Looking to buy that No32 'scope.........

[Peter Laidler]

I know others have their own views of the repro scopes but I wouldn';t bother with one. Just '...save twice and buy once and save ever after.....' as they say. Annanuvverfing. Just buy a real No32 as a heap of pure tat and have it rebuilt! They are around, believe me. What could be better than that? I seem to be rebuilding nothing but absolute heaps of pure rusted out old sxxxe recently.

[Bindi2]

I know others have their own views of the repro scopes but I wouldn';t bother with one. Just '...save twice and buy once and save ever after.....' as they say. Annanuvverfing. Just buy a real No32 as a heap of pure tat and have it rebuilt! They are around, believe me. What could be better than that? I seem to be rebuilding nothing but absolute heaps of pure rusted out old sxxxe recently.

But then you are better than average at it.
Maybe even good cant improve on that or your hat wont fit. naaah
maybe a

[Merlin266]

I saw a mk3 recently at Fultons when I was shooting at Bisley, in for refurb and it was proper rough both inside and out. If that wings it's way to you Peter you'll have your work cut out for you! Opaque optics and no cross wire. However, when refurbished, if they work I can understand the value. I don't think there is any other optical instrument on the planet that commands high prices if if they are sh.gged.

[Peter Laidler]

Got it here as we speak and you ain't exaggerating your description - except what you ain't seen is the INSIDE!

But it's a good example of getting an old dog cheap and having it rebuilt cheap and ending up with something expensive! You gotta' speculate to accumulate...........

As for the repops....... Well, it's like they say. You can buy a £5 watch from the garage and you've got a £5 watch from the garage. Or you can save and buy an Omega - or even a second hand one - and even if its a well used 1966 one like mine it is what it is. Just like No32 'scopes. But the difference is that they ain't makin' no more........

[gsimmons]

A second hand top of the range Omega Constipation no less.....

[tower06]

Could not agree more with Peter. I was looking for two years, and happened upon one that was a beater, and had it lovingly restored. She is a beauty. They are definitely out there. Be patient. I looked at the various repros available, but culd not justify dropping $500-700 on it when I know real scopes are out there.

[Peter Laidler]

Merlin 266 and your thread 43 above. That scope is on its way back with a two page report on it and details of the repair including sheared screws and rusted out crusty internals. But it turned out that it went back together and even with a new OG lens (he'd polished the old one with Vim and scotchbrite) it came into optical focus quite easily and finished up like a new pin, such that I was really proud of it. Given a bit of care now, it'll last for another 70 years. And Tower 06, yes they ARE out there. Sometimes they're a bit of a dog, but they're all (?) fixable given the will and a bit of time

Save twice and buy once I say

[Merlin266]

Nice one Peter, when I eventually find one I could do with firing it your way to work your magic. Maybe you have proven that sometimes it is possible to polish a tu*d.

[brnom2]

Regards cloudy lenses in No 32's - (if this question has been covered previously on the forum can some thoughtful soul direct me to where it is please - have seen reference to replacing damaged lenses but not cloudy ones)
There is a milsurp retailer here in OZ that has a number of No 32 MK I & II's for sale at present, majority are listed as having "cloudy lenses"
So from what I've been able to glean from the forum is that the lenses would need to be replaced (probably from a donor No 42) yes? - Ideally the task undertaken by the likes of our favourite Forum contributor.

[Peter Laidler]

The problem with polishing lenses is that there's polishing and then there's polishing. A cloudy lens might just be that the cement binding the doublets has broken down but generally it means that they've just been got at. You COULD polish the scratch out of lenses but if they are concave or convex, the once you have polished into the radius you have upset the focal length and that's it I'm afraid. I have polished until a scratch has gone only to find that the image is now partially distorted.

New made lenses are available but expensive! And because they are made from different glass or even a different flint composition, it alters the optical value of them. If you can source an old No42/53 then so much the better