Swift Binoculars

[Astro Noodles]

There are a couple of pairs of Swift Audobon bins for sale in a local charity shop for £10.00 a pair. Should I buy a pair?

They are in very ropey condition cosmetically, but have stickers on them which say RSPB member which is encouraging. 🙂

The first pair look like these. They have a distinct clunk when picked up suggesting that something inside is loose.

The second pair look like these

Edited August 1, 2021 by Astro Noodles

[johninderby]

They are excellent binoculars if in good condition. You will find them on eBay for £90.00 to £200.00.

 

[Alien 13]

I would buy both pairs even if one is used for spares..

Alan

[johninderby]

17 minutes ago, Alien 13 said:

I would buy both pairs even if one is used for spares..

Alan

So would I at that price. 🙂

Edited August 1, 2021 by johninderby

[PeterW]

Even sending them off for some clean/collimating would still result in a bargain. Always wondered what a pair of these would be like.

Peter

[Astro Noodles]

They are both in pretty ropey condition cosmetically, without dust-caps. The cases look like someone has had a good go at them with a cricket bat, and then a bicycle chain. Then run them over in a car a few times.

I had a look through both of them and they both focus ok, and appeared sharp to my untrained eyes.

I will probably get them both.

[johninderby]

In the US Swift gives a lifetime warrantee on binoculars. Sadly not anywhere else. 😢

 

[Astro Noodles]

23 hours ago, johninderby said:

In the US Swift gives a lifetime warrantee on binoculars. Sadly not anywhere else. 😢

 

🙂

[Astro Noodles]

So, two pairs of Swift Audubon 8.5x44. One pair from circa 1966, and one pair from circa 1971. £10.00 each from local charity shop.

Who would like to see what condition they are in? 😄

Has Noodles got a bargain, or will these bins be destined for the bin? 😁

Edited August 2, 2021 by Astro Noodles

[Astro Noodles]

Exhibit A

1966 I believe. Made by Tamron in Tokyo. Well used and a bit knocked about. Nice piece of string instead of a strap. Eye pieces don't look too bad.

Edited August 2, 2021 by Astro Noodles

[Astro Noodles]

Focussers move quite freely. a little stiff. Quite a bit of dust and muck. The RSPB stickers suggest that these have been put to good use. 

[johninderby]

At least you won’t have that new binocular worry about putting the first mark on them. 😁😁😁

Edited August 2, 2021 by johninderby

[Alien 13]

Look fine to me...

Alan

[Astro Noodles]

Oh, wait a minute, that's a nasty scratch on the objective lens, and I don't like the look of that dent.😟

[Astro Noodles]

Damn it!

I wonder if the other pair will be any better.

[Astro Noodles]

Exhibit B

Swift Audubon Mk II circa 1971. I think these were probably purchased originally to replace the first pair.

Eyepiece lenses have a few marks and there are quite a few dents.

There is a distinct 'clunk' in the left side barrel.

[Astro Noodles]

A lot of corrosion around the eyepieces. I managed to get the left hand one off. It was full of gritty crud. The focuser on the right hand eyepiece wont budge - need to get some WD-40 and a strap wrench on it.

[Astro Noodles]

Look at the patina. The covering has been rubbed off with use ! The previous owner must have been left handed.

[Astro Noodles]

This is pretty cruddy. It looks like it has been dunked in muddy water. The marking is present on all the optical elements.

The left hand one is better but still has these water/fungus masks. There is a lot of dust and grit in there too.

[Astro Noodles]

So what do you think? Bin them? or is there enough there which would be worth repairing?

[Alien 13]

2 minutes ago, Astro Noodles said:

So what do you think? Bin them? or is there enough there which would be worth repairing?

Have a look through both and decide which gives the best views then strip down the other pair and examine what can be cleaned/fixed, this will give you the opportunity to work out how they are put together.  Then strip the first pair and swap any bits that are worse than the other ones..

Alan

[Astro Noodles]

Yeah, I'm thinking along those lines. The optics are probably the same so maybe I can make some Franken-Swifts by using the best bits from both. Although I know nothing about binocular optics so there is a good chance that I will make a dog's dinner of it.

[johninderby]

This might be of use.

https://opticsmag.com/how-to-repair-binoculars-at-home/

[PeterW]

If the not cracked one gives nice view then clean it up and enjoy. These are reckoned to be qui the robustly designed, but I guess there is always a limit. They’ve certainly given their past users their money’s worth of use!

Peter

[doublevodka]

On 02/08/2021 at 18:50, Astro Noodles said:

Yeah, I'm thinking along those lines. The optics are probably the same so maybe I can make some Franken-Swifts by using the best bits from both. Although I know nothing about binocular optics so there is a good chance that I will make a dog's dinner of it.

Franken-Swift sounds like the way forward to me, also if you end up with one unusable pair binocular eyepieces can make very nice telescope eyepieces. At a guess I'd say they would be in the 24-26mm range on the models you have there and give nice wide crisp views, much better than the usual bundled eyepieces.

 

Have a look at the facebook group "A Second Look: Reusing Old Lenses for Astronomy" for more info, you can even reuse the objectives and prisms too, although I'd only recommend this with binoculars that are not serviceable as they're too useful for astronomy in working condition 😉 I've been hunting in the local charity shops for months now but am yet to have your kind of luck lol