So finally had some time to start the restoration.
I marked everything and photographed everything so I have some reference how it all goes back!
1. Took off all accessories inc dovetail
2. Took off corrector gasket with shims
3. Took off corrector with with secondary
4. Took off Feather touch focuser
5. Removed retaining clip on baffle/draw tube
6. Removed Primary mirror (slid off draw tube)
note: Don at Bintel was spot on, the secondary cell at the front of the OTA does not need to be removed, the primary can be tilted and rotated out of the tube. This is different to what ive read and watched online.
7. Once primary was out I started picking at the white spots: not fungus as far as I can tell. Its definitely oxidation/corrosion!
8. The entire tube is covered with the stuff, so to make restoration easier I decided to take the front and rear cells off.
9. This was straight forward: there are some nuts and bolts that need to be removed and voila the cells can be eased off.
OK now I have the scope in bits, the optics well protected and ready for cleaning after ive address the tube.
QUESTIONS
A. Any suggestions here would be good..... my current plan is to sand the oxidation away and then flock the tube with felt. Im not sure if this will fix this or just paper over it! Im told that painting it with anticorrosive treatment isn't a good idea due to out gassing.
B. is there anywhere I could get another tube fabricated? possibly in carbon fibre. Celestron don't sell the Tubes without the optics!
C. The corrector is off centre with some two plastic spacers (ive attached a photo of it) is this normal?
D. All the hardware is rusted, does any one know if these are standard sizes bolts etc that I could replace with marine grade hardware?
Hemi