After a bit of rooting about I've finally taken the plunge and purchased 
a second hand TAL-1 110mm Newtonian. Not got it yet, I'm picking it up 
on Tuesday probably. I just hope all is well with it :)

I'm not sure if it has the manual with it; I should have asked I guess! 
Does anyone here know an online resource to get a copy? I guess it could 
do with collimating after I transport it home. This is my first 
reflector (and my first scope in about 20 years...) so it'll be a new 
experience...


-- 
Abo

On Thu, 10 Jan 2008 23:20:51 +0000, Abo <no@spam.thanks> wrote:

>After a bit of rooting about I've finally taken the plunge and purchased 
>a second hand TAL-1 110mm Newtonian. Not got it yet, I'm picking it up 
>on Tuesday probably. I just hope all is well with it :)
>
>I'm not sure if it has the manual with it; I should have asked I guess! 
>Does anyone here know an online resource to get a copy? I guess it could 
>do with collimating after I transport it home. This is my first 
>reflector (and my first scope in about 20 years...) so it'll be a new 
>experience...

Good choice, here's the manual in case you need it:

http://www.telescopes.ru/manuals/tal1/tal1_manual.phtml

They hold collimation quite well so unless it's been 'adjusted' then
it should give a good star test. Try it first. 

Older Tals came with an eypiece Sun filter. If it's there, bin it
straight away, it's very, very dangerous. 

- Mike

Mike Murphy wrote:
> On Thu, 10 Jan 2008 23:20:51 +0000, Abo <no@spam.thanks> wrote:
> 
>> After a bit of rooting about I've finally taken the plunge and purchased 
>> a second hand TAL-1 110mm Newtonian. Not got it yet, I'm picking it up 
>> on Tuesday probably. I just hope all is well with it :)
>>
>> I'm not sure if it has the manual with it; I should have asked I guess! 
>> Does anyone here know an online resource to get a copy? I guess it could 
>> do with collimating after I transport it home. This is my first 
>> reflector (and my first scope in about 20 years...) so it'll be a new 
>> experience...
> 
> Good choice, here's the manual in case you need it:
> 
> http://www.telescopes.ru/manuals/tal1/tal1_manual.phtml

Thanks! I've since found it does have the manual :)

> They hold collimation quite well so unless it's been 'adjusted' then
> it should give a good star test. Try it first. 

After speaking (emailing) the seller he seems to competent but it'll 
have to endure a journey from York to Blackpool and then back to 
Teesside in my little Pug 306 so I bet I knock it out. I'm tempted to 
take some tools with me just in case it's clear tomorrow night; the 
journey back takes me across the Pennines in the middle of nowhere and 
there is very little light pollution...

> Older Tals came with an eypiece Sun filter. If it's there, bin it
> straight away, it's very, very dangerous. 

It seems incredible that solar eyepiece filters are (still) being sold! 
The telescope I've bought comes with 'all the original accessories - 
filters, camera mount etc.' so I'm not sure whether the solar filter is 
included. But it'll be straight in the bin if it's there, no worries.

-- 
Abo