NOS actuators

[armadillo_115]

Questions for the gurus:
I've had my eye on a place where there are two 10' mesh dishes behind a fenced in property. I don't want the dishes, but I've been trying to find a working actuator cheap. Possibly a dish mover or some other component. After stopping several times, I finally caught the owner at home this Saturday. He said he has one, possibly 2 new,old stock actuators stored somewhere. (Also a used actuator) He is supposed to telephone me when he finds them with the details and asking price.

What would be a reasonable % price for NOS? I surely would not pay 100% of what a new one from the factory would cost today. A new one would have a warranty, and parts would probably be easier to find later. These NOS's may even be from a defunct company,IDK.

I'm assuming they were cheaper years ago?

If stored in the dry... how much does age affect an actuator? I know plastic parts get brittle, for instance.

Would y'all give 50% of what an equivalent new one costs today? More? Less?

He also has what MAY be a Horizon to Horizon mount. Or possibly an elevation motor... I was confused on what he was describing. He said it didn't use an actuator and changed the 'declination' on a bud.

Thanks for any opinions, folks!

 

[hank123]

Not doing him any good just sitting around.

Offer him something like 25 bucks. Tell him it will have a new home, be put to good use and abuse.
Give him a story of what your doing.

Passion for something is worth more then money.

 

[primestar31]

Wait a minute, don't be too fast here: better make sure those old actuators aren't the old potentiometer versions, which were very common back in the day. If so, your newer positioner devices won't be able to control them. You may not be able to easily convert these types, and they are worth a lot less than the kind you really want.

You want optical or preferably REED SWITCH types.

 

[armadillo_115]

How best to tell if it has a potentiometer? More wires?

The only potentiometers I'm familiar with are like volume controls in a radio.

 

[Magic Static]

Potentiometers have three wires like the optical and hall effect sensors. Magnetic reed switch sensors have two. The only brand of potentiometer actuators I have seen around here are "Hammer Blow" brand. Built like a tank.

 

[RimaNTSS]

How best to tell if it has a potentiometer? More wires?

Ask your neighbor to to show actuators he has and also ask him what is his price. But now it seems we are dividing up the bear skin before the bear is shot.

 

[Magic Static]

Ask your neighbor to to show actuators he has and also ask him what is his price. But now it seems we are dividing up the bear skin before the bear is shot.

Never heard "counting chickens before they hatch" put that way before

 

[RimaNTSS]

I am not native, do not you remember?! I still can misspell shirt and skirt, guys and gays and so on.

 

[armadillo_115]

Or 'putting the cart before the horse'.

It helps to have an idea what they are worth beforehand, in case he does telephone and throw out a price.
And before I drive 40 miles to look at them.

'To make rabbit stew...first you need a rabbit'

 

[RimaNTSS]

And before I drive 40 miles to look at them

Some E-mailed pictures could make nice substitute.

 

[Magic Static]

I am not native,

Dividing up bear skin sounds more "native" american than most LOL