Telekit Dobsonian

[Singlin]

I am interested in purchasing a 16" Telekit and John Nichols Mirror set.

Can anyone tell me the import dusties they had to pay for importing one of these to the uk?

Regards,

Simon

[Demon Barber]

I`m sure if you email the company direct they will give you a ballpark figure to work with, i paid about £800 total importing my 15" Obsession including packing  and airfare ,import tax and vat.

HTH

Mike

[Singlin]

Thanks Mike.

Telekit quoted me only on the shipping which is 350/400 dollars.

[Demon Barber]

Our good lo tax system will eat up the rest,the biggest ripoff imo is not only paying import  tax but getting charged vat on import tax ----go figure, it`s a bullet that has to be  bitten,

Mike

[Singlin]

You are right.

I could buy an Orion goto 16" for less.

Owning a Proper wooden scope with premium optics just feels the right thing to do. 

[Singlin]

I have ordered one of John Nichols 16" mirrors .

Here are it´s details:

Focal Length 1766

Focal Ratio    4.34

I have also ordered a 16" Telekit

 

 

 

[Paul73]

That is going to be a lovely scope. Are you assembling & finishing it yourself?

A proper Dob and no mistake!

Paul

 

[mapstar]

You'll end up with a very nice scope with that combination.

[swamp thing]

Just now, mapstar said:

You'll end up with a very nice scope with that combination.

Agreed  

[Singlin]

Yes I will be doing it myself.

Years ago I did a 51 week intensive traditional boat building course run by the Marine Builders Training Trust in Woolston Southampton.

I feel pretty confident and am looking forward to start.

I almost went for an 18" but as the scope is going to be used for showing adults and children the heavens i felt it a more appropriate size.

I once had the chance to look through a 20" and a 16" scope on the same night and felt that the user friendliness of the 16" outweighed the increase of aperture of the 20" infact I was surprised how close they were in performance visually.

[Physopto]

On 31 January 2016 at 20:20, Demon Barber said:

Our good lo tax system will eat up the rest,the biggest ripoff imo is not only paying import  tax but getting charged vat on import tax ----go figure, it`s a bullet that has to be  bitten,

Mike

When I bought some gear from the USA I checked up for the import taxes etc,. For astro gear the import cost is 4.2% then the duty goes on top of that at 20%. So I just rounded it to 25% for guestimate. Funny though when I eventually got the gear it actually worked out a bit cheaper, not sure why? Our tax and import system don't try to do us any favours!

Derek

[Singlin]

I was told that the telekit will be classified as building components and should therefore have a lower import cost.

I will let you know when I have to go to the Airport and pick it up.

[Physopto]

If asked don't admit to that one. You may be hammered if caught. It is a bit of a nightmare these import tariffs. A slight change of wording can cost an extra percent or two.

Derek

[mapstar]

My feather touch focuser cost £180 more after all the charges and the total rip off of the post office charge to get it to my door!

Doesn't the UK government now pay for all the Chinese mail!

[Physopto]

He He, I bought a small repair kit for my first scope handset, a Meade LX200. It was basically a tube of conductive rubber glue for repairing the push buttons. I paid 25 dollars for it and when it arrived the Post Office held it to ransom for another £14 pounds before they would let me have it. Go figure !

 

Derek

[Singlin]

I just checked with our customs here in Italy and I will have to pay 4.2% import duty and 22% vat.

It comes out at about 500 euros expenses.

[Singlin]

My John Nichols 16" mirror and secondary arrived at my cousins house in Yorkshire.

He is driving down here in March and will bring them.

The Telekit has been started by Randy in Colorado.

Can't wait

[jetstream]

Congrats Singlin! I am so happy with my Telekits performance... this scope adds excellent contrast and the structure controls thermals very well-under my local seeing my 15" goes 400x-450x razor sharp a lot of the time. That wooden mirror cell works extremely well.

What is the f ratio of your mirror? I went 15" f4.8 for a 1828mm focal length- same as a 16" f4.5.

[mapstar]

Exciting times and seeing your mirror will be a treasured moment 

[Singlin]

The focal ratio is f4.3 and 16 inches.

My secondary is 80mm

[jetstream]

Perfect, my sec is about 79mm-3.1". Now do you realize that you need a 21mm Ethos for that scope?!

[Singlin]

The telekit is being shipped next week.

Here are my mirrors.

Ready to start the build.

 

[mapstar]

Thats a nice bit of kit you have there, more surprising though is how clean your workshop is 

[Singlin]

The only way I can keep everything organized is clean up and put away after every operation.

If I dont it's a bloody disaster.

[Singlin]

My 16" Telekit Dobsonian from Astroaystems arrived today.

4 boxes in all and the second foto shows all the components layed out on my bench.

Import duty was 590 euros.