Re: [ATM] ritchey cretians

[David Weinshenker <daze39@earthlink.net>]

Khail Rosenberg wrote:
> Hi Bob,
> 
> I have an ambition to never use machines to make my mirrors, but i think
> something for this size, i really will have no choice... I think i will make
> a few machines, will help if i want to make something bigger and better..

Interesting - as a novice to this whole optical fabrication thing,
I am not familiar with the details of current practice in design
and using of machines for working glass, so I may be talking through
my hat here... but why is it your ambition to never use machines to
make mirrors? I should think that (in principle at least) it should
be possible to make a grinding/polishing machine that would give full
control of the profile of the work and better blending of the surface
figure than the normal hand methods (even for glass of more modest size)...

> Any advice on machines to actually lift and put it on stands? I do
> understand the concern of dropping the mirror, it will make a lot, a looooot
> of work really out the window...

I've seen pictures of a simple tilt table that was arranged so that
a 32 inch mirror could be slid off the machine turntable and swung
to near-vertical for testing. (See this link, about halfway down,)

http://bi-staff.beckman.uiuc.edu/~melockwo/telescopes/holmes32/mirror32/mirror32.html

-dave w
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