Re: [ATM] cutting plate glass

[Pete <lenses@adelphia.net>]

Hi Norm,
Welcome to the list.
Anything that you build will be a good learning experience.
No silly questions, part of the learning process.
You can search the archives on this subject of trepanning and get some 
good advice.
As for cutting the glass smaller before you cut the circle.
Score it with a glass cutter and then use a chisel to give it a sharp 
whack on the opposite side of the score.
Wear some safety glasses and be careful of the finger slicing glass you 
will produce.
You might call your local glass shop and ask if they will cut this for 
you if you don't feel comfortable.
Good luck, ask more questions!
Pete
lenses@adelphia.net

Norm Prince wrote:

>I'm a novice at this whole ATM thing, having taken a really long time to
>build an 8" dob that i think works okay, but probably isn't a very good
>telescope.  So sorry in advance for posting what may be to yall some really
>silly questions.
>
>I recently found a big chunk of plate glass that is aprox. 13"x5'x3/4", and
>i said to myself wow! thats a big chunk of glass.  I was thinking it might
>be fun to make another telescope, and that i might could use this big chunk
>of glass.  I have some questions bouncing around in my head that i'm having
>a hard time finding really straightforward answers too.
>
>How the heck does one go about cutting a circle out of such a chunk of
>glass?  Can this be done effectively w/o some crazy machine tool that you
>won't find in a basic shop setting?
>
>Thickness is a big ??? too.  What is too thin for what diameters?  The
>thicknesses i see folks talking about on the web are way thinner than say
>what N.E. Howard's newb book talks about.
>
>If anyone could throw me a bone on the subject i would be super greatful.
>
>norm
>Georgia, USA (land of bad seeing)
>
>
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