94 replies to this topic

[starman876]

buy it no matter what if you get it cheap enough no matter what is wrong with it you will be able to double your money in a heart beat. 

Edited by starman876, 16 March 2025 - 10:59 AM.

[CHASLX200]

buy it no matter what if you get it cheap enough no matter what is wrong with it you will be able to double your money in a heart beat. 

THEY GO FOR LIKE 4K.

[starman876]

THEY GO FOR LIKE 4K.

I dont think so.  The 4" model goes for around $2K tops

[CHASLX200]

I dont think so.  The 4" model goes for around $2K tops

One sold for 4k last year.  

[starman876]

One sold for 4k last year.  

you maybe right.  I found one that went for $3500.  so 4K is not out of the question.

[Yonsayvitch]

That all sounds good with keeping the value up. I'm going tomorrow morning for it. I'll post how it went and the condition. 

[Yonsayvitch]

Got it.  For $400 he gave me the AP and a crude home built 8 inch reflector.  I think the mirror is a old Edmund Scientific.  Lens actually looks good.  Looks like the 2.7 inch focuser.  Hefty little scope.  There was a hole drilled in the lens cell. I'll post photos tonight.  I'm stuck on I-75 N barley crawling.  

Edited by Yonsayvitch, 18 March 2025 - 01:46 PM.

[Bomber Bob]

Congrats!!  Bet you'll be very pleased with it.  Good Deal!

[Sean Cunneen]

Of all the scope lens cells in the world to drill a hole into..... I have seen everything. At least you got a good price on it and in the dark or with a dewshield no one will know. You could always go goth and decorate it with a nose ring.

[Serenity Now]

I understand you are contemplating a possible purchase and will get to see the actual telescope in person before proceeding. It seems suspicious that the seller cannot provide you with more information and more images beforehand. I would proceed with caution.

 

If I misunderstand you, and you do not have an opportunity to check out the telescope in detail, in person before money changes hands, the situation is different. I myself would not buy the telescope under those circumstances.

 

 

Clear sky and good luck ..

I'm with Jay on this. Lotta red flags. Proceed with GREAT caution. If in doubt or uncertainty arises in-person...walk away. Quickly. There is a very healthy previously-owned market now for AP scopes in better condition, fewer variables, proven sellers. It's not unlike buying a used car...would you buy a similarly advertised used car from this seller?
 

[Serenity Now]

Most want crazy prices for one that age like 3k or more.  A good old Tak FS 102 will do just as good and be much cheaper. I would not go over 1200 smacks.

The AP-name adds gravitas and bucks nowadays (and rightly so based now on long term reputation!) but it wasn't always like that. 

 

My first re-entry telescope was the FS102/EM2 mount "system". Fantastic!. My next telescope was a blue-tube similar sized Starfire. Fantastic! This was back in the early 90's: the Tak was brand new. The AP blue tube Starfire, like many early models, languished on Astr*mart for ages, among other AP early offerings. I found the Tak and Starfire comparable, with my Pentax SMC ortho eyepieces. Granted...I was then and not now an evaluator-class observer but just basing on recollections. Both performed beautifully!

 

True that...just because it's old doesn't validate a ridiculous asking price.

Edited by Serenity Now, 18 March 2025 - 04:32 PM.

[Kitfox]

Got it.  For $400 he gave me the AP and a crude home built 8 inch reflector.  I think the mirror is a old Edmund Scientific.  Lens actually looks good.  Looks like the 2.7 inch focuser.  Hefty little scope.  There was a hole drilled in the lens cell. I'll post photos tonight.  I'm stuck on I-75 N barley crawling.  

 

That is the deal of the year so far!  Even with a hole drilled in the lens cell!!!

[CHASLX200]

The AP-name adds gravitas and bucks nowadays (and rightly so based now on long term reputation!) but it wasn't always like that. 

 

My first re-entry telescope was the FS102/EM2 mount "system". Fantastic!. My next telescope was a blue-tube similar sized Starfire. Fantastic! This was back in the early 90's: the Tak was brand new. The AP blue tube Starfire, like many early models, languished on Astr*mart for ages, among other AP early offerings. I found the Tak and Starfire comparable, with my Pentax SMC ortho eyepieces. Granted...I was then and not now an evaluator-class observer but just basing on recollections. Both performed beautifully!

 

True that...just because it's old doesn't validate a ridiculous asking price.

This is why i will never own a AP and i get turned off by them. This had nothing to do with AP at all but greedy sellers. I did own a Blue tube  in 1998 before prices went nuts. A 6" F/9.

[starman876]

Just like anything else the market determines the price. It is what makes the world go around. I know many times you stated you wanted a time machine so you could go back in time and buy AP scopes and bring the back to make a large profit. That makes you one of the greedy ones.

[Yonsayvitch]

[Yonsayvitch]

The lens is filthy.  No fractures or chips. Focuser is smooth except for halfway there is a little sticky part. The diagonal has no markings and the mirror is loose. For kicks I just viewed the moon. Can't get it to focus with diagonal using a 32mm. So removed diagonal and 32mm straight in it came to focus JUST. Kind of has a double image. Only a hair of perfect focus had a pretty amazing view.  Extremely crisp moon details. 

[Jay_Reynolds_Freeman]

The lens is filthy.  No fractures or chips. Focuser is smooth except for halfway there is a little sticky part. The diagonal has no markings and the mirror is loose. For kicks I just viewed the moon. Can't get it to focus with diagonal using a 32mm. So removed diagonal and 32mm straight in it came to focus JUST. Kind of has a double image. Only a hair of perfect focus had a pretty amazing view.  Extremely crisp moon details. 

Tough call on that one. Forget the focuser and diagonal, the heart of the instrument is the lens. The folks at Astro-Physics might be able to give you some good advice based on the images you have shown -- or not -- but I am not sure how much time you have to consult before making a decision; that might be a matter of how well you get along with the seller. Or maybe the seller is offering it at a price cheap enough to consider it a decoration to hang from the ceiling. Seriously, you may have to decide on your own, without enough information, what price is worth the risk of not being able to fix it. I suspect that is a nail-biter.

 

Do let the rest of us here on CloudyNights know how this plays out.

 

 

Clear sky and good luck ...

[CHASLX200]

Maybe the oil is shot.

[Yonsayvitch]

It's already in my possession.  

[Yonsayvitch]

For the person I bought it from? He purchased the whole of someone's collection. It was literally the so called man cave. I'm somewhat versed in collectables and antiques. He had roughly 2000 pieces of somewhat collectable in value to high value items.  The person that bought it all said the original owner didn't care how it was positioned in there. It could have been drilled, stapled or nailed.  Walking around seeing it all and I'm just saying to myself why why why. 

[Yonsayvitch]

I will get in touch with AP to see what they think.  Re-oiled and collimated. And see if I can use an epoxy or something to fill the hole.

[starman876]

The lens is filthy.  No fractures or chips. Focuser is smooth except for halfway there is a little sticky part. The diagonal has no markings and the mirror is loose. For kicks I just viewed the moon. Can't get it to focus with diagonal using a 32mm. So removed diagonal and 32mm straight in it came to focus JUST. Kind of has a double image. Only a hair of perfect focus had a pretty amazing view.  Extremely crisp moon details. 

you should check the alignment of the lens with the focuser.     collimation might do wonders.  Were you using a 2" diagonal?  They require a lot of room.   Try it with  1.25" diagonal.  

[ccwemyss]

Serial number means Starfire 4”f8 #65. 

 

Chip W. 

[R Botero]

Great price for an old StarFire!  I am sure the lens clean nice and the rest is some TLC to get it back to good operating order.  The focuser can be cleaned and regreased and will work like new.  I did that to the 4" focuser of my EDF when I got it.  

Good luck and keep posting pictures!

 

Roberto

[Kitfox]

If I were you, I'd still be having a very difficult time wiping the insane smile off my face, first of all.  Second, I'd Call George at AP and ask him what they would do if you sent the scope in to them.  Maybe triple my investment, and have double left in equity in a classic scope.  I would still be fighting that smile, even vicariously here in North Carolina!  

Edited by Kitfox, 19 March 2025 - 09:18 AM.