3 ms·

Been pondering grinding a mirror for a long while now; however even the blanks are quite expensive these days (in the UK at least)... Also, given the amazing a

Been pondering grinding a mirror for a long while now; however even the blanks are quite expensive these days (in the UK at least)... Also, given the amazing amount of time you need to do it, I'd rather go for a rather impractically large one, otherwise, well, I do have 10" newtonian 'scope already.. But it's unlikely a 16" mirror is a realistic 'first try' :-)

Starwatcher2001 11y ago
"Pushing glass" to make a 16" mirror would probably take considerable effort as well as time. I gather it's quite physical. I've had some 5 inch blanks for a couple of decades with the intention to have a bash, just to see if I could get within 1/4 wavelength. I suspect I'll never have the time, or patience/skill with testing it. I built a 9 inch Newtonian using bought mirrors and focuser, and plywood etc for everything else. It would be one step cooler to grind the mirrors too.
- buserror 11y ago
  The grinding could probably be automated somehow; might actually be easier to get 'random' movements that way too.. I imagine a X/Y/R table with the blank (or tool, alternatively) and the tool mounted on top on a semi flexible arm that applies pressure mostly on the center, so it gets to 'rock' a little... Put a spoon of grit on the blank, place the tool on top, press the timer and go have a beer :-) But yeah, that's also a project that'll stick to the back of the queue for quite a while ;-)
  - mangamadaiyan 11y ago
    Someone's already done it: http://www.artinso.com/astronomy/mirror-o-matic.html http://www.artinso.com/astronomy/mirror-o-matic.html This isn't even the original mirror-o-matic, it was just the first link that google popped up.