20x120 Toko Big Eye binoculars
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Re: 20x120 Toko Big Eye binoculars
After picking them up for the first time today, they definitely weigh more than the 36lbs I was told.
I would guess they weigh between 50-60lbs (not including the mount).
I’ll weigh them later and post an exact weight.
Also...
For perspective’s sake, I’m 6ft 1 inch and weigh 260lbs.
Toko Big Eye 20x120 Japanese Naval binoculars (1944) on a custom made mount.
AP rig: Celestron OAG w/mono Atik Titan autoguider and Full Spectrum Modified (Hap Griffin) cooled Canon T5i.
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Re: 20x120 Toko Big Eye binoculars
It’s right there in my own post...
23.3 kg or 51.37 lbs
Duh
Toko Big Eye 20x120 Japanese Naval binoculars (1944) on a custom made mount.
AP rig: Celestron OAG w/mono Atik Titan autoguider and Full Spectrum Modified (Hap Griffin) cooled Canon T5i.
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Re: 20x120 Toko Big Eye binoculars
* Celestron C6 SCT on a Twilight 1 Alt-Az mount
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Re: 20x120 Toko Big Eye binoculars
I’ve decided to have Cory Suddarth at Suddarth Optical do a complete restoration on them ( IPD, eccentric rings & focusers cleaned out and re-lubed. All lenses cleaned, seated and re-sealed. Collimation and zero diopters set on their US Navy collimator ). He’s also gonna polish all bare metal to a mirror finish.
They ought to essentially be “like new” inside and out when he’s finished.
Toko Big Eye 20x120 Japanese Naval binoculars (1944) on a custom made mount.
AP rig: Celestron OAG w/mono Atik Titan autoguider and Full Spectrum Modified (Hap Griffin) cooled Canon T5i.
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Re: 20x120 Toko Big Eye binoculars
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Re: 20x120 Toko Big Eye binoculars
Especially with those shoes in the background.
The mount looks scary to me though. Not enough spread for the size of the load.
Have fun with them!
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Re: 20x120 Toko Big Eye binoculars
One of the first things I’m gonna do is design and fabricate some flip out “stabilizing legs” that will give the mount a much wider footprint.
That should make it much more stable.
Toko Big Eye 20x120 Japanese Naval binoculars (1944) on a custom made mount.
AP rig: Celestron OAG w/mono Atik Titan autoguider and Full Spectrum Modified (Hap Griffin) cooled Canon T5i.
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Re: 20x120 Toko Big Eye binoculars
Toko Big Eye 20x120 Japanese Naval binoculars (1944) on a custom made mount.
AP rig: Celestron OAG w/mono Atik Titan autoguider and Full Spectrum Modified (Hap Griffin) cooled Canon T5i.
- OzEclipse
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Re: 20x120 Toko Big Eye binoculars
He was present at the surrender of a Japanese battleship at the end of the war and scored himself a pair of 25x125 Nikon binos from the bridge area.
They were like these but in black finish, not chrome.
https://intrepid-design.co.uk/vintage-n ... inoculars/
They were quite fantastic for taking a spacewalk along the Milky Way on a dark moonless night. I think you'll enjoy yours.
Joe
Amateur astronomer since 1978...................Web site : http://joe-cali.com/
Scopes: ATM 18" Dob, Vixen VC200L, ATM 6"f7, Stellarvue 102ED, Saxon ED80, WO M70 ED, Orion 102 Maksutov, ST80.
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Re: 20x120 Toko Big Eye binoculars
Your post stating that your mentor owned a black pair of Big Eyes helps confirm that mine are mostly original.
Thanks!
Toko Big Eye 20x120 Japanese Naval binoculars (1944) on a custom made mount.
AP rig: Celestron OAG w/mono Atik Titan autoguider and Full Spectrum Modified (Hap Griffin) cooled Canon T5i.
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Re: 20x120 Toko Big Eye binoculars
His binos were Nikon 25x125 not Toko 20x120 so not a direct comparison.Saganwannabe wrote: ↑Tue Mar 24, 2020 3:34 pm Thanks for the post Oz. On Cloudynights, there has been a big debate whether they are unrestored or not and whether ANY Japanese Big Eyes were ever black in color originally. I was of the opinion that mine were unrestored, but after speaking with Cory Suddarth, I discovered that at least a partial restoration was done to my pair due to the bare brass of the prism housings.
Your post stating that your mentor owned a black pair of Big Eyes helps confirm that mine are mostly original.
Thanks!
Also, they need a lot of mounting. He had them on a Unitron 4" refractor ALTAZ mount for many years and they weren't particularly useable. Then he put them on a heavier mount and that changed everything.
He had an old railway bogie (steel wheel and bearing). This rested on the ground and acted as the AZ axis. A 4" steel post rose from this and the ALT axis was set at a height that pointed about 1" below the ear - the centre of rotation of your head. An adjustable L-shaped arm and various counterweights then held the binos out in front of your eyes. The result, you could walk around the post to adjust AZ and as you scanned up, the eyepieces just stayed with your eyes. When mounted on a typical tripod with the ALT axis in front of you, the eyepieces drop down as the objectives point up.
Enjoy
Joe
Amateur astronomer since 1978...................Web site : http://joe-cali.com/
Scopes: ATM 18" Dob, Vixen VC200L, ATM 6"f7, Stellarvue 102ED, Saxon ED80, WO M70 ED, Orion 102 Maksutov, ST80.
Mounts: Takahashi EM-200, iOptron iEQ45, Push dobsonian with Nexus DSC, three homemade EQ's.
Eyepieces: TV Naglers 31, 17, 12, 7; Denkmeier D21 & D14; Pentax XW10, XW5, Unitron 40mm Kellner, Meade Or 25,12
Cameras : Pentax K1, K5, K01, K10D / VIDEO CAMS : TacosBD, Lihmsec.
Cam/guider/controllers: Lacerta MGEN 3, SW Synguider, Simulation Curriculum SkyFi 3+Sky safari
Memberships Astronomical Association of Queensland; RASNZ Occultations Section; Single Exposure Milky Way Facebook Group (Moderator) (12k members), The Sky Searchers (moderator)
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Re: 20x120 Toko Big Eye binoculars
I’m considering making a heavy duty parallelogram mount for the Big Eyes out of oak and an antique tripod.
Toko Big Eye 20x120 Japanese Naval binoculars (1944) on a custom made mount.
AP rig: Celestron OAG w/mono Atik Titan autoguider and Full Spectrum Modified (Hap Griffin) cooled Canon T5i.
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Re: 20x120 Toko Big Eye binoculars
Toko Big Eye 20x120 Japanese Naval binoculars (1944) on a custom made mount.
AP rig: Celestron OAG w/mono Atik Titan autoguider and Full Spectrum Modified (Hap Griffin) cooled Canon T5i.
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Re: 20x120 Toko Big Eye binoculars
Nothing like a parallelogram. Much better. Clearly my description leaves "room for improvement."Saganwannabe wrote: ↑Wed Mar 25, 2020 6:00 am Sounds like a variation on the parallelogram style binocular mount. I made one for my Celestron Skymaster 20x80’s (see attached picture).
I’m considering making a heavy duty parallelogram mount for the Big Eyes out of oak and an antique tripod.
Unfortunately, I don't have a photo.
Joe
Amateur astronomer since 1978...................Web site : http://joe-cali.com/
Scopes: ATM 18" Dob, Vixen VC200L, ATM 6"f7, Stellarvue 102ED, Saxon ED80, WO M70 ED, Orion 102 Maksutov, ST80.
Mounts: Takahashi EM-200, iOptron iEQ45, Push dobsonian with Nexus DSC, three homemade EQ's.
Eyepieces: TV Naglers 31, 17, 12, 7; Denkmeier D21 & D14; Pentax XW10, XW5, Unitron 40mm Kellner, Meade Or 25,12
Cameras : Pentax K1, K5, K01, K10D / VIDEO CAMS : TacosBD, Lihmsec.
Cam/guider/controllers: Lacerta MGEN 3, SW Synguider, Simulation Curriculum SkyFi 3+Sky safari
Memberships Astronomical Association of Queensland; RASNZ Occultations Section; Single Exposure Milky Way Facebook Group (Moderator) (12k members), The Sky Searchers (moderator)
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Re: 20x120 Toko Big Eye binoculars
His mount must have been enormous to support those big Nikon Binos.
Very cool. I wish you had pictures.
Toko Big Eye 20x120 Japanese Naval binoculars (1944) on a custom made mount.
AP rig: Celestron OAG w/mono Atik Titan autoguider and Full Spectrum Modified (Hap Griffin) cooled Canon T5i.
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Re: 20x120 Toko Big Eye binoculars
Refractors: ES AR152 f/6.5 Achromat on Twilight II, Celestron 102mm XLT f/9.8 on Celestron Heavy Duty Alt Az mount, KOWA 90mm spotting scope
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Re: 20x120 Toko Big Eye binoculars
Toko Big Eye 20x120 Japanese Naval binoculars (1944) on a custom made mount.
AP rig: Celestron OAG w/mono Atik Titan autoguider and Full Spectrum Modified (Hap Griffin) cooled Canon T5i.
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