New TAL 100RS unboxing

[AndyH]

I have a couple of crayfords whose drawtube internals aren't quite perfect. I removed them from the focuser and used Ultra flat black spray(from Halfords). A few careful scoots down both ends cured the problem.

When I had my 100RS I used matt black blackboard paint and a small roller sponge brush to do my dewshield interior. This method is superb for some old Tal newt tube interiors.

I jotted down a daydream I had regarding a sliding dewshield for the 100RS. Maybe the following basic sketch may give you something to start from.....

My thoughts were to use a length of 5"/127mm O/D alluminium round and mate it to a length of 5"x1/8" tube for the dewshield(this could either be attached to the sliding part with x3 c/sunk setscrews, or a thread could be machined on both parts as with the Burgess. See below). A cap could be machined out of an offcut of round bar >5". I had looked through my local alluminium stockists catalogue but couldn't find a thick enough wall for the sliding piece, hence the use of round bar.

I got the idea for the above, after I decided to take apart my Burgess Apo's dewshield, to see how it was done

There should be pics in this album folder.

I have so many of these daft jottings on scraps of paper all over the house. Drives my better half insane

Anyway, hope the above sparks an idea.

cheers,

Andy.

[AndyH]

If you don't have access to paint or flocking, the interior of the dewshield can be rubbed with sandpaper. This gets rid of any sheen rather effectively.

Andy.

[AndyH]

Ok thanks

It's certainly an impressive piece of kit.

It's awesome, isn't it !!

[F15Rules]

Couldn't resist a short peek late last night as it was a lovely night..being Christmas eve we had company til late but c12.30am I dragged Andromeda and the Tal out for a peek at M42. The TAL was very nice, very sharp and the strap beautifully resolved in an 18mm Tak LE and 12.5mm Ultima as well as the TAL 25mm plossl. Also had a quick look at Castor and nicely split too.

The D&G crushed the TAL as you'd expect given the cost difference, and I was chuffed to resolve both E&F stars in the Trap- but only in the Tak 18mm was the F clearly seen. The contrast with this EP is amazing.

Very happy with both scopes' views and went to sleep a very tired but happy chap!

Dave

[nightfisher]

Dave, you so NEED a skytee for your fracs, the d an g would be top dog on this, i have just been out for half hour dodging cloud with my skytee TAL combo, rock solid even with cloud getting in the way i had the TAL up to x200 on the trapezium and got my first Jupiter of the year, plus a lovely view of M45

[Jim Steele]

Jim/ben, i did have a plan to make a sliding dewshield for the TAL but like a of of things its on hold for the foreseeable future, if you shine a dim white light down the drawtube, it may well look like a kind of Pewter colour, mine was like that

Hi Jules, I just checked mine under fresh light and indeed the tube does look a mottled grey colour. So my question is how does one go about flocking the ota.

I'd probably have to remove the lens cell, marking the screw holes with tape, then flocking from both ends of the tube.

Is there a proprietary flocking paint that can be applied evenly so as not to look like a 'botch' job? Or anything else not considered?

Must be quite difficult getting all the way down the ota tube?

[nightfisher]

Jim, you can get uber black sticky back flocking from FLO, or wilkinson i did the drawtube using narrow strips, was easier to do than you would first think, but you remove the focuser to do it and your right about the objective cell, i mark with a piece of tape on the cell and tube, i never managed to do the middle of the tube 

[MAN or ASTROMAN]

Excuse me while I hyperventilate-But I've just ordered my Tal100RS!   From 2020 Optics. Need to seriously think about a mount,when I get my breath back! GASP!

[F15Rules]

Congratulations and let us have all the details once it arrives!

Your choice of mount is important..a solid platform will let the scope deliver to its' full potential. The pics of mine posted above show it on my future son in laws' Celestron Omni XLT (CG4); which usually holds his Evostar 120..it makes a great mount for the TAL. An eq5 or CG5 would be perfect and you should get a nice used one for £150 or less.

Look forward to more details of yours when it arrives!

Dave

[John]

The tripod makes a lot of difference to the stability of a mount for a long tubed scope. The aluminum tripods that are supplied with the Skywatcher EQ3-2, though lighweight, introduce too much flex into the system and that just serves to amplify any vibrations from the long tube. Long tubes need the tripod to be extended, unless you like to lay on the floor to observe, which adds to the potential for flex. Add the moment arm force that the long tubes develop and the experience can become rather miserable at anything higher than middle range magnifications.

However, put a 1 3/4" or 2" steel tube legged tripod or even better a solid hardwood one, under these mounts and they behave far better with a long tube on board.

You used to be able to buy the TAL wooden tripod that was supplied with the TAL 100 RT scopes as a separate item and, with a little modification, it could be fitted to a hub compatible with an EQ3-2 / EQ5 / CG5 to create a stable and very attractive mount for a 4" refractor. Alas, I've not seen them for sale for some time.

[nightfisher]

The tripod makes a lot of difference to the stability of a mount for a long tubed scope. The aluminum tripods that are supplied with the Skywatcher EQ3-2, though lighweight, introduce too much flex into the system and that just serves to amplify any vibrations from the long tube. Long tubes need the tripod to be extended, unless you like to lay on the floor to observe, which adds to the potential for flex. Add the moment arm force that the long tubes develop and the experience can become rather miserable at anything higher than middle range magnifications.

However, put a 1 3/4" or 2" steel tube legged tripod or even better a solid hardwood one, under these mounts and they behave far better with a long tube on board.

You used to be able to buy the TAL wooden tripod that was supplied with the TAL 100 RT scopes as a separate item and, with a little modification, it could be fitted to a hub compatible with an EQ3-2 / EQ5 / CG5 to create a stable and very attractive mount for a 4" refractor. Alas, I've not seen them for sale for some time.

Very well said John, i would have liked to get a TAL EQ mount but in the real world i would stick to the skytee on the 2" tripod, solid as a rock

[Jim Steele]

Excuse me while I hyperventilate-But I've just ordered my Tal100RS! From 2020 Optics. Need to seriously think about a mount,when I get my breath back! GASP!

Yay, a good choice. I have mine on a CG5, could be a little higher but does the job nicely although mine could be a little smoother. Welcome to the Tal owners club

Post some unboxing pics when she arrives

[MAN or ASTROMAN]

Right, heres the rub. I don't have a garden(we live in an upstairs flat) nor do I have transport. Maybe a 4 inch Frac is a silly buy,BUT,it's what I've really wanted for about two years now.Thanks everyone for the advice about mounts,and yes I'd love a HEQ5 ,but I don't fancy ending up with a hernia!  Would a stainless steel AZ4 fit the bill? I must admit that I don't fancy another equatorial mount. Ideas anyone?

[nightfisher]

Yes i used my TAL on the skywatcher AZ 4 mount for a good few years, you will get a little vibration at higher mag but it takes little time to dampen down, i recently upgraded to a Skytee 2 but i like my scopes to be ROCK solid mounted, so i get near zero vib at the ep

[MAN or ASTROMAN]

Thanks Nightfisher.I think that the AZ4 may be the solution.

[nightfisher]

Thanks Nightfisher.I think that the AZ4 may be the solution.

Your welcome, dont expect it to be perfect but its pretty darn good, also i found i could sit on a folding camping chair and be at the right height to view most items

[MAN or ASTROMAN]

Just ordered the stainless steel legged AZ4 from 2020 Optics for £165.

[F15Rules]

Managed a short cold session with the 100RS. Concentrated on M42 and Castor in Gemini.very sharp view of the TrapeIum with E component glimpsed with ultima 12.5mm. Good contrast on the nebula itself with just the presence of the Moon hampering the detail a bit. (By now Luna was getting lower in the west and behind a house so no viewing of it).

Castor gave a lovely split with the Ultima and with a 9mm volcano top ortho at just over 100x...two perfect little bullseyes with a nice diffraction ring around each.

Very happy with new Tal :-)

Dave

[Dude_with_the_tube]

sounds good Dave had a go at Trapezium the other night with my "big gun" bagged E and F but no chance of G not giving up thou i know its a tricky one but we need challenges do we

[F15Rules]

Hi Gaidis

Sounds good:-)..managed the e and f in the D&G the other night, was pleased from my semi urban site..all the best for 2015,to all!

Dave

[John]

I can get E & F virtually all the time with my ED120 but it's a good night when I can get them both with the ED102. F is there but it's E that proves more tricky. I've not seen G even with my 12" dob but my limit seems to be around mag 13.7 or so with that from my back yard and I think G is mag 14 ?

[MAN or ASTROMAN]

dWell,just to re-iterate what I've already posted in the Equipment:Mounts section.The TAL 100RS has arrived!  It took until thurs 8th to arrive,as 2020 Optics had to order one for me from OVL,then there was a day's delay with FedEx- never mind it's here!  Packaging was exactly the same as in Dave's excellent photos. My Tal has the serial number 0965,and was produced in October 2011.Interestingly,it was signed off by the same quality controller as Dave's.Nice work,if you can get it!   The build quality is absolutely top class,with a 'classic industrial' vibe going on.The object lens is spotless,with a pleasing hue due to it's coating.Internally the tube is nicely blackened and baffled.The exterior paint job is flawless. All parts where present and correct.I haven't noticed the slightest mar/scratch/ding/etc to detract from this OTA.   This is my first Astronomical Refractor,and the Crayford focuser to also new to me.I've just mounted the OTA on an AZ4,using a SW Long ovetail for the first time,and aligned the excellent 6x30 finder (a very useful screw in reticule was provided for this purpose).  The OTA and mount look very functional together,and should  hopefully prove to be a good pairing in use for me.   I'm looking forward to trying out this rig as soon as I'm able,though I have a bit of a learning curve to go through,albeit pleasureable,in order to find out how best to use this equipment. Dreams do come true!    

[AndyH]

Just in case you didn't get the Tal instruction manual with the scope, check out the pdf's in the following thread........

http://stargazerslounge.com/topic/75881-tal-scopes-service-manuals/

The modern one is down the bottom of the page. Post #16, I think? The old ones are are at the start of the thread and worth a look for fun. Some great pigeon english in them

Andy.

[happy-kat]

Sounds a cracking setup, perfect to try viewing the comet.

[MAN or ASTROMAN]

Sounds a cracking setup, perfect to try viewing the comet.

It looks like it will deliver the goods!   A big thank you to everyone on SGL that have given me much valued advice,enabling me to make 'the Telescope of my dreams' as I referred to it in a post of mine from December 2012,an actuality!