41 replies to this topic

[Universe XY]

Consider yourself lucky that you have options. We're trying to help you. The threaded part on the shown shaft is plenty long. You might need more weight.

 

-drl

Very grateful & thankful for all help. Just really not losing hope yet to reunite it with the original. The threaded portion length looks shorter but could just be the perspective in the photo. 

 

Really disappointed that the seller did not include everything listed & even more so has not responded to my inquiry in 5 days.

 

No disrespect intended.

 

I have the weight & the weight stop. The weight weighs about 2lbs 10 oz. My weight has no threads. It slips onto the shaft & is movable.

Just missing the shaft. Thanks

 

Edited by Universe XY, 26 February 2025 - 05:00 PM.

[deSitter]

Very grateful & thankful for all help. Just really not losing hope yet to reunite it with the original. The threaded portion length looks shorter but could just be the perspective in the photo. 

 

Really disappointed that the seller did not include everything listed & even more so has not responded to my inquiry in 5 days.

 

No disrespect intended.

 

I have the weight & the weight stop. Just missing the shaft. Thanks

Unless someone has a donor mount that is unserviceable, you are not going to find the original counterweight shaft for this scope. Custom shafts with the same specs are going to be very expensive. I bought the above shaft and weight some years ago for a tube balance system, and it is very well made and will look sharp on your scope.

 

-drl

[Don W]

The shafts I linked to are not expensive and can get you up and running. Finding an original might take decades. You have an excellent find there. 
 

Using the solar projection screen can give you some very nice images of sunspots and won’t harm you or your equipment.

 

DonW

[Universe XY]

Unless someone has a donor mount that is unserviceable, you are not going to find the original counterweight shaft for this scope. Custom shafts with the same specs are going to be very expensive. I bought the above shaft and weight some years ago for a tube balance system, and it is very well made and will look sharp on your scope.

 

-drl

Incredibly bummed even though there seems to be a workable solution...Thanks...

 

So you're saying I can't put this together with the weight unless I find a defunct mount like this one which doesn't look like there are many of these even around.

 

This was a complete scope. I checked it for hours & went back & forth with the seller on every part. He went to his storage & took more photos.

The only part I was not sure of was the weight stop. I hoped the weight stop was wrongly threaded on the mount bolt & it was.

That was my gamble that I could get it off & the threads would be ok. I did that.

 

His part was to send everything in the listing.

It's just so distressing he did not send the shaft. I've messaged him to check his storage where he kept it & he has not responded yet.

I didn't want a messed up scope where I could never find the part. Will see what epay wants to do about it if he doesn't respond.

This was a 30 lb package with the box. He put the box in upside down so the entire box traveled on the top which loosened the thin wood top.

He said the bottom was loose on the box but now due to shipping the box needs to be tacked & glued together. That happens & I'm understanding & fine with that but the shaft not being sent is really bothering me.

It's a really nice scope or I'd be tempted to send it back to him for a full refund including 2 way shipping which is likely $60 plus.

[Universe XY]

The shafts I linked to are not expensive and can get you up and running. Finding an original might take decades. You have an excellent find there. 
 

Using the solar projection screen can give you some very nice images of sunspots and won’t harm you or your equipment.

 

DonW

I'd rather have the shaft than the solar projection screen & it's mounting shaft. Rather that been lost.

The shaft is an integral part of a scope not an accessory. 

 

Just hurts that this happened to this scope. It was all there & now it's not.

 

 

Wish the solar shaft had threads...

 

 

Edited by Universe XY, 26 February 2025 - 05:18 PM.

[Universe XY]

The shafts I linked to are not expensive and can get you up and running. Finding an original might take decades. You have an excellent find there. 
 

Using the solar projection screen can give you some very nice images of sunspots and won’t harm you or your equipment.

 

DonW

Hitchhikers Guide To The Galaxy by Douglas Adams!!!

 

Don't forget your towel!!!

 

Ooohhh... 

 

I never bought anything from AliEx. Thanks as I'm stressing out big time. 

I need to check it out more now that it's together. I am pleased with the condition of the tube & mounting.

No way for me to know about the objective yet or if it's a good example. It did clean up pretty well & glad it's not as bad as it looked in the photo.

 

I can rebuild the box. I'm pretty good with woodwork too. I have wood glue but the top & bottom is just so paper thin. The sides are plywood.

It's peeling on the bottom. I suppose I can try to reinforce the bottom with another layer of thin wood or something. I can do it. I restored a 100 yo piano. Not worried about the box. Just another project for the future.

 

When it arrived the U rings on the latches fell off as they were spread to wide so the box would not latch. I reset them & clamped them smaller so they don't fall out. Not the box stays securely latched. I didn't even note that to the seller as he did not decribe the box well & it looked better than it is.

 

I have the knowledge & experience to bring this back to a good life but that shaft!!!

 

The box top & bottom is only about 2 or 3 mm thick.

 

 

 

 

Edited by Universe XY, 26 February 2025 - 05:40 PM.

[scout]

If the seller doesn't respond and keeps ignoring you, report him to eBay. They'll send him a warning since he didn't sell you what the picture showed and maybe that will get him to either send you the missing pieces, or at least give you a partial refund to cover buying the parts. Good luck, it's a beautiful classic.

[Universe XY]

OK, Tweaked the mount now that I have had some time to figure it out,

Got the handles on tight. You need to screw them into a hole on the shaft. Great secure design.

 

Going to try to get the finder tuned.

 

Looking better...Feeling better about it.

 

Thanks everyone! 

 

 

Well, the house & tree at the border is beyond focus distance all the way out.

Tried to get it on a fuzzy spot & dial in the finder.

 

Just sort of precarious in balance depending upon how high or low the scope is pointing.

Have to be careful if I take it out. Guess I can get it safely on the balcony again.

 

Can see the dust on the diagonal mirror in the day or maybe part ep & objective. That's OK, expected to have to deal with those issues.

Finder is really clean & clear though. It's a great finder.

 

Still not sure how it's supposed to be optimally set up but have to do the best I can without the counterweight.

Edited by Universe XY, 26 February 2025 - 06:59 PM.

[Universe XY]

Tweaked it on the balcony. Nice views on half block away. Very clear & sharp.

The 20mm ep views shows black particles. I know the diagonal mirror has these but have not attempted to clean it. Can't notice it in the dark.

Put in the 12.5mm ep does not show these black dust particles but I can't see any noticeable dust in either ep. Perhaps this is just that the 12.5mm focal can't show dust on the mirror? I almost thought it had to be the 20mm ep but it's not that dirty. Oh well

 

 

Ready for the night sky & then I have to get back to JT Orion but I needed to get this one on track.

Need the counterweight. Using it like this takes caution & readjustment of the tube if it's high or low. Still it seems to be working.  

 

Looking good!

 

[Universe XY]

Seller responded. Some pipe broke & was flooding his house so he was busy with that. He apologized & I apologized.

I wished him well with his dilemma & told him I will wait & I hope he finds the shaft. Otherwise he said he would reimburse me for it.

 

I just was not that scope had been separated from it's weight shaft after 50 years.

 

Life is not easy sometimes so we look up into the sky & look at the stars, dream & make a wish! 

[Universe XY]

Well, it's March 2 & a weekend & 4 days later & no word about the misplaced weight shaft.

 

Weather had clouded up every night so still have not had much of a chance to test it.

From what I could see optics was sharp in the day w 20mm & 12.5mm

The finder is wonderful & got it aligned.

 

Had a break in the clouds tonight so spotted Sirius & tuned the finder again. It' on target but it's hard to work that mount without a weight.

 

I fumbled tonight & with the help of the finder found Orions belt. That was nice! I also found the sword that was even nicer.

Locked on to what I feel was Orions Nebula which mostly looks like 2 stars with some light haze around it.

Took it to 12.5mm & it was dark but could make it out.

Tried 4mm & before I could focus it it was out of the view. Moved out of view in under 30 seconds. I suppose 4mm is 225X. A bit much for the scope.

 

Anyway there was some triumphs with finding M42! That was really special. It's not a DSO scope & never was supposed to be. I'll have to find Jupiter with it & see how it looks. I suppose I didn't need it & in the light of an unresponsive seller who didn't ship the weight shaft I'm still not pleased. It's a very good classic 50 yo scope but for the mean time wo the weight using JT Orion is just so special & I suppose it will always be special & it seems it was made for me...

 

Took JT Orion on the balcony to also see M42! Wow, the ep's are just so much better than the 1970 ep's. Such a pleasure!!! Thanks Jon & Tony again...

 

I'm frozen & inside getting warm making midnight dinner!!!

Edited by Universe XY, 03 March 2025 - 02:50 AM.

[Universe XY]

Think I will try to upgrade this scope so it can use 1 1/4 ep.

The 4mm is so small. I thought I was using the 6mm but grabbed the 4mm in the dark.

I literally could not focus it fast enough before it went out of view. I suppose the fov on it at ~ 220X is really narrow but still you couldn't even see it for 30 seconds before it was out of view.

 

4mm seems useless & I don't think 6mm would be much better.

These old eps are so narrow.

 

 

Don't know if this is the best thing to do though. Maybe just use it as it is for planetary as it will never be a good DSO anyway?

 

Getting the Vixen .965 to 1.25 will mean getting a 1.25 diagonal which is not a bad thing as the one included may be stripped as the chrome barrel spins & only seems to lock in a precarious position so if it rotates the diagonal is liable to spin with the ep in it.

 

I suppose there is no rush as I'm still waiting to see if the seller can find the weight shaft.

 

What can I expect from a scope like this? It's not bad with the 20 & 12.5mm ep it came with though the 12.5 is sort of dim on stars.

 

Maybe I'm just thinking out loud but these are my thoughts on the scope so far.

 

 

 

Got a Carton instruction manual today so that should help.

 

 

Edited by Universe XY, 03 March 2025 - 10:38 PM.

[Universe XY]

Noticed it had some mildew on outside of dew cap when I first took it out. Used alcohol.

Just noticed the dew cap had a mildew smell & had some powder forming.

 

Washed that did more alcohol on the inside & outside of the dew cap & put the scope in the sun today with cap off & just a cloth on it so not dust could get on it & pointed it toward the sun.

 

Cleaning it up a bit more tonight & saw the bullseye on the objective lens? It that good? I thought I read that was something & it wasn't bad.

 

The dew cap should screw off but itt;s on very tight.

 

Would probably want to get that off & if I could unscrew the cell if that was in a frame but maybe it isn't? I see 3 foil strips at the edge.

 

Anyway if the bullseye means it's a good lens I'll behappy.

 

 

[Universe XY]

Look what I found!!! A great review of this scope from the 70's. Exact model. I even see that big long bolt/nut I have no idea where it goes.

 

Oh where oh where has my weight shaft gone...I'm still hoping as it existed so what did the seller do with it???

 

Anyway looks at how it comes apart...Great resource for the Carton Scope. 

 

https://astrostrona....nskiej-klasyki/

[Kasmos]

Look what I found!!! A great review of this scope from the 70's. Exact model. I even see that big long bolt/nut I have no idea where it goes.

 

Oh where oh where has my weight shaft gone...I'm still hoping as it existed so what did the seller do with it???

 

Anyway looks at how it comes apart...Great resource for the Carton Scope. 

 

https://astrostrona....nskiej-klasyki/

I understand you're new to this site so you wouldn't know about it but that's from CN member LukaszLu

 

I just gave it a quick look and his CN post on that same scope may have even more info you'd be interested in:

 

https://www.cloudyni...pacers-problem/

 

It also has comments and photos from members who have the same or a similar Carton model.

 

Hopefully yours is a good example since several others had ones that under performed.

IIRC LukaszLu himself had a another one that had a problem he couldn't figure out or fix.

[Universe XY]

I understand you're new to this site so you wouldn't know about it but that's from CN member LukaszLu

 

I just gave it a quick look and his CN post on that same scope may have even more info you'd be interested in:

 

https://www.cloudyni...pacers-problem/

 

It also has comments and photos from members who have the same or a similar Carton model.

 

Hopefully yours is a good example since several others had ones that under performed.

IIRC LukaszLu himself had a another one that had a problem he couldn't figure out or fix.

Hi, I sort of thought it could be a CN member but had no way of knowing. Thanks for the info & additional sources. I'm trying to figure out this scope.

If it's a bad one I really would like to know as the seller didn't send all the parts so really need to know before I spend more $ on it.

 

Jon I had a bad lens with a astigmatism & he was lucky enough to get a replacement lens probably the last one from Sheldon...Hoping I got a good one but not sure how to figure that out as I am new to this.

 

Thanks!

[Universe XY]

Ordered a Craftsman rubber strap wrench. 

Worked. Took off the dew shield & the lens cell together.

I left like that as they seem to be on tight together.

 

Lucky the dirt mildew or whatever was on the other side so it cleaned off. There night be a tiny scratch on the lens.

It should be nicer now that's it's clean. I didn't go crazy clean just good enough & wiped the tube inside as much as I could go down the alcohol & a put a microfiber over a brush & went down as far as I could. It's back together now.

 

I really don't know where the center of the bullseye is as I haven't gotten a good straight on photo.

It's much better than I got it. I'll figure it out as I go along. 

 

 

before

 

 

Edited by Universe XY, 18 March 2025 - 10:20 PM.