Unitron 2.4 inch refractor... what a little "Cracka"
I have just finished a restoration of a Unitron 2.4 inch Refractor from the 60's.
It was damaged and dented from what appeared to be a fall, and had mould between the two objective elements.
I have cleaned the objectives, and had the tube painted on the outside,and I sprayed the inside of the already baffled tube with Matt Black Paint.
I couldn't get the original eyepieces, so I adapted a diagonal to the sliding focus tube to enable me to fit 1.25 eyepieces to it.
I am amazed at the quality of these scopes that were made in the 1960's.
I dismantled the scope for the restoration, and once it was put back together with a rough collimation, I was delighted that this little scope has such sharp views of planets and double stars, that I dont want to sell it as I had originally planned.
The mount is a work of art. It has smoothe adjustments and fine tuning ability.
It was made the way all scopes should be made, with care and precision. I believe that when they were sold in the 60's, they were a fairly pricy scope. I can now see why.
Even the little finder scope has a sliding extension which facilitates easy and precise focussing.
The main tube only has Rack and Pinion focus, but this is adequate for this scope and works very nicely indeed.
I have just spent a few hours with it in my backyard, and I like it so much, it will become another Grab and Go scope.
( One can't have too many Grab-and-Go scopes).
It seems to have an ability to out-perform other scopes of similsr size.
I am wrapped now and have made it part of the family........
Sounds great Geoff, Unitron definitely made excellent gear.
You shouldn't have given up on getting original eyepieces though. I've had two 0.965 Unitron ep's for over 20 years, but recently picked up another two in great nick and reasonably priced.
It's amazing the difference you get on an old (Japanese) Tasco 60mm when you take out the Tasco eyepiece and whack in a Unitron ortho!
I see another member here just picked up a Unitron 6mm ortho from a fellow IIS'er. They are about.
Maybe you'll take her up to the Pony Club sometime?
Sounds cool Geoff ! Is there a pic?
I'm slowly (very slowly) fixing up a 4" Unitron lens into a functioning scope.
Tube done, colimatable CNC cell ,CAD's done for the baffles,need more $
Great news Geoff,
Don't ever get rid of that scope.
They are exactly as you said, "A work of art"
Their quality back then and now, has and still does, put other brands to shame.
Enjoy it, and it's clear sharp images.
I have my original 2.4" Unitron that I bought in 1970 from Astro Optical in Crows Nest.
I also have a 4" alt-az Unitron (early 1970's model) that I took possession of in 2000. It just needed a little T.L.C, it's in very good condition now.
Sounds great Geoff, Unitron definitely made excellent gear.
You shouldn't have given up on getting original eyepieces though. I've had two 0.965 Unitron ep's for over 20 years, but recently picked up another two in great nick and reasonably priced.
It's amazing the difference you get on an old (Japanese) Tasco 60mm when you take out the Tasco eyepiece and whack in a Unitron ortho!
I see another member here just picked up a Unitron 6mm ortho from a fellow IIS'er. They are about.
Maybe you'll take her up to the Pony Club sometime?
Cheers,
Jason.
Hi Jason,
I gave up looking for eyepieces for this one ( regretably ) as when I got this scope it had a broken eyepiece adaptor. The part I mean was at the end of the eyepiece tube and converted the size from the tube diameter to the 0.96 inch eye[iece size.
I tried for a long while to get one of the, without any luck.
Sounds cool Geoff ! Is there a pic?
I'm slowly (very slowly) fixing up a 4" Unitron lens into a functioning scope.
Tube done, colimatable CNC cell ,CAD's done for the baffles,need more $
Pikky of the new baby....
The only thing I am unhgappy about is that the dew shield colour doesnt match the tube....I'll have to get that done as well.
Good luck with our project. Stick with it its worth it.
Too bad you live faraway from me, I have a 60mm unitron which I was going to use as a finder scope, that I want to traide away.
Thanks,
Tom
Hi Tom,
I think it would make a great finderscope.
The contrast is very very good and I was surprised as to what I could see in it compared to one of my other scopes which is a 4.5 inch Meade reflector.
Great news Geoff,
Don't ever get rid of that scope.
They are exactly as you said, "A work of art"
Their quality back then and now, has and still does, put other brands to shame.
Enjoy it, and it's clear sharp images.
I have my original 2.4" Unitron that I bought in 1970 from Astro Optical in Crows Nest.
I also have a 4" alt-az Unitron (early 1970's model) that I took possession of in 2000. It just needed a little T.L.C, it's in very good condition now.
Have Fun.
I am droooooling over the 4 inch one there....
Oh and yes I made a mistake with the size..Mine is a 2.4 inch...not a 2.5 inch as I previously said.
... eyepieces arn't that hard to get and some parts are still avalilable from Unitron in the US (I bought a 1.25 eyepiece adapter from them in the last 6 months) , start colecting all the original bits....
Roger
I've got one of those little Unitron 114's. sitting on my old 10''. In need of refurbishment though. The little scope was so sharp I used it with a 2x converter to take photos of birds (birds with wings!). It was better than most long telephoto lenses of the day. It was brilliant on the moon, planets and the brighter DSO's, particularly clusters.
I've got one of those little Unitron 114's. sitting on my old 10''. In need of refurbishment though. The little scope was so sharp I used it with a 2x converter to take photos of birds (birds with wings!). It was better than most long telephoto lenses of the day. It was brilliant on the moon, planets and the brighter DSO's, particularly clusters.
I agree, the planets and Moon are truely sharp in these scopes.
