LewisM
20-02-2017, 08:59 PM
Been in Canberra a week now - it's more like home than home ever was. I think we will be here a VERY long time (besides it being 10° this morning with snow on the alps, and will be 6° tomorrow morning....it's summer in case you forgot Canberra! :))
Anyhow, first garage sale score - was advertised on Gumtree, I saw the 'scope, and made sure I was there at opening time. So were 40 others, so I was pessimistic, but I got it!
Yosco rebadged Yamamoto (SYW) - Yamamoto was the cousin of Takahashi, was located in the same suburb, and actually provided lenses to the neophyte Takahashi. I think Tak took the machinery grey from them too (early Taks were blue grey instead of pale green). Interestingly, when Yamamoto closed, most employees went to Vixen. There are some strong similarities to early Vixens.
Complete, in the box, only missing one eyepiece, one washer for the tripod, and the finder crosshairs gone. All easily replaced/repaired (all done but the crosshairs). Box is named to a guy in...wait for it - Balmoral Heights, QLD :) A QLDer in Canberra finds a telescope owned by a QLDer in Canberra LOL.
Tube has some scratches, but the optics are immaculate. Paint will be redone to bring it back to pristine. All the prisms in the erect and regular diagonal are perfect. Some small dirt spots in the HM20, but that is OK - it's going to be mainly a lunar/planetary scope anyway. The mount is flawless, silky smooth, and as new - man they knew how to chrome things back then!
Yes, I know about those Sun filters, so no lecture/sermon. And no, I will NOT be throwing it away - it's part of it's history.
Not a bad score for $90 - I didn't even haggle the price.
Anyhow, first garage sale score - was advertised on Gumtree, I saw the 'scope, and made sure I was there at opening time. So were 40 others, so I was pessimistic, but I got it!
Yosco rebadged Yamamoto (SYW) - Yamamoto was the cousin of Takahashi, was located in the same suburb, and actually provided lenses to the neophyte Takahashi. I think Tak took the machinery grey from them too (early Taks were blue grey instead of pale green). Interestingly, when Yamamoto closed, most employees went to Vixen. There are some strong similarities to early Vixens.
Complete, in the box, only missing one eyepiece, one washer for the tripod, and the finder crosshairs gone. All easily replaced/repaired (all done but the crosshairs). Box is named to a guy in...wait for it - Balmoral Heights, QLD :) A QLDer in Canberra finds a telescope owned by a QLDer in Canberra LOL.
Tube has some scratches, but the optics are immaculate. Paint will be redone to bring it back to pristine. All the prisms in the erect and regular diagonal are perfect. Some small dirt spots in the HM20, but that is OK - it's going to be mainly a lunar/planetary scope anyway. The mount is flawless, silky smooth, and as new - man they knew how to chrome things back then!
Yes, I know about those Sun filters, so no lecture/sermon. And no, I will NOT be throwing it away - it's part of it's history.
Not a bad score for $90 - I didn't even haggle the price.