Oh heck, that is not going to polish out! 😱😞

[michael.h.f.wilkinson]

Very sorry to see that. Hope you can get it fixed

[Star101]

OUCH!! Stu. Sorry to see that buddy.

I was over 1 hours drive away from home when the wind struck. The trees were really bowing and leaves being blow off everywhere. I got home as soon as I could to lock down my fairly heavy shed roof...just in case. Glad I did, I sat in the garden a while and for about 30 seconds the gust of wind came very strong, blowing the trees around like they were blades of grass.

Looking on the bright side Stu, its close to the summer solstice. AT least you are the right side of the solstice for this to happen.  

Hope you can find a solution soon.

Good luck.

Dave.

[Greymouser]

Not good to see that Stu. Even though it did not happen to me, I almost felt that sickening feeling just looking at your pics! Just what hit it? Or did it hit something else? As someone else posted, it looks almost melted.

On the bright side, ( if there can be said to be one, ) at least it was not your best scope. Gutting, but it could have been worse.

[RT65CB-SWL]

Sorry to read about this. That is a big dent, 'ouch!' 

7 hours ago, TerryMcK said:

An automotive bodyshop or sheet metal fabrication shop might be able to bring it back to round

...assuming you can find one that is open.

I am waiting to have a nearside/left wing repaired on my car; as the 'local' car bodyshops have furloughed its staff until further notice.

[Starlight 1]

I say if you take the top part off and the bent arm  the will go back to round as I can not see any dents that will hold it in as it just a bit of work on the top part and repaint.

Edited May 22, 2020 by Starlight 1

[geoflewis]

OMG Stu, that's terrible luck. I hope that you can either fix it, or that it's adequately insured so that you can quickly replace it.

[markse68]

Oh my- that must have been heart breaking Stu- so sorry to see it but hopefully it looks worse than it is and you get it straightened out without too much issue. Might need to recollimate it though I reckon.

[TerryMcK]

13 minutes ago, Philip R said:

Sorry to read about this. That is a big dent, 'ouch!' 

...assuming you can find one that is open.

I am waiting to have a nearside/left wing repaired on my car; as the 'local' car bodyshops have furloughed its staff until further notice.

Oh yes I forgot about that! Bloomin Covid.

[johninderby]

Oh dear that does look pretty nasty. Would your home insurance cover it? Probably not but worth finding out.

[Paul M]

Oh my

Looks like it's been jumped on!

[Starlight 1]

If you like to repair it  Stu  I tell you to the top back round again take around 20 mins.

[AdeKing]

So sorry to hear of your misfortune and see photos of the aftermath.

At least the mirrors are ok. As others have said, hopefully you can get the tube sorted at a body shop when lockdown is over.

Keep your chin up buddy.

[DaveL59]

to ease it back to round I wonder if you deflate a ball, insert into the tube and gently inflate - it just might get the tube to pull back out. Go slow, deflate and work it in a few inches more and redo and then once you've reached the depth of the bow work back outward to the lip. 

[Erling G-P]

Very sorry to see this.  Is that just from falling over?   Surprised the tube is heavy enough to cause such damage to itself.

[Stu]

Thank you all for your kind comments and concern. As some did say, at least it was a relatively cheap OTA which is easier to work with. Dropping my Mewlon would have caused my much greater concern I’m sure.

I too was surprised at such damage, I really thought the might just be a small dent or a broken finder. It’s a tall spindly scope, 1600mm focal length so I presume that, and the hard, dry ground caused the damage.

I will check my insurance, but not sure what the position is for second hand goods with no receipt? The cost was not high, but the replacement cost is! Repair does seem the best option.
 

I have just realised that I have a spare top ring on an old f6 OTA which I sold the optics out of some time ago. This may well fit, and could be sprayed black quite easily. If the tube will go back into some sort of shape then it may be relatively straightforward to fix. I will try myself, but may well take up one of the kind offers I’ve had, or head to a body shop once they reopen. 
 

I do really want to view the planets with this scope in July and October but have time to get sorted by then hopefully.

Thanks again for the concern, kind words and suggestions. I will keep you updated on progress.

[DaveL59]

no reason to tell them it was bought used, they'd be able to agree a price based on what is available now at the same spec. Downside might be the future hit on policy prices but no harm in enquiring. Even better if you can get paid out and fix the dented one.

That said I've no idea what insurers are like to deal with these days,  some may ship a replacement rather than pay out, in which case debate any options they suggest to get the best you can, they're unlikely to know much about specialist gear. Had that when I was burgled some years ago and they just compared HiFi listings to get what they considered equivalents but would have been inferior to what was taken, especially the cassette deck I had at the time. After much to-and-fro and me sending them the specs and stating I would not sacrifice the sound quality, they eventually agreed to replace the hi-end Akai with a Nakamichi  Could be you get a real nice upgrade if the cards fall right  

[Pixies]

Oh no. That's sickening.

Not being silly - how about a DIY truss project? Use the top end of the old f6 OTA (with your undamaged optics and focuser) and the bottom end of your damaged one for the primary section?

[Stu]

6 hours ago, Pixies said:

Oh no. That's sickening.

Not being silly - how about a DIY truss project? Use the top end of the old f6 OTA (with your undamaged optics and focuser) and the bottom end of your damaged one for the primary section?

Strangely I was actually thinking about that! I have some suitable aluminium tubing so could give it a go some time. Let’s see where this goes! Most likely I will just try to repair it but who knows!

[Guest]

I've heard of pinched optics, but that's scary!😱

[Mark at Beaufort]

Stu I have only just seen this - so really sorry and sad. Hopefully, you will be able to undertake some sort of repair. At least the optics are ok.

I think the intensity of the wind took most of us by surprise.

[PeterW]

Hmm, lamp posts are about the right size, the the council doesn’t every single one of them....?! 😉

take the optics out and see what you can do by squeezing and pulling gently.

Peter

[niallk]

Sorry to see that Stu - hope you can get it sorted - and that all the expensive bits are undamaged.  Rotten luck...

- Niall

[Highburymark]

Yikes!! That’s awful Stu. Hope it’s not too much expense to put right.

[chiltonstar]

Ouch! Hope you get it sorted Stu. Can OOUK supply a new tube, maybe out of Dural or something less dentable than steel?

Chris

[Stu]

17 minutes ago, chiltonstar said:

Ouch! Hope you get it sorted Stu. Can OOUK supply a new tube, maybe out of Dural or something less dentable than steel?

Chris

If it comes to it I will certainly check this out Chris. The OO tubes are aluminium anyway which probably makes the damage more understandable, but the benefit is the lovely light weight.