[ATM] re: Wax and Pitch

[Bill Marriott <bmarriott@pacbell.net>]

Hello, again....

Well, even though this subject has been beat to no end, I thought I 
would comment anyway, since this is a subject of relence this week here 
in my optical shop.

I am in the process of making a bees wax lap, for polishing of Cesium 
Iodine, duplicating a process developed by an engineer at Lawrence 
Livermore National Lab.   He reccomended me cutting the polishing 
surface with a flycutter in a mill, as "wax does not flow like pitch"
My comment was we will see, so I made a traditional lap, and have been 
trying for a couple of days to get it to press out against a flat piece 
of glass.  I'll get the reference flat hot, the wax lap has been hot 
water heated, and some of the lap will come in, but most will not. I've 
warmed everything, but a big pile of weights on top, let it sit for 
several days, and still not full contact.

Today I am setting up a flycutter in one of my verticale mills, and will 
try cutting the surface flat.

A pitch lap being used for a cc surface, is convex, and if left sitting 
for a few days shows lack of contact inthe center, where the pitch hill 
and slowly flattened, due to gravity and the flowing nature of pitch.

Just one reporters opinion.

Bill Marriott
VA Optical Labs
http://starlightoptical.com
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