[ATM] New? Idea for mirror support

[artbianconi at blast.net (artbianconi@blast.net)]

When I first began this quest for a light, transportable, large aperture mirror, I 
considered two possible support mediums between the thin mirror (15" f 4.5) 
and the cell.

The first was to copy Breast In-Plant technology. cut two disks of the film 
used to manufacture inplants. For a 15" mirror, I'd make the diameter of the 
disk about 17". 

Then I'd weld them together at the edge, leaving just a slight opening in 
which to pour the jelled silicon medium. Seal the remaining edge closed and 
then lay it inside the cell before putting the mirror in place.

The other is to simply cut a disk of bubble wrap and lay that in the cell. Lots 
of spherical supports, hundreds I estimate.

Either one will support the mirror properly I suspect but needs more research.

I am not sure how much "man-handling" either one will tolerate although my 
guess is that the silicon application has seen a lot of field testing  (sic!)

Art Bianconi