TINY Telescope with a BIG Problem...

[@jeffboywonder]

thank you so much for posting this. my grandpa passed away a few years ago and gave me his telescope (the same one in the video) and it had the same issue as the one in the video. the mirror was off of the hinge and just bouncing around the inside. really excited to try and fix it now

[@AstronomyGarage]

Thanks for watching. The key takeaway from the video is that removing the "bowl" on the bottom is much easier than I showed in the beginning. The real way is to remove the silvered cam lever on top by loosening the small set screw. That will reveal a standard hex-head bolt. Just unscrew that with a ratchet and you'll have the bowl off in like 30 seconds. I show the process of re-assembling it using that method at the end. These Meade ETX telescopes have fantastic optics. Good luck and clear skies!

[@SaneGuyFr]

Have u fixed it?

[@Jorge-tw2wp]

I am new member , I am having so much fun watching your videos. They are fun to watch and informative.

[@AstronomyGarage]

Thanks for watching. I'm glad to hear they are useful. :) Clear skies!

[@markadrian65]

Thanks for this, I’ve just dismantled one so your experience was helpful!

[@AstronomyGarage]

I wish I could do this one over now that I know the proper way to do it.

[@jpdemer5]

Just got handed an ETX-80, which is pretty much identical - and also has a mirror that's rattling around inside. This video is a godsend!

[@AstronomyGarage]

I'm glad the video was helpful. Hope it's an easy fix. Clear skies!

[@Nurtureddreams815]

You have great skills with telescope mechanism repairs. I’m calling you the telescope repair man. You take take the risk. So far you have succeeded, of what I’ve watched. You’d be a great instructor. 👍🏽

[@AstronomyGarage]

Haha! I like that title! I've only broken one telescope so far, so I consider myself lucky.

[@bierrollerful]

"Is it a stock broker? Is it a quantity Surveyor? Is it a church warden? NO! It's Telescope Repair Man!"

[@DavidMFChapman]

Good job! Man, this is bringing back memories! I did the exact repair for a friend of a friend. In my case I could not get the telescope tube apart, but I managed to get the mirror back on its base and right side up! I worked some epoxy in between and clamped it with clothespins. Voila! The owner was very pleased.

[@AstronomyGarage]

Fixing these telescopes is pretty fun. Glad it worked out for you too. Clear skies!

[@michaeloppenheimer2582]

nice job, you saved a telescope.and saved money . my first scop was a cave telescope that i fond was a 8" and i restored !!

[@AstronomyGarage]

Thank you. Those Cave telescopes were something special - I hope you still have it?

[@michaeloppenheimer2582]

​@@AstronomyGarageI still have it,I also have a 12inch dob and a SCT!!!

[@Doug-d9s]

I bought an ETX 60 at a thrift store for $10. No eye pieces or carrying case, but when I was in the store I could see the mirror had come off, so I took a chance. Your video covers exactly what I need to do. Thanks for posting a great video. I will have it up and running thanks to your help.

[@AstronomyGarage]

That is excellent news! I hope it turns out very well. Clear skies!

[@GHOOGLEMALE]

Great vid - Well explained disassembly etc

[@AstronomyGarage]

Thank you for watching. Glad you enjoyed it.

[@Alex-gw7hl]

Same thing happened to my ETX 60. It was sitting in the garage for about 10-15 years and yesterday I decided to take it out and while I was looking at the moon, I heard a noise and couldn't see anything. Looked inside and saw the glue residue on the diagonal and the mirror sitting at the bottom. Glad I found this video. Going to give it a try and see if I can fix it myself now that I have an idea what to do.

[@AstronomyGarage]

Although the models vary, be sure to disassemble it the "easy" way. Remove the chromed cam-lock on top via the tiny set screw. That will expose a standard hex head bolt. Use a socket wrench to remove that. Good luck and have fun!

[@unoleagotiya5583]

That seems to be a common malady for those scopes. I bought mine for 40 bucks. Its mirror was off like that. It was also missing the focus knob and rod. Plus the EP mount was missing. Had to fix and fabricate the parts. It was worth it. Fun little vacation scope.

[@AstronomyGarage]

Congrats on being able to fix everything - I'm not sure what I would've done with a missing focus knob and rod. Thank you for watching!

[@tonynikon]

I bough a Meade ETX 90 for $50. It was left on the garage without cover collecting dust. I’d watched your video over and over to fix mine! Thanks for sharing!

[@AstronomyGarage]

I'm glad the video was helpful! Have fun with your new telescope! Clear skies!

[@Kakuren]

I found your video after buying a etx 90ec UHTC with a case full of meade series 4000 eye pieces + the autostar remote for $50 total. The battery terminals are corroded but other than that i think everything works. Im hoping if i have any issues this video will help!

[@AstronomyGarage]

The best place to look for these Meade repairs is this guy: www.weasner.com/etx/menu.html

[@MassimilianoGallieri]

Amazing! I like your style of video! I love long video, it feel like i'm with you in the progress! I bought my first telescope few weeks ago. Keep it up! Ciao from Italy!

[@AstronomyGarage]

Thanks! I'm glad you enjoyed the video. I have a new video that restores a really bad telescope - it's almost an hour long, but I have another version that is in four parts. Cieli limpidi !

[@frankwalley]

Thank You Sir. This is exactly what is wrong with my ETX-80. Going to give it a fix soon.

[@AstronomyGarage]

Thank you for watching. If you are going to disassemble the "can" part of it, be sure to do this: 1) Remove the chrome cam lock by removing the tiny set screw. 2) Remove the main bolt using a standard socket wrench.

[@frankwalley]

@@AstronomyGarage yes. I remembered your shortcut.

[@familiagonzalezalday4076]

Buen trabajo. Tenía el mismo problema y he podido resolverlo gracias a las indicaciones tan detalladas que da en el vídeo. Muchas gracias por la ayuda. Saludos desde España.

[@AstronomyGarage]

Gracias por ver. ¡Me alegro que el vídeo te haya resultado útil!

[@radhouanebenmehaia9152]

Interesting, thank you so much for the sharing.

[@johngiromini5745]

Our group received a donated ETX90EC. It appears to be built very similar to this model. Additional features include a serial connection from the hand controller to a PC. Now, I don't think modern PCs have serial ports any more, but apparently, someone figured how to use a connection to USB. I have bought the supporting cable on Amazon. The CD/DVD contains PC software to control the scope from the PC, and it does load on a Win10 device and starts up. Good news: it has an AC adapter; Bad news: the battery case is on the bottom so anytime it needs to be replaced it has to be removed from the tripod. On an aside: I always keep plastic gloves around the workbench for use anytime I am touching lenses or mirrors. Very impressed with your ability to fix this device.

[@AstronomyGarage]

Hi John G., Fixing the ETX-70 was a lot of fun. I'd seen the Meade fork-mount ETX's for years and never owned one, so I was excited. The optics lived up to the rumors - they were great. Putting the battery access on the bottom is an unfortunate design flaw for sure! As you've discovered, these telescopes have a lot of features if you take the time to dig into them. I'm glad you found the video useful.

[@mytyhwh]

Great video, really well done.

[@AstronomyGarage]

Glad you enjoyed it. Thanks for watching. :)

[@TheRealChrisVessey]

BTW, the sound effects are cute.

[@AstronomyGarage]

Thanks! My editing skills are very lacking, but I did try to cut out (or speed up) the boring stuff like installing/removing screws and add some music sound.

[@TheRealChrisVessey]

@@AstronomyGarage You did a great job! My skills got honed due to two years of COVID teaching (I'm a University Instructor). So, it was kinda nice to learn all that stuff for work, and then to apply it. I also get some support from work, so I got a couple of nice wireless mics and a PCM audio recorder which is great when shooting instructional videos!

[@bill5982]

As I need to fix the mirror on my used ETX-125 Maksutov-Cassegrain this video is extremely helpful. The glue probably gives way after a time.

[@AstronomyGarage]

In the case of the one that I bought, it had been stored in an attic in Texas. I don't think glues hold up to that kind of heat-soaking abuse.

[@k.h.1587]

Easy fix on an etx mak, just get the sct thread adapter and put a visual back and diagonal on it

[@bill5982]

@@AstronomyGarage Also the glue they had back when these were made was not of modern quality. Mine I got used in Florida so again heat. The first time I brought it outside to test it, a hinge on the tripod has rusted through, the tripod collapsed and dropped it on the concrete. I partially slowed it down as it was dropping and it didn't damage the front glass or main mirror but it knocked the diagonal mirror off. Mixing steel and aluminum combined with humidity creates dissimilar metal corrosion and results in rust. Dumb design, don't mix metals.

[@TheRealChrisVessey]

And - see that little notch in the battery compartment? You can get one of those multivoltage adapters that has sufficient amperage, and set the polarity to replicate what comes off the battery box - and hook that up. You can then power it remotely. I actually put a two-pole trailer connector on mine, and then I have a multivoltage DC accessory port adapter that I use with a "booster pack". I run it at 10v, seems to work fine and the motors run great. I also have a regular AC adapter that will connect to that, and I can run it off 117v (from my van's AC inverter, using a long extension cord) as an option.

[@AstronomyGarage]

I had no idea there were so many power options for these. I am surprised at how well it runs on just the six AA batteries.

[@TheRealChrisVessey]

@@AstronomyGarage the battery life tends to be not that great, however. Using external power is MUCH better. Everyone I know with any sort of automated mount uses an external power pack, and not batteries . . .

[@andyrusten5748]

im interested in your red headlamp? what model and whose brand!! thank you. just snagged a etx70 for running around

[@AstronomyGarage]

Congrats on the new telescope! These headbands are Energizer brand. Here's a link to the Amazon page if you want to get one: amzn.to/41iCXVp

[@stephensatt]

Energizer, they have em everywhere, Walmart, Sporting goods store. They have 2 modes. There are 2 white lights and 2 red lights. It toggles between the two. Good headlamp! Red is great for low light stuff. We used em for night fishing.

[@joev178]

Thank you for making this video. Found a similar model someone left out for the taking. It had the exact same problem. It's fixed now and it's the first time I ever used a telescope. Looking forward to using it and learning. Just curious, why aquarium sealant vs any other epoxy. I know you said it works well for you but any specific reason when using it with our telescope repairs?

[@AstronomyGarage]

I'm glad the video helped - I've heard this is a common problem with the flip-over mirror models. They used fairly brittle glue back then and it doesn't age well. Regarding your question about the silicone sealant (aquarium is the "purest" and best variant), I use it specifically because it ages very well and stays rigid yet flexible if that can be said. I used it to mount the mirror on the Dobsonian telescope that I built in the 1990's and is still holding perfectly. From a telescope theory standpoint, you want to put as little stress on the reflective surface glass as possible. Silicone sealant, being flexible, is the best option. Clear skies have have fun with your new telescope!

[@deerfish3000]

I bought a new Meade Polaris Newtonian telescope about 20 years ago. It has the German equatorial mount and noticed last year that one of the slow-motion knobs that controls the right ascension wouldn't move the telescope as I turned it. The grease they used on the gears got old and sticky and acted more like super glue, which kept the gear from turning. As I kept turning the knob, some of the teeth were being ground down on the inside to the point where it wouldn't engage with another gear. I took it apart and found the gear was made from cheap pot metal that literally crumbled into chunks as I tried to remove it. I contacted Mead, and they basically said I was S.O.L. and that they don't sell replacement gears. Long story short, it would probably be a good idea to take your telescope apart, clean the old grease off, and put new grease on if you want it to work for another 20 years!

[@AstronomyGarage]

Sorry to hear that the old Meade self-destructed. That's no fun. The good news is that most telescopes can be removed from their old mount and placed on a new (or used) mount. It might bring your telescope back to life. Good luck!

[@dallas69]

Thank You My first Meade 60 I destroyed my Meade 60 getting at that mirror. I now have 6 Meade all with go to

[@AstronomyGarage]

That mirror was really hard to get to. Much harder than it needed to be. Clear skies!

[@TheRealChrisVessey]

Nice. I had this exact same model - it's now my wife's beginner scope. I put an extension focuser on it, because otherwise, anything over 50º altitude becomes tough to focus.

[@AstronomyGarage]

Smart move on the focuser extension. I wish they used a coarser thread for that threaded rod.

[@TheRealChrisVessey]

And, finally - the optics are BaK-4 glass, which is really, really good glass. The unit gives spectacular wider-field views. It's a short-tube refractor, so it will give decent views of the Moon, and asterisms - but it won't do so well on planets, because you'll have to magnify beyond its abilities to do so. Looking at things like the Pleiades, or the Mizar-Alcor system, looks very nice on this scope. You can see Jupiter, and Saturn - but they will be small.

[@AstronomyGarage]

I was blown away by how sharp the optics were on this. I'm a Dobsonian guy, so it's rare for me to have a refractor here (this is my only one right now). My old refractors were bad compared to this with all kinds of chromatic aberations. This one was much shorter than those other telescopes, so I expected the aberations to be worse, but they are non-existant. I haven't decided if I'm going to keep this one or let it go to somebody who can appreciate it more than I can.

[@TheRealChrisVessey]

@@AstronomyGarage If you can afford to, I’d keep it. I have an 8” Dob, 5” Mak, and an 8” EdgeHD - all wonderful for their own purposes - but nothing makes the stars glisten like that little telescope!

[@jeffsthisandthatchannel]

I subscribed. I believe I have the 80 model and it has the same problem that you had with the mirror. Thank you for the video hopefully this will help me with my problem.

[@AstronomyGarage]

Thank you for the subscribe! That mirror issue appears to be really common, especially if the telescope was housed in a warm climate (like here in Texas). When removing the lower container (the "pot") be sure to use the easy method of first removing the chrome camlock (set screw on the side). Then it's super easy. Good luck!

[@jeffsthisandthatchannel]

I got the mirror situation taken care of. And now I can't get it to focus.

[@stephensatt]

I was getting the "Motor Malfunction" issue and it would jam trying to turn the telescope. I have the ETX-60 model, the smallest one. Turns out that the battery pack had become so corroded that it just wasn't getting enough voltage to turn the motors. After changing out the 9V plug, I just crimped on a new one and changing out the battery pack, Amazon had the 6x AA battery packs , identical for $6, this fixed the issue.

[@AstronomyGarage]

That is great news! The optics on these telescopes is great. Have fun!

[@stephensatt]

The new battery pack and power supply came in. I ordered a 6 AA battery pack, same identical one it has, works well. Thats 9.14v it shows me on the meter. I then ordered a 12v 1 amp power supply and it shows 12.14v on the meter. When I plug that to the scope the comes on as normal but then starts to shut off when you turn the motors so my thinking is its too much power. The motor has now jammed again so I think I am going to change out the motor. Does anyone have the specs on the motors or where I can get them from. Amazon has motors that look identical but the output shaft doesn't have the gear. I guess I could try pressing it on. I also do not know the actual specs of the motors, are they 3v, whatever?

[@MaribuS]

¡Excelente!

[@AstronomyGarage]

Thank you! Hope it was helpful.

[@TheRealChrisVessey]

Calibrate and Train are things that can be done to improve pointing ability, too.

[@AstronomyGarage]

In my effort to make this video as short as possible, I cut out the footage of the training. It's hard to believe, but even at 44 minutes, the original was waaaaay too long, lol.

[@dominikdominik1139]

Please, how can I fix the axis that overturns and not pushing the mirror up and down?

[@AstronomyGarage]

If you carefully take it apart, you will likely see what the problem is. I no longer own this telescope, so I can't add any more insight unfortunately.

[@dominikdominik1139]

@@AstronomyGarage Thanks for your answer. The flip button was stuck and I forcefully move it with a wrench. Now, the flip button is loose and overturns. Is there a chance I can tighten it up again?

[@AstronomyGarage]

Unfortunately, I'm not sure. If you take it apart, you can usually see what the problem is.

[@jimcarter2092]

Great video. I just purchased the etx-60 With the case ,stand and all the eyepieces For only $45.00 everything in excellent condition ..no loose mirror, but the Drive won't go up. left- right- down Moves ok won't go up, but the motor Is working in up position any ideas? Would be helpful before tearing into it. I read somewhere to remove the horizontal Lock Knob and reposition to tightened up Thanks for your post on the mirror issue! Re- edit. I figured out why the etx- 60 Did not move up. The lock knob on The right side. ( Motor drive) was not Tight. Works fine now,. So in some Way after watching the video it did Help me thanks!!

[@AstronomyGarage]

I'm glad to hear you figured it out. I was going to suggest tightening the lock knob. Enjoy the telescope - these models were super popular for a reason. Clear skies!

[@jimcarter2092]

@@AstronomyGarage thank you! And I subscribed, and will be watching your other video's

[@bill5982]

The MA eyepieces are not 4 element Plossl's, they are a variety of 3 element Kellners. The 2 small eyepieces PL 6mm and 4mm are 4 element Plossls.

[@AstronomyGarage]

Thank you for the comment. I'm not sure why I called them that (ignorance on my part).

[@christopherleveck6835]

My first telescope was a brand new in the box never opened ETX-60 my wife bought for 5 bucks at a garbage sale..... My second scope was a broken 50 dollar ETX-125 off Craigslist. And since then I've been collecting them. The only one I don't have at least one of is the ETX-105..… Someday......

[@AstronomyGarage]

You've found some very affordable telescopes!

[@davek12]

There's a local ad for one of these, price is $100. They haven't responded yet, though.

[@AstronomyGarage]

That's a great price, especially if it has all the pieces. Good luck!

[@warlock1663]

How did you make sure the mirror was aligned properly. Thats the issue Im having with mine.

[@AstronomyGarage]

That's a good question. Step one was to try removing all glue remnants so I would have flat surfaces together. Then after the glue was applied, I think I did some actual hand-held visual testing (before the glue set).

[@warlock1663]

@@AstronomyGarage OK, I was wondering because I have a 60 that is showing 3 spots on the wall when a bright light is shined through the eyepiece. one main and 2 ghosts. I'm gonna try a laser through it and see if I can do a sort of columation. So you put your back together then checked it while the glue was wet?

[@AstronomyGarage]

Yes, I checked it while still pliable. It was lined up, so I didn't have to make any adjustments.

[@stephensatt]

It looks like I will need a replacement motor for the Altitude (up and down) control of the telescope. Its a ETX-60 and the motors look to be just 3V motors. I have located some like them on Amazon but I cannot find markings on the motors indicating voltage. Anyone know what the specs are on the motors or where to get them? Ebay has some used parts but not seeing any motors yet listed.

[@AstronomyGarage]

I can't speak about Meade motors, but Orion uses a lot of 12V DC motors (like those found in RC cars) for their drive systems. It's been hard to find a source with the same dimensions.

[@stephensatt]

@@AstronomyGarage I found the issue. I took it back apart and its not the motor. The 2nd gear inline that the motor contacts has turned a brown color and the teeth just crumble right off. It appears that maybe the grease, or age, or both have just deteriorated the plastic to the point its just falling apart. I ordered a "used" Meade ETX-60 arm with the motor in it off Ebay I found. It appears to be the exact same motor, arm, so on, and in a week when it arrives we will see if its a good replacement. I also think I found the correct motor. Its called a "130" DC motor, and operates at 5-9vdc. However, the motor spins just fine now that the gear its attached to no longer makes contact with it.

[@AstronomyGarage]

Congrats! Sounds like you found a treasure trove of replacement parts. Good luck.

[@TheTjf25]

i actually own that exact model telescope a meade etx 70 at in great shape maybe going to take it out tonight the thing i dont own is the barlow lens and the 6 mm eyepiece

[@AstronomyGarage]

These telescopes have great optics. Have fun!

[@TheTjf25]

tried last night was too cloudy@@AstronomyGarage

[@RCFlyBoy314]

There's a case for this!?!? My parents bought us one 20+ years ago, I've been carrying it around in the cardboard box all this time

[@AstronomyGarage]

Admittedly, the carrying case is very nice.

[@konstantinjirecek970]

I still do not have any goto telescope after 50 years of amateur astronomy. I am not sure if the "coffee machine" sound of the motors will not ruin my observing sessions.

[@Unknwownplanespotter]

Hello my controller does some weird stuff and i cant use it... Like sometimes random letters come up...

[@AstronomyGarage]

You may want to look through Weasners big website. If there is a way to fix it, then it will be listed somewhere on this website: www.weasner.com/etx/menu.html

[@joeparham2889]

I bought one from goodwill for 30 dollars and it’s not bad. Minus the controller though 😢

[@AstronomyGarage]

These telescopes have great optics. If you loosen the side clutch, you can move them by hand without any problem. Good luck!

[@tryhappiness2725]

I got one from the thrift store it’s missing a lense & the controller. Anyone know where I could find those online or shop?

[@AstronomyGarage]

Do you mean it's missing the eyepieces? You can buy those on Amazon at very affordable prices. As for the controller, I'm not sure where to buy a used one other than eBay. Best of luck to you.

[@tryhappiness2725]

@@AstronomyGarage thank you for replying I’ll make sure to check it out. Also can the tripod be bought separately? If so what’s the name?

[@AstronomyGarage]

Meade sells the tripods separately, but depending on the age of your telescope they might not have the right one. It would be worth an email to their customer support.

[@JoeJaguar]

hey i just found your channel. I also have a n astro channel. I will subscribed to you. Cool vid. Ps BWT those eps are MA modified acromat eyepieces 3 lens and 40 degree fov, not plossls but they are decent. There is alot worse then those. Cheers. Joe

[@AstronomyGarage]

Hello fellow astro youtuber! I subscribed to you too. Thanks for the info. The 4mm and 6mm are Plossl's, but the other two, as you mentioned, are the MA version. I used them all in my 12" Dobsonian and they produced surprisingly good views too. I'm impressed by the Meade quality (circa 2000).

[@JoeJaguar]

@@AstronomyGarage ok nice keep up the good work.

[@leonielefebvre8772]

Can I use this telescope with no remote?

[@AstronomyGarage]

Yes. It has friction clutches that you can loosen to move it manually.

[@Astronurd]

You should have re greased all the gears whilst you had it apart. This greatly increases the smoothness of the movement and also quietens it a good deal. Clear skies.

[@AstronomyGarage]

That would've been a good idea. I was new to automated telescopes at the time. If you see my latest Orion 14 inch restoration, I do grease those gears up pretty good.

[@k.h.1587]

Etx70 has no finder scope, because with a low power eyepiece, it is a finder scope

[@AstronomyGarage]

Good point. I come from the Dobsonian world, so that was probably why I wondered about that.

[@k.h.1587]

@reflactor many big dob owners used to use 80mm finders, which are bigger than that scope :)

[@robertsonsid]

The MA eyepieces are not Plossl. They are Modified Achromats...essential Kellners.

[@AstronomyGarage]

You are very correct. I've learned a lot since this video was published. Unfortunately, KZbin won't let me update just a section of the video.

[@walterlewis1029]

I just love the Comment!!! It's Broke!!!! LOLOL

[@AstronomyGarage]

It really was broken. :) Thank you for watching!

[@christopherhamm1574]

You keep flipping that scope around to illustrate the mirror banging around inside the scope.. Dont do that. You know its loose carefully take it apart as to prevent further destruction of the mirror or lens. You dont want that getting scratched or scratching the lens. I cringe every time you show the mirror is loose

[@AstronomyGarage]

Excellent point. At first I didn't know what it was, but later on I certainly did. I'll have to be more careful to avoid further damage.

[@k.h.1587]

$100 is not a good deal on a broken etx70, maybe not even if it was working. And awesome is not a good descriptor for any etx60/70/80. A real etx is a mak, and only the 90 isn't a total bobblehead. Good optics but too much plastic in the mount, even the gears are plastic