ATM 14.5 I.S. figuring progress...learning process

["Stan Kohut" <natsp@alltel.net>]

Hello everyone:
After about 300 hrs of grinding and figuring unsucessfully with my turntable
I think I am getting the hang of it.
After all the torture the 3/4"(.750") blank I started with is now .643" at
the edge.
I am using some so so ronchi lines I printed a year ago to figure with and
usung the foucault to double check the surface.
The ronchi lines are real close to a smoth figure with no turned down edge
that I can detect.
It is really neat watching the surface change in just 3 revouloutions of the
turntable.
I have done the most work this time with a 6" lap then smoothing with a 10"
with excelent results and its getting close,  best of all I am able to see
what I am dooing and controll it to some degree.
BUT... it was 4 weeks ago I told my wife that I only had about 1/2 hour left
of figuring...He He
I wont quit this mirror till I wear a hole through it or learn to figure.
The scope is in the kitchen awaiting a startest...(taking up alot of space)
:-)
Have a nice week!
Stan