Charles Frank

[gm7pbb]

Hi, I have the chance of "Charles Frank" reflector, its a 6" with ali tube, its also has the metal stand with "C FRANK" on the legs cut out of the metal (pedestal type), the focuser is the brass screw type, it will need some work doing to it but the mount is in very good machanical contition. Wounder if anyone know any more about his make of scope, I have done all the internet but have not come across the "C FRANK" cut outs on the legs, may be around 60s - 70s, thanks for looking.

John

[LeoLion]

Hi gm7pbb , There is a Wiki on the firm/family http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Charles_Frank_(Instrument_Maker) . Follow the wiki links .Tom Boles (Supernova finder extrordinaire) was a designer there early in his career. This link Bill Kerr Mayfair PS will give you a little more on the firm too.

You should be able to turn up a 'Franks book of the Telescope' on the s/h bookmarket at a sensibly low price .

I will have a look back though some of my old BAA Journals for their ads and could scan any illustrated ads that I find. PM me if this is what you need.

Len E

[brianb]

Probably made late 1960s ... Charles Franks went out of business around 1973 IIRC.

I bought one of these (with a very heavy ex-MOD alloy tripod rather than the pillar stand) second hand in 1969, it was my first proper scope (I don't count the very nasty 60mm Japanese refractor I had before that). Very good scope, greatly improved by lining the inside of the tube with 3mm expanded polystyrene sheet (insulation reduces tube currents). I'm not surprised the mount has aged well, it was very well engineered, at least as good as an HEQ5 in load carrying capacity & much longer lasting.

Have you got the manual slow motions and/or the synchronous RA drive?

To bring it up to modern spec, replace the focuser. The mirrors no doubt need re-aluminizing, if you get them done through Orion Optics (UK) it's well worth specifying the Hi-Lux coatings which are much longer lasting as well as having higher reflectivity and less scatter.

Well worth restoring IMHO.

[LeoLion]

Hi again . There is a piccy on P5 of this pdf http://www.abdn.ac.uk/~nph126/article/Histelesc.pdf . The paper is on Historic Telescopes at the University of Aberdeen. Hope this helps,

Len E

[gm7pbb]

Many thanks for all the info, the pic of the scope in the PDF file is just the same as the scope, needs a bit of work on it but think it will make a nice scope, the mount is very stron, I have a 12" skywatcher and the quality build of the CF is very good. Thanks again for all your replies, and some interesting reading on the CF.

Cheers

John

[RobH]

I had one of these until about 9 years ago, when I gave it to a neighbour who was interested in astronomy.

Mine had the big metal tripod....a great scope, and I regret getting rid of it, especially as they don't seem to use it.

Cheers

Rob

[roundycat]

get in there Rob and offer to buy it back!

Dennis

[gm7pbb]

Some great feed back from my post, many thanks to all that answered. The guy is after £100 but as I said it does need a lot of cosmetic work, any idea on price of these scopes. it would be nice to get a few dark nights, up here in the Hebrides (butt of Lewis) it is very light just about all night!

Cheers

John

[ollypenrice]

Some great feed back from my post, many thanks to all that answered. The guy is after £100 but as I said it does need a lot of cosmetic work, any idea on price of these scopes. it would be nice to get a few dark nights, up here in the Hebrides (butt of Lewis) it is very light just about all night!

Cheers

John

Yes, but come winter you'll be at it all night!

Nice thread. (I don't know the scope at all and since he always has his helmet on and his overalls I know precious little about the butt of Lewis either...)

Olly

[brianb]

The guy is after £100 but as I said it does need a lot of cosmetic work, any idea on price of these scopes.

£100 is about what they were new, mind you with inflation that's around £2000 in today's money. You know the state of the thing ... if it was in perfect condition I'd say you've got £500 in value, maybe more if you have the slow motions. Yes, it's definitely a better scope than the Skywatcher 150PL / EQ3-2 : more like the Orion Optics Europa 150 f/8 / EQ5 which is £499 with 1/4 wave optics.

[Peter Drew]

I would check out the optical quality before spending a lot of money on re-aluminising. Charles Frank used to source optics from several suppliers and I have seen one or two very "iffy" ones in the past.

[brianb]

I have seen one or two very "iffy" ones in the past.

Hmmm... Franks used to sell the "standard " version of the scope as an assemble-it-yourself kit WITHOUT optics, you made your own (as was common in those days). The "de luxe" version - which the pillar mount suggests - had professionally made optics, in my experience they were pretty good.

[gm7pbb]

Thanks for all the info, I bought the scope in the end for £100 pic attached, stripped it down this afternoon and started on the refurb.

Cheers

John

[brianb]

Yeah, that's the "de luxe" model. And you have got the slow motions. Be careful with the worm wheels, they're a rather soft (and very expensive) phosphor bronze.

[Peter Drew]

"Iffy optics", that could be the explanation Brian. Apologies to CF!

[gm7pbb]

Just an update on the CF, stripped her down and rebuild her, as you can see from the photos, its coming on, the optics are in very good condition, but will try out on a clear night or even a dark one! thanks again for all the info.

John

[beetlejuice]

Oh, that brings back the memories! I was a very regular schoolboy visitor to their shop in Queen Street in Glasgow in the early 1970's lusting after those beautiful scopes. I have the same mount on a home brewed pedestal. It mounted my first telescope, home-brewed 6" newt. Still have the scope too, but it has not been used in 30-odd years. I have their catalogue c1971 and couple of Charles Frank's books on telescopes. Those were the days! Great job on the restoration - makes me think I should get the old girl back into service!

[gm7pbb]

Just a quick one, I noticed on the back of the prime mirror that there is F=48.1 etched on the edge, wonder if there is any mention in your cat from the 70s regarding the F ratio.

Cheers

John

[beetlejuice]

Just a quick one, I noticed on the back of the prime mirror that there is F=48.1 etched on the edge, wonder if there is any mention in your cat from the 70s regarding the F ratio.

Cheers

John

They are 6" F/8 nominally. The focal length on yours has been measured at 48.1 inches - which is not bad at all. An inch or two variation is not uncommon.

[gm7pbb]

arrr Many thanks for that info, just fills the gaps in.

Cheers

John

[badhex]

Hi there folks,

I have recently been donated a Charles Frank telescope very similar to the one in this thread, I'm very new to astonomy and I would like to have a little more interest where possible. It's still at my Grandad's (where as a kid I used to peer through it) several hundred miles away, and ultimately, I would like to know/do a few things before I can start and I was hoping someone might be able to help.

- I know that the main 6" mirror needs realuminising, but have found somewhere locally who will do it for a very reasonable £38.

- I also would like to refurb/clean it up and may possibly need to fix up the motor. We had a look, it does seem to whirr but didn't have much time to see if it still actually rotates the scope.

- I'd really like a little more info on the scope itself. I have found 'Frank's Book of the Telescope' which I have duly purchased, and am awaiting its arrival. hopefully there will be a little info in there, although anything anyone might know or any other resources would be a great help.

- I live in London, Kings X. I will probably not live here forever, but ultimately the size of scope + tripod mean it isn't very portable, plsu I would need power to run the motor. Am I really even going to be able to see anything in London, given the light pollution?

Many thanks in advance.

[NGC 1502]

Hi, well the LP in London is obviously bad, but if you can find a place to observe

away from immediate bright lighting, then it's surprising what can be seen.

Best views will be with objects least affected by LP, Moon, planets, double stars,

plus maybe the brighter DSOs.

Nice scope, good luck !

Best regards, Ed.

[mrbute]

Hello, I purchased one of these telescopes before Christmas on Ebay. I cleaned all the eye pieces and what a great over

engineered telescope this is. Jupiter is really good, with this scope at its present postition. I have several Chales Frank items and they are of excellent quality. I have made over christmas using my own light weight mount for a 3" refractor an adapter to carry this telescope. I have used the orignal counter balance weights for the equatorial mounts for this scope, due to the original weight of the tripod. Happy viewing. mrbute..........

[angusb1]

The long focus newtonian is often overlooked these days as they can be quite cumbersome in comparison to the mass produced faster newtonians GSO make but they give really good views of planetary and lunar objects and binary stars, none of which are much affected by light pollution anyway. I'm planning on getting one this year for exactly this reason.

[michael.h.f.wilkinson]

The long focus newtonian is often overlooked these days as they can be quite cumbersome in comparison to the mass produced faster newtonians GSO make but they give really good views of planetary and lunar objects and binary stars, none of which are much affected by light pollution anyway. I'm planning on getting one this year for exactly this reason.

Seconded. 6" F/8 scopes with good mirrors give apochromatic refractors many times the cost a serious run for their money on planets. They are excellent all-round instruments. I had one with 1/10 wave optics. Very sharp indeed, and much less of a pain to collimate than faster Newtonians.