66 replies to this topic

[deSitter]

I don't like sun warnings plastered on my telescopes. The one on the ETX125 is so in my face, that I am sorely tempted to remove it. So far I have resisted removing the sun warning sticker. I think I removed one from a tube I repainted.

 

I am leaning more and more toward removing it.

 

What would you do?

 

-drl

[Russell Smith]

Think of who may possess it in the future.

[Phil Perry]

I've seen stickers and decals removed with either a citrus-based solvent such as Goo-Gone (you may have to start the peel first), or a hot air blower such as a hair dryer to melt the adhesive. Take into consideration whatever optics or other chemical- or heat-sensitive components are on the other side!

 

It's a shame, but scope makers need to protect themselves from frivolous lawsuits when some idiot injures themselves by misusing a product. "It's in the instruction manual? Not good enough! It needs to be an in-your-face sticker right by the eyepiece! Ladies and gentlemen of the jury, this manufacturer is clearly guilty of gross negligence by not doing so!!"

 

If you remove warning stickers, and then sell on the scope to someone else later on, you might be legally liable for injury! Perhaps consider just covering over the offending sticker with a larger, prettier decal or something that you can easily remove later. Maybe a typed table of FOV vs eyepiece FL?

[ericb760]

It's your scope. Remove it. It was always just a CYA from the manufacturers anyway to avoid lawsuits when the inevitable dumb @ss burned his eyeball to a crisp.

[Steve Allison]

Dumb@ss yes, but what about a child?

[ayadai]

... you might be legally liable...

It's just like those tags on a mattress or pillow: "Do not remove this tag under penalty of law".

 

I think I'm going to print up a official looking sticker for my scopes that says something along the lines of, "Point this at the sun while standing on a narrow parapet near a yellow jacket nest and juggling chainsaws. - Remove under penalty of eternal flame."

Edited by ayadai, 28 February 2025 - 01:52 AM.

[RichA]

I don't like sun warnings plastered on my telescopes. The one on the ETX125 is so in my face, that I am sorely tempted to remove it. So far I have resisted removing the sun warning sticker. I think I removed one from a tube I repainted.

 

I am leaning more and more toward removing it.

 

What would you do?

 

-drl

The two most effective removers that aren't acetone (which eats plastic and paint) are wood (methyl) alcohol and Goo Gone an adhesive remover.  

Edited by RichA, 28 February 2025 - 01:55 AM.

[ayadai]

The two most effective removers that aren't acetone (which eats plastic and paint) are wood (methyl) alcohol and Goo Gone an adhesive remover.  

WD40 also removes most solvent-based adhesives, will not attack plastic and paint and the remaining residue is easily removed with isopropyl alcohol.

[Kasmos]

All of my scopes except the 3 Celestron/Vixens are too old to have them, so if it bothers you remove it. 

 

As for children, do we need to put a sticker on a old scope that never had one?

 

I believe the warnings say do not let children use the telescope without adult supervision.

 

Like so many things, how did we survive before all of these warnings and such? 

[CHASLX200]

I don't like sun warnings plastered on my telescopes. The one on the ETX125 is so in my face, that I am sorely tempted to remove it. So far I have resisted removing the sun warning sticker. I think I removed one from a tube I repainted.

 

I am leaning more and more toward removing it.

 

What would you do?

 

-drl

Only my Taks had that.

[LDW47]

I don't like sun warnings plastered on my telescopes. The one on the ETX125 is so in my face, that I am sorely tempted to remove it. So far I have resisted removing the sun warning sticker. I think I removed one from a tube I repainted.

 

I am leaning more and more toward removing it.

 

What would you do?

 

-drl

That warning is only there during the manufacture / dealer period to cover their a*s but like every other sticker on every other piece of ..... once you buy it its yours as you like.  If you are sun hazard concience then diffinitely remove it, I would and I do, eh. Every time !

[deSitter]

That warning is only there during the manufacture / dealer period to cover their a*s but like every other sticker on every other piece of ..... once you buy it its yours as you like.  If you are sun hazard concience then diffinitely remove it, I would and I do, eh. Every time !

Well I guess there is no danger of sunshine in northern Ontario anyway

 

-drl

[Phil Perry]

It's just like those tags on a mattress or pillow: "Do not remove this tag under penalty of law".

Not quite the same. The tag on a mattress may legally be removed by the end consumer. The warning is there for wholesalers and retailers to keep them from defrauding consumers by misrepresenting what the product is made of. There's many an old joke about a homeowner becoming an outlaw by ripping off that tag, and some tags now say specifically "...except by retail end purchaser" or something like that.
 

On the other hand, the "do not look at the Sun" warning is intended for the end consumer, who sometimes lacks two brain cells to rub together, and could misuse the equipment and suffer injury. In court, the manufacturer can at least say, "We tried. There is a decal right there telling the plaintiff not to do what they did." I don't know if there's any precedence for a consumer removing warning labels, passing the equipment on to someone else, and being held liable for injury. I wouldn't be surprised if it's happened.

[Airship]

I remove them along with the Inspected By sticker. Alternatively, you could move it to the lens cover. That way it’s where it is still visible in a less obtrusive location.

[LDW47]

Not quite the same. The tag on a mattress may legally be removed by the end consumer. The warning is there for wholesalers and retailers to keep them from defrauding consumers by misrepresenting what the product is made of. There's many an old joke about a homeowner becoming an outlaw by ripping off that tag, and some tags now say specifically "...except by retail end purchaser" or something like that.
 

On the other hand, the "do not look at the Sun" warning is intended for the end consumer, who sometimes lacks two brain cells to rub together, and could misuse the equipment and suffer injury. In court, the manufacturer can at least say, "We tried. There is a decal right there telling the plaintiff not to do what they did." I don't know if there's any precedence for a consumer removing warning labels, passing the equipment on to someone else, and being held liable for injury. I wouldn't be surprised if it's happened.

There is no precedence / liability or else you could use that reasoning on inumerable pieces of ......, lol.  Its called ' buyer beware ' over the last number of centuries, eh.

[deSitter]

I remove them along with the Inspected By sticker. Alternatively, you could move it to the lens cover. That way it’s where it is still visible in a less obtrusive location.

How hard did it fight you?

 

-drl

[deSitter]

BTW one thing that came into consideration was if removing it would detract from the originality of the item, should it go up for sale. So I would then leave the sticker on the complete and original ETX105 but remove it from the deforked ETX125.

 

-drl

[ayadai]

Not quite the same. The tag on a mattress may legally be removed by the end consumer. The warning is there for wholesalers and retailers to keep them from defrauding consumers by misrepresenting what the product is made of. There's many an old joke about a homeowner becoming an outlaw by ripping off that tag, and some tags now say specifically "...except by retail end purchaser" or something like that.

Obviously, my play on that old joke fell rather flat. I wonder about liability when it comes to juggling chainsaws while standing on a narrow parapet near a yellow jacket nest?

Edited by ayadai, 28 February 2025 - 04:59 PM.

[deSitter]

The two most effective removers that aren't acetone (which eats plastic and paint) are wood (methyl) alcohol and Goo Gone an adhesive remover.  

The Goo Gone Pro-Strength I have is not friendly to plastic. I think it has acetone in it in fact. But man does it work on old grease.

 

-drl

[clamchip]

Collectors in the distant future will appreciate having the stickers on the tube, it

will make the telescope a "100 pointer." 

I don't think I've ever read one of these stickers word for word.

I will say this, the damage is instantaneous and permanent. It catches you completely by surprise

and in that millisecond it's too late. I had a close call, my

forehead, close enough I could see and definitely feel the brilliance of the

concentrated beam when it scorched across.

 

Robert

Edited by clamchip, 28 February 2025 - 06:14 PM.

[EJN]

I don't like sun warnings plastered on my telescopes. The one on the ETX125 is so in my face, that I am sorely tempted to remove it. So far I have resisted removing the sun warning sticker. I think I removed one from a tube I repainted.

Since I've been doing a lot of solar imaging lately with my >50 year old 60mm f/11.7 ota, I'm gonna make

my own sticker for it:

 

"Mama always told me not to look into the sights of the sun,
But Mama, that's where the fun is."

 

(Bruce Springsteen, Blinded by the Light)

 

 

 

Edited by EJN, 28 February 2025 - 06:39 PM.

[Chuck2]

My Vixen BT126mm warns observers in both English & Japanese… but for liability sake, what about the thousand other languages? I guess the lame pictorial with a slash through the scope, is the multi-lingual warning.
Liability is a never ending battle that’s rarely won.

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Edited by Chuck2, 28 February 2025 - 07:11 PM.

[LDW47]

The Goo Gone Pro-Strength I have is not friendly to plastic. I think it has acetone in it in fact. But man does it work on old grease.

 

-drl

I second and third GooGone, every time.

[LDW47]

All of my scopes except the 3 Celestron/Vixens are too old to have them, so if it bothers you remove it. 

 

As for children, do we need to put a sticker on a old scope that never had one?

 

I believe the warnings say do not let children use the telescope without adult supervision.

 

Like so many things, how did we survive before all of these warnings and such? 

Right you are, eh.

[Look at the sky 101]

still crazy that a little sticker can be annoying like that.