Replica Antique Zeiss Mount

I recenlty purchased a beautiful Zeiss Starmor 60mm spotting scope from about 1918. The scope is in superb condition and works well.

 

Zeiss Starmor
Zeiss Starmor

The scope did not have any mount and I wanted to display it in my living room so I decided to use my metal working skills to make a replica of the original table-top mount for the scope.

Starmor Mount

So I started by cutting out a piece of 5/8 aluminum plate in the shape of the feet;

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Next, I cut a piece of aluminum tube to make the centerpost, flattened three sides of it in the mill and notched it for 1/4 inch bolts

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I drilled and tapped each foot for 1/4 – 20 bolts to attach them to the center-post. Here it is all put together:

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I did a lot of filing and shaping of the feet. The idea was to make it look like an antique single-piece casting. The 1/4 -20 bolts do the majority of the support work, but I used some JB Weld high strength epoxy at the joints to make sure nothing could move. I love that stuff! I also used some JB Weld Metal Putty to help fill in some smaller gaps and build up one of the legs where it was not quite symetrical with the others.

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Next it was time for some quick work with Bondo automotive metal filler. This stuff sets so fast you barely have time to get it in place. Luckily it files and sands off very easily. Note, the Bondo is not structural in this piece. It is just meant to make the item look more like a casting.

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Next came some easy sanding and shaping. It was a piece of cake compared to the raw aluminum in the legs.

I turned a piece of 5/8 Stainless Steel to fit the scope, threaded the other end and turned an aluminum plug. The plug is held in with three small screws through the tube, then the shaft is bolted in. I wanted to make this easy to change should I want a taller mount or maybe want to use the scope on a tripod. I would be easy to adapt the Stainles Steel pinion shaft to most anything.

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This is the final product. It looks very appropriate with the scope. It is very nice to have a lathe and mill to make things like this.

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Pictures of the original are here: Zeiss Historica (second image down).