No42 and No53 sights …. HAVE YOU EVER THOUGHT? (by Peter Laidler)

:beerchug:

With thanks to Advisory Panel member Peter Laidler, a new article has been added to the Technical Articles for Milsurp Collectors and Re-loaders (click here).

No42 and No53 sights …. Have you ever thought? (by Peter Laidler) (click here)

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Article Extract .....

Like me, you’ve probably thought quietly to yourself and asked many times this question. "If the No42 and 53 sights are optically identical and mechanically similar, then why can’t I use one as the basis for making myself a No32 telescope"?

They’re certainly MUCH cheaper (although creeping up in price I admit………, but they’re certainly not the £5-600 or so price of a good No32 yet. Indeed, I’ve stripped a few for their optical spare parts value. Here are some of my thoughts. I’m not an expert in these things by any stretch of the imagination and accept that there are plenty out there who know more than me. I soon learned that the first person who reads what you’ve written IMMEDIATELY knows more than you do. That’s because he knows all that you’ve written plus the bit he knew before. Anyway, head above the mantlet and here goes …... article continues in link shown above .....

http://photos.imageevent.com/badgerd...ject%20003.JPG(Click PIC to Enlarge)http://photos.imageevent.com/badgerd...ject%20004.JPG

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Peter has added a personal request in regards to this article.

Note: If you have any questions or don’t understand something or my instructions are ambiguous then please ask on the forum and NOT by PM (Private Message). That way everyone will get the benefit of the question and answer.

Regards,
Doug

I read the post with great interest.

It has carried on very nicely form my thread 7 months or so ago that Peter and I talked a little about.

"Can you make a 32 scope from a 42 or a 53? "

Really proves Peter looks into members comments and questions.


Makes me think who do I know with the tools to do the work.
I have some of the parts, both 42 and 53 scopes, clicker plates, range and deflection drums / scales, turret tops, a few screws and O rings and graphite grease, The last 2 items the greese and O rings being the hardest to find here in France, it is not like the one stop shop of ebay and the internet.
thanks again to Peter and Badger.
And to all thoes who I hope do post to this thread I am so looking forward to reading their comments.

What this really needs is a draughtsman with the CAD facility to draw up the brass turret. Then to draw up the drums. After that, the rest is a doddle.

I'll lend him the drums to set the ball rolling..............................

I have a few irons in the fire at the moment, but I would be more than willing to lend my services.

YES WE DID.

longshaor if you read Peters aricle
No42 and No53 sights …. HAVE YOU EVER THOUGHT? link at top of page,
it will explain what is needed. I am sure Peter would explain if you need extra info.
It realy to reverce design the turret block and drums so we have plans for members to get them ande or make.

longshao,

r if you would like to PM me we could see if we can start some sort of ball rolling.

David

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Originally Posted by Peter Laidler

What this really needs is a draughtsman with the CAD facility to draw up the brass turret. Then to draw up the drums. After that, the rest is a doddle.

I'll lend him the drums to set the ball rolling..............................

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More than happy to help out, If your willing to lend them to a scouser? friend of mine is toolmaker by trade, now a draughtsman with CAD facility (an RFD with a section 5), am sure he would be more than happy to help out, he can re-engineer anything a few measurements and the computer does the rest, will get a full set of plans so can send them to Doug to post.

I'll see if I can't find a scrapped Mk3 scope with an intact turret/housing................

Thanks Peter.

It would be really good to get this off the groung and get some drawings posted for all.
I have found a friend who is willing to have a go machining parts.

Not wanting to let this topic die.
No heard if anything has got moving.
Any updates?
Any ideas?
Anything?

Soooooooo many things to do and so little time.

AT a couple of hundred ££ a pop, finding a scrap Mk3 is a bit of a sticking point too but one will materialise soon. Maybe, in the meantime, someone could just roughly price up the cost of machining a set of drums. I remember having some blank range scales engraved and the costs were horrendous

DPL,
I too would love to see this come off, but I dread to think how much a set of drum assemblies would cost if made commercially. You may recall that not long before his tragic demise Graham Smith made me ten sets of Mk3 drum assemblies (R&D scales, knurled drums, lead screw locking nuts, copper alloy springs & index plates..........all x 10 sets!). He worked at 'mates rates' but even so, many years ago the cost came to about 1400 pounds, or 140 pounds a set. I suspect one could multiply that figure by several-fold to arrive at a figure from a commercial outfit & at current prices.......Although I'd love to hear of someone who could do it really competitively. I say this, because even if the project were to come off, I think what people would pay would be rather less than for the original article, because no matter how well made (& I accept that the recent copies have had mixed reviews), it will always be a copy, & never an original...............
Just a thought. ATB

That's an interesting thought DRP. I doubt that anyone would pay £140 or so for a set of Mk3 drums currently - even original ones. It cost me £20+ just for the engraving per drum. I appreciate that it's engraved on an indexed head but I'd already worked out the angles mathematically.

I will continue with the tube aspects of the project but.................. We'll see

Of prices etc etc. Several years ago someone was in contact with me regarding his old knackered Mk2 scope that he wanted rebuilding. He wanted the sort of price that I pay HIM to rebuild it! I offered him a complete set of brand new Mk3/L1A1 ocular OG and erector lens assemblies in the housings plus a set of brand new L1A1 range and deflection drum assemblies PLUS an imperial range drum so that his telescope would emerge as a Mk2/1. All thiese parts for something just over £100 (that's not a mistake. It reads one hundred) and he never came back. Oh, don't get me going......................

Now, I have to get parts made so know all about prices!

Does anyone know where the original engineering drawings would have gone? IWM, PRO Kew, some other museum/orgainization? I've started back engineering the turret itself, with assistance from a member of this board, but original drawings would speed this up a lot!

Cheers!