Re: [ATM] Beveling mirror disks

[Daniel Fundo <fundo@bellsouth.net>]

<<  Wow, with one of those pyrex pot lids that keep showing up on e-bay
as fast thin mirrors with a 1/4" center perforation you could have a
wicked schmidt solar cooker with minimal coma if the wok was
aluminized... The flat spot should be shadowed by the secondary cooker
support.   :^)

George, George, George........you're just complicating things!!!!

A Schmidt is designed to eliminate coma, but in a camera configuation,
you need a spherical film support.  If we make a Schmidt Solar Cooker,
we will need a second wok-shaped element at the focus to heat the food
evenly in.  

BUT the wok is designed to cook EVENLY in the first place.  You have
added optical complication to a simple device.

Go back to 'START' and build another Newtonian! <G>

BTW,  In Richard's mirror clip design, you forgot that you have to
TIG-weld the clips to the aluminized surface of the mirror as well.  Its
these small points that make or break a design.  

Also remember that only mirrors with a diameter (in millimeters) that is
a prime number are easier to make diffraction limited.

*****-----
Dan F.
Hurricaned in Memphis for the second time in a month!!!
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