Hard to believe that 15.7 kgs of brass and bronze in the first pic was hidden under the black paint somewhere, I was going to 'japan black' it but now I am not so sure, be a shame to hide it all, clear coat might be the answer! The cast iron RA axis shown in the middle picture and after some cleaning at right ready for painting.
THe more I dismantle this mount the more impressive it is, with bronze bushes on the RA and Dec axis pressed into a threaded brass sleeve which then fits into the carriers. The RA axis pivot bolts and lock bolts are also bronze and are beautifully shaped, they are the pinkish ones on the left of the first picture. The machine screws holding the brass plate onto the RA shaft are also nicely hand made.
Looking good!
I have a personal preference for exposed brass, but everyone to their own taste.
I think I would be reassembling the mount once all the other parts are restored. Then you can get a better view of whether polished exposed brass is the go.
Unfortunately, my source of scrap brass for various projects does not have a piece big enough for the dimensions you are seeking. So, no luck there for you.
Impressive work. Good to see the rubber mallet at close hand... Just curious, has it been difficult separating any of the parts?
Andrew
Thanks Andrew, I was pleased that all the pieces came apart reasonably easily only used the mallet to separate the bearing carriers from the Index plates.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Tinderboxsky
Matt,
Looking good!
I have a personal preference for exposed brass, but everyone to their own taste.
I think I would be reassembling the mount once all the other parts are restored. Then you can get a better view of whether polished exposed brass is the go.
Unfortunately, my source of scrap brass for various projects does not have a piece big enough for the dimensions you are seeking. So, no luck there for you.
Cheers
Steve.
Thanks for trying Steve, I will be leaving the brass and bronze nice and shiny and will lacquer them instead. The iron pieces will be painted satin black Rust Guard Epoxy Enamel.
Spent a bit of time today on the recommissioning of the Gaunt:
I have decide to clear coat the brightwork as the mount will have to cope with being outdoors under her yet-to-be-made covers.
Just the pier to go as far stripping and paint, then just have to recondition all the bolts and washers and put everything back where it belongs.
Then I have to make/find/beg/steal/borrow brass tangent screw slow motion controls and a replacement setting circle for the RA axis.
The last straw will be to dismantle my little Istar 150mm F10 scope and get the counter cell and backplate gold plated to match the brass brightwork
Autosol Paste and Explorer hiking socks inside out. Slow work but I need the exercise! On some of the parts that have over 1mm of paint layers I am using a thin brass blade to lift the paint first, I tried some solvents but they tended to stain the old brass much like flux does.
My fingertips are just as shiny as the brass after a week of polishing.
Great project Matt, enjoyed all the reading and photos you've posted, looking forward to more updates. Will also keep an eye out for brass plates Great Work is an understatement
Hi Matt i have been following this sweet mounts rebuild from day one and its lovely .
On finding Brass , go to an engineering supplier and ask for their Brass , " Shim Stock " It comes in sheets about A4 sized and you can get it in thickness's from 10 thousand's of an inch to about 1/4 - 3/8th inch thick ,
Just be sure to say " Brass " not steel . .
It aint cheep but I hope it helps you finish this beautiful piece of Aussie history .
Onya mate.
Brian./
Quote:
Originally Posted by Kunama
Spent a bit of time today on the recommissioning of the Gaunt:
I have decide to clear coat the brightwork as the mount will have to cope with being outdoors under her yet-to-be-made covers.
Just the pier to go as far stripping and paint, then just have to recondition all the bolts and washers and put everything back where it belongs.
Then I have to make/find/beg/steal/borrow brass tangent screw slow motion controls and a replacement setting circle for the RA axis.
The last straw will be to dismantle my little Istar 150mm F10 scope and get the counter cell and backplate gold plated to match the brass brightwork
Here are a few progress pictures:
Last edited by brian nordstrom; 17-11-2012 at 09:25 PM.
Reason: extra .
Thanks Carlos, I am nearing the end of the mount recommission, taking the pier to Canberra tomorrow to get it cleaned up, it has a hundred layers of paint too much for my equipment.
Thanks Brian, I am going to reassemble the mount as it is and then will chase up the brass for the setting circle, thanks for the tip on the sheet brass, I will follow it up next week.
Here is a nice little surprise I found today, the built-in levelling vials also had been generously treated to japanning, then some stove black, then some primer and modern flat black, I thought I would peek under the paint to see what I found. A pleasant find indeed, the brass vials are beautifully finished and secured to the base plate with little brass post-screws which have a tiny little locking screw holding them in place. They don't make them like this any more!!!!
Here is a before and after picture ( these will not be clear coated at this stage as I had to get a bit serious with them and now want them to tarnish a little before I lacquer them)
A venerable brass mine ?
Beautiful again Matt . And all hand made so long ago .. a lost art .
That will be pure alchohol in those vials ... over 100 yrs old ,,mmmm ..
Brian.
What you are doing with this mount is magnificent, Matt. I have been following this thread from the start, and its great to see something old being restored to its original glory.
A venerable brass mine ?
Beautiful again Matt . And all hand made so long ago .. a lost art .
That will be pure alchohol in those vials ... over 100 yrs old ,,mmmm ..
Brian.
Pure 100 year old you say Brian .....
This little item is my new favourite part of the mount.
I do hope the historians are not offended by the fact that this is a recommissioning of the mount not a restoration or preservation to museum standards. But then again they could have bought the mount during the time it was advertised .
Thanks for the tip about the grog in the vials Brian.
Thank you Laurie, when doing work like this it is always nice to get encouragement along the way. That is one of the great things about this forum, there are very few nay-sayers!
Stunning work, those polished brass levels are just to much. I don't think any historian is going to complain about your recommissioning path. Isn't it better to see something working as it was intended to do ?
I have decided that is will be necessary to add some height to the mount for the big Istar refractor, eventually the Pier will rest on an elevated (30cm) pedestal above the surrounding floor, in the meantime I am going to make 2 copies of the pier top plate and separate them with 3 mild steel vanes set at the same angle as the pier vanes (120 degrees) to try to match the design as much as possible. This will make viewing easier for my 193cm tall, weary old body.
EDIT:
A little bit of history of the mount now added to the first post ........ more to come.
Due to the corrosion on the base of the pier, I have decided to fully strip and prime/paint the pier so it is now in Canberra for professional cleaning will be painted by Gabriel DeVries of Fluid Painting Solutions.
Picked up the pier and the counterweight from AA Sandbasting today, it was strange to see original cast iron complete with its casting marks, pitting and file marks (first time those file marks have seen the sun in 135 years) and without the rust that was trying to eat it.
As it will be exposed to snow, sleet, rain and the high UV of the Snowys, I will be giving it the modern paint treatment.
1: complete spray with cold gal
2: primer
3: Gloss black Epoxy enamel
4: Gloss Black Epoxy enamel, again !
5: Polyglaze UV coating.
I have also managed to find 3 Plough bolts (1" UNC Ultra High Tensile)
these will become the new feet to serve the purpose of levelling the pier and also to protect the brass feet from wear on the ground. I feel justified in adding the plough bolts as they are in fact period correct being first used in 1850.
The pier will then be able to be levelled as I will weld a 10mm square bar to the bolts and fit some vintage gate valve handles to them for adjustment of each 'foot'
Pictures to follow when I get home tomorrow.
Edit: Adding pictures of the adjustable foot system
The assembly is not far away now, the painted components have been baking for a week so should be ready ............ if the brass washers I am having made arrive tomorrow, the assembly will begin .................
can hardly wait
Postie brought me some astro-goodies today
New Vixen GP-D2 mount
Vixen LV5mm ep
Extra Vixen counterweight 2.8Kg
and
50 brass washers !!!! Feels like Christmas ........
Great Work is an understatement 
.
a lost art .
over 100 yrs old ,,mmmm .
.
. 
The assembly is not far away now, the painted components have been baking for a week so should be ready ............ if the brass washers I am having made arrive tomorrow, the assembly will begin .................
