Part 1: "Astroscan Repair Guide (Part 1 of 3): Align Those Old Telescope Optics!"

https://youtu.be/BbHrdwz3P7A?si=Aw49zcYsxzLwYOmw 

Part 2: "Astroscan Repair Guide (Part 2 of 3): Fix Mirror with a Grocery Bag!" 

https://youtu.be/5jc1SJVy5VA?si=vlxKV9KPPTitGLmO

Part 3: "Astroscan Repair Guide (Part 3 of 3): Fix Focuser, 3D Parts, Bonus: Oddball Accessories"

https://youtu.be/sAPjvbZha9I?si=bLHZqqRJEC4df4jY

I marked where I felt the focuser was in a good spot and the spotter scope was effectively on top.  Marked a few lines and got out my drill.  New mount holes were drilled and I added the mounts.  The scope was in the correct perspective.  Perfect!   

I then fully disassembled the OTA.  I washed off the primary and secondary mirrors.  For mirrors that are about 40 years old, they didnt look bad.  The focuser is a really interesting design as it rides up and down the OTA instead of in or out to adjust that focal length.  Many ways to skin the cat. 

I sanded the OTA and found some paint that matched the original burnt orange.  As some of you know, I am partly color blind so I had to ask my wife for some assistance on that.  After the paint was fully dried, I got out a stick of bees wax and fully covered the painted surface.  I left the OTA in the sun to bake in the wax.  I got a good cloth and i wiped off the excess wax and then gave the wax a wipe off with car spray wax.  Again a good buff with a rag and then chamois.   

Now I had a number of "extra" holes in the OTA that needed to be closed up.  I opened the holes to 1/4" and installed a rubber plug into each hole.  A clean look!.  Then I cut a 10x10 inch section of flocking paper and glued that across from the focuser.

Since I had the focuser off.  I took it apart, cleaned and added graphite grease to the moving points.  A long term lubricating solution.   

I finished the reassembly and then put the OTA onto an EQ mount, with a motorized option.  Collimation was not too hard, but a tad touchy.  I had to purchase a spotter scope holder.  I am hoping to take it out for a test drive tonight.

Below are some pictures of the process I described above. From top to bottom, left to right, the pictures are... Prior to any work, first mounted on the EQ mount (note where the focuser and spotter mount are), OTA disassembled, New mounting points, Painting the exterior, Final product.

Looking forward to everyone's comments.

I figured.... let me take a look from a different perspective. Can I rehab this?  

Step one, tested the LED.  It works when directly connected to a power source.  

Step two, removed the mirror assy.  I found a cheap diagonal and donated the mirror to the Telrad.  Shockingly, the mirror was the exact same size and simply glued with rubber glue into place.

Step three, gave the body a good cleaning.  Once cleaned the unit didn't look like it should be disposed of.

Step four, I soaked the dimmer switch with WD40 and that seemed to remove the dead spots in the dimmer.

Step five, glued the lens back into the housing.

Found online a replacement reticle and battery cell.  I ordered both and will install them once they arrive.  In my collection of stuff, I found a Telrad mount.  I married up the two components.  I have about 15 minutes of work left and the Telrad will once again be available for installation on a scope... even if its not one of my scopes.  The total cost to bring this back from the dead:  $8.00 for a new reticle, $6.00 for the battery cell, WD40, glue, cleaning supplies, and donor diagonal were all on hand so I don't include them in the cost, about 2 hours total time.

Thanks to Ted Trieber for some tech support in this.

If anyone else is interested in one of the early pioneers of the hobby check out  www.cave-astrola.com. 

Here are some specifics about the scope.   59.5 inch long x 9.5 inch (outer diameter) OTA.  The OTA seemed to be a hardened, cardboard like material. The inside had a very thin fiberglass like coating, maybe 1/32" thick or less.  It had completely delaminated from OTA and easily was scraped out.  When the telescope was put into my hands, the focuser was a very small 1.25" rack/pinion design.  Parts had long ago disappeared, so the focuser was not usable.  The primary and secondary mirrors were in horrible shape, I would say about 30-40% of the reflective surface was missing.  If you held the primary mirror with the reflective surface away from your face, you could watch the birds in the trees.  The OTA had at least a dozen extra holes drilled into the body.

More to follow.