Tal M

[EssexMigrant]

And oi! Cheeky sod! I ain't that old lol

It must be me then! I saw it about tweny years ago!

Cheers

Max

[AndyH]

No idea where he/she got the metal cap from. Not Tal. All three of the caps for this scope are plastic. Two push in 'plug' types for the front and a standard plastic one for the rear.

[EssexMigrant]

Hi Andy,

Well, I've got some new info for you then. There was only one plug-in type for mine; the one with the offset hole, and that's metal! It has three small plastic plugs in the rim, one of which is missing on mine. So maybe my metal plain cap is an original tube cap? The question then arises, is the cap a top or bottom tube cap?

Max

Edited December 7, 2011 by EssexMigrant

[AndyH]

Who'd a thunk it:D

Gets stranger and stranger !!

Old Tal's never cease to amaze

After I posted the metal cap not being from Tal, I remembered that the original 100R had a metal dewshield. Did it have a metal cap? Mmm.

So does that mean you're only missing another metal push in cap for the front?

How wonderfully strange !

Did your scope come with the 32mm o/d helical focuser and low profile eyepieces, adapter/spacer and barlow?

Andy.

[EssexMigrant]

Hi Andy!

Good extra info! Re am I only missing another metal push in cap; I don't know! What I THINK I might be missing, is yes, another push in, but also the mirror dust cover. I think the cap I have is supposed to be a top tube cap. Unfortunately it doesn't go on, because the tube is slightly distorted that end, and there was me thinking you couldn't do any damage if you ran a tank over them! It's very minor, but to correct it I'd have to remove the spider and secondary, and I don't want to do that, at least until I've checked the optics.

If you meant 32mm I/D helical focuser, yes, it did. I only got the mount, barlow (unmarked), 15mm and 25mm - pic below.

Cheers

Max

[EssexMigrant]

Another thing that's different on this one is the tube securing straps; they aren't hinged, and very weak. As a consequence they are broken and useless. I'll post a piccy later. I'm guessing they discovered this fault quickly and redesigned it. I'm hoping that some day I'll be able to pick up a replacement. I'm not sure at the moment whether or not I'm going to bodge the mount to make it useable, or just try and get hold of some rings and use on another mount.

Cheers

Max

p.s. I've just noticed the mounting straps are the same as the manual drawing.

Edited December 7, 2011 by EssexMigrant

[AndyH]

Woops, yes I/D.

Same eyepieces as mine. As mine, look to be a single simple coating. Not the later deep purple, multi coatings.

If you get the time, could you do me a favour and measure some sizes on the barlow and adapter. I'm thinking of getting a replacement barlow and adapter machined up. Ta.

Look forward to seeing more pics...

Cheers,

Andy.

[nicnac]

pps: with the Tal group in limbo, do you reckon it would be a good idea to have a thread in the main forum with 'Tal-centric' links? We had one in the group. Thoughts? Ta.

yes yes yes

it would be nice to have the group re-opened to be honest

Edited December 7, 2011 by nicnac

[EssexMigrant]

Woops, yes I/D.

Same eyepieces as mine. As mine, look to be a single simple coating. Not the later deep purple, multi coatings.

If you get the time, could you do me a favour and measure some sizes on the barlow and adapter. I'm thinking of getting a replacement barlow and adapter machined up. Ta.

Hi Andy!

OK, here are the measurement, going from left to right in your piccie. A=29.5mm B=34.5mm C=33mm.

Re the coating or lack of, I think you're right. I will note however that the coating on the exterior of the sighting lens is the deep purple.

More pics will follow, but maybe not today.

Cheers

Max

[EssexMigrant]

yes yes yes

it would be nice to have the group re-opened to be honest

I will unhesitatingly second this!

Max

[Crunchard]

Thirded (although strictly speaking not a word it sums up my feeling!)

[AndyH]

Thanks Max.

[EssexMigrant]

Andy, have you ever taken one of the old 15mm eyepieces apart? I found the grub screw on the side, and guess it's for locking, but even when this is totally removed, I can't part the two components. Before I put pressure on it, I just wanted to be sure it screwed. The reason I want to do this, is because it's full of condensation that doesn't look as though it's going evaporate any time soon. And even if it does, it's going to leave some marking. As soon as I put it in tonight, I knew that something wasn't right, and as soon as I put it under my disecting microscope I could see a myriad of globules all over the inner surface of the outer eye lens.

Anyway, I spent some time getting the collimation right, working only with the secondary. It was clear immediately that somebody had played with this, and it was a MILE out! Tonight I hand held it out the window (it's too blumming windy to go out!) and looked at Jupiter. Firstly with the 25mm which seemed a bit 'flairy' but it's an odd design of optic, and depending on how you moved your eye, the image changed. I next tried the 15 which didn't have the problem, but of course being 'dewed up' with condensation wasn't a real test. Getting out another Tal 15mm I had to hand I tried that, but it clearly wasn't designed to be used in this scope, as there was nothing like enough it travel to focus. I'll try and get to my other Tal M optics tomorrow and try them.

Cheers

Max

Edited December 9, 2011 by EssexMigrant

[AndyH]

I'll have a look at mine and get back to you.

Andy.

[EssexMigrant]

I'll have a look at mine and get back to you.

Andy.

Appreciate that Andy; thanks!

[AndyH]

Right-o. Had a look at mine.

Once you either take out the grub screw , or at least unscrew it some way, the top piece simply unscrews. This gives access to the eyelens doublet, long spacer and the larger singlet. When replacing, remember the field lens goes in with the flat face downwards. The eyelens goes in with the flat side nearest the eye.

Andy.

[EssexMigrant]

Brilliant Andy! Many thanks for taking the time to do that. Right, I'll have a go later to part this. I'm hoping that it's just a rubber glove job, I don't want to get into anything heavier. Anyway, I'll let you know.

Cheers

Max

p.s. I checked the two sets of rings nearest to this diameter tube, and neither is any good! C102 too small; AT90EDT much too big! You'd think it would be the other way round wouln't you?

[EssexMigrant]

Hi all,

OK, got the marigolds on and finally managed to unscrew it! It had been screwed on so tight that it had distorted the top! Anyway, the top pair have been removed, cleaned and replaced, and now the view is clear as a bell. I've done this to both of my 15mm's, as they were both virtually identical in terms of deposit. I would advise ANYBODY who has one of these eyepieces to do the same. The design makes it simple, assuming that the top comes off easier than mine! The top pair are bonded and black edged, and sit in a recess, so it's dead simple. Just remove, clean and replace, remembering that the flat side is out. I wish the .965" eyepieces I've had to clean had been this simple!

Cheers

Max

[AndyH]

The 15mm Kellner, has been built well, for ease of access.

Sadly my low profile 25mm has a rusted broken setscrew, so it'll just have to do for now. Don't want to go to the trouble of drilling it out. I noticed this 'piece has a more purplish coating than I remembered. I would quite like to take it apart to determine the type. ie plossl, konig etc.

I'm searching for some 106mm rings. Looking like it's going to have to be 116mm ones with some packing.

I find my 25mm eyepiece is rather nice. Possibly the same design as the next generation plossls/konigs? One of the lens doublets cement, inside, is starting to seperate(de-laminate??). Not noticed that it affects the view, but it's not pretty to look 'at'. Thinking of adding some fuse wire to the removable field stop, to make it into a crosshair 'finder' eyepiece.

[EssexMigrant]

Hi Andy!

I can sympathise on the set screw, but the head of mine on the 15mm fortunately didn't break until was out sufficiently to remove (the screw cut rusted). As you, I find the 25mm nice also; shame about the delamination, but if you want a challenge it is possible to separate the elements and reglue them!

Right, now comes the big question; how to get the big mag? If I'm understanding the manual correctly, it's spacer, barlow, eyepiece? I couldn't see how this could work, and it doesn't; what's the answer please?

Cheers

Max

[AndyH]

Spacer between the barlow and eyepiece.

eg: if you had a extendable spacer, you could create a kind of zoomable eyepiece barlow combo. I'm pondering getting a couple of tubes made with close tolerances, that will let me vary the space between the eyepiece and barlow.

The idea came to me via the tubes that Siebert Optical make for the Tal Alcor.

Siebert Optics - Eyepieces - .965"

I tried with the Alcors std set of barlow, spacer and eyepiece. By moving the spacer, then eyepiece out their sleeves slightly, I spotted a noticable increase in magnification.

Andy.

[EssexMigrant]

Why didn't I think of that! Thanks Andy, I'll try that later. Busy at the moment designing a method of making simple and cheap mounting rings.

Thanks for the Siebert link

Be in touch

Max

[EssexMigrant]

Hi Andy!

OK, just tried that; great! I also experimented with your suggestion of extending the eyepiece out, and as you say, more magnification. I was looking at Jupiter (interesting arrangement of moons at this minute, with Callisto being out of alignment below/above Ganymede) and could make out the two main bands, but nothing more. I think I must make a bigger effort to get my large lathe finished! What was the name of the bloke at Tal, to contact for parts? I can't remember where I saw the post.

Cheers

Max

[AndyH]

Yuri Elovenko.

uran@npz.spektr.siberia.net

Or if you feel like trying out your Russian, post a question on their forum

Ôîðóì îïòè÷åñêèõ ïðèöåëîâ, îïòèêè, îðóæèÿ è òåëåñêîïîâ

I got a question answered super quick yesterday !!

The 'M' has been discontinued for a while, mind.

Andy.

Edited December 11, 2011 by AndyH

[EssexMigrant]

Hi Andy!

Thanks for all of that! Yea, I'm not holding my breath, but if I could get another mounting 'part' it would be a great help.

Bye the way, do you know which model your Carton is? Pics of mine here:

http://groups.yahoo.com/group/cartonscopeclub/photos/album/1784860766/pic/list

Cheers

Max