Not "UltraViolet" in the usual sense.....
About 6 weeks or so ago I described my plans for refurbishing a Celestron SP C102 refractor that I had purchased on eBay. The only real problem with this scope was some light cosmetic damage to the tube (small dents, paint scratches, scuffs, etc.) I decided to rebuild this scope with some minor tube repair, a repaint and some other add-ons. The tube was repaired using JB Weld after complete stripping. The tube color was changed to an anodizied purple metal flake courtesy of the Dupli-Color MetalCast series of paint. I also added a Vixen 50 mm finder bracket (repainted as close as I could get to Celestron brown/black hammered, but still not quite right) with a Vixen 7x50 finder, additionally I added a Lumicon laser bracket (with a base that I grinded to match the curve of the 115 mm diameter tube), plus a green laser that I already had. Additionally I had Ken Dauzat (Ken's Ring's and Things) make me a counterbalance to offset the weight of the finder. The finder is mounted in the 10 o'clock position, the counterbalance in the 2 o'clock position and the laser bracket in the 12 o'clock position as viewed from the rear. Adding the heavier finder and the counterbalance also helps in respect to the front heavy tube assembly due to the big objective cell. Now the tube balances in the cradle with more tube showing on the objective side than on the focuser side.
The final little touch is "Marvin the Martian". He sits on the flat plate on top of the focuser via velcro. I plan to use this scope mostly with kids, for Astronomy Day and things like that. I like the purple color personally, but I think it will really appeal to kids. So will the green laser and so will "Marvin the Martian".
Check out the photos and let me know what you think.
Barry Simon
About 6 weeks or so ago I described my plans for refurbishing a Celestron SP C102 refractor that I had purchased on eBay. The only real problem with this scope was some light cosmetic damage to the tube (small dents, paint scratches, scuffs, etc.) I decided to rebuild this scope with some minor tube repair, a repaint and some other add-ons. The tube was repaired using JB Weld after complete stripping. The tube color was changed to an anodizied purple metal flake courtesy of the Dupli-Color MetalCast series of paint. I also added a Vixen 50 mm finder bracket (repainted as close as I could get to Celestron brown/black hammered, but still not quite right) with a Vixen 7x50 finder, additionally I added a Lumicon laser bracket (with a base that I grinded to match the curve of the 115 mm diameter tube), plus a green laser that I already had. Additionally I had Ken Dauzat (Ken's Ring's and Things) make me a counterbalance to offset the weight of the finder. The finder is mounted in the 10 o'clock position, the counterbalance in the 2 o'clock position and the laser bracket in the 12 o'clock position as viewed from the rear. Adding the heavier finder and the counterbalance also helps in respect to the front heavy tube assembly due to the big objective cell. Now the tube balances in the cradle with more tube showing on the objective side than on the focuser side.
The final little touch is "Marvin the Martian". He sits on the flat plate on top of the focuser via velcro. I plan to use this scope mostly with kids, for Astronomy Day and things like that. I like the purple color personally, but I think it will really appeal to kids. So will the green laser and so will "Marvin the Martian".
Check out the photos and let me know what you think.
Barry Simon
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