90mm f14.4 repaint - but a problem

[A McEwan]

Hi all,

Having spent the morning sorting out my astro-equipment and storage etc, I had a quick look at the Sun through the Celestron/Vixen 90mm f14.4

I love this scope - the optics are superb. There are several nicks and scratches in the paint though, and although I've patched it up, I really think it deserves a full repaint.

The only thing holding me back is the original Celestron/Vixen stickers on the OTA. They are already a bit cracked and peely and I doubt they'd survive being lifted off and then reapplied, and if they did they'd still look cracked and peely at the end of it (or worse).

I doubt that I'd ever be able to get original replacements, so I was wondering if there was any way of getting reproductions of them? Can they be supplied by anyone, or is there a way to have them produced digitally or whatever?

Thanks,

Ant

[Steve Ward]

Can you not just get whoever's going to spray it to mask off the stickers ?

[A McEwan]

Er no, it doesn't work like that. I'll be spraying it myself and one of the most important steps is removal of the old paint and good preparation of the surface before painting. That means complete removal of everything - components, stickers, outer paint, original primer (if any); and then a good keying of the surface before a good undercoat primer, followed by the gloss layer and then mutiple layers of lacquer.

To respray a Celestron Vixen of that vintage over the original paint, simply "masking the stickers" would be.... utter sacrilege! :shocked:

Ant

[Gina]

TBH personally I think you'd be better just leaving it as it is - a vintage scope.

[Chris]

+1 for leaving it, it looks great on the pics!

[A McEwan]

Yes I can see where you're coming from. At the moment it does have an honest, used, look. It's just that some scratches annoy me and the general condition is a little bit beyond doing any lightweight renovation - there are too many little pockmarks etc. This is not to say that the scope is ugly or anything - it's just that I have up-close hands-on experience of it. I just think the superb optics (and they really ARE superb) would merit the tube condition being brought up to an as-new standard.

I haven't decided for sure yet, just thinking ahead and seeing what problems there may be. Apert from he sticker issue, it would be a simple job, though a little time-consuming. But the end result? Mmmmmm..........

Ant

[johninderby]

You can get inkjet printable decal sheets of various types and then make up you own. Photograph the old labels and touch them up in Photoshop or find something you can copy.

This place does different types.

http://www.photopaperdirect.com/products/A4-Self-Adhesive-Clear-Sticker-Paper-Sheet.html

John

[JamesF]

I'm about to experiment with stickers a bit myself...

As you'll see from this photo, I made up a "Cloud-Dodger" design with a "heavy rain" weather forecast image as a parody of the Skywatcher logo that I'm going to put on my dob. The version in the photo is just on paper, but it is possible to get gloss vinyl sticker paper (ie self-adhesive backing) that can be run through an inkjet printer to make your own stickers. The ink can be fixed with a spray-on gloss fixative.

I've no idea how well it will work, but it's only for my own amusement really so I'm prepared to find out the hard way.

If you could find the right fonts, or scan in and digitally clean up the sticker designs, perhaps it would also work for your scope?

James

[JamesF]

Err, snap, John

James

[A McEwan]

Ah, very interesting! That looks like it might be the answer - if I decide to go ahead with it!

[JamesF]

It always amuses me (some people say I am easily amused) when I see the description "astronomical telescope". Makes it sound like the telescope is absolutely huge

James

[George]

I emailed Skywatcher last year asking if they could supply replacement LOGO stickers etc for my 250 which I was going to re-paint, I never got an aswer from them so I presuming it was a NO

[Freff]

I to would leave it as is. Those marks are character and I for one would sooner own it in it's original condition than respayed.

[fwm891]

If you google decals and transfers there are a number of UK companies out there that will make one off transfers/stickers to your design. You just need to scan the 'C' label from any of the astro magazines, same with the other details (if you have the manual that came with the scope you can probably find all you need there. Most will take B&W artwork scans and produce in whatever colour you need