Re: ATM Best book for grinding/polishing, figuring and testing

[K1JJ@aol.com]

In a message dated 96-08-12 22:24:14 EDT, you write:

>
>> Anyone:
>> 
>> In your opinion what is Best book for grinding/polishing, figuring and
>> testing Big mirrors?
>> 
>> I don't mean the 6" type books around, but is there something out there
>that
>> addresses the unique problems we've been talking about concerning big thin
>> mirrors and building machines???. If not, what is the next best thing?
>> 
>> Tom Cathey
>> 
>> 
>You've already got the Bob Kestner articles of Grinding Polishing and 
>Figuring Large Thin Mirrors. Thats almost the only game in town. The 
>older books are not useless. The Kestner articles supplement those to 
>extend the sizes to the larger ones. I could suggest you look up the 
>article on the 33.4" project I did with Mike Benz in September 1992 
>Sky and Telescope. I haven't seen much else in print on the subject, 
>and kind of doubt there is enough specialized interest for someone to 
>do much more. For us on the 'net, there is the Big Glass Pushers 
>group that can offer help for free!
>
>Clear Skies
>
>

Hi Dan,

Gee, I never knew up to this msg that you were one of the guys in that
article! I've read it many times , ha ha. What a great, inspiring article.
You'd think they'd do more of that kind of thing.  The last I remember was
seeing an ad in Starry Msgr with you or Mike  selling "The Beast" and looking
for a smaller 22" er...what happened to make you go back again to the Beast
II ? I seem to remember  you saying that before the 33" you went to a
refractor and couldn't take the dark images anymore....I do understand. 
Unfortunately, I tossed out my old Sky and Tels thinking I'd get them on CD
ROM some day...what a mistake!  Were you the guy holding the mirror in his
arms or the other guy?

Anyway, I talked to Perry today at Wilman-Bell who said that there are some
VERY interesting publishing developments for Big glass pushers on the
horizon...I think he said for October.

He said that just today he was finishing up the work on a book by Dave Kriege
(Obsession Tel) about building big scopes, and the articles by Bob Kesner
were to be included in an updated form. 

Also Perry has the publishing rights for the old ATM articles..1800 pages to
be out on the market again.

Thanks for the last e-mail about the hand grinding. I wonder if Glass
Mountain has blanks and is worth giving a call? I need their number if you
have it.

Yeah, I ordered four books today to try to chase away a little ignorance. I
got the Cookbook book, a mirror grinding one, the star testing one, and
something else, don't remember.

By the way, what is a "GM" ...and what does "R of C" mean from your last msg
before?

I get the impression that you used a friend on the other end to push and pull
the polishing routine.  I would never ask my local friends (non-astronomy
guys) to stand in my cellar for 200+ hours  huffing and puffing with me. So
does this mean I will have a hell of a time moving it around...and might be
better off doing the machine thing???

CU

Tom Cathey