Re: A relic from my boyhood - worth refurbishing?

From: starlord (starlord_at_despammed.com)
Date: 12/05/04 

Date: Sat, 4 Dec 2004 23:19:39 -0800

While I don't know all the fine points, that does sound like it's a 8inch F8
scope, something along the lines of my Babylon 8 Dobsonian. You might be
able to build a EQ mount out of pipes for it, or if you could remove that
mounting, you could turn it into a dob. But yes I would remove the coating
of the mirror and have it recoated, it would last another 40 years. Those
kind of mirrors sell fast on the market. it would be well worth the time to
rebuild the scope, if for no other reason that it was your Dad's scope. 

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"Kelly" <humulus@hotmail.com> wrote in message
news:9f29eccc.0412042145.57e60572@posting.google.com...
> When I was young (or more likely before I was born) my father, a
> do-it-yourselfer, built a telescope.  This would have been probably
> around 1955-1960 or so.  I can remember using it as a small child, but
> in 1966 (when I was 4 years old) we moved to a location unsuitable for
> stargazing, and the telescope has sat since then in a dark corner of
> the basement.  My dad passed away several years ago.
>
> Recently my mother, at my request, boxed up the scope and sent it to
> me in pieces.  I know next to nothing about telescopes, so excuse me
> if my terminology is incorrect.  Here is what I have:
>
> The 'main' lens/mirror is 8". Molded into the backside is 'PYREX  MADE
> IN USA'  and  '8 D .'  On the back side is a ripped paper label, the
> remaining letters say
>
>       /ION
>       /ORS
>      /RATION
>   /DALE 5, CALIF
>  (The '/' indicates where the tag is ripped. That first letter in the
> first line is ripped right through, it could be an 'H', 'M', or 'N' I
> suppose... Any guesses who the manufacturer was?)
>
> The 'tube' is 60" long and 10" in diameter, it is thin-walled steel.
> There is an elliptical, flat secondary(?) mirror, about 1" by 1.25".
> It has broken off of a small arm which holds it in position.  There is
> an eyepiece which attaches to the exterior of the tube.  There is a
> 'sighting'(?) telescope which attaches to the tube for coarse aiming.
> There is a wooden mount which holds and adjust the position of the
> main lens/mirror.  There is a wooden mount which holds the tube, on
> the bottom of which is a pipe flange.  That's it, so I guess I'd have
> to build some sort of adjustable mount which could connect to the pipe
> flange.
>
> The main issue (I think) is that the main mirror is somewhat
> corroded/tarnished.  Holding it up to the light and looking at the
> backside, I can see pinholes in many places.
>
> So, my questions would be, is this thing worth fixing up?  It has some
> sentimental value to me, but I'd probably not invest the time and $$
> if what I'll end up with isn't worth using or having.  As far as the
> mirror goes, is this something that can be chemically or mechanically
> cleaned up in someway to get it at least into a usable condition?  Can
> it be recoated, and if so, about how much would it cost?  Again, would
> it be worth it?
>
> Any general advice as to how to proceed?
>
> Thanks for any advice to a newbie,
>
> Kelly
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