Pastor Bill Mirror Making Part 2

[Bill5612]

Friends,

Part 2 of how to grind your own telescope mirror without being reduced to tears.

Mirroe Project 2 - YouTube

God bless you,

Pastor Bill

 

[Michael]

Friends,

Part 2 of how to grind your own telescope mirror without being reduced to tears.

Mirroe Project 2 - YouTube

God bless you,

Pastor Bill

I'm highly impressed that you have the patience to do something like that. I'd be sorely tempted to at least start with a machine and see if I couldn't work in some 'randomness' at the end of the sanding process. I think it's useful, and quite entertaining however (especially when you aren't personally doing all the work) to see how it can literally done by hand.

FYI, I thoroughly enjoyed part 2. I can't wait for the "cry like a baby" installment.

 

[Bill5612]

Michael,

A good part of the work can be done by a grinding machine. My Astronomy club has one. However, I wanted to learn about the process and I thought it was a good idea to do the whole thing by hand. My hope is to create a 12 inch mirror someday. With that project, i will definitely use the machine for part of it.

Peace,
Bill

 

[Elendur]

Really cool project good luck with it!

 

[NGC 6712]

Brings back memories - I made a 6 inch, a 10 inch then a 12 inch reflector as a teenager by grinding my own mirrors. I have thought of getting back into doing a project like this but I really would be hard pressed to find the time these days.

 

[Michael]

Pastor Bill,

I can understand how you're sure that you have the right depth in the center, but I'm fuzzy on how you're sure that the curvature along all the sides are even in the ballpark. Could you explain a bit about how you're handling the curvature aspect?