Where to look for 2nd-hand scopes?

[Penguin]

Hi All,

What websites / real life places are best for getting a cheap 1st scope? I'm after a 114 or 130 reflector and have a budget of up to £100. I have looked on ebay and missed out on the following:

TAL-1 (went for £77, with delivery it would be close to £100 and I could get a brand new Celestron Astromaster 130EQ for not much more)

Skywatcher Explorer 130 (also went for 77)

I am watching a few others but where else should I look?

--- Alistair

[Moonshane]

hi Alistair

you could try U.K. Astronomy Buy & Sell

and if you contribute around 50 posts to various threads, ask some questions and make comments on photos etc you'll be able to see the for sale section on SGL (i.e. here). This is the best place to buy from but things don't hang around long.

[yeti monster]

Keep trawling fleabay, I got a TAL-1 for 20 earth quids, another for 40 and a 114mm Celestron newt for 30.

Admitedly each has required some work to bring them up to operational spec, but I really enjoy doing it.

There's plenty on there the noo, just got to weigh up the cost of travel and effort.

[beamish]

U.K. Astronomy Buy & Sell

plus the sale boards on the forum here and UK AstroImaging, tho bare in mind you'd be locked out of the sale board here until you have a certain no of posts.

[GazOC]

Try here.

U.K. Astronomy Buy & Sell

[anthony]

I'll second 50 posts on here and UK astro buy sell

[beamish]

too slow

[xboxdevil]

That 50 post rule is a crock, it penalises people like you a lot more than any trader. Happy hunting!

[John]

....TAL-1 (went for £77, with delivery it would be close to £100 and I could get a brand new Celestron Astromaster 130EQ for not much more)

Skywatcher Explorer 130 (also went for 77)

For what it's worth, assuming they are in decent condition, the TAL or the Skywatcher would be a better bet than the Celestron Astromaster in my opinion.

[steveangel]

I completely agree with xboxdevil!

I think the 50 post rule should only apply to people wishing to advertise on the page, and think it would be much more reasonable to have say 25 posts to be able to view / buy

And hope you find what you're looking for penguin

[gedmac]

keep posting some nice goodies for sale:p

[cootuk]

Would you trust a scope to be posted even if it's in all its original packing?

Depending where you live and how far you can travel can severly limit the quantity of 2nd hand scopes.

114 newts tend to go for under 100 quid on Ebay - though then you'll want better eyepieces. Tal1 would be a pretty good buy - there's a Tal community here who can give good advice before you buy one as there are several generations - you might even find someone on there looking to sell theirs as they can't resist ebay bargains!

(There's a Tal1 here that might fit the bill, though only one eyepiece...it does say offers invited so there's room to haggle

http://www.swashastro.co.uk/forsale.html)

[Mouse on the Moon]

I got my scope for £70 from fleabay - it was only 4 months old and had been used a handful of times.

Bargains can be had!

[yeti monster]

Tal1 would be a pretty good buy - there's a Tal community here who can give good advice before you buy one as there are several generations - you might even find someone on there looking to sell theirs as they can't resist ebay bargains!

Certainly can't!!

My TAL-1: No.:2 will be moving on shortly, once I have centre marked the primary and furnished it with a set of WAs. I'm waiting for KUOC to finish their latest production run just now, hoping to be able to get them this trip. I have a few folk 'interested' in the TAL, and once it's gone, well, I'll just HAVE to fill that gap in the 'forest'..... que a 102mm F-11 achro, perhaps?????

[KingOfColly]

C'mon 50 posts wont take you that long

It is a reasonable number, any less and it makes it too easy for the the fleabay spammers to get in and ruin it for everyone else

I completely agree with xboxdevil!

I think the 50 post rule should only apply to people wishing to advertise on the page, and think it would be much more reasonable to have say 25 posts to be able to view / buy

And hope you find what you're looking for penguin