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- To: owner-atm@shore.net
- Subject: BOUNCE atm@shore.net: Non-member submission from ["Mark VandeWettering" <markv@tick>]
- From: owner-atm@shore.net
- Date: Wed, 19 Feb 1997 13:35:43 -0500 (EST)
>From atm-owner Wed Feb 19 13:35:06 1997 Received: from tick.pixar.com (tick.pixar.com [138.72.30.65]) by relay1.shore.net (8.8.3/8.8.3) with SMTP id NAA17844 for <atm@shore.net>; Wed, 19 Feb 1997 13:35:00 -0500 (EST) Received: by tick.pixar.com (Smail3.1.29.1 #2) id m0vxGpJ-0001EZC; Wed, 19 Feb 97 10:33 PST From: "Mark VandeWettering" <markv@tick> Message-Id: <9702191033.ZM13422@tick> Date: Wed, 19 Feb 1997 10:33:09 -0800 In-Reply-To: "M.E. Germann" <CCMEG@MIZZOU1.missouri.edu> "ATM The Savior Of Mirror-Making?" (Feb 18, 4:18pm) References: <970218.162808.CST.CCMEG@MIZZOU1> Reply-To: markv@pixar.com X-Mailer: Z-Mail (3.2.0 26oct94 MediaMail) To: "M.E. Germann" <CCMEG@MIZZOU1.missouri.edu>, owner <atm@shore.net> Subject: Re: ATM The Savior Of Mirror-Making? Mime-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset=us-ascii *sigh* This self-agrandization is really somewhat disturbing. As an instructor at the Chabot Telescope Maker's workshop, I have found the following techniques to be important to keeping people interested in telescope making: 1. Undying personal enthusiasm 2. Patience in explaining things 3. Be supportive and helpful when things go wrong 4. Commend good work and good work practices 5. Provide individual help rather than "classes". Our director Paul Zurakowski says that less than 25% of mirrors started by your average Joe get finished. I don't have Paul's records, but I bet our completion rate is over double that. The fact of the matter is that unless you like it, mirror making is a long, somewhat boring way to spend your Fridays. It is not for everyone. Personally I find observing to be somewhat boring at times, so different strokes... Our workshop is bring-your-own-materials, but we mostly use plaster/tile tools for mirrors of Pyrex, although some plate glass mirrors are usually being worked. We don't have enough barrels, so mostly we just plop down newspaper and grind on table tops. Boards with cleats are used for polishing, clamped down to the table tops. Laps are typically relatively pure pitch, with cerium oxide as a polishing agent. Lately I have led some experiments in using polishing pads, and we will probably be using them more as time goes on. For testing, we use Ronchi testing. We have several Macintosh computers to plot the desired band patterns. We work until we get close, then Paul Z. will do final knife edge testing. Our analysis of test results could be more sophisticated, but mirrors that get a thumbs up from Paul are invariably pretty good. You can teach telescope making successfully. I have been going to our workshop for about five years now, and on an average night, we probably have 8-12 mirrors being worked every week. Two or three of these are probably from regulars, the others from people who just make one mirror and leave. Interest in making telescopes isn't flagging, we get new people almost every week. Be a good ambassador of the hobby, and people will join in and have a good time, which is what a hobby is about, isn't it? Mark -- Mark T. VandeWettering Telescope Information (and more) Email: <markv@pixar.com> http://webspace.com/markv/ <markv@webspace.com> Clear Skies!
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