Replica/fake No32 telescopes

[Peter Laidler]

One identifying feature of the fake scopes SEEMS to be the fact that the focussing of the actual image differs. On a standard scope, it's done by altering the focal length (the FL) of the OG lens so that ........ anyway. This is done by shortening of lengthening the FL by shimming the rear end of or machining away the rear end of the brass cell shoulder. The the OG lens cell is locked in place radially* and secured by the shoulder of the front sleeve.

On the mickey mouse telescopes, this adjusting the FL is done by nothing more that sliding the lens/lens cell in and out until it's right THEN 'locking' it up with a grub screw that itself is threaded into the inner cursor sleeve or inner tube. The sheer bodgery of this is that the inner cursor sleeve is about 1mm or so thick and round. So you can immediately discount two complete threads. Then tighten the front sleeve down onto the lens cell and add a bit of recoil.......... You'd be better off sticking it with sellotape.

Pure unadulterated errrr ............... what's the words I'm looking for now........ just slipped off the tip of my tongue.......... Someone needs to remind me as I only have a limited vocabulary

* Oh yes! The OG lens is locked in place radially so that it doesn't rotate. This because if you do rotate the lens, then any optical aberration within the lens will rotate the image. It might just be a little bit but it WILL - just as it does when you adjust the clear prismatic window of an old Aldis to get deflection. The same principal is used to alter the collimation of your old binos. That's the problem if you get headaches when using your No2 or 5 binos!

Sorry to ramble on a bit as I'm want to do occasionally but if it's all useless info, then just ignore it!