TAL 1, looking for some info.

[Astro_Baby]

Interesting - did the TAL have 1.25" EPs ahead of the main pack ?

The last scope I looked at before I packed it all in was in a camera shope in Basingstoke somewhere around 1992 I would guess. Cant recall the make but it may have been a Bresser - that had .965 EPs on it - at least I dont recall seeing 1.25" one on it.

My old 'wotever' scope was definitely .965 but then that was made in about 1979-1980(ish)

[Whippy]

Tried some views of the Moon tonight and couldnt bring the 1.25" eyepieces to focus .

Razor sharp focus on my neighbours roofline but no go on the Moon.

Original Tal eyepieces come to focus ok, but they arent the greatest to be honest.

Am I going to have to move the primary mirror or something equally drastic to enable me to use my 1;25" eyepieces ?

Well, if the former owner has gone at the focuser with a hacksaw then that might have something to do with it! I did read somewhere that Beacon Hill Telescopes do spare parts for TAL scopes. Might be worth contacting them for a replacement focuser?

Tony..

[crepitis]

Well, if the former owner has gone at the focuser with a hacksaw then that might have something to do with it! I did read somewhere that Beacon Hill Telescopes do spare parts for TAL scopes. Might be worth contacting them for a replacement focuser?

Tony..

Hi Tony, "steelrat" posted earlier on the thread explaining that what I thought was a hacksaw job on the focuser was actually how they came from Tal, I have tried googling Beacon Hill Telescopes, but although there are loads of links to sites that namedrop them I cant seem to find any link to them directly .

The original eyepieces arent too shabby and with the 3x barlow give magnifications of 32 54 96 and 169 so there should be enough flexibility there, it would have been nice to get my 1.25" eyepieces to focus though

[brianb]

did the TAL have 1.25" EPs ahead of the main pack ?

Don't know what "the main pack" is but around 1970:

British made scopes tended to have RAS threaded eyepieces

Japanese made scopes tended to have 24.5mm (0.965") push fit EPs

American scopes were already using 1.25" & 2" push fit EPs.

IIRC some of the early Tals had a strange threaded fitting which was incompatible with anyone else's.... probably whatever the lathe was set to when the production quota for the five year plan had to be met.