Posts Made By: Andy Sedlacek

January 28, 2012 09:19 AM Forum: Eyepieces

Ocular defect services

Posted By Andy Sedlacek

I have a very well-kept, volcano-top Celestron 50mm Plossl that has an unusual defect in the center of the two lower cemented lenses; there are what appear to be either coating-loss flecks or it is where air somehow got into the cement compound and created a bubble effect over time. They appear as ghosts when aimed off axis at brilliant objects like the Moon, Sirius, and the Pleiades. I do know how to disassemble lenses for cleaning in a very sterile environment (that was my first course of action), but I cannot attend to this issue because I know I could greatly scratch and/or damage the lens by trying to separate the glued components. This is definitely an eyepiece worth trying to fix. Does anyone out there know if there is a reputable service that may assess and fix this defect? Any insight on this topic would be invaluable information. Thanks!

April 4, 2012 09:11 PM Forum: Ask rating questions here

can't rate!

Posted By Andy Sedlacek

I have a quick question for ya: Is there any way I may be granted rights to rate user Doug Fennell? He was the nice man who bought my Vixen A80M. Our transaction went flawlessly and I feel he should be rewarded by a positive rating from me. For some reason, I cannot rate him; the site acts as if he never responded to my ad. But I was contacted by him through the site reference via on my email. Any help on this issue would be greatly appreciated.

Thank you and cheers,

Andy S.
VMO

April 18, 2012 11:30 PM Forum: Ask rating questions here

confused again!

Posted By Andy Sedlacek

Well, this is interesting. I noticed today on my profile that a rating has disappeared on the rating counter. I was at 120 now it's down to 119. Is this possible? I've never received a bad rating ever; I didn't know it was possible to delete a rating. Any information would be greatly appreciated. Thanks!

July 14, 2012 09:59 PM Forum: Lost Contacts and Personal Messages

Bill Anderson please reply over Meade finder

Posted By Andy Sedlacek

Bill Anderson,

if you manage to find this message, I cannot send emails to your address. I can receive your emails, but I get this message every time I try to confirm communication with you:

"This is an automatically generated Delivery Status Notification.

Delivery to the following recipients failed.

[email protected]"


I have the Meade 6x30 finder waiting for you. What we can do is have you respond to my email by leaving your number and we may conduct our transaction by phone. Otherwise, I am completely out of options. I will hold this finder for you until Wednesday of next week 7-18-2012 at which I will then re-post this ad.

Cheers,

Andy Sedlacek
Veradale Mobile Observatory


March 4, 2013 09:29 AM Forum: Eyepieces

Meade 32mm Wide Angle on ebay

Posted By Andy Sedlacek

$719 for a Meade 32mm Wide Angle Research Grade!!! I had my bid ready to go to $390...But $719.00?! Am I missing something here? I believe this is a new record for the books.

March 5, 2013 07:39 AM Forum: Mounts

C5 and Vixen Polaris

Posted By Andy Sedlacek

Does anybody out there in forumland know if a C5 can be made to mount atop a Vixen Polaris mount? I have completed my dream Polaris mount (you don't know how hard it is to find an MD-5 system!) and I've always wanted to put a C5 on one for convenient travel. Any suggestions? Thanx!

VMO

March 25, 2013 07:42 PM Forum: AstroMart FAQ

Number of ratings change

Posted By Andy Sedlacek

This is the neatest "error" I've seen (if any at all) on A-mart. When I go into "my classifieds" and click on the past ad, the number of ratings and star color remains the same as it would anywhere else on the site. But when I go into "my auctions" and then go to "printer friendly version", the ratings counter and star colors change wildly. Sometimes it says I have 34 stars with a purple rating. Other times it has gone as high as 610 gold stars. No concern at all but I just gotta ask for asking's sake; what causes this?

All the best friends
Andy S
VMO

March 27, 2013 10:24 AM Forum: Reflectors

Criterion mystery

Posted By Andy Sedlacek

I have two questions that simply have me baffled:

1) What are the age differences between the Criterion RV "saucer tip" feet and the regular "triangle tip" feet?

2) Is a Dynascope RV-6 the same as all RV-6(s)? I look at ads stating the Dynascope RV6 from the late '70s and they look exactly like mine. I go further back to the 1960s, and the Dynascope has polished aluminum end rings, a gray tube, and a Dynascope serial plaque.

Educate this young punk-gone-old skool please!

Andy S.
VMO

April 5, 2013 10:34 PM Forum: Equipment Talk

Re: illuminator

Posted By Andy Sedlacek

Billy buddy,

Try Don Rothman at Astro Parts Outlet (Tele-trade to us older A-marters). He has everything vintage for Celestron that I know of. He's come through for me countless times.

Hope this helps and all the best,

Andy S.
VMO

April 19, 2013 02:35 AM Forum: Reflectors

Another Criterion mystery

Posted By Andy Sedlacek

During my massive restoration of an already nice RV-6 from the very early '60s, I have come across a few interesting observations...

1) As Criterion RV-6(s) become younger in age, their focusers change. The U7 base goes from a 15oz iron base (1950s) to a 13oz iron base (early '60s), to a very light 7oz thinner aluminum base.

2) Earlier years RVs do not have sloppy die cuts in the oval pier feet. And in the earliest generations, the pier feet were painted black rather than sporting their "raw" aluminum look.

3) The first models used brass, not nickel plate hardware in the finder, focuser, and primary cell.

4) The first RV-6 models seem to have had a serial number aluminum plaque mounted on the tine saddle (riveted) and then a matching number aluminum plate by the focuser (flathead screws). As the models progressed, no serial number plates appear on the saddle and only a shiny metallic-like decal is placed by the focuser. Finally in the last years before B & L took control, there were no Dynascope decals at all.

5) The earliest of all models have perfectly cylinder-formed counterweights with a very fancy "Criterion 100" iron plate mounted via (2) rivets on the front side. As time goes on however, this counterweight changes in shape, having a "flat-side" to the back of the cylinder as well as "Criterion 100" being a barely legible font. And instead of being noted on a plaque, the "Criterion 100" is part of the counterweight itself; like a typewriter's dye.

6) The RV-6's motor housing cover use to have the word "CRITERION" deeply etched into the metal itself. All models passed 1962-63 have "CRITERION" as an aluminum or tin sticker decal.

7) The earliest years models had a hand torque lever that allowed the user to change altitude for polar alignment without having to use an Allen or hex bolt wrench. This same apparatus is present on the very old Sears and Tasco refractor mounts by Towa. But once I cross into the '64-67 years, this VERY nifty lever is replaced by the gigantic hex bolt. And what is very strange, the lever-style altitude adjustment cannot be adapted to the hex version...Those saddle tines have a completely different thread pattern. The lever will only work with the earliest years tines.

8) I'm not sure, but it seems very apparent that the first generation RV-6(s) had crystal clear rear primary mirror glass. The later years models had "frosted" or glazed-over" rear primary glass.

So in all my fun observations, I simply must ask the hiding guru out there; what does the "100" stand for in "Criterion 100"? And for that, what does "U7" stand for?


Ramble complete. I'm in hour 44 of my restoration. I'm waiting on the 22 karat gold-plated shaft collars to be completed. For those actually interested, this RV-6 will be present at Oregon Star Party this August.

All the best my friends,
VMO