[ATM] Composites are NOT hard to use, just messy

[artbianconi@blast.net]

Ross, I wish more people would try working with composites, 
especially those who bust their tuckus to get a 1/12 wave mirror 
and then stick in a shellacked cardboard tube!

Admittedly, I've built a lot of things over the last 30 years 
with this stuff but experience is not a major factor in my 
success. The learning curve is not that steep. A lot of ATM's are 
at the effect of rumors that have no basis in fact. 

I am committed to exploding the myths and awe that surrounds this 
material. As soon as my shop is built, amongst the first thing I 
will do is have a hands on seminar for ATM's in this area.

There is only one legitimate downside I can think of to making a 
big telescope out of CF. If it's something like a 15" f-8, it 
will be big but super light and easy to move about.

BUT, 

you'd best not be anywhere near it if a cumulous nimbus is 
nearby. If Zeus throws out one of his presents, the scope will 
not be the only thing standing there made of carbon!

Art

> > Ross, the entire telescope (15" f-4.3) is scheduled
> > to be made of  carbon fiber. 
> 
> Wow, sounds ambitious.  I can see that it undermines
> your bragging rights to have a metallic spider in
> there.  Since you'll be swimming in carbon cloth and
> epoxy I see no reason not to just give it a shot and
> go for the curved carbon spider--you can always retro
> something more conventional in there if the diffuse
> diffraction is annoying.


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