From: "Russell Jocoy" 
To: atm{at}shore.net
Reply-To: "Russell Jocoy" 


("atm{at}shore.net")

    Hello all,

    I have still not picked up my pitch lap as it melts in the south Florida
heat of my garage. I do believe
that this is the reason for my turned down edge. I have figured out that
the heat in my polishing area
has caused my lap to flatten on every session, and close the channels way
too fast. Now I must bring
the edge back out, ( it's more than 1/4" turned)...
                          When I found out the problem I quit polishing....I
was pissed... yeah those stupid rookies, won't they ever learn... Well they
do by trial and error. Don't get me wrong I will not give up, oh no,
I'm old enough to know that time is golden and make your little dreams come
true so that they can be
big ones when they grow up.
                             To give all an update, I am working on 2
mirrors.. one is a 9"x5/8" thick (this is the polished turned
down edge disk)  the 2nd is a 10"x5/8" disk that is past 5micron
waiting for his sister
to pass the parob threshold.  Both mirrors are plate glass and thin.  Both
mirrors have been supported
completly through all grinding and polishing processes. Both mirrors have
never left the table , or barrel,
tool on top all the way. The 9" had  a not so radical ronchi run
before the edge turned.
              My ronchi rig is set up so that the mirror is tested  looking
down from  eye level to the ground.
  This tends to help the mirror from flexing. I used the foam shelf liner
for the back mirror support.
           Well like I said I have quit polishing. I can't move inside the
house..so I do believe I will have to bite the bullet and get a window unit
AC for my garage.  The temps. are now at 90 degrees and  this
summer the best I can do is bring it down by 15 degrees. Maybe this will
work and harded the pitch
to get a decent figure.
             Well in the meantime I have been building the mirror box,
stand, trusses and cage for this
mirror so I can test. All is going fine, I have made my own spider and have
a diagonal from the surplus
shed (for temperary purposes). I have gazed at the lunar surface with the
9" incomplete mirror which
brought my spirits up as to how an incorrect surface can actually give you
a half decent view.
                  To end I have one question .. the throat of my focuser
cage is the same diameter as my
9" mirror... is this diameter sufficient for incomming light. My
mirror is f/4.7 and the focal length is 42.5"
                                           I will update my progress as I
have much more glass to figure besides the two I am now working on. I have
three 3/4" blanks for future projects,.. 12"..
14"...16"  which will be
done in progession...      Thanks to all.... Russ Jocoy
("atm{at}shore.net")

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