NavList:
A Community Devoted to the Preservation and Practice of Celestial Navigation and Other Methods of Traditional Wayfinding
Re: My first observations with natural horizon
From: Robert Eno
Date: 2005 Aug 12, 13:10 -0400
From: Robert Eno
Date: 2005 Aug 12, 13:10 -0400
Joel wrote:
I made particular note of your comment about the enclosed tangent screw of
a trommel type sextant such as in the SNO-T/SNO-T and Freiberger. I have alays
found that in time, the index arm will freeze because of an accumulatuion of
salt inside the barrel unless fresh water is used to flush the mechanism. Oil
will not do it.
Robert responds:
I had the same problem with a Frieberger that I
owned several years ago only it didn't take salt water to cause the release
mechanism to bind, it did so all on it's own. I ended up having to dismantle the
unit, apply some grease and re-assemble it. It happened again anyway.
My conclusion is that aluminum on aluminum for a moving part is not a good
idea. Aluminum tends to bind easily. It is for this reason alone, that I am not
terribly keen about the Frieberger.
As for boxes, I agree with Bruce Bauer on the
desirability to have a sextant case large enough that the sextant can be stored
with the scope attached. On that note, I have long since ceased to use the
wooden box that my Plath came with. Instead, I have been using one of those
bomb-proof plastic storage cases sold by Celestaire. Bought one from them years
ago and never regretted the purchase. They are simply the most secure means to
store one's precious sextant and....they will float if accidently dropped into
the water.
Robert
