Re: ATM Softening pitch

[Kevin Whitefire <chaosopher23@yahoo.com>]

--- Art <mock47@accessbee.com> wrote:
> 
I couldn't find real turpentine.  I tried min spirits,
and they worked fine.  It was a burgundy pitch, I
think it was Gugloz.  I do hear that turpentine is
best.

> 1. I have one kilo of Gugolz 74, I have read to
> soften it with mineral
> spirits and also never to use mineral spirits, but
> to use turpentine
> instead.  I have also read to use bee's wax.  

Use beeswax to coat the tiles, if you like.  I've
never used the stuff.

> 
> 2.  Should one be able to perform an adequate
> Foucault test on a 5 micron
> ground mirror?  Or is it usually necessary to have
> some polishing?
> 
Finish it to at least fully polished.  I polished from
9u with good results using zirconium oxide and pitch.

> 3.  I am thinking of heating the pitch out in my
> back yard using low heat
>  from a propane camp stove.  Is this suicidal?  Can
> it be done safely if one
> is carefull to keep the flame low and go slowly?
> 
Your best bet is to use a hot plate.  Hardware stores
still sell these things and they are cheap.  While
pitch is flammable, it is not an explosive.  Suicide
would be difficult at best with the stuff.  It's
better to drop a ton on yourself than to accidentally
burn some nearby if that's your plan <weg>.

> 4. Other than perhaps teflon, is there any easily
> acquired substance to
> which pitch will not adhere?
> 
I don't know.  I think pitch will stick to everything,
including teflon.

> Would it for instance be feasible to rout several 1"
> x 12" x 3/8" deep slots
> in a 1x12, soak the slotted areas in motor oil or
> some sort of release
> agent.  Pour the pitch to the thickness desired,
> remove it before it became
> brittle and perhaps cut it into 1" squares using a
> hot knife or such tool?

I used the gooey drop method.  Using a small metal
measuring cup, or a tablespoon, scoop out some hot
pitch.  It should flow like motor oil that needs
changing on a cold day.  You know the stuff - gooey. 
Drop it on your tool and let it harden.  Quarter - to
- dollar sized pieces work for me.  No molds, no hot
knife.  Chisel the edges off before you polish.
> 
> Finally, during the fine grinding the ceramic tiled
> surface of the tool
> seemed to be as smooth as the glass of the mirror. 
> This begs the question
> is there any possibility of using ceramic as a
> mirror media?

Ceramics are used, but glass is still superior.  Get a
disk of ceramic and a tool and see if you can make a
little mirror from it.  4" shouldn't be too expensive.
> 
> I didn't mean to make this post so long. . .
> Thanks for any help.
> 
> Arthur Mock
> Fresno, CA
> 
At least you didn't shaggy-dog it like I have in the
past.  I can get long-winded!

Kevin of Eastern Iowa
Seeker of the Darkness

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