I had read the stories... You guys finding scopes at the tip, garage sales etc. Never thought it would happen to me
Driving around just 30 minutes ago, I spot a telescope on tripod on the side of the road, left for anyone to take. I stop, dont hesitate, into the car.
Just had a good look. 4.5" Newtonian with a 900 mm focal length. Primary VERY VERY CLEAN with no deterioration. Secondary needs a clean, so not sure yet. Eyepiece odd, but clear and heavy (glass). Tube is rolled steel. A little rust where paint scratched but easy repair. Finder clear. Focuser smooth. Tripod is wood surveyor style. Equatorial head in great free moving condition, only missing elevation scale and the counterweight bar and weight. Slow motion controls there.and working smoothly.
Made by "Topic" Japan. Very Takahashi style, just cheaper.
Will photograph tomorrow when I get it home.
.
Anyone got a spare counterweight bar and small weight? Kaybe an old tasco would suit.
Decision now repaint original white or go red or something. Likely end up my daughters anyway.
Another project , cool bro .
I have just finished a similar scope just reciently , a Tasco 11R , 114 x900 fl .
The owner now is like me ,,,, waiting for the dry season .
Measure the CW shaft , if its 16mm or there abouts , I have a black one thats about 1kg .
Good score Lew .
Brian.
Last edited by iceman; 29-03-2013 at 01:23 PM.
Reason: profanity
EVERY detail of that Tasco is identical to this one, apart from the colour! (hence thinking to make it Tasco red) - I BET yours has a Circle T maker mark and JAPAN on it
Even if I don't end up using the eq mount, was trying it out alt-az - turn the alt to straight up, and you have alt-az, side mounted scope Easier for the young girl.
Got the 4.5" Newt all pulled apart yesterday. She is in FANTASTIC shape, apart from needing the tube resprayed externally and internally (will use blackboard black inside). The equatorial mount is in near perfect shape, apart from missing the counterweight shaft and weight as I mentioned in my first post.
Took Young Miss 4.5 (daughter that is, not scope ) to Supercheap Auto yesterday and asked her to pick a colour for her telescope (which Daddy will use more ). She of COURSE said pink. I offered orange or red. She said pink. I got RED
As a weird astro coincidence, the orange and the red shades were rather appropriate - Venus Orange (VERY Celestron old BTW!), and Vixen (Red). Being a Vixen devotee and a red-head lover (wife and daughter), I made the executive decision. She was FINE with it, as I reminded her everything else she had was pink...
Miss 4.5 in Bunnings...before Supercheap Auto (CHEAPER paint in SCA than Bunnings - cheper everything actually)...
I had read the stories... You guys finding scopes at the tip, garage sales etc. Never thought it would happen to me
Driving around just 30 minutes ago, I spot a telescope on tripod on the side of the road, left for anyone to take. I stop, dont hesitate, into the car.
Just had a good look. 4.5" Newtonian with a 900 mm focal length. Primary VERY VERY CLEAN with no deterioration. Secondary needs a clean, so not sure yet. Eyepiece odd, but clear and heavy (glass). Tube is rolled steel. A little rust where paint scratched but easy repair. Finder clear. Focuser smooth. Tripod is wood surveyor style. Equatorial head in great free moving condition, only missing elevation scale and the counterweight bar and weight. Slow motion controls there.and working smoothly.
Made by "Topic" Japan. Very Takahashi style, just cheaper.
Will photograph tomorrow when I get it home.
.
Anyone got a spare counterweight bar and small weight? Kaybe an old tasco would suit.
Decision now repaint original white or go red or something. Likely end up my daughters anyway.
Very chuffed.
Hi Lewis,
How did you ascertain that the telescope was "left for anyone to take"?
Greg.
Some years ago we where felling a rather large tree, stopped for a break, left our climbing gear in said tree and went into the clients for tea, a neighbour knocked at the door and informed us that someone was removing our gear, when confronted his justification was that it was there 'left for anyone to take', Jim Morrison was right, "People are strange". Oh! and the equipment would have run out to thousands to replace!
Greg.
Even without the sign, 'twas a bit obvious it was meant to be taken, along with the other stuff out there on the kerbside. Unless of course someone looks at terrestrial targets while surrounded by other throw-away ephemera
I get the point though Greg.
Locally, we leave a lot for people to take out on the kerbside. I put an old TV and a stereo system out once. Gone within 10 minutes
Well, started the resto today. The secondary could do with replacing, but it reflects enough. It is JUST starting to fleck in one place. The primary is impeccable.
Resprayed the crinkle black with some satin black (does anyone know if the old "techincal equipment crinkle black" paint is still available anywhere???). Resprayed the eyepiece orange (odd, why the eyepiece is an orange tube the length of the drawtube! The paint from the metal cap holding the elements was badly chipped). Decided to paint the tube front ring support, mirror cell support and mirror tube ring in hammertone brown - it looks FANTASTIC! A really nice colour! I will likely paint the ENTIRE tube hammertone to help hide the defects somewhat, before overspraying the hammertone with the Celestron orange.
Finderscope is now orange, and looks so retro 70's
Now, onto the tripod. Wood is fine, but the accessory plate and supports need unbending and repainting - likely hammertone again.
Another project , cool bro . 
. Good buy!
