No 32 T lenses?

[RJW NZ]

I may have bumped into a couple of new looking front and back lens sets for the no 32 scope. Before I toss my life savings would anyone know a current retail value for these to give me some kind of guideline about paying? Or, what it costs to overhaul damaged lenses to as new for rebuilds?
These are in perfect cond, none of the aging issues we're familiar with, they've been in dry storage with dessicant since 1976, is my best age guess based on the labels.
Wish I had these when I had my last T with mouldy lenses.
thanks, R

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[Badger]

Great find and question ...

I don't know, but I'd guess it would be whatever the market would bear, particularly if someone needed a set to repair an otherwise unusable scope on a matched No.4(T).

Given how much we have tied up in No.4(T)'s in ~Angel~'s collection, personally I'd pay at least $500/set and perhaps much higher, if I had a crappy scope right now, which we don't. We already had Peter Laidler (through Brian Dick at BDL) already fix up all of the ones she had that needed overhaul, plus an L42A1.

I may be way off, but I bet an original set auctioned on eBay would go through the roof on bidding.

I'd love to hear Peter's and Brian's take on what this particular component set would sell for.

Regards,
Badger

[Peter Laidler]

So far as I'm concerned, I'd stop bidding when the price reached say, 75 percent of a half decent No42 or 53 telescope because these telescopes contain ALL the lenses PLUS many more bits that you're going to need in the future. That isn't QUITE correct for the pedantic but take it from me, they can be machined to fit any of the No32 series..........

DO NOT be tempted to pay ridiculous prices. For example. If your ocular lenses were smashed, say by dropping your scope, then a new set could be manufactured for £200 or so. And a half decent fitter/turner could machine/fabricate a new ocular housing if it was a late Mk2 or a Mk3 scope.

That having been said, it's not the glass that is a problem but the skill to actually re-set-up the optical system if you mix and match. You CAN do it, just like you can fit a mismatching bracket to a rifle AND collimate it ..., eventually!

If you really want to keep a set of lenses in stock, then get a No42 or 53 scope. If you have one or the other, you can be rest assured that a swop with someone who has the one you need will be simple. A No53 has the most versatile oculars.

Several years ago, a needy antipodean who wanted to rebuild a cannibalised L1A1 tried to haggle when I suggested that he could buy a complete set of new externals, including drums plus internals, including the grat, plungers shoes and springs plus optics for £100. I declined his offer and closed the conversation. Silly boy...............................

Anyway, to sum up, here's my suggestion. Put your wallet away when the price gets to 3/4 the price of a No42/53. You will get more for your money with a 42/53.

Oh, yes. If you have a scratched OG or ocular lens (not TOO deep though.....) just take it out, take it to a spectacle lens maker and ask him to polish it. That's what I do.............

[RJW NZ]

Thanks gents, and thats all very interesting stuff too. I'll see what happens next...cheers