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 While preparing to a math conference in Freiberg
(East Germany) I suddenly realized that this is
the place where Freibergers are made:-)
The Internet confirmed my suspicion, so I called them
for an appointment and took my SNO-T with me.
They were extremelly friendly, though none of them
spoke English except the secretary who served as a
translator.
I had a tour of the factory, and had my SNO-T checked and
certified.

Freiberg is a small ancient German town where they mine
silver, and lead for at least 1000 years. (Also uranium
in XX century). It is famous for its mining school.

Freiberger factory's main business seems to be underground
and other surveying equipment. (The range of their production
is enormous, it is hard to understand how 25 employees can
make so many different things).

As I said they tested my SNO. The arc error I worried about
turned out to be small (4" for most of the arc). What they found
instead was a substantial backlash which can explain the poor results
in star distances I reported earlier to the list.
They adjusted the backlash. I payed 56 Euros for the whole
procedure, and they issued a certificate and corrected some
minor fault in one of my scopes.
They said nobody does professional service of sextants in
Germany except the two factories, and they were ready to service
any sextant, not only Freibergers).

They said they are making about 200-300 sextants per year.
Apparently few of them ever saw SNO. But their immediate
reaction was that this is a Freiberger clone:-)

I confirm what Bauer says in his book: buying items directly
from a factory can save you much money. I did not try to negotiate
a Freiberger sextant, because I don?t need another aluminium sextant,
but I inquired about their art horizon.
(List price $900 if I remember correctly).
After some negotiation they came with the price of 360 Euros,
including tax, but I did not buy it.

There are some funny features in the factory which remind me of
Soviet Union:-) For example, they do not take credit cards.

But in general, this was an interesting experience, and I saw
how sextants are really made, dividing engines, testing machines
etc.

I am also planning to visit Cassens and Plath factory in Bremerhaven.

Alex.

   

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