Re: [ATM] Benjamin Pikes Son's New York

["Francis J. O'Reilly" <foreilly@verizon.net>]

Jerry,

By the way, there is a guy selling 32 inch balnks on eBay. They are fused Silica and only 2 inches thick (Actually, they are 800 mm by 50 mm thick) Buy it now is $1600.

I'm trying to get up the nerve to buy one and have the curve pregenerated to f/8. If I do this, I'll probably permanently mount it on some mountain land in New Mexico.

Francis
  ----- Original Message ----- 
  From: Jerry 
  To: 'Francis J. O'Reilly' 
  Sent: Sunday, January 06, 2008 11:44 PM
  Subject: RE: [ATM] Benjamin Pikes Son's New York


  I seem to remember seeing in a previous search mention of a move of the business to a new address. I think that was to the address in the 1856 catalog, 294 Broadway, "A FEW DOORS ABOVE THE PARK." it says on the title page.



  Looking through that catalog I think that must have been some business they had there. Not so large a storefront but while searching I found this about the.

  http://www.steinway.co.uk/150/steinway_facts.shtml



  the pertinent part here.



  In 1871 William purchased the Steinway Mansion. The Mansion overlooking Bowery Bay on Long Island Sound was owned by Benjamin T. Pike Jr. who owned an optical supply business. He sold the estate to William for $127,500. The mansion had 4,000 feet of waterfront, and totaled 80 acres. The yacht was thereafter docked at the mansion, which became what seemed to be a male preserve. The family had also owned land in Indiana, acquired in settlement of a debt from a Midwestern piano dealer.



  Now if that is the same Pike Jr., $127,500 was a bundle of money in 1871. I think that would make him something like a billionaire in today's money. He probably had more going on on Wall St. than the instrument business. Seems to be the same Pike Jr. I see a number of Google hits for the historic house, Pike house or Steinway house at 18-33 41st St.



  I made a 4" f:16 lens that I have in an aluminum tube now. A friend gave me this brass tube he got at a junk sale at his local astronomy society when they cleaned out the observatory. None of the present members knew anything about the origins or the rest of the scope. He also got some pieces of brass that are suitable to make some of the missing parts.



  My 4" lens will go in it nicely. The lens cell should be quite easy to machine. The lens end of the tube has the screws for the push pull cell to attach the cell so that part should be no problem to do. The eyepiece end shouldn't be too hard but I would like to have an example of the focuser and eyepiece tube as it would have been on the original scope. Most of those had a single focuser knob. I guess the rack was attached on its side to the drawtube. Also I see that some of them had that knob sticking out the side of the main tube.



  The mount will be a bit more of a job, I'm sure. If I get the OTA parts made I can use it on the present mount until I decide how to make a mount more like the Pikes would have put their scope on. I'm sure I will need larger pieces of brass for the mount. Might cost more than I want to spend but I might be able to cast some pieces.



  I'm located in Virginia Beach Va.



  F7 is about as long as you are going to want a 12.5". I like longer focus scopes too but my 12.5" is f:6. It is long enough. I usually only need to go up 1 or 2 steps on a ladder for high pointing. The coma is not so bad as with shorter f#s. I intend to make a new scope out of the 12.5". It is in a fiberglass tube now and rather poor old style Dobson mount that has worn out. Doesn't move smooth anymore. It is heavier than it need to be too. I think I'm going to build a truss tube Dob out of it. I think I can get the eyepiece maybe 8 or 10 inches lower. I could lower it some with some minor modifications to the present mount.



  I wish you luck with the figuring, and hope you get more clear skies.



  Jerry







  -----Original Message-----
  From: Francis J. O'Reilly [mailto:foreilly@verizon.net] 
  Sent: Sunday, January 06, 2008 8:19 PM
  To: Jerry
  Cc: atm@atmlist.net
  Subject: Re: [ATM] Benjamin Pikes Son's New York



  Jerry,



  Thanks for the insight. I have a interest in NY telescope makers, 

  particularly historical ones. I was quite interested to note that the Pike 

  firm was located in downtown Manhattan and actually had a Wall Street 

  address at one time. I'm sure that an optical firrm could not afford such an 

  address today!



  I'm looking forward to seeing the photo of the scope.



  May I ask wherre you are located? I am in Brewster, NY, about 50 miles north 

  of NYC.



  The 8" f/6 with the Powder Coated tube saw first light on New Years eve. I 

  saw surface detail on Mars and The Orion Nebula as wellas numerous nameless 

  stars.



  Stars were pinpoints, but the normal coma has confirmed my dedication to 

  long focal ratio instruments. The weather has been lousy lately and I have 

  not been out since, much to my disappointment.



  I'm completing my 12.5 inch f/7 scope at Dick Parker's mirror workshop in 

  Tolland CT.



  I'm polished out and currently I have a pretty good figure, but a hint of a 

  hole in the center. I hope to correct it next Saturday morning and bring it 

  down to Guy Brandenburg in Chevy Chase DC where we will aluminize it.



  Best regards,



  Francis J. O'Reilly 
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