12" Meade LX200GPS - NOW WITHDRAWN FROM SALE

[Omaroo]

Arrghh.. I hate myself for this, but here goes:

My chronic back pain is so bad now, that often I have trouble bending over to tie up my own shoe laces. :sadeyes: My 12" scope wasn't the cause, but I really can't justify owning it without having a permanent observatory to leave it set up in. I just can't keep moving it back and forth with my back being the way it is. I love this scope, but the time has come to let someone a bit fitter than me own it. I'm moving to a truss binocular dob that breaks down into lightweight pieces for "easier" transport.....

This scope used to belong to Zane Hammond (owner of Magellan Observatory, NSW) and was well looked after during its couple of years there and has then been under my care since September 2006. The tripod is in pretty good nick, but the paint is getting a little chipped on the legs. The OTA is in excellent condition. There is a little dust on the mirror, as usual - but it presents no optical degradation to speak of. I apologise to Zane for breaking my promise to give it a good home forever..... :doh:

Anyhoo - here it is. It's a pretty capable imaging platform - all in one package.

1) 12" Meade LX200GPS with UHTC (Ultra-High Transmission Coating)
2) Autostar II GOTO System incl. 12v power cord
3) Meade Giant Field Tripod - shortened by approx. 8"
4) Meade 7x50 finderscope with dew shield
5) Telrad finderscope with dew shield
6) Meade 26mm Plossl
7) William Optics 2" diagonal with 1.25" adapter
8) Meade Electronic MicroFocusser
9) Peterson Engineering 2" EyeOpener for Meade MicroFocusser
10) Peterson Engineering Bucks Gears enhancement (fitted to Dec only - RA supplied though)
11) Peterson Engineering Dec clutch upgrade
12) corrector plate heater (needs re-connecting)
13) Meade piggyback SLR camera mount for 12" LX200GPS
14) New flexible dew shield w/velcro tabs
15) Bob's Knobs collimation knobs
16) Losmandy machined piggyback mounting blocks x 2 for 12" LX200
17) Serial data cable for scope remote control and software updating
18) Wooden floor-sitting equatorial wedge. Set to 34 deg, but is slightly adjustable. Picture shows Meade 80mm f/11 guide scope attached - which is not included.
19) Meade carry case for 12" LX200. Zipper is broken, but can be easily replaced. It is slightly water stained (no scope inside at the time!!) but otherwise works well.
20) Meade 12" SuperWedge

Sorry - but will not separate, so please don't ask :(

I am asking $5,600.00 for everything, including the wedge. I can deliver to anywhere in the greater Sydney area, or to within a couple of hours drive of Sydney. I will pack the tripod in a separate box along with the accessories and help you arrange transport elsewhere if needed.

Thanks for taking your time to have a look.

Cheers
Chris

(A very sad day for me ....... :sadeyes: )

[leon]

Chris that's a fantastic price, plus some good extras, yes i expect it will be a sad day when that goes to a new home, good luck.:eyepop:

Cheers leon:thumbsup:

[Omaroo]

Thanks Leon. :(

I hope it finds a good home too.....

Cheers
Chris

[Omaroo]

I have now decreased the overall price to $5,600 and have included the wedge. I think that this is a very fair deal to any potential buyer.

Gee you're a hard lot! ;)

Cheers
Chris

[Ric]

Sorry Chris, I just got into trouble for considering it. Thats a great buy for what is included, Sorry to hear you have to let it go.
Do you have two wedges in that package is that correct, one floor and one for the tripod?

Cheers

[Omaroo]

That's correct Ric - two wedges.

I really hate having to sell this scope, but I can't lift it any more. Jenny and I have put off buying another place for a while - which is where we were going to build the observatory. If we had that, I could just leave it set up permanently. As it is, when we do consider another place again I'll fork out for another - probably a 14" or 16" RCX400 at that time.

Cheers
Chris

[Omaroo]

As there has been no serious approach to date, this scope will be coming off the market 5:00pm today.

Thanks
Chris

[leon]

I don't understand why no one has snapped this up Chris, it's a bargain at that price, I'd pull it to rather than give it away.

Cheers Leon :thumbsup:

[Omaroo]

Cheers Leon - I agree and so does the wife. :) Seems that no-one is currently in the market for a large scope at a fair price, so I've withdrawn it from sale rather than follow the "reduced" course of action.

I'll store it in my back room until I get around to building that observatory one day.

Thanks everyone
Chris

[janoskiss]

whatever happened to 5pm? :P i was about to ask you about feasibility/cost of shipping to Melb...

[RB]

I was wondering the same thing.

[beren]

Chris if your not going to sell it have you considered a trolley system that would allow the scope to be set up and moved as a whole {thats if you have the room etc}. Few of the ones around on the market {pricey though :whistle: }.....

http://www.jimsmobile.com/
http://www.telescopes.com/series/scopebuggy-scopebuggy-5853.html

DIY

http://www.mapug-astronomy.net/AstroDesigns/TrpdSled/Alternate.htm
http://www.mapug-astronomy.net/AstroDesigns/TrpdSled/T-Frame/TFrame.htm

[Omaroo]

Thanks Beren

I'm looking at putting up a roll-down roof observatory (I don't want a dome - which is a thief target in my book) eventually - so the scope can sit on a permanent pier then.

Nifty devices though....

Cheers
Chris

[rmcpb]

I think I am happier to see you keep that beaut scope rather than sell it as I don't think either of you had your heart in the sale. It would be a beauty set up in a permanent observatory where you can just enjoy it at your leisure.

Cheers

[Omaroo]

Thanks Rob - and yeah, you're right. At the end of the day I just wasn't going to let it go for anything other than what it's worth. You have to hold firm and not descend into the price reduction spiral just in order to sell something. I guess that there's a bit of a culture that assumes that people will drop prices once they get desperate to sell.

It'll just gee me along to build a nice little house for it now :)

Cheers
Chris