Telescopes

[GatorDude]

I also collect / accumulate / buy / get crazy about is telescope.  You can always find old telescopes at the thrift store.  Of course, sometimes they are assembled wrong or are missing pieces.  But, most of the time, they work just fine with a little cleanup and proper assembly.

Here are some tips on fixing up a thrift store telescope:
http://www.associatedcontent.com/article/433954/how_to_buy_and_use_a_thrift_store_telescope.html?cat=46

Hint:  If you want to test a typical 60mm telescope in the store, use the 20 or 25mm eyepiece and focus on something in a far corner of the store. 

[mccoysnina]

Your comment about old telescopes being assmebled wrong reminded me of a story about DH's best friend.  He was in a thrift shop and came across a trombone.  Being a trombonist himself he was of course intersted.   So he took a closer look.  Someone had screwed the thing together wrong so it wouldn't play properly.  It was marked $250.  So he took the thing to a manager and pointed out the "problems" and went on about how he didn't know what it would cost to get it "fixed" etc.  Finally the manager lowered the price to $50.  Gene jumped at it.  Took it home, took it apart and put it back together properly and it played perfectly.  He thought maybe a newbie, perhaps left handed had screwed the thing together wrong.  But he used it that night at a gig and has had it ever since. Not a bad deal for an instrument that brand new can cost thousands.
Jeannie

[GatorDude]

That's a cool story.  Sometimes a little know-how goes a long way...