Has anybody regretted upgrading and letting something go ???

[teoria_del_big_bang]

I had a plan, very simply my HEQ5 was at it's payload limit so needed to upgrade. Part of the upgrade would naturally mean parting with the HEQ5 to regain some much needed cash (Bought this as my Christmas Present now Boiler playing up and really needs replacing not repairing yet again).

I received my CEM60 with Tri-Pier from FLO as usual within just over 24 hours and had a play with it and love it.

So time came today to dismantle my old friend and put it up for sale in the usual places.

BUT, I cannot believe how sad I felt when dismantling it 😞 . I feel such a silly so and so but I feel sort of some attachment to this inanimate object. Only had it just over 2 years but have replaced all the bearings (even though when I striped it down I do not think they were required), added the Rowan Belt modification, spent ages tweaking the backlash out of it the best I could, and when I needed a Losmandy saddle upgraded the original saddle to a dual load saddle.

Now although sense tells me to sell it as planned I am now wondering whether to keep it in case I ever start to do some imaging other than on my patio. It seems to make no senseas I will probably not use very often but I am a bit of a hoarder anyway and really struggle to part with anything I think will be useful one day (my garage is testimony to this fact 🙂 ).

I guess the sensible thing is at some stage getting a more light-weight tripod for the CEM60 as the weight difference is not that much to make the HEQ5 any better then the CEM60 for travelling and keeping two setups on APT for each mount may lead to mistakes being made.

Steve

[tooth_dr]

2 minutes ago, teoria_del_big_bang said:

Now although sense tells me to sell it as planned I am now wondering whether to keep it in case I ever start to do some imaging other than on my patio. It seems to make no senseas I will probably not use very often but I am a bit of a hoarder anyway and really struggle to part with anything I think will be useful one day

Steve

EXACTLY the same thing going on in my head!  I bought my EQ6 over 10 years ago new, and I'm quite close to pulling the trigger on a new mount, making the EQ6 redundant.  I find myself saying I should keep it and use it for x,y,z, outreach, travels, on the patio etc.  I know in my heart it wont get used, but I'm thinking - just in case - why sell it.  IMHO you are better selling it, and I hope to do the same, cos stuff that sits around just deteriorates quickly.  

[Davey-T]

My wife cried when we had to replace her old car 😂

Never sell any astro' stuff on principle, witness the piles of stuff everywhere, never know when it might come in handy 

Dave

[teoria_del_big_bang]

1 minute ago, tooth_dr said:

Steve

EXACTLY the same thing going on in my head!  I bought my EQ6 over 10 years ago new, and I'm quite close to pulling the trigger on a new mount, making the EQ6 redundant.  I find myself saying I should keep it and use it for x,y,z, outreach, travels, on the patio etc.  I know in my heart it wont get used, but I'm thinking - just in case - why sell it.  IMHO you are better selling it, and I hope to do the same, cos stuff that sits around just deteriorates quickly.  

I know you are right.

Steve

[Anne S]

34 minutes ago, teoria_del_big_bang said:

I had a plan, very simply my HEQ5 was at it's payload limit so needed to upgrade. Part of the upgrade would naturally mean parting with the HEQ5 to regain some much needed cash (Bought this as my Christmas Present now Boiler playing up and really needs replacing not repairing yet again).

I received my CEM60 with Tri-Pier from FLO as usual within just over 24 hours and had a play with it and love it.

So time came today to dismantle my old friend and put it up for sale in the usual places.

BUT, I cannot believe how sad I felt when dismantling it 😞 . I feel such a silly so and so but I feel sort of some attachment to this inanimate object. Only had it just over 2 years but have replaced all the bearings (even though when I striped it down I do not think they were required), added the Rowan Belt modification, spent ages tweaking the backlash out of it the best I could, and when I needed a Losmandy saddle upgraded the original saddle to a dual load saddle.

Now although sense tells me to sell it as planned I am now wondering whether to keep it in case I ever start to do some imaging other than on my patio. It seems to make no senseas I will probably not use very often but I am a bit of a hoarder anyway and really struggle to part with anything I think will be useful one day (my garage is testimony to this fact 🙂 ).

I guess the sensible thing is at some stage getting a more light-weight tripod for the CEM60 as the weight difference is not that much to make the HEQ5 any better then the CEM60 for travelling and keeping two setups on APT for each mount may lead to mistakes being made.

Steve

I would keep the heq5 as it's more portable. I switched from an eq6 to a Cem60 last year but it's not moving from the observatory. I also have a ieq30 pro for portable use. There's nothing worse than coming home from an event, finding a clear sky forecast and having to set up quickly. It never works!

[ShrewView]

As a fellow hoarder I sympathize. its hard to part with good working stuff, and even some stuff that isn't.

A permanent set up like an obsy in the garden would provide it a home and clear a space in the garage.

That's my plan for this year anyway.😀

[John]

I do sometimes get pangs of uncertainty when I decide that something has to go but, for me, seeing something not being used much or at all is much worse. I do try and move on redundant gear and take solice in the thought that the new owner will put it to use, which is what it was created for.

 

[geordie85]

Yep I've suffered sellers remorse several times. I sold a side by side mounting bar, then bought all the pieces to make another one. 

I've bought and sold several idas light pollution filters. 

2 SX filter wheels. 

I've bought 3 geoptik ccd adapters. 

I sold a Samyang 135mm lens, less than a year later I've ordered another one. 

2 canon 600d cameras. 

Very recently I sold my WO Star71 then less than a month later replaced it with a WO Zenithstar 70.

[JeremyS]

If you do a search on SGL on "regret selling", you will find dozens of threads from regretful people. Here's 3 for example:

So, given the number of regrets (including some from me!), maybe it's best just hang onto everything 🙂

The downside is that I wouldn't be able to move in the house 🙂

 

[Pete Presland]

Most of the equipment i have sold has been to fund upgrades, so i  have had very regrets about selling equipment. It is also a nice thought that it is going to another astronomer who is also going to get hours of pleasure from it. 

Edited January 12, 2020 by Pete Presland

[Pompey Monkey]

You could always lend it to another local astronomer who would benefit from it.

[GazOC]

I've got a PST that I've not used for over a decade but I'm still torn over selling it just in case I'd want to use it at some point in the future 

[barkis]

One gets very attached to their Astro stuff, and comes the time when change appears to become inevitable.

There has been remarkable progress in technology in this field of ours, especially in mounts and scopes. That promotes a feeling of the need to improve on what you have. This is the thinking cap period, and  much thought is needed to reassure oneself that what you do about it, really will improve the pleasure you already experience from the equipment you are presently using?, you need to be honest with yourself answering that question. 

Another point to query, is the one of  ego, is the impending upgrade driven by the need to satisfy a desire to be held in a higher regard by your peers?    Study your answers to those two answers, and your answers if true, will allow you to make a right choice, one way or the other. 😁

Ron.

 

Edited January 12, 2020 by barkis

[teoria_del_big_bang]

On 11/01/2020 at 16:32, John said:

I do sometimes get pangs of uncertainty when I decide that something has to go but, for me, seeing something not being used much or at all is much worse. I do try and move on redundant gear and take solice in the thought that the new owner will put it to use, which is what it was created for.

 

Yes, I think your attitude is so right.

One thing that helped me so much to get into  AP was the ability to but good quality 2nd hand gear to create a useable setup early on. If I had to buy everything new either it would have been a much inferior setup or it would have taken much longer. I think the ability then to pass some of this onto others that also may not have the cash for new gear is all part of the hobby, or at least on this forum anyway.

I have been amazed at the quality of gear I have bought off this forum and ABS to be honest (although 9 times out of 10 when I see an advert I am interested in I can find the seller also selling on SGL), unless damage has occurred accidently then I think astronomers do really cherish their gear.

Steve

[teoria_del_big_bang]

23 hours ago, geordie85 said:

Yep I've suffered sellers remorse several times. I sold a side by side mounting bar, then bought all the pieces to make another one. 

I've bought and sold several idas light pollution filters. 

2 SX filter wheels. 

I've bought 3 geoptik ccd adapters. 

I sold a Samyang 135mm lens, less than a year later I've ordered another one. 

2 canon 600d cameras. 

Very recently I sold my WO Star71 then less than a month later replaced it with a WO Zenithstar 70.

I don't know whether to laugh or cry for you. I am obviously not so odd as I thought (or is it we are all odd ??) .

I must admit certainly at this point I have no plans to let my WO Z73 go 🙂 

Steve

[teoria_del_big_bang]

11 hours ago, JeremyS said:

ISo, given the number of regrets (including some from me!), maybe it's best just hang onto everything 🙂

The downside is that I wouldn't be able to move in the house 🙂

Luckily I have a pretty large garage, but it is starting to get cramped in there now though 🙂 

Steve

Edited January 12, 2020 by teoria_del_big_bang

[Alien 13]

I have never regretted upgrading as such but do regret not buying good/top end kit in the first place as it would have saved me lots of money over time.

Alan

[Rob]

Totally... on so many things, but its been driven finance's (lack of).

I think my top 3 sale regrets are

1. Orion Optics SPX 200 f6 - on Planets this OTA was staggering!
2. Meade ETX 125 - Special Custom White tube RG optics with full metal machined rear plate offering SCT thread - sharpest MAK I'd ever looked through
3. Vixen 102m (90's Japan model) OTA - Near APO quality

we live and learn I guess!

Rob

[Alan White]

I often regret buying kit rather than selling it to be honest.
Sometimes I cannot stop myself buying something out of curiosity and then wondering why I did this.
When it comes to selling, yes I often regret having sold kit I liked but decided to upgrade mainly out of curiosity as above.

But if you don't try you don't know.

 

[teoria_del_big_bang]

11 minutes ago, Alan White said:

I often regret buying kit rather than selling it to be honest.
Sometimes I cannot stop myself buying something out of curiosity and then wondering why I did this.
When it comes to selling, yes I often regret having sold kit I liked but decided to upgrade mainly out of curiosity as above.

But if you don't try you don't know.

 

Yes I have bought a fair few bits I didn't really need or that I have used in anger, thankfully nothing too expensive 😉 

Steve

[newbie alert]

I had a AVX which was excellent for my widefied frac and planetary imaging, but I wanted to use my sct for imaging mainly small galaxies so I was looking for a extra payload mount.. A cgem popped up so after abit of negotiation we swapped mounts with some cash his way.. initial try I absolutely hated it, so much so I asked to buy the avx back..

After a few mods to the cgem I've kind of got used to it but it don't hold the same place in my heart as the avx did..

In your case the cem60 should be far better, shouldn't it?

[teoria_del_big_bang]

2 hours ago, newbie alert said:

I had a AVX which was excellent for my widefied frac and planetary imaging, but I wanted to use my sct for imaging mainly small galaxies so I was looking for a extra payload mount.. A cgem popped up so after abit of negotiation we swapped mounts with some cash his way.. initial try I absolutely hated it, so much so I asked to buy the avx back..

After a few mods to the cgem I've kind of got used to it but it don't hold the same place in my heart as the avx did..

In your case the cem60 should be far better, shouldn't it?

I am hoping so, not had much of a chance to even test it out in daylight yet and certainly these northern nights are giving me no chance to test it out for real (C.O. does give Saturday night as clear but time for that to change yet 🙂 ). So will not be selling it until I have had a good few goes with the CEM. Its the one without encoders so not much really to go wrong, well thats what I hope anyway.

Steve

[newbie alert]

Keep us updated on the cem as one of the mounts I have my eye on..even if it's just a pm...good luck with it..sure you're going to enjoy..

[teoria_del_big_bang]

Just now, newbie alert said:

Keep us updated on the cem as one of the mounts I have my eye on..even if it's just a pm...good luck with it..sure you're going to enjoy..

l try to remember, things slip out of my mind so easily these days but I promise I will try. Problem this year is getting the clear nights I think.

If you do not hear from me for a month or two please message me you are more than welcome to ask anytime 🙂 

Steve

[mikeDnight]

Most definitely!

Though perhapse some would find it hard to believe, I regretted 'upgrading', from my FS128 to an FS152. Sometimes I find that hard to believe also.  There was of course nothing wrong with the FS128, Infact I loved it very much, but when an opportunity came along where I could part exchange my 128 and walk away with a FS152, I just couldn't let that pass. The first thing I needed was a mount upgrade from a Lozmandy GM8 to a G11. At first I tried two EQ 6 mounts. The first arrived with some internal damage and the second had paint chips that had been touched up rather poorly, so they had to go back. The G11 was permenantly mounted on a pier in my garden, but one night while uncoupling the 152, my back gave way and i almost dropped the scope. I found I used the FS152 far less than I used the FS128. 

Because of my back problem I decided to "up grade" yet again. This time to a much more portable scope, a TVNP101 IS. This was a terrific little scope, especially where wide field viewing was concerned. I also made many excellent planetary observations with it, particularly Mars. However, it couldn't be considered to be a top planetary performer, and it struggled to keep pace with my friends Vixen 102 F6.5ED doublet.The truth is, the NP101 lagged behing the Vixen by quite a distance when it came to planetary definition.

I sold both the FS152 with some mild regrets and the NP101 with very little regret. My biggest regret was letting my FS128 slip through my fingers. 5" is a very good size for a lunar and planetary refractor with Tak optical quality.

Happy days with the FS128:

Below is the FS128 on a field trip. Very early morning of the June 8th 2004, transit of Venus.

 

My FS152 on its faulty EQ6. This is one of only two images I have of the 152.

 

My NP101 IS. I kept this scope for only one year.