Telescope, Scout Regiment

[Valleysniper]

I ‘spot’ repaired the Vulcanised rubber finish on a HCR Sct Regt telescope a few years ago on an otherwise nice condition bodied scope but with 2-4 small missing patches of finish.

In view of the fact that the finish is as hard as epoxy resin that’s what I decided to repair it with. First of all I made sure that any other loose flakes of finish around bare patches were removed and then degreased the bare area. If I recall I used Plastic Padding clear 10 minute epoxy resin, the one that used to show on package a car being picked up by a crane with cable bonded to the roof. However any good epoxy resin will do Araldite etc. I put a small amount of mixed resin into each bare area ensuring each are upright for each area repair. I only put enough to initially key the area below original finish height. After initial coat set and over a few evenings I would add little patches of epoxy resin in each repair area trying to duplicate the existing finish. As the resin was curing I would shape it with a cocktail stick or metal wax carving tool. When hardened I put needlepoint marks to replicate air bubble pockets in repaired areas just like present on original finish.

When happy with repairs I had the brown finish duplicated in satin finish aerosol by local car autopaints supplier. I blended in the paint repairs (I did not fully paint telescope) and put some varnish over repair areas.

Whilst I would not pretend I got a perfect match to the original finish IMO looks much better than it did with bits bare brass showing.

Here’s picture of repaired telescope.

Of note I did try the wrinkle finish paint for restoring MG dashboards etc at first but was not happy with.

On reflection of the repair done, if I had to do another next time I might try using Milliput epoxy putty:

The Epoxy Putty With A Thousand Uses

You can smooth Milliput with water so you could blend in the bare area to existing finish depth and when starting to cure try and replicate the crinkled and cratered and air bubbled finish.

[Peter Laidler]

Jeees, that's amazing! Consider that we'd just strip it right back and re-wrap in black rexine!

[bigduke6]

Bit more than a few bits missing on this one,

[Valleysniper]

Bigduke6

You have a lot of dents and dings in the main body there to dolly out before you do anything if its your intention to restore.

You could after stripping remaining Vulcanite and dollying dings and dents out get Jon Moore of Jon Moore Leatherwork to recover it in leather. I know he’s done it already, perhaps if Jon watching will post some pictures of a recovered example or a forum member whose had it done.

You could also cover it Black rexine as Peter said or obtain sheets of embossed leather or leatherette and cover yourself, Have a look here:

Cameraleather Materials Colors

The article link below is also interesting and mentions liquid electrical tape as a repair to Vulcanite finishes.

Leica FAQ Vulcanite

Question is how much time effort and money do you want to put into the telescope when nice leather covered and Vulcanite finished telescopes still regularly turn up. I picked up last year a pristine KEC Sct Regt telescope with a mint undamaged Vulcanite coating. Perhaps if it stops raining here in Wales for 5 minutes will take a picture of it in comparison to the repaired one if anyone interested?

[bigduke6]

Thanks VS, the dents will come out eventually, would like to match the original finish, just wonder if there is an artex roller that has a similar pattern?

[blurrededge]

Recieved my new made O/G lens set from Peter, faultless clear glass! Fitted them with no problems and the scope now works as intended, was bugging me for years having missing lenses! When I get a chance I'll finish the job and repack the felt and dolly a few dents out, might even have a go at retouching a couple of little chips on the vulcunised rubber finish as mentioned in a recent thread.
Thanks again Peter.

[enforsore]

Guys, followed the above and successfully repaired two patches of 'plastic poo'
(back of sunshade) with epoxy resin, looks nice. Paint job looks slightly lighter in the photos with the flash but in daylight you have to look very hard to notice.
All it needs now is the rear eyepiece cover. Can anyone tell me, or post a photo of what it looks like from the inside, is it an assembly? or a sliding cover using the screw hole? Once I know I can start the long and probably fruitless search for a replacement.
as always appreciative of the excellent advice from this forum.

[Peter Laidler]

Do you mean the sliding eyeshade? I regularly make them for telescopes I get from Fultons. I seem to recall that the screw is a shouldered 7BA size. The trouble is that yuou have to make it individually because each manufacturer seems to have used a different radial position between the operating stud and axis screw

[enforsore]

Peter, PM sent

[Peter Laidler]

Recently someone asked about the filter shutter that separated the Mk2 telescope from the later Mk2S (for shutter.....). THese dark lenses were the first lenses that I ever had made some years ago and sold out very quickly.

Would there be any demand if I had the lenses re-manufactured again.

Small, but not cheap I fear (but probably under £50 or so - but don't hold me to it.....) but are made of optically perfect ground and tinted crown glass. Any interest out there if I pursue it by getting a current quote?

It is my intention to combine this op with remade optical deflection prism's for the Aldis 1916 type 4