[ATM] Some fun ATM plans and more.

[edwski@comcast.net]

Greetings ATmers,
Hopefully you all are enjoying the summer.
My list, the ?sure you?ll get it done some day? list, continues to change.
Mirror projects: a 6 and 8 inch mirror which need final figuring.
Telescope Projects: A 10 f5.7 mirror waiting for a home.
My Meade 16 inch starfinder had some minor mods done to the base.
I added new pieces of Teflon to the ground board and added some feet/pads made out 2x2 oak. I also had started working on a wooden scope. The mirror box was done and I was starting on the secondary box. Well, then things got placed on hold. On April12th, I was in a car accident, got hit while making a turn. The other driver was going 70 in a 35 zone. Car was totaled, broke/shattered my left fibula and separated an ankle ligament. I have been on crutches with no weight on the left leg since. I might be able to put slight weight on the leg starting next week. 
While at home recovering, I had a chance to do quite a bit of thinking about my astro projects. Decided that I would sell the Meade 16 and almost bought myself a get well soon gift (15 inch obsession or discover). But, what fun would that be. I felt the need for getting my hands dirty, well at least making a mess in the garage. So change of plans.
I bought a new/still in the Meade box 12.5 with 2.6 secondary off of astromart. I?m still (90% sure) going to sell the Meade and then I?m going to get an Astrosystems Telekit for the 12.5. 
But the glass pushing is still tugging at me. A voice inside keeps saying, ?You need to finish the 2 small mirrors and grind a big one, a real BIG one.?  So, I?m debating getting a pregenerated 20 inch blank from Newport. 
Some of you might think I psycho, my wife thinks I have undiagnosed ADD, I think I just love amateur astronomy, the mirror making, the scope building, the people and the sky.
By the time I send you another email, I?ll probably have something completely different planned, being ground, or being built.

Enjoy the Sky
Ed Witkowski
Woodbridge, VA

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