140mm Stellarvue APO: New “Forever Scope” arrived!

[jetstream]

@Captain Scarlet congrats!!

Stellarvue is the next top tier name in optics IMHO. The in house lenses place their scopes on the same spot on the shelf as the biggest hitters in the frac world 👍

[Sunshine]

Congratulations! the Stellarvue 140 will be a beast of a scope, can’t wait to hear about first light and some images of that beauty! I have seen a lengthy YouTube video about Sky and Telescope visiting their facility to see their lens making process, it is impressive, they are definitely top tier.

Edited February 8, 2023 by Sunshine

[Captain Scarlet]

I've just paid the Customs & VAT. I thought it might be useful to let anyone know precisely what you're on the hook for if you do go down the "import from US" route, bear in mind this is to Ireland (EU) not GB but I wouldn't expect it to be too different: the difference will be in the Customs percentage and the local VAT rate.

I paid upfront the US Dollar amount for the scope. Had I been in the US, I would have been charged a Sales Tax, but being an export, there was no Sales Tax.

I got charged the shipping fee (in this case around 11% of the USD value of the scope - expensive yes, but a similar charge/markup may well apply from a local importer/distributor so in my mind I call this big shipping fee "markup".). --- @ollypenrice I fear I have put in one full stop too many here. I'd welcome your input: normally I'm pretty good with punctuation.

I did some research and worked out that the extra I was going to have to pay was:

- VAT (locally 23% on the order value INCLUDING SHIPPING). This simply replaced the subtracted Sales Tax.

- Customs. It turns out (from the Taric Database) that for US=>EU this is charged at 4.2% of the value-including-shipping.

- Customs handling theft fee: 2.5% of the Customs charge (in this case ~EUR50)

I got billed by Fedex today for all these charges, and was within EUR 5 of my calculation.

So, in sum, it's [Cost+Shipping] + your VAT on same + 4.2% on same + 2.5% of (the 4.2%) Customs

Hopefully that's helpful to somebody. It was all a mystery to me before I looked into it carefully. I had been concerned the Customs might be of the order of 20% so I was relieved it was just 4.2%.

Looking forward to the next few days

Magnus

 

Edited February 9, 2023 by Captain Scarlet
typo

[ollypenrice]

49 minutes ago, Captain Scarlet said:

I've just paid the Customs & VAT. I thought it might be useful to let anyone know precisely what you're on the hook for if you do go down the "import from US" route, bear in miond this is to Ireland (EU) not GB but I wouldn't expect it to be too different: the difference will be in the Customs percentage and the local VAT rate.

I paid upfront the US Dollar amount for the scope. Had I been in the US, I would have been charged a Sales Tax, but being an export, there was no Sales Tax.

I got charged the shipping fee (in this case around 11% of the USD value of the scope - expensive yes, but a similar charge/markup may well apply from a local importer/distributor so in my mind I call this big shipping fee "markup".). --- @ollypenrice I fear I have put in one full stop too many here. I'd welcome your input: normally I'm pretty good with punctuation.

I did some research and worked out that the extra I was going to have to pay was:

- VAT (locally 23% on the order value INCLUDING SHIPPING). This simply replaced the subtracted Sales Tax.

- Customs. It turns out (from the Taric Database) that for US=>EU this is charged at 4.2% of the value-including-shipping.

- Customs handling theft fee: 2.5% of the Customs charge (in this case ~EUR50)

I got billed by Fedex today for all these charges, and was within EUR 5.

So, in sum, it's (Cost+Shipping) + your VAT on same + 4.2% on same + 2.5% of (the 4.2%) Customs

Hopefully that's helpful to somebody. It was all a mystery to me before I looked into it carefully. I had been concerned the Customs might be of the order of 20% so I was relieved it was just 4.2%.

Looking forward to the next few days

Magnus

 

 I hope you're joking! There are a couple of places where my punctuation would differ from yours, but I'm not a pundit. Quite often I'm attracted by more than one way to punctuate what I write and I simply sit back and think, How will my reader read this? Obviously, I cannot know - so I make a guess. Your piece reads well. Voila!

Olly

[Captain Scarlet]

Well the scope arrived yesterday, as you may have noticed from the “Postie” thread. The mounting plate and some accessories arrived in a separate box today.

The weather as the box was delivered was fine. But almost to the minute I had it out of the box, cloud rolled in followed by a deep thick fog that’s still there 36 hours later! The forecast is for this to remain for the next week at least 🙄. This tells me it must be a truly fine scope 😁.

It’s bigger than I expected even though I knew its dimensions, and when hefting it about I get a feel of some lovely engineering. The focuser in particular I was concerned about, having opted for SV’s own-brand focuser over the months-to-arrive Feathertouch. I needn’t have worried, it feels really good albeit from just a “dry twiddle” inside. First Light will tell me more…

 

With the mounting plate having arrived today, a day later, I’ve just got it into a state where it’s “mountable”. I’m blessed with 200 degrees of elevated views of dozens of miles into the distance, hence the FOG and wind having arrived preventing me using it even during the day.

More to follow pictures too, as soon as a break in the weather arrives. And hopefully eventually a proper First Light report.

Magnus

 

Edited February 16, 2023 by Captain Scarlet

[Jim L]

I can feel the barometric pressure drop from here!

[Guest]

On 21/01/2023 at 18:53, Space Hopper said:

Generally 20% VAT (for UK) + a handling fee on top. 

When I brought the DM-6 mount back in 2014 we were getting $1.70 to the £UK which softened the blow considerably.

My scope was purchased in 2017/18, and the rate had dropped quite a bit, but that was through Astrograph, so i had the peace of mind with dealing with Rupert.

You always worry with a scope that it may arrive damaged, but i guess thats why we have insurance. My mount was pretty much bomb proof, so no worries there.

I often wonder why there are no Stellavue dealers over this side ? They are certainly producing some very impressive refractors, and Vic Marris himself seems to be steering his company in the right direction.

 

 

I dont think they have dealers on this side of the pond either.  You order direct from them and thats it. 

[Guest]

I wish i had the budget for a Stellarvue frac that is for sure.  I settled for one of their finder scopes to put on my 16 inch dob and even at only 80mm the image was just incredible.  You will love that scope 

[jetstream]

Great scope and location Magnus!

Congrats again and eagerly waiting first light!

[Louis D]

On 09/02/2023 at 11:43, Captain Scarlet said:

- VAT (locally 23% on the order value INCLUDING SHIPPING). This simply replaced the subtracted Sales Tax.

No, not even remotely close.  The highest sales tax anywhere in the US is 13.725% in one municipality.  The average across all states, however, is 5%.  Four states have no sales tax at all.  You paid 4.6 times as much in VAT as the average American pays in sales tax.  Most states don't tax food and medicine, either.

[Mr Spock]

That's a very fine looking scope. Very droolworthy.

[F15Rules]

Lovely scope Magnus👍.

I assume that's a sliding dewshield? How heavy is the OTA? And what will you mount it on?

Congratulations 👏

Dave

[Alan White]

Looks great Magnus, mind you just looking at it cradled in your arms made me quiver a bit.

Mount it solidly and don’t miss off any stop screws l!

Enjoy my surprise scope 🤣

 

[Captain Scarlet]

9 hours ago, Louis D said:

No, not even remotely close.  The highest sales tax anywhere in the US is 13.725% in one municipality.  The average across all states, however, is 5%.  Four states have no sales tax at all.  You paid 4.6 times as much in VAT as the average American pays in sales tax.  Most states don't tax food and medicine, either.

Yes fair enough but I meant it in more or a “replacing the line item” sort of way. I’m used to VAT rates over here in the 20s so I don’t especially resent it. It still worked out in total slightly cheaper in total than a Tak 140 would be if such a thing existed.

[Captain Scarlet]

1 hour ago, F15Rules said:

Lovely scope Magnus👍.

I assume that's a sliding dewshield? How heavy is the OTA? And what will you mount it on?

Congratulations 👏

Dave

Thanks Dave, the OTA weighs around 9.5kg apparently but it feels heavier. I’ll try to weigh it today, fog still persists so I have nothing better to with it! I have a Skytee2/Uni which will be fine for the load but only has a vixen dovetail. So I’ll probably only mount it on my az-eq6.

[Stu]

3 hours ago, Captain Scarlet said:

Thanks Dave, the OTA weighs around 9.5kg apparently but it feels heavier. I’ll try to weigh it today, fog still persists so I have nothing better to with it! I have a Skytee2/Uni which will be fine for the load but only has a vixen dovetail. So I’ll probably only mount it on my az-eq6.

Magnus, can you promise us you won’t end up changing the tube, objective and focuser on this one? 🤣

[Louis D]

3 hours ago, Captain Scarlet said:

Thanks Dave, the OTA weighs around 9.5kg apparently but it feels heavier. I’ll try to weigh it today, fog still persists so I have nothing better to with it! I have a Skytee2/Uni which will be fine for the load but only has a vixen dovetail. So I’ll probably only mount it on my az-eq6.

Just be cautious of overloading your Skytee 2.  The late @johninderby had his snap off under load, but was able to grab his OTA before it hit the ground:

The mount is made of cast pot metal rather than being CNC machined from a solid billet of aluminum.

[jetstream]

 Rowan or DiskMount might be a good option, geeze now Magnus has me wanting a new SV140!! The TSA120 is quivering...

[Sunshine]

Wow, that is a fat frac! what is the FL on it? it seems to be of fairly short FL for its aperture (aware the dew shield is retracted) I would love to see it with dew shield pushed out. So looking forward to your first light report, I'm sure it will be killer.

You have a stunning view!

Edited February 17, 2023 by Sunshine

[MalcolmM]

Only one word @Captain Scarlet ... WOW!

Can't resist another three! That looks fabulous!

Malcolm 

[jetstream]

Hmmm, I wonder what TSA120's are going for used these days. @Captain Scarlet please hurry up with that first light!!!

[Sunshine]

14 hours ago, Mike Q said:

I wish i had the budget for a Stellarvue frac that is for sure. 

My wife and I play lottery pretty regularly, If I hit it I'll buy TWO! 140's, one for me and one for you! done deal!

[jetstream]

3 minutes ago, Sunshine said:

My wife and I play lottery pretty regularly, If I hit it I'll buy TWO! 140's, one for me and one for you! done deal!

What about me?!

[Sunshine]

1 minute ago, jetstream said:

What about me?!

OH heck, new scopes for everyone!

[JeremyS]

Absolutely stunning, Magnus.

When does the handle arrive?