Re: ATM Astronomy Club ideas

[Anthony Stillman <atmer@flash.net>]

Joe,

I help at the Chabot Mirror Making Workshop.  Paul Zerokowsky (I certain
I've spelled his last name incorrectly) has run this shop for over 28
years.  It is open to the public and is linked to the Chabot Observatory
which is tied to the City of Oakland.  Mostly we operate through the good
graces of giving people.  Grit and pitch is doanated as or tubes and other
odds and ends.  We put mirror making kits together and the gift shop sells
them for a reasonable cost.  Profit, if there is any, goes to the
observatory.  We also have a scolarship program, where young, mostly, and
old who can't afford glass can get it.  Paul operates the workshop ever
Friday from 7:00pm to 10:00pm.  This is no small feat, and is the major
drawback to keeping a workshop going.  Other workshops I have heard operate
only onece a month.  Its hard to keep interest up, when you only get
together every four weeks.  Next to this, location and supplies are the big
hassle.  We don't have to worry about location, but the supplies are a
constant headache.  Not because, we can't get them, but because they run
out and someone has to remember to get them.  For grit we have generally
gone to a local abrasive company, National Abrasive which gives us a deal
and pitch we have gotten from all sorts of sources.  Recently we got a
donation from Tinsley Labs of used pitch.  This was purified by one of the
regulars (Thanks Mark) and we now use it.  The donation was moderately
large, so this will keep us in pitch for a couple of years.  Glass as you
well know can be hard to come by and expensive.  Any source, is a good
source, and I'm sure we've used it.

I think having more workshops is a great idea, and if I can do anything to
help out, I'de be glad to.

Good luck

Anthony