TAL-tastic! Another 100RS...

[Planetesimal]

Woop woop! My TAL 100RS OTA arrived yesterday from FLO, very quick delivery with no issues as always!

There are some detailed reviews on this 'scope already, so I won't add to the existing literature other than to say, based on first impressions out of the box I agree with Astro Baby's review so far!

http://stargazerslou...0rs#entry623694

Well, okay maybe just a few words, I guess I owe it to everyone to share a couple of photos to prove that the standard cloud generator was excluded from the boxed kit as requested... Here's the beast still in its box (and attached to a great big chunk of wood!):

The next step was to get the bits and pieces out of their boxes:

The end cap on the finder is a bit loose, which I'll have to watch out for, but the finder itself feels really solid, and I like the addition of a helical focuser mechanism. I'm going to give this finder a try without fitting a telrad for a while to see if I can get away with it (to be honest I think telrads are only necessary if you're using a RACI finder anyway).

There's a 1.25" diagonal which has had some very positive reviews, so looking forward to giving it a try. (A question from me about this to FLO sparked off a photoshopping incident with the diagonal being temporarily airbrushed out of the promotional photo on the FLO website, sorry about that Steve! ). Taking off the lid I noticed a lot of dust on the mirror, which "tallies" with what others have said about the kit out of the box. The factory must be pretty dusty! No actual dirt though, just dust, so a quick blast with a dust blower and all sorted. Another aspect I notice is a particular smell, which I can describe as being a bit "engine-like". It's a combination of petrol, leatherette and oil smoke... A bit like the inside of my Moggy Minor in fact! I quite like it, it's comforting somehow.

As can be seen, the plossls didn't come with lens caps, which isn't the end of the world but not ideal... I'll be keeing them in my EP foam case though so shouldn't be a problem. I also noticed that the eyecups don't roll down. I would always use them though so not an issue for me!

Here's a quick shot of the TAL in its green plastic blanket, attached to that hunk of wood I mentioned earlier. It makes the box heavier (and had me worried that my EQ3-2 mount is going to struggle!), but it's a nice touch that makes the OTA very secure in transit:

The OTA set is advertised as including skywatcher compatible tube rings. They're actually of a different design compared with SW's so a bit of thinking was required here, but I figured out a way of attaching them securely to a spare SW dovetail plate without too much trouble. There's a screw thread post on a ball joint which has a collar threaded onto it, and the collar is secured by an end-cap screw that is threaded inside the larger threaded post (if that makes sense!). This post can be fitted through the holes at either end of the dovetail plate and the collar and end-cap screw re-attached on the other side to secure it. These pictures should make this clearer... I imagine this is the way to do it; it works for me anyway!

And finally, all set up on the EQ3-2! I've tuned up the mount with a bit of regreasing and tightening, plus added about 6 lbs of fine-grain sand into the legs, so it's pretty sturdy and I'm confident will keep me going for a while until I can afford that HEQ5 pro upgrade! My final thoughts are: wow the dewshield is really dusty, the crayford focuser is really smooth, and the OTA feels rock-solid. Roll on first light!

[twotter]

Here's hoping for some clear skies for you!

[Planetesimal]

Here's hoping for some clear skies for you!

Thanks twotter!

I love the way each TAL has its own (low) serial number - it makes it feel like each one is an individual!

Mine's RS #1232!

[twotter]

I know what you mean. When I look at mine it makes me think of the engineers and opticians who worked to make it come to life, all the way over in the middle of Russia. I'm almost thinking of giving it a name!

[AndyH]

Clear skies !

By the way, yes that's the way we all mount the rings. There's an added bonus of the knurled thumbscrews acting as 'stops', should the scope & dovetail, get loose and slip down the mount !!

Andy.

[nightfisher]

The more i play about with different refractors, the more i see just how good the Tal 100 rs really is

[Planetesimal]

Clear skies !

By the way, yes that's the way we all mount the rings. There's an added bonus of the knurled thumbscrews acting as 'stops', should the scope & dovetail, get loose and slip down the mount !!

Andy.

Thanks Andy - although I said this method works for me, I'm glad to know I've hit on the right way (although to be fair I'm not sure what other way I could do it now I look at it in the cold light of day! ) . I was a little worried initially that the end of the large threaded screw wouldn't be long enough to go far enough through the dovetail to engage with the collar - I needn't have though, it feels nice and secure.

I hadn't thought about the thumbscrews acting as stops, good point!

I'm going to be up in Scotland in March for a few days in the Trossachs, which was a bit of a spur to getting the TAL now rather than waiting... It'll fit in the boot of my car, unlike my newt!

[Planetesimal]

The more i play about with different refractors, the more i see just how good the Tal 100 rs really is

Reading all the TAL-related chat between you, AndyH, TonyD and Qualia definitely helped make my mind up. These forums are expensive!

I can't wait for my first light with this 'scope - my first refracting telescope!

[foundaplanet]

Nice one you will have a lot of fun with that. There is something rather nice and quite special about owning a nice refractor.

[Mike73]

Nice one you will have a lot of fun with that. There is something rather nice and quite special about owning a nice refractor.

As much as I love my big DSO killer I'II never be without a good frac!!

[nightfisher]

I must have owned at least 11 refractors, i still honestly believe the 100RS is the best i have owned

[John]

Congratulations

Your pics take me back to the unboxing of my TAL 100 RT which I bought in December 1999 - my serial was #0075. Do they start at 0001 at the beginning of each year ?

Apart from the focuser and the dew shield the scopes look like they have remained unchanged over the past 12 years or so

[Marki]

Yay - glad you got it ok Planetismal. Is it clear where you are? Hope you get a first light tonight or at least soon

[Astro_Baby]

You will love it, mone was secondhand from F15 rules and so was clean on arrival. They really do look the part though. No idea why the end of your finder is loose...which end ? The objective is just seated with a large threaded ring and the eyepiece is held in situ with some small allen headed bolts. The eyepiece itself is threaded onto the end of its plate but the threads are locked with a small set screw from memory. If you take a look at my site theres a rebuold guide on a TAL 1 where the dinder was stripped down which may help with fault finding.

Heres wishing you clear skies

[twotter]

Reading all the TAL-related chat between you, AndyH, TonyD and Qualia definitely helped make my mind up. These forums are expensive!

I can't wait for my first light with this 'scope - my first refracting telescope!

I'm still fighting the urge to get a 100RS to go with my 100R. Just got to avoid reading RS first light reports....and gawd help me when Tony posts a comparison off his RS to his R!

[Planetesimal]

You will love it, mone was secondhand from F15 rules and so was clean on arrival. They really do look the part though. No idea why the end of your finder is loose...which end ? The objective is just seated with a large threaded ring and the eyepiece is held in situ with some small allen headed bolts. The eyepiece itself is threaded onto the end of its plate but the threads are locked with a small set screw from memory. If you take a look at my site theres a rebuold guide on a TAL 1 where the dinder was stripped down which may help with fault finding.

Heres wishing you clear skies

Thanks AB!

I enjoyed your review... I'm certainly excited to try it out soon!

I will take a look at your rebuild guide - the finder issue I mentioned was to do with the protective cap that slips on to the eyepiece end when not in use, rather than an issue with the operation of the finder itself, so not a major problem I think. You might be able to see in my photo above showing the finder standing upright, objective facing down, that the finder comes packed with the dew shield removed and stuck on the eyepiece end (covering the whole helical assembly) and with a cap over the eyepiece. The protective cap doesn't actually fit tight, which means it could simply slip off when not in use, particularly in being moved. I don't know if anyone else noticed this. As I say though it won't spoil my enjoyment as it's neither an aesthetic issue nor one of functionality... I don't think it will be a major problem because the dew shield should protect the objective from most things other than dust!

[Planetesimal]

Yay - glad you got it ok Planetismal. Is it clear where you are? Hope you get a first light tonight or at least soon

Hi Mark, thanks!

I'm glad to be a newly fledged Talurian... at least I will be once I get to look through it, and I fear I won't be able to resist a first light report (probably best you look away at that point twotter! ). I'm particularly looking forward to trying out the TAL plossls, but also having never had a view through any frac before I'm intrigued to check out this fabled contrast I've been hearing about.

Sadly it's lashing rain as usual tonight. I saw a blurry looking Jupiter through the clouds, but I'm not risking going out with all those showers about...

[AndyH]

Stick a small piece of flocking felt inside the cap. Probably not the full circumference, perhaps a quarter, or less. It'll hopefully be a nice snug fit then.

[Mike73]

I'm suprised Tony the TAL-inator hasn't posted here? Do you think he's ok? Maybe he's still outside with his fingers frozen to the focuser??

[AndyH]

I'm suprised Tony the TAL-inator hasn't posted here? Do you think he's ok? Maybe he's still outside with his fingers frozen to the focuser??

He's on part II of 'mission possible'

I really, really cannot believe what he's bringing back this time

[Qualia]

I've come to this thread a bit late - as usual - but I think you're going to have real fun with your 4", Planetesimal. It is only a 4", but it really is a cracking telescope and should supply you hours of enjoyment. The scope always amaze me; there is scant sign of CA - even when viewing the moon, collimation is perfect and contrast is so sharp. It might also be worth your time investing in a sheet of Baader solar film to which your OTA will double as a gorgeous day time, white light sun observer.

Anyway, thanks for the photos and review and I look forward to your first reports and initial impressions.

[Mike73]

He's on part II of 'mission possible'

I really, really cannot believe what he's bringing back this time

Never mind this time its the next I'm worried about....I have a picture in my head of 50 Sherpa's loaded up trying to board Easyjet flights to Norway! :grin:

[AndyH]

Never mind this time its the next I'm worried about....I have a picture in my head of 50 Sherpa's loaded up trying to board Easyjet flights to Norway! :grin:

He doesn't use Sherpa's. That's what his young sprogs are for !!!!!!!!!

[ducks for cover as Tony reaches out a hand to slap]

[John]

He's on part II of 'mission possible'

I really, really cannot believe what he's bringing back this time

10" Klevzov ?

[AndyH]

10" Klevzov ?

Combined weight of the stuff is far heavier than a 250K !!!!!!!!