Opinions and Advice -Selling an ATM scope

[glend]

Here is the problem, I have this nice lightweight 10" f5 Carbon Strut Imaging Newt that I built some years ago; but recenty I am facing having to downsize my scope collection in preparation for moving house (and the new place will not have an observatory). I would like to sell the 10" Newt but is there really a market for ATM scopes or should I just part out the things that can be potentially sold (mirrors, focuser, guidescope mount, etc), and then scrap the tube assembly? Has anyone been through this process?
I did place it (briefly) in the classifieds here at IIS, but the only response was from someone trying to dig for build details (despite the build thread being linked to the ad). What have other ATM folks done in this situation??:question:

[multiweb]

You'll never get all your money back on a DIY scope sale but if you end up with a rig that does deliver the same or better than a similar FL/Aperture commercial telescope then that's why I'd base the sale price on. Best thing to do is post shots taken with the scope and take it from there.

[Retrograde]

Saw your ad Glen - looks like a great scope. I would love to buy something like that myself but given I get out under dark skies only a few times a year can't justify purchasing a new OTA at present.
Whilst ATM scopes might be a bit of an unknown quantity for many people compared to commercial offerings, I'm convinced that someone with a bit of nous would see the value in a scope like yours. Good luck if you decide to list it again.

[Merlin66]

I think one issue is the fact that the current generation have been spoiled by the great selection of quality product easily available to them. Very few seem to be interested (or have the ability) to consider any DIY or ATM instrument/ project.
Not like back in the 60's or 70's when many amateurs built and used their own gear.
Just my 2c.

[GrahamL]

My 12 " sits in the classifieds and hasn't drawn any interest which is kind of what I expected I have thought of parting out but then you come back to whos buiding there own these days , not many .


Good luck I dont have an answer,

[glend]

Thanks for the replies thus far. I don't really expect to get my investment back, that is not why I built it. I also have a 127mm f12 refractor that I built using an iStar R30 objective. As an old boat builder i am well aware that your return on your labour is miniscule, even if you can find a buyer. I agree that the folks buying scopes always want a 'name', and that provides comparative resale value. Much like Quintrex pressed aluminium boats verses custom timber vessels of the same size. You need to find those few buyers that appreciate custom workmanship and rare skills. The ATM folks are a dwindling breed.
My son would probably want it but at his stage in life has no time or space for astronomy.
For now I might have to store it..

[Saturnine]

Have been reading this thread with interest as I have made several ( lots ) scopes, a few that I would like to sell if there was any interest. I reckon they work as well as equivalent brand name scopes of the same aperture etc. But having noticed the amount of scopes in the classifieds that have sat there for a long time and a lot of them are , to me , very desirable, it would seem that most of the new amateurs entering the ranks have the cash available to buy new brand name gear, a sign of our more affluent times and good gear being cheaper compared to the 60s', 70s', 80s' and 90s'. I am resigned to the fact that when I've finished with my scopes and I get too old to use them as well that they will very probably end up as scrap.
Most of the atm scopes that have come up for sale are ,no doubt , of great build quality and perform excellently but if no-one wants them, what can you do. Are there any clubs out there that need donated scopes.

[glend]

Jeff there are public outreach events that could probably use them. The NSWAS ran such an event during the recent ABC Star Party event. Whether they would be be prepared to assume custody of a scope is another question.

[Kunama]

Glen, these labours of love do not return the hours or dollars spent unfortunately. Why not use your skills and build a Dobsonian base for it, making it your visual scope while the other stuff is imaging.

A 10" F5 Newt is not everyone's cuppa... but as a Dob.... maybe

My 18" scope was bought by a friend who had been able to test it out at a dark site ( I also had two other offers to buy it ). My current build 18"F3.54 has so many 'hidden costs' that I think I will have to keep it forever.
I hope my wife never finds out how much a 0.5mm custom made blue kevlar/grey carbon baffle sheet costs.....:ashamed:

[LewisM]

Wait a sec, I have J on speed dial....

OK, wait a sec, last weekends expenditure for me (and the FUEL PRICE GOUGE by someone...). Yeah, I'm screwed too.

I'd Dobinate (my new word) it Glen.

[OzEclipse]

Glen,
I am the friend who bought Matt's scope. As an old ATM myself, and then having a chance to field test it and see the build quality and ease of use, I had no hesitation in buying Matt's beautiful scope. There wasn't any negotiation. Matt set what I thought was a very fair price, I didn't try to haggle him down or low ball. I had for some years been considering the purchase of a 16-18 inch class scope for some time so I was in the right place to purchase. The scope is a little longer in focal length(2500mm) than I would prefer. I don't like being up a ladder in the dark but the views are fantastic and no coma corrector required for visual.

Your scope looked great and were I in the market for that sized/type instrument, I would have considered purchasing it.

I have a completely hand made 6" f7 reflector made over 18 months when i was a tennager. Hand ground and polished mirror, almost all the mount and OTA the parts were cast from aluminium at an ATM club foundry. I don't use it a lot but I could never sell it and wouldn't expect to get more than $150 if I did.

Joe

[Wavytone]

Hi Glen,

Good luck with trying to sell it. I think you face a number of issues which when combined imply the chances of selling it are not high:

- aesthetics - noobs who don’t know any better want something that resembles their impression of “great big telescope”. That means a big white metal tube, black bits at either end and an equatorial mount. A framework of black CF sticks and other bits simply doesn’t appeal.

- those who want to DIY will make their own anyway - exactly as you did - even though in the end it’s not economical.

- the price of the low-Chinese scopes is so low that there’s not much point making one unless you are after something really peculiar like Stefan’s Riccardi-Honders. This issue is highlighted by the fact that it’s cheaper to replace a standard newt mirror with a new one than have it recoated; the only reason to recoat is when you have a truly exceptional mirror that can’t be replaced with a commercial one.

- those more concerned about $$$ and/or not competent at making stuff will buy a cheap Chinese OTA new or secondhand - but they won’t buy a homemade one.

Having made several scopes decades ago...
- 4” f/4.5 ended its days in pieces, $0...
- 6” f/8 in old-school metal tube - gave the OTA away $0
- 6” f/19 folded newtonian - gave the OTA away - $0;
- 8” f/7 with astro-optics Goliath mount and home made 10” worm drive ... sold the whole shebang for nominal price ... ie not much...
- 12” f/3.7 lightweight altaz was eventually disposed of, not in saleable condition anyway and mirror needed recoating, $0.

But never again will I make one.

[glend]

Thanks Wavy, excellent points. In fact all the replys make good points. I never built the scope to get my money back on a sale, I needed a much lighter imaging newt than those available commerically - and it did (still does) that job very well.

Dobination is a possibility, but then I would be putting more money and time into building the base, and buyers would likely still prefer a shiny new GSO dob; it would make sense if I was reconfiguring it for my son's family down the track. I can't use it visually, my bad eyes are what drove me to imaging in the first place; and have sold off my good EPs.

It may ultimately go the way of some of Wavy's scopes, but for now I guess I will hang onto it and put it to more use. When I relocate/downsize my house then I will be forced to take action.
Thanks all.

[bojan]

Back in 80'ies I built my 10", f/5.6 Newtonian OTA (mirror is optically OK, by Coulter Optical, still in useable condition), the tube is ø30cm fiberglass, from Parks... very strong stuff.
I wanted to recoate it (because of couple of scratches, result of accident when secondary fell and landed on it), but gave up on idea...
My intention now is to use it for AP as is, as lonng as possible (with reducer, it could be an excellent f/4 system), permanently mounted in my future observatory.. . and one day, maybe, I will donate it to someone...



The problem is, the emotional value of things like that are far greater than their commercial value, sometimes the whole life went into those projects... and noone really cares...

[Billyboy78]

Hi Glen. Billnick from AJOR.
I feel your dilemma. I let my 16" on a cradle go for IIRC $200. I threw a 6" Berry refractor in as a sweetener. I went Jeepin' instead. Now I'm facing retirement (74) but my brain is still going 60mph and I need something to do, hence this new project.