Telescope paint job

[Ferox]

I recently bought a secondhand Skywatcher Startravel 102 ota with

the idea that it would make a reasonable guide scope.

However the paintwork wasn't really to my taste, I went to Halfords to see what colour I wanted and decided to try a pearlescent paint.

Here are some before pictures.

[Doc]

Not my taste either.

Looks like hammerite?

[George]

Yuk !

[Beyond_Vision]

[Ferox]

Yes, green hammerite, and not very well painted.

[Psychobilly]

I love the smell of fresh hammerite in the morning... or was it Napalm ? ... can never quite remeber....

[red dwalf]

looks like a kid painted it to get back at his dad !

[Ant]

I take it that I would be in a minority if I said that I quite liked the green?

[Ferox]

Unfortunately the person I bought it from (in his 50's at a guess) painted it himself,

he said he didn't like the original skywatcher colour.

Ant, It wasn't so much the colour that I objected to but the way it had been painted with big runs all over it.

[Johnboy]

I love the smell of fresh hammerite in the morning... or was it Napalm ? ... can never quite remeber....

LOL! Might have known you'd have come up with something like that!

[Ferox]

Well the hammerite is gone, with a little help from nitromors.

The original paintwork was still intact underneath the hammerite along with the Skywatcher logos!

[steppenwolf]

(in his 50's at a guess) painted it himself,

.... so what are you saying, people in their fifties can't paint and have poor colour taste? :D Just joshing with ya!

[Ferox]

.... so what are you saying, people in their fifties can't paint and have poor colour taste? :D Just joshing with ya!

Well now that you mention it.....

Next stage done, primed and ready to start the painting.

[Ferox]

Rubbed the primer down with 1200 grit wet and dry.

Five (I think lost count to be honest) thin coats of black pearlescent later.

[Macavity]

Looks nice now!

Must admit, I sliced the ST102's dew shield into three equal-sized bits for various projects - interchangable solar filter etc. Having experimented with various methods of removing (Nitromors) the original light blue paint, I was impressed how tough the darn stuff was... expecially the lingering "sand" content. I suggest, to anyone, just a light sanding, rather than a complete strip down.

Mian problem now will be dealing with some HOLES that have "mysteriously" appeared in the tube, during the course of several of my other (ahem) experiments. LOL. But I'm going to try one of these putty-like (metal) fillers - also from Halfords, on those...

[Ferox]

Finished the lacquering and left it for three days before putting it back together and adding a dovetail.

I'm quite pleased with the way it turned out.

[Doc]

Much better.

[darditti]

Looks really professional. I think you could start a business doing that.

My attempt at painting telescopes have always ended in tears!

David

[omneferuss]

Very nice.. when you said pearlescent I was worried.. but as it's basically black I highly approve the only colour a scope should be

[Ferox]

Thanks for the feedback.

Very nice.. when you said pearlescent I was worried.. but as it's basically black I highly approve the only colour a scope should be

The pearlescent effect is a lot more subtle than in the pics, I had to take the photos in full sunshine before you could see it.

I didn't want anything too outlandish, besides I do like black.