To: atm{at}shore.net
From: mdholm{at}telerama.com
Reply-To: mdholm{at}telerama.com


Last winter I was figuring an 8" BVC mirror on Gugolz 64 using
zirconium oxide.  The lap never wanted to behave itself until I
microfacetted with wedding veil style nylon lace.  Until I did that, no
amount of warm or cold pressing, thicker or thinner polishing agent would
make the lap run smoothly. I couldn't control it well enough to get
predictable figuring results.  It had 3/4 inch square channels.  After
microfacetting it ran much more smoothly and I could make predicatable
progress in figuring.

The same pitch on the same mirror had been fairly smooth using CeO for the
polishing, but with zirconium oxide, it just wouldn't behave without the
extra texture.  Also, the zirconium oxide was noticibly slower acting. 
Nice controllability for figuring.

Mark Holm
mdholm{at}telerama.com

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