Edmund 4.25 reflector

Hello all...I recently was gifted an Edmund 4.25 reflector with the mount, complete with manuals and an RKE 28 mm EP. We think the production date was around 1981? There is a small amount of rust on the tripod tube, and a few dings in the paint. This item was used gently but often I suspect. The motor works. The mount is an 85,309 the O.T. is an 85,286

I am just getting into vintage scopes. This one has some cobwebs inside the tube and quite a bit of dust on the secondary, the primary looks decent, with a couple of cobwebs having fallen on it. I would like to clean the secondary, remove the cobwebs from the tube (without touching the primary yet) and take this scope out for the first light in likely a very long time. Any suggestions?

Long term I would like to restore this scope. I have a soft heat for older mechanical designs of any kind, so any pointers would be appreciated.

BTW the only issue is the straps that hold the OT to the mount, one has a tear. Is there s good place to find a replacement?

Tony Aguire said:

Hello all...I recently was gifted an Edmund 4.25 reflector with the mount, complete with manuals and an RKE 28 mm EP. We think the production date was around 1981? There is a small amount of rust on the tripod tube, and a few dings in the paint. This item was used gently but often I suspect. The motor works. The mount is an 85,309 the O.T. is an 85,286

I am just getting into vintage scopes. This one has some cobwebs inside the tube and quite a bit of dust on the secondary, the primary looks decent, with a couple of cobwebs having fallen on it. I would like to clean the secondary, remove the cobwebs from the tube (without touching the primary yet) and take this scope out for the first light in likely a very long time. Any suggestions?

Long term I would like to restore this scope. I have a soft heat for older mechanical designs of any kind, so any pointers would be appreciated.

BTW the only issue is the straps that hold the OT to the mount, one has a tear. Is there s good place to find a replacement?

The RKE would indicate that, yeah, late 70s - early 80s. It has a red tube, I assume.

Clean the secondary as you would any first surfact mirror. Distilled water, a drop of Dawn, cotton balls, no pressure.

As for the straps, you may have to cut one out of similar metal.