Fullerscopes 11.75": to keep or not?

[philtodd]

Hi all

I inherited an 11.75" Fullerscope Cassegrain bought by my grandfather in the '70s but never used and has been in storage ever since. I think its a 1/4 wave mirror. Its on a Mk4 mounting and has a custom made steel pier. I'm sure the mirror would need re-silvering, and the Mk4 would need a bit of refurb plus new drive motors etc. But it does all look in very good condition.

Its quite a beast and probably rather bigger than I would buy myself!

But the question is whether to refurb mirror and mounting, OR sell the scope but keep the mounting to use with a smaller new scope, OR to sell it all as is and buy something smaller but modern (better drives / electronics).

Any thoughts anyone?

[dweller25]

How about sending the mirror to Orion Optics, asking them to re-figure it to 1/8th wave and then have them resilver and recoat it ?

Edited June 18, 2015 by dweller25

[nightfisher]

Sounds a very interesting telescope, maybe post a couple of pics to show what condition its in, the mount would be worth keeping as these are capable of holding big scopes

[Bizibilder]

If it is a complete scope and mount in original condition then I would suggest keeping it together.  If re- aluminised and coated the optics would be fine and a good clean and tidy of the mount would result in a perfectly good and usable scope and mount.  It would not get a premium price simply for being old but to the right person it would be a very useful and usable set-up.

[alan potts]

That was the scope and mount I used to dream of when I was starting out in astronomy back in 1973/4, it was way out of my pocket though. I think it would be worth recoating and getting it working, only problem is it really needs an obsey as I guess it is rather heavy.

Alan

[wavydavy]

The mount is almost a historic classic.......my friend has one, ive got a losmandy G11, but I still like the mk4.......any ideas what focal length/ratio the scope is?? Older scopes from yrs ago, can sometimes be longer.............much better visually especially on planets ect.........

[NGC 1502]

+1 for it needing an obsy, unless you are a very strong chap

Apart from that, a classic scope, well worth sorting.

Regards, Ed.

[Peter Drew]

I'm currently rebuilding one from an optical set I purchased a few years ago. It is a F5-F20 set by David Hinds, the alternative set that he made was F4-F16. Have a look at the back of the mirror, if it has a number followed by an A or just an A then I doubt anyone would refigure it to a better standard. I also have a Mk4 mount which carries either a 8" f8.5 Newtonian or 11.75" F8.5 Newtonian, hard to find a beefier mount at low cost.  

[HD-AP]

Hi

This is the only fullerscope ota i don't have ,quite a rare beast these day's .So if you think of selling it give me first refusal please .

I'm currently refurbishing a 10 inch fullerscopes  export newtonian with 4 inch guidescope on a mkiv mount with dual axis drives .

It depends what you want to do with it ,as these are observatory class telescopes that are not really transportable or easily put away after an observing session ,needs to be mounted in an observatory .As peter has alluded come with very good optics which put many modern mirrors to shame after a recoat . 

I would refurbish it and use it ,if the telescope won't do what you wan't it to do ,then sell to an enthusiast who will .

They are very solidly mounted and very useable ,but and it is a but telescope technology has moved on quite a bit from when these were created they have 1.25 inch rack and pinion focussers long focal lengths probably not the best imaging scopes ,but good solid useable visual scopes .The drives were mainly synchronous motor ra drive with manual dec drive but with a dual axis synchronus drive as an option .The mounts can be upgraded drive wise ,but this will be an expensive option unless diy. 

I'd like to see some pictures of it please .

Anyway be interested to know what you do with it .

regards

clive

[philtodd]

Thanks all - good advice and comments.

I'll sort out some pics and post them here. The MK4 has dual drives, so they would need to be upgraded. and yes, its a 1.25 inch rack and pinion focuser I think. It has a 4" Newtonian finders-cope with it as well.

Its a lovely scope, and its hard to know whether its better to start afresh with a (much) smaller new scope that has all the modern bells and whistles! I think I'll need to get some idea of what it would cost to get the mounting checked out and the drives upgraded. Any ideas where I could get that done?

Thanks all

Phil

[HD-AP]

Hi phil

For upgrading the mkiv mount with modern stepper motor drive systems the only company really is AWR TECHNOLOGY IN KENT drive system upgrades range from £550 -£850 for a

D I Y installation professional refurbishment would be considerably more .

The 1.25 inch focusser could be replaced by a revalation 2 inch crayford for £ 100 ,but would ruin it  in my opinion but upgrade the focussing.

Professional refurbishment would be un-economic doing it yourself really is the most sensible option .It's a difficult choice you have a lot of telescope and mount in a physical sense modernising it is un-economic and ruins it's origionality ,spliting the ota from the mount results in the same .

Also they are not worth much money either compared with modern kit ,so as a complete set up they are a hard sell. 

And much as it pains me to say you would get more money by breaking up the entire scope

and selling all of the parts separately,hate myself for saying it but this  harsh reality is sadly true.

If the current drives work then with a little regreasing of parts a good clean re coat the optics maybe if deteriorated . and you have a very useable scope but it needs an observatory .

It's kind of is what it is a classic old school scope and mount good visual scope ,but vey expensive to upgrade and modernise ,probably not economically worth it .

Selling the scope and mount separatly i wouldn't do ,i would sell all together  as a complete package .

So modernising this scope is expensive ,i would buy a modern scope instead .

But you have a classic scope which with a little work you can use today ,in an observatory .

Hope some of this rambling helps ,if you need any help or advice please  P.M.  me. 

regards

clive

[RLWP]

What's wrong with the motors then?

Richard

[Peter Drew]

My Mk4 already has a AWR Technology stepper drive system, it just needs the worm brackets upgrading. I have started from scratch with the OTA, it is now a truss tube assembly with primary mirror focusing. I will eventually have the choice between the Mk4 or a fork mount that I originally made for a 12" Maksutov. I have a keen interest in telescope performance and have been looking forward to comparing it to my long focus 12" Newtonian  and 12" LX200.     

[philtodd]

Thanks again (esp Clive!), I'll get a proper look at it next week, and will post some pics. I had my 6" Fullerscope Newt re-silvered last year, so will see what the 11.75 mirror looks like. I did read somewhere that they can be hard to collimate.  Anyway, more to follow next week!

Phil

[philtodd]

Hi all

Got to see the scope last week, pics attached here. Mounting on its pillar, stored in a shed! Mk IV turns easily, looks great. Mirror is a little cloudy, so will need resilvering (along with the mirror in the guide scope). Did not get  a chance to try out the motors and drive electronics. Also got a chance to measure everything so as to start to think about observatory size needed.

Phil

[John]

Great looking stuff despite the dust and cobwebs

A lot of really large refractor owners (the scopes not (necessarily) the owners being large) would give their eye teeth for that mount. It would have been fantastic with my Istar 6" F/12 refractor

[RLWP]

I wouldn't bother with that old tat. Look, I'll take it off yer hands for a tenner, as a favour, like

A MK VI mount!! You lucky....

I notice the weights on your scope are also from a barbell. I was wondering if mine were original, looks like they are

Richard

[Paul M]

Well, I think it's worth 15 quid and I'll even collect for free!

It seems that Fullerscopes supplied Barbell weights as standard. My MkIII mount was supplied with 1 x 5kg flavoured one.

[RLWP]

Well, I think it's worth 15 quid and I'll even collect for free!

It seems that Fullerscopes supplied Barbell weights as standard. My MkIII mount was supplied with 1 x 5kg flavoured one.

Hmm, I have one 5kg and two 10kg.

Richard

[Paul M]

Hmm, I have one 5kg and two 10kg.

Richard

 

[Laurie61]

Hmm, I have one 5kg and two 10kg.

Richard

I have 5 and 7.5 kg spur/barbell weights on my mk 111 

[swamp thing]

This is the sort of gear that if you sell it you will regret it for as long as you observe. A real one off, keep it

[HD-AP]

A rare export model

You can tell by the brass bolts on the mount.

Odd thing is the pillar on  all of my mk iv mounts have a pedestal pillar with a 6 inch dia pipe yours looks like a 4.5 inch which is odd for an 11.75 inch on a mk iv .

You would be mad to sell it and likely later regret it .

It looks in really good nick recoat the mirrors and use it .Like i said give me first refusal if you do sell it .

you can upgrade it over time ,as an imaging scope i'd get different  a scope for this .

you can image with this but needs a bit of upgrading and the focal lengths are a little long

It's an observatory scope though .

But only you can decide this venerable old scopes future........................

[philtodd]

Hi all

Thanks for comments, I am definitely thinking now of a bit of refurb and keeping, that has to be a more cost effective option. BTW, the pillar is a very heavy duty custom made steel job. Am going to get a shed / observatory anyway so it can all live in there while being sorted out over time.

Phil

[Stub Mandrel]

Now don't let's be hasty. Think of all teh hard work you need to put in, wouldn't you be better off binning it? I can provide a suitable bin....