Stellafane 2012

I'm at this year's Stellafane. We were rained out last night, but excellent talks at the Flander's pavilion.

This morning I went to the swap tables to check out the action. A member of the Westport, CT club had a wide assortment of Televue equiptment, and other high end scopes and eyepieces. A well-known national wholesaler of astronomy equiptment, who was set up and moving his "junk" as he put it swooped in and bought him out! Virtually everything Martin had to sell was bought by a wholesaler for resale! Is this what Stellafane is about folks???

Here are the swap tables rules as stated on the Stellafane site:

POLICY OF THE SPRINGFIELD TELESCOPE MAKERS REGARDING COMMERCIALISM
AND THE SWAP TABLES AT THE CONVENTION

The Springfield Telescope Makers, Inc. has clarified its policy regarding commercialism and Swap Table sales at the Stellafane convention. For the sake of historical continuity, to preserve the uniqueness of the Stellafane convention and to encourage conventioneers to build their own instruments, the Springfield Telescope Makers, Inc. do not allow commercial sales, of any kind, at the Stellafane convention. All swap table sales must comply, in concept, with the above objective but are also specifically subject to the following criteria:
1. Only surplus astronomical, telescope and telescope making related items may be sold.
2. Each person will be allowed 16 square feet of table or ground space.
3. Items which have the appearance of being specifically purchased or manufactured for sale at the Swap Tables may not be sold.
4. All sales must take place within the designated Swap Table area only between 7 a.m. and 5 p.m., the Saturday of the Stellafane convention.

http://stellafane.org/convention/2012/2012-schedule.html#SatSwap