Tal T1 mount - Bargain or balls-up

[dannybgoode]

I already have an AZ4 mount for my 150P but wanted an EQ mount as well - more to learn with than anything else.

Flicking through ebay everything was either too expensive or too flimsy looking.

Then came across a listing for a Tal T1 and having a thing about vintage Russian kit in general (particularly their cameras) thought I would take a punt on it.

In the end I won it for the starting price of £20.  Went to pick it up and it looks pretty much unused and certainly if weight is anything to go by seems a good buy.

Thing is I know nothing about mounts at all so is it a keeper or should I sell it for scrap?

Thanks all

[Jim Steele]

Tal telescopes and mounts are robustly built. If it's the pillar mount they'd survive almost anything and are good for kids/outreach work but they lack a polar scope so not really suited for imaging.

If it's the wooden one (MT1) its great for small fracks and sure you could get your money back to a Tal fan (me included ) the 150P might be a tad heavy for it though.

[dannybgoode]

Thanks Jim - its the metal one.  Looks like it and the cockroaches would be left after a nuclear war.  

Not too bothered about imaging at this stage - just wanted to learn how to use an EQ without breaking the bank...

[sloz1664]

The Tal1 mount is usually a manual mount with friction manual movement and fine adjustment RA & Dec knobs.

So easy to set-up and use. I had one for nearly two years and really got me hooked into astronomy. As you say solid and robust.

[Jim Steele]

Thanks Jim - its the metal one. Looks like it and the cockroaches would be left after a nuclear war.

Not too bothered about imaging at this stage - just wanted to learn how to use an EQ without breaking the bank...

Sounds perfect for what you need it for then and should handle the 150P without a problem. A good buy and I'm sure will last you a while

[LeeB]

if it has the tracking knobs with limited run, a quick strip and replacement with stronger springs improves it even further, it will handle a six with no issue, just get the balance right.

[dannybgoode]

Thanks Lee

Are there any destructions anywhere on the web on how to do this?

[AndyH]

Thanks Lee

Are there any destructions anywhere on the web on how to do this?

Here are a couple of links/pdf's that may be of help......

Vangelis Markopoulos wrote this super guide to the MT-1, manual mount & wooden tripod, in February '04 and posted it in the TALScopes Yahoo Group....

Improving theTAL Manual mount.pdf

Astro_Baby has a very nice stripdown guide here...

http://www.astro-baby.com/TAL%20Telescope%20Rebuild/TAL%20Telescope%20Restoration.htm

Old/Original User Manual for Tal 1 .....

tal1_en.pdf

Newer/Modern User Manual for Tal 1 ....

_TAL1,1M,2,150P,150P8.pdf

Cheers,

Andy.

[Wilhelmus]

Look at this!