A Fullerscopes MkIV with GOTO! Chapter 2.

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Xavier has kindly sent me some more images of his Fullerscopes MkIV mounting after further restoration and powder coating.

Xavier's Fullerscopes MkIV in all its glory on a new and higher 1.5m (5') pier. Fitted here with a Polarex refractor. The old pier is sitting at bottom left.

It is difficult to imagine a more attractive mounting than the MkIV with its conical castings and nicely balanced proportions.

Mounted on a suitable pier and carrying a classical refractor it may seem to shrink in size but still offers massive instrumental support.

Thanks to the new drives the venerable MkIV has stepped straight into the 21st century.

Details of the stepper motor drives are better seen here. They use belt drive for speed reduction and increased torque. The large disk in the foreground is the declination setting circle. A wheel casting carries a finely engraved scale on its rim. The pointer is just visible overhanging the circle. The RA setting circle is engraved on the polar slow motion wormwheel rim. The pointer can be seen just above the polar axis (RA) drive stepper motor. 

The old original screws have all been replaced with socket head metric. Making the task of replacing screws so much easier. The coarse threaded screws are probably unobtainable these days except from specialist suppliers. The originals were also rust prone when exposed to dew and condensation over the years. 

This is another clever feature of Xavier's MkIV mounting. A polar altitude adjusting device. This removes the need for high torque settings on the polar altitude bearing screws and smaller altitude locking screws. This device allows safe and fine adjustment of the polar angle of the mounting to match the local latitude. 

A closer view showing more detail of the much modified MkIV. The stepper motors and drive system are nicely compact and look the part. Avoiding any conflicts as the telescope is moved about to point to different parts of the sky. The combination of gloss black and bronze is most attractive. Offering the classical, timeless  look of a great mounting. One capable of carrying a considerable instrumental burden. The Fullerscopes MkIV has been known to carry some large and heavy telescopes in its time. A task it manages far better than the popular Chinese mountings of today. Few of which are remotely happy carrying a classical refractor. The MkIV can manage a 6" F:15 refractor quite effortlessly.

Another view showing the smart new counterweight and telescope carrying platform. Xavier tells me he has now mounted two telescopes side by side on a double width plate.

The conical castings, sturdy steel shafts and 6" bronze wormwheels make a complete mockery of many modern mountings. The MkIV's axes are ~32mm or 1.25" in diameter of solid steel. The bronze sleeve bearings are mounted at each end of the conical castings. Providing widely spaced support to avoid any rocking. While damping any vibration very rapidly. The MkIV provides silky smooth pointing when properly balanced.

An early shot of Xavier's MkIV before restoration and modification to stepper motor drive and GOTO. I think you will agree that the images above show a remarkable transformation of such a decades-old mounting. I wonder how long the many Chinese mountings will continue enjoy their present popularity? Will they still be so revered in 50 years time? Or are they merely poæpular because they are cheap and cheerful? And, the only mountings available in their price range?

The stepper motors and belt drives were supplied by AWR Technology. A company with long experience of driving all sorts of telescopes both very large and quite small:

 AWR Technology (Astronomy - Electronics, Motors, GOTO drives, Sidereal Clocks, Display Units)



Modifications and improvements to Xavier's MkIV were carried out by:
http://www.astrosystems.nl/

A highly competent and well equipped, specialist Dutch company.

Photo :: fullerscopes mkiv04

Click on any image for an enlargement.

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10" Fullerscopes on MkIII on eBay.

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PROFESSIONALLY REFURBISHED Fullerscopes 10 inch (254mm) F5 Newtonian Telescope | eBay

STOCK PHOTO

Seller's blurb:

"Fullerscopes 10 inch (254mm) F5 Newtonian Telescope

(short focus 40.35"/1279mm focal length) on MkIII Extra Heavy Equitorial Mount.

Complete with mounted finder with cross hairs

Three Barlow eyepieces: 4mm, 12mm and 25mm and pentax threaded camera  adapter.

Fullerscopes MKIII Equatorial Head is extremely robust and at the same time aesthetically pleasing when mounted on the huge Extra Heavy pedestal. The elegantly styled castings of heat treated aluminium alloy are precision machined affording an absolutely smooth and snatch-free operation. Each axis is fitted with setting circles and there is a mounting for a an R.A. electric drive.

Origianlly manufactured and sold by Fullerscopes through Broadhurst Clarkson and Fuller (England 1785).

This one was manufactured in late 1970's early 80's

This telescope has been PROFESSIONALLY REFURBISHED (2012-2013) by an engineer specialising in vintage re-builds. This was lovingly done over a period of a year and I was only charged the cost of materials and mirror recoating.

The telsecope and mounting have been re-engineered to the highest standards:

- The original mouldings and been professionally 'finished' ensuring a better than new result.

- All moving parts have been stripped down and rebuilt to ensure fluid movement. 

- Both mirrors have been professionally recoated (May 2012), and have been checked,  carefully stored and unused since.

- The tube access door has been rebuilt to ensure light-tight seal.

- Duel speed rack and pinion mount for ultra-fine focussing.

 The cost of refurbishment was of £300, excluding labour.

So the starting price of £400 is a real bargin for this fully working and aesthetically pleasing telescope built in true British style. As my old Prof so eloquently put it "If something works well it'll work even better if it's ten times the size and preferably made out of iron!"

Following advice in a series of marvellously slanty-typed letters from the late Sir Patrick Moore I had this telescope given to me when I was 11 yrs old, and it's been a prized possession ever since. However, it's going to be many years before I can use it again so it's time to part with it while it's in such wonderful condition, in the hope it will bring many more years of joy.

Lots and lots of photos available upon request

(Please note the photo used here is a stock image as I didn't want to assemble my refurbished telescope outside, however it's exactly the same... have lots of pictures of actual telescope on request, and if it's sunny before listing ends will replace the one on this site) "

Further image were supplied but they are too small and too dark to be worth adding to the blog.

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