48 replies to this topic

[CrossoverManiac]

I noticed every single eyepiece made from brass are either old vintage eyepieces or are marketing off nostalgia.  Is there a reason why so many companies from Celestron to TeleVue don't use brass for their eyepiece body anymore if they ever did in the case of newer manufacturers.

[azure1961p]

I'll say I truly miss the brass.  Even from my first ever 1.25" oculars from EDMUNDS SCIENTIFIC , with the barlow at least, as the black wore off the beautiful brass coming through underneath had all that warmth of a well used baseball mitt.

 

Astronomy aside, when I see a well used *whatever* and the brass begins to come through it lends a really fine feel to the object/instrument.

 

I'll guess it's a cost issue.  Brass fan here though.

 

Pete

[MisterDan]

Brass is twice as expensive and over 3x as dense/heavy as aluminum.

 

Cheers.

Dan

[GalaxyPiper]

Because Brass was the Plastic of the time. Soft and mailable when hot, but at room temperature became a solid.

 

It's what they had to work with, and most telescopes were made for ships that were out to sea, and brass does not corrode in salty air like almost all other metals.

Edited by GalaxyPiper, 07 April 2025 - 12:58 PM.

[Bob4BVM]

Some of us still do.

Partly at least.

 

 

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Edited by Bob4BVM, 07 April 2025 - 01:02 PM.

[Mike W]

The chrome plated 2" and 1.25" lower barrels are brass.

[GalaxyPiper]

The chrome plated 2" and 1.25" lower barrels are brass.

Mid 60's eyepieces are like that.

Chrome over plastic on cheaper telescopes are to keep profits higher. Keep in mind, everything has a 60% markup on average.

 

Canon is exploring making their lens groups out of optical plastic now. https://www.thephobl...plastic-lenses/

Edited by GalaxyPiper, 07 April 2025 - 01:07 PM.

[Mike W]

Mid 60's eyepieces are like that.

Chrome over plastic on cheaper telescopes are to keep profits higher. Keep in mind, everything has a 60% markup on average.

No, modern E/P's barrels are chrome plated brass. What do you think is under that chrome?

[GalaxyPiper]

Toy telescope eyepieces, not the higher end eyepieces.

 

No, modern E/P's barrels are chrome plated brass. What do you think is under that chrome?

[TOMDEY]

You can confirm the chrome plated brass assertion by taking a hack saw to your eyepieces. No need to cut it entirely in half... and try to avoid the glass.    Tom

[Procyon]

Siebert Optics makes some nice brass eyepieces. I will order a 2" 35mm Observatory Series eyepiece in brass someday...

 

Edited by Procyon, 08 April 2025 - 08:16 AM.

[GalaxyPiper]

Nice looking eye pieces!

[Rigel_10]

I smooth down the undercuts on my TV Radian eyepieces and they are brass underneath the Chrome... I assume the other TeleVue eyepieces are brass as well but not positive?

[25585]

I R Poyser  

 

http://irpoyser.co.u...-and-eyepieces/

[Mike W]

I smooth down the undercuts on my TV Radian eyepieces and they are brass underneath the Chrome... I assume the other TeleVue eyepieces are brass as well but not positive?

Yes, steel rusts, gold is too expensive.

Edited by Mike W, 07 April 2025 - 06:34 PM.

[GalaxyPiper]

A lot of High-end eyepieces (I have to be careful and not say all) are brass and chrome over top.

 

My earlier comment that they are starting to make plastic barrels are for the "Toy" 0.965 inch market, where in the 1960's and earlier they also were brass with chrome.

 

This is not true for the 1.25 inch and above...as of now. They are still brass and chrome. But it may be coming in the future...so look out for it.

 

The 0.965 inch market is already leaning this way, unless you come across an older eyepiece from the last millennium.

 

Plastic lenes are not new, but they are getting better. I remember getting a plastic telescope in a cracker Jack box as a kid, but the clarity was just laughable. but it showed a proof of concept.

 

Of course, not all eyepieces are going this way, and the higher end ones may never do so, so I don't want to be misunderstood.

 

https://i.etsystatic...650023_3qqt.jpg

Edited by GalaxyPiper, 07 April 2025 - 06:51 PM.

[Jon Isaacs]

Yes, steel rusts, gold is too expensive.

 

Stainless steel does not rust.. There are other steels that do not rust.  But brass is much easier to machine than steel.  But aluminum is easy to machine, does not rust and is about 1/3rd the density of brass.  One has to wonder just why the 20mm XWA weighs 680 grams (24 oz. and the 21 mm Ethos weighs over 1000 grams (36 oz.)

 

Jon

[balcon3]

Why do they chrome plate the brass ? 

[Astrojensen]

Why do they chrome plate the brass ? 

To prevent corrosion, and give a very smooth, hard, wear-resistant surface.

 

 

Clear skies!

Thomas, Denmark

[TOMDEY]

Some ~cheap~ plastic parts are chrome plated plastic --- mostly seen in toys, decoratives, and some car parts. In theory this should work fine --- but in practice, that very thin layer of chrome tends to fail and peel off... sometimes even leading to cuts and abrasions. Some automotive interior door handles are like that --- the edges of the peeled chrome are razor sharp! It's the escaping esters in the plastic that weaken the bond... leading to failure. Metal on metal doesn't suffer this failure mode.   Tom

[Starman1]

Mid 60's eyepieces are like that.
Chrome over plastic on cheaper telescopes are to keep profits higher. Keep in mind, everything has a 60% markup on average.


Canon is exploring making their lens groups out of optical plastic now. https://www.thephobl...plastic-lenses/

Markups (not prifit margins) in the astronomy market average between 11% and 33%. Those in the industry WISH that markups of 60% existed.

[GalaxyPiper]

Markups (not prifit margins) in the astronomy market average between 11% and 33%. Those in the industry WISH that markups of 60% existed.

Yeah, I guess car parts in the 90s are not in the same market.

I came across part price manuals being thrown out with a warning printed at the top, "Do Not Show to Public" printed at the top of each.

 

It was a Japanese brand...

[Scott99]

I thought Tele Vue's used brass barrels?  I've criticized them for using that instead of lighter aluminum.

 

The worst brass-removal I've seen was Clave switching the inner lens cell of their oculars from brass to plastc in the 1970's.  I would have preferred the brass 100%.  The inner cell was small and didn't increase the weight much.

[SandyHouTex]

Actually the Starbase Orthos and Kellners are made of Brass and then Chrome plated:

 

https://agenaastro.c...h5Rbtg6OugOfmso

 

They are super heavy.  If it's not Brass it has to be Gold.  Kidding it's not Gold.

[TOMDEY]

Yeah, I guess car parts in the 90s are not in the same market.

I came across part price manuals being thrown out with a warning printed at the top, "Do Not Show to Public" printed at the top of each.

 

It was a Japanese brand...

Me... I'm more concerned with candy bars that are marked "not for individual sale". Nearly all of my 401K is invested in Candy Bar Futures. That's how I made my first million. The rest is history.    Tom

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