AE ( Luton) Ltd 4 1/2" F14 Refractor

[Saganite]

I bought this from a well known auction site at the beginning of July. It was in quite a state but as I got it very cheaply I thought it worth   taking a chance, and I am very glad that I did.  I had no idea of its history and neither did the Vendor from whom I collected it at his home in Kent. I could see that the focuser was an aluminium casting and that told me that whoever made it had  taken some care, but after sending images to Linton and Dave ( F15 Rules)  both of whom confirming its identity, I became quite excited about it.  It is still a work in progress and I hope to have it finished in a week or so , when I will give a full report.  In the interim I will  share some images of how it looked. The first thing I did and promptly, was to take the Objective to Es Reid, it being a pointless exercise if the lens was ruined, which I am pleased to say, it certainly was not .....😊

 

Perhaps I should enter this lens into the   'most lickable lens ...EVER '  category

 

Edited August 31, 2021 by Saganite

[John]

Interesting scope Steve

I saw one a few years ago at the Norman Lockyer Observatory at Sidmouth. That one had a Hammerite mid blue coated tube and I can see a similar colour peeking out from beneath the white paint at one or two places on your scope.

I'll look forward to hearing, and seeing, more about it 

 

[dweller25]

Great find 👍

Will be interesting to know what colour it will end up 🙂

Looking forward to the updates ……

 

 

 

 

[Saganite]

Thank you for the interest, John and David.  The tube is away being blasted back to virgin aluminium before being powder coated by the same company to whom I entrusted my TALwatcher tube....

The colour will be revealed in a follow up.

As a born and bred Bedfordian it is a little sad that I was unaware of the great telescope making just down the road, but that is how it is, or was.  I am now trying to find out as much as I can about the company.

I have realized that I have a bit of a dilemma  though , since I will have both  5" f15 and 4 1/2" f14 scopes......

[RobertI]

What a lovely scope to be restoring, I look forward to the results. 👍 Just out of interest, do the powder coating company also have the capability to remove small dinks in the tube? The reason for asking is I am considering refurbishing the tube of my Tal 100RS. 

[dweller25]

55 minutes ago, Saganite said:

Thank you for the interest, John and David.  The tube is away being blasted back to virgin aluminium before being powder coated by the same company to whom I entrusted my TALwatcher tube....

The colour will be revealed in a follow up.

As a born and bred Bedfordian it is a little sad that I was unaware of the great telescope making just down the road, but that is how it is, or was.  I am now trying to find out as much as I can about the company.

I have realized that I have a bit of a dilemma  though , since I will have both  5" f15 and 4 1/2" f14 scopes......

Cannot imagine what the dilemma is as you have already decided on the colour 😂

[F15Rules]

50 minutes ago, Saganite said:

Thank you for the interest, John and David.  The tube is away being blasted back to virgin aluminium before being powder coated by the same company to whom I entrusted my TALwatcher tube....

The colour will be revealed in a follow up.

As a born and bred Bedfordian it is a little sad that I was unaware of the great telescope making just down the road, but that is how it is, or was.  I am now trying to find out as much as I can about the company.

I have realized that I have a bit of a dilemma  though , since I will have both  5" f15 and 4 1/2" f14 scopes......

Hi Steve,

That lens does look, er, edible!😊.

It's great that you saw the scope for sale and rescued it. I have no doubt that by the time you have completed the restoration, the scope will look like new. 

I'm really interested to hear how first light goes..my own AE had been nicely restored, but was never properly used by myself back in 2010 as I discovered shortly after acquiring it that I had a double hernia, and so could just not lift it properly (it was on an AE pillar and mount that must have weighed around 70-80lbs!). It went to Peak2Valley optics who I'm sure found it a good home.

At F13 and 4.5" aperture it should prove to be a lovely double star and planetary scope 👍.

Congratulations!

Dave

[Saganite]

1 hour ago, RobertI said:

What a lovely scope to be restoring, I look forward to the results. 👍 Just out of interest, do the powder coating company also have the capability to remove small dinks in the tube? The reason for asking is I am considering refurbishing the tube of my Tal 100RS. 

Hi Rob,

I appreciate your interest. 

The company is in Royston Herts so not a million miles away from you.  I am fairly certain that they don't but I will ask for you. 

Edited August 31, 2021 by Saganite

[F15Rules]

Rob, 

It might be worth asking a local body repair garage, they are used to repairing or removing small panel dents sand often have tools for pulling them out..

Of course, if such a garage is willing to do this, make sure you remove the lens cell and focuser/rings and just give them the bare tube to work on.

Good luck,

Dave

[Saganite]

1 hour ago, F15Rules said:

Hi Steve,

That lens does look, er, edible!😊.

It's great that you saw the scope for sale and rescued it. I have no doubt that by the time you have completed the restoration, the scope will look like new. 

I'm really interested to hear how first light goes..my own AE had been nicely restored, but was never properly used by myself back in 2010 as I discovered shortly after acquiring it that I had a double hernia, and so could just not lift it properly (it was on an AE pillar and mount that must have weighed around 70-80lbs!). It went to Peak2Valley optics who I'm sure found it a good home.

At F13 and 4.5" aperture it should prove to be a lovely double star and planetary scope 👍.

Congratulations!

Dave

Thanks Dave,

I have a fair bit of work still to do , but it is going to look as good as new..probably better.  Finding rings to fit it is proving to be a challenge at the moment and until I can do that the test will have to wait, but certainly I am impatient to look through it.  In terms of lens size and focal ratio there is not a huge difference between it and Andromeda but physically it is a great deal, enough to mean, I am sure, that the AE is going to be much steadier on the AZ100.

Edited August 31, 2021 by Saganite

[Alan White]

Steve,

Interest now piqued more than you wanted advert for tube rings.
My unasked question is now answered.

When will we have to refer to you as f14+ rules one wonders?

That auction site certainly can turn up a gem or two from time to time.

I am now watching with interest and ask to join the queue for a look through it one day.

[Merlin]

Some years ago, Jim Hysom at AE repolished a four-inch/f.12 Fraunhofer objective for me. He did an excellent job.

[F15Rules]

10 minutes ago, Merlin said:

Some years ago, Jim Hysom at AE repolished a four-inch/f.12 Fraunhofer objective for me. He did an excellent job.

I wonder if Jim was involved in this scope's construction?🤔

Dave

[Saganite]

16 minutes ago, Alan White said:

Steve,

Interest now piqued more than you wanted advert for tube rings.
My unasked question is now answered.

When will we have to refer to you as f14+ rules one wonders?

That auction site certainly can turn up a gem or two from time to time.

I am now watching with interest and ask to join the queue for a look through it one day.

When the time is right Alan you will be more than welcome.

Andromeda is still Numero uno.....

[Saganite]

2 minutes ago, F15Rules said:

I wonder if Jim was involved in this scope's construction?🤔

Dave

I wonder .....

[Peter Drew]

I had quite a long association with AE.  Before I set up my own telescope making business I often used to call in at Luton and on one occasion helped them out by painting one of their mounts for the 4.5" refractor.  When in business I made a few special components for them and also bought a few of their heavy "C" type mounts when I was too busy to make my own.  Long time ago, but apart from Jim Hysom who was the MD and chief optician I recall that his brother Rob was the engineer, Cliff Shuttlewood was the designer and John Mathers was another of the opticians.  Jim Muirden, Es Reid and Jon Owen also served time there as opticians.  At one time they had a salesman named Alistair Moon, no less!.     🙂   

[Peter Drew]

Another memory has just resurfaced, Jim Muirden made a binoscope from two of the 4.5" refractors, probably what got me interested in such things!.     🙂

[F15Rules]

31 minutes ago, Peter Drew said:

  At one time they had a salesman named Alistair Moon, no less!. 

..wow, what a crater name for guy who sold telescopes!!

Dave

[F15Rules]

A shot of my AE 4.5" objective cell and another of the AE mount..this sat on an extremely heavy pedestal, and was driven in RA which made a lovely, quiet ticking sound when switched on..

Dave

Edited September 1, 2021 by F15Rules
Typo

[markse68]

What a fantastic ebay find Steve! Looking forward to seeing the restoration

I was told by the seller when I bought my Fullerscope that it had a Hysom mirror. I have no way to verify though (I did try) but it's pretty decent I think and pretty good on tight doubles and planets

Mark

[John]

1 hour ago, Peter Drew said:

...  Jim Muirden, Es Reid and Jon Owen also served time there as opticians.....   

Is that the same Jon / John Owen who produced a few F/10 6 inch triplet refractors ?

 

[Peter Drew]

The very same!     🙂

[Saganite]

7 hours ago, markse68 said:

What a fantastic ebay find Steve! Looking forward to seeing the restoration

I was told by the seller when I bought my Fullerscope that it had a Hysom mirror. I have no way to verify though (I did try) but it's pretty decent I think and pretty good on tight doubles and planets

Mark

Thanks Mark.  If your Hysom mirror is good on tight doubles then I am sure it must be excellent quality.

The lens was the biggest worry, it did not look good but as you can see it is fine.

[Alan White]

You may or may not have seen this website article Steve,
could be of interest to others as well.

http://geoastro.co.uk/ae_refractor.htm

[markse68]

That focuser looks machined rather than cast- should polish up lovely like your fancy Moonlite

Mark