A question for the scope repair people

[Rumpelhardt]

I have an old J.C. Higgins 2.5x scope that works fine and has good clear optics but the reticule came undone. I changed it from a fine cross hairs to a post and cross wire but I could not re solder them so I epoxied them in place. They seem to be well attached but I am wondering how it will hold up. If they let go again I want to solder them so my question is what is the best tool to use? The piece that the cross hairs attach to is brass soldered together so I need to keep the heat localised. My soldering iron just leaves a gob on top that does not stick to the brass so I'm guessing that I'm trying to use ether the wrong tool or the wrong type solder or both.
Thanks for your time.

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[Peter Laidler]

I don't know about your scope but from the description, it seems as though the graticle block or diaphragm is made from several pieces soldered together (not a good idea!). I was taught only to soft solder stretched wire across and a single grat. post into the core (the hole). BUT, I have heard that superglue (as opposed to epoxy resin) is as good as anything.

HOWEVER......, if you need to solder where it's been superglued in the past - as I have had to do, putting others bubbas right - then soldering is a bit of a pig. Maybe yours has got to be thoroughly scraped clean of ANY old glue residue.

Top marks for trying though

[Rumpelhardt]

Thanks Peter. As a model builder I have several types of glue handy so maybe if the epoxy doesn't hold I'll give super glue a try.

[jmoore]

I've seen superglued reticles that have held up over ten years. Long term? No idea!

[Warren]

Epoxy glues will work well and you do not have the problem of cooling sag as you can and sometimes do with soldering. There are epoxy's out there that are almost as good as steel. Just remember to CAREFULLY clean the stadia wire first with some MEK, or something that will remove any traces of oil or oily build up. A mild stream from a syringe will do the job.

[jmoore]

Update on the superglue longevity question: Not so good! A friend has informed me that it WILL fail in the long term. Apparently it's a problem for museums- various models are falling apart as they were built using superglue. They now specify certain epoxies. Handy having reilable "live" sources.

[Peter Laidler]

To be honest Rumple, I'd do it the old fashioned way. Stretch the wire and soft solder

[vintage hunter]

If your J.C. Higgins scope has a steel tube it was most likely made by Weaver. That being the case you could send it to Iron Sight Inc. and just let them fix it, last one I had done cost $85 and it was totally rebuilt, not just repaired.