate now to all of Dennis, his dad and, as a telescope owner, even cranky old Mr. Wilson

 

——————

 

strdst, I’m with you on the metal badges. Always a cool look vs. stick-on labels. Also, I agree Bakelite for knobs does have its own classic appeal. And at least in the abstract, I would like a wooden case. Practically wise, I don’t really use my cases and they end up taking up room, but for the right use, a wooden case can be great. Good post

Edited by therealdmt, 27 January 2025 - 03:18 AM.

[Kasmos]

Metal Badges that are screwed on are the coolest of that type.

I believe I only have one other focuser where the badge is attached with screws.

 

Engraved focusers are also cool.

As much as it suggest quality this particular scope had some real issues.

The OTA's mechanical quality was excellent but it's objective was not.

And the mount was completely unusable.

 

Wood cabinets with wood dividers and wood tripods rule!

 

Metal knobs and their different styles please me.

The plastic Jaegers type are one of the exceptions

Edited by Kasmos, 27 January 2025 - 02:47 PM.

[scout]

Yes, I love the all metal, glass and wood of my vintage Asahi-Pentax refractor. From the lens to the focuser, to the badge, mount and tripod, it feels and performs like a quality instrument for a serious amateur astronomer.

[RichA]

I'm wondering, (ready to accept it's just me) , do the petty little things about refractors like metal vs. plastic focus knobs, wood vs, metal tripod legs, and glue on stickers vs engraved or metal badges affect how you feel about your classic refractor?

 

In my collection Sears (Royal Astro Optical), went glue-on (1970?), Monolux plastered stickers on everything in the kit!. I think all the Towa (circle T) were stickers. Even Hino/Mizar are stuck. The earlier, but not exclusively refractors had, (to me), the more appealing metal or engraved focusers. Nippon Kogaku, early Goto, most RA scopes (even rebranded by Tasco), Swift comes to mind. Contrary to just vintage my Takahashi FS102 has a "real" badge with metal focus knobs (circa 1998). 

 

And then there are the focus knobs. When possible I've swapped out metal for those wide plastic knobs in the later made scopes that I've collected. I have a 1960'ish Nippon Kogaku that has nylon-esq knobs. what were they thinking?? Goto used quite a bit of Bakelite but I've made an exception and embrace it. A Goto idiosyncrasy? I do understand the logic if you are inclined to lick a focus knob on a brutally cold night you probably would prefer plastic

 

Tripod legs being made of wood just add to the allure. Glass, metal, wood. That makes a good telescope! A wood cabinet is super nice too, not that I'd carry it around like a suitcase. K-chink, ka-chunk, k-chink! 

 

In my case I enjoy telescopes just being more often than the few nights just seeing... through.

 

Rambling-musing on a Sunday night.

Telescopes are like cars;  an average mid-1960s car inside, much of it was metal.  Trim, door handles, glove box door.  So too with telescopes, even entry-level 60mm refractors.  Same kind of car today, acres of plastic inside the cabin, and exterior, very little real metal in sight except for the core body.  But, the prices of those 60's telescopes today would put them at the level of the average all-metal (today) apo so nothing much has changed, except the low end, which for the most-part didn't exist in the mid-1960s, which is definitely cheaper, does use more plastic.

[Jay_Reynolds_Freeman]

[...] if you are inclined to lick a focus knob on a brutally cold night you probably would prefer plastic

I recall freezing the brass barrel of an eyepiece to my fingertips on a subzero (Farenheit!) night in Vermont. The experience made me glad I had not gotten my eyelids too close to the eyepiece while observing ...

[Jon Isaacs]

Yes, I love the all metal, glass and wood of my vintage Asahi-Pentax refractor. From the lens to the focuser, to the badge, mount and tripod, it feels and performs like a quality instrument for a serious amateur astronomer.

 

I had a pair of the 60 mm x 800mm Asahi-Pentax refractors. One of the few small refractors that had a solid tripod.  The tripod was more robust than the typical 76mm of the era. The only plastic pieces are the knobs for the unique slow motion controls. 

 

 

I am OK with plastic knobs..  For the Classic refractors, wooden tripods and metal for the focuser etc.

 

Jon

[deSitter]

I'm wondering, (ready to accept it's just me) , do the petty little things about refractors like metal vs. plastic focus knobs, wood vs, metal tripod legs, and glue on stickers vs engraved or metal badges affect how you feel about your classic refractor?

 

In my collection Sears (Royal Astro Optical), went glue-on (1970?), Monolux plastered stickers on everything in the kit!. I think all the Towa (circle T) were stickers. Even Hino/Mizar are stuck. The earlier, but not exclusively refractors had, (to me), the more appealing metal or engraved focusers. Nippon Kogaku, early Goto, most RA scopes (even rebranded by Tasco), Swift comes to mind. Contrary to just vintage my Takahashi FS102 has a "real" badge with metal focus knobs (circa 1998). 

 

And then there are the focus knobs. When possible I've swapped out metal for those wide plastic knobs in the later made scopes that I've collected. I have a 1960'ish Nippon Kogaku that has nylon-esq knobs. what were they thinking?? Goto used quite a bit of Bakelite but I've made an exception and embrace it. A Goto idiosyncrasy? I do understand the logic if you are inclined to lick a focus knob on a brutally cold night you probably would prefer plastic

 

Tripod legs being made of wood just add to the allure. Glass, metal, wood. That makes a good telescope! A wood cabinet is super nice too, not that I'd carry it around like a suitcase. K-chink, ka-chunk, k-chink! 

 

In my case I enjoy telescopes just being more often than the few nights just seeing... through.

 

Rambling-musing on a Sunday night.

I do NOT like plastic focus knobs. I do NOT like rubber anything.

 

Some modern plastic in modern applications, e.g. Nikon cameras, is just fine. There are modern plastics that are superior to aluminum in some aspects. But old plastic is very bad. It shrinks over time and inevitably cracks. It can also just disintegrate.

 

-drl