[LVAS] Mirror Making Part 1

Wed Feb 24 17:30:12 PST 2010

Roger,

Thank you! I really appreciate the good comments. You also present a very interesting story.

By the way that book is called The Telescope and the World of Astronomy by Marvin F. Riemer. Mine is the revised 1966 edition. I am staring at it as I type this! I never learned everything out of it either, but it gave me the basis for what was to follow.

Fred

From: drivester at hotmail.com
To: lvas at lvlug.org
Date: Wed, 24 Feb 2010 20:06:42 +0000
Subject: Re: [LVAS] Mirror Making Part 1

All,

Re: Fred's intro to making a mirror.

I really enjoy reading stories like this....how a young amateur in the 60's became interested. I can identify, the 60's was when I made my first observations using my older brother's 60 mm Sears refractor. Interesting that both Fred and I started with a 60 mm Sears refractor.  Unfortunately for me, I never met another person interested in astronomy until I was in my 30's. My brother only had a very mild interest and used the refractor mostly for terrestrial viewing.

I remember reading a nice green hardback book that came with the scope. It discussed planetary observing, galaxies, nebulae, and other. It also had a lot of good information about telescopes and eyepieces. When I was about 12, I was reading this book and told my brother that I was going to read and learn everything in it. His response was why. I don't think that I learned everything, but enough to get me started. 

I also remember taking that little refractor and giving a presentation to my 7th grade science class...titled "How To Use An Astronomical Telescope". The year was 1967 and I can still remember that presentation as well if it were only yesterday. All the kids thought that this 60 mm refractor on an equatorial mount was a monster scope. I was so proud.  

As best as I can remember Paul Webb put an ad in the Shelby Star Newspaper about an astronomy club being formed. I was surprised that there were others in the area that had an interest in astronomy. My youngest Brad saw the ad and wanted to become a member. I purchased him a small 76 mm catadeoptric scope with a single arm and a table top base. We were off and running. I had already sold my 4 1/4-inch ES reflector, and also my 6-inch Criterion Dynascope. 

I really became involved when we started meeting in the Williams Observatory, and I began talking to Tom English. For some reason I perceived that Tom thought that I might have potential as an observer. I am sure glad that he did.  

I attribute my interest in getting back into astronomy to my son, Brad. If he had not wanted to join the astronomy club I probably would not be writing this e-mail. 

The following is a list of the telescopes that I have owned.

 Acquired my own Sears 60 mm EQ refractor (Jason)
 4 1/4-inch EQ ES reflector
 6-inch RV-6 Criterion Dynascope
 4.5-inch EQ Jason f7.9 reflector
 10-inch Meade DS-10A reflector
 90 mm Meade EQ refractor
 90 mm Meade ETX Maksutov-Cassegrain mounted on an 8-inch Meade wedge and HD tripod. Rock solid
 100 mm Meade 2045d, Schmidt-Cassegrain mounted on the same Meade wedge and HD tripod
 C-5 Celestron (made in California SC scope) with single arm, drive and Celestron HD tripod. It also had optional coatings at the time.
 102 mm Vixen f/9.8 refractor with Vixen GP EQ mount
 76 mm Celestron FirstScope

.

Roger

To 

From: rayworth1969 at hotmail.com
To: lvas at lvlug.org
Date: Tue, 23 Feb 2010 17:09:46 -0600
Subject: [LVAS] Mirror Making Part 1

MIRROR MAKING
In the next few months/years, I will be writing a series of articles on the fun of mirror making. I’ve made from 3 ½” up to 16” mirrors and loved almost every minute of the process.
I realize most of you will never attempt to make a mirror, and that’s fine. I’ll never buy a Nagler eyepiece, but I still appreciate the technology and how they’re made. Just think of this series as saving you having to buy the book, if you are curious about how it is done.
I will present the process a bit at a time, along with my usual witty narration. So, sit back, relax, and revel in the joys of mirror making. It might change your mind about giving it a try.
INTRODUCTION
There are many reasons to grind and polish your own mirror. I have to say right off that saving money is not necessarily one of them. The cost of the mirror kit and the labor involved go well beyond the actual cost of a brand new commercial mirror. However, you will miss out on the thrill of the process, the pride of a job well done, the tear in the eye as you take your first look at a celestial object in your newly aluminized mirror. You just can’t buy that stuff.
Mirror making isn’t rocket science. It involves a bit of algebra, but if you do end up buying the book, all the formulas are there for the taking, and all you have to do is plug in the numbers. I am the perfect example. I am lousy at math, yet, I made my first mirror when I was in high school. It not only gave me something to do (besides breaking into the local gas station), it taught me patience, which has stayed with me to this day. The ultimate thrill was looking at Venus for the first time and seeing how beautiful it was in my brand spanking new 8” f/9.44 reflector. Not long after that, I made the Antelope Valley Press with photo and a nice long caption. Having had such a lousy time in high school, that bit of publicity made my 1968 junior year brighter.
It all started when my parents bought me my first telescope for Christmas, 1966. It was a 60mm Sears refractor. Besides the mechanical and optical inferiority, it just didn’t show me much in the sky, especially not those Palomar photos that were on the box. Then a friend at school said his dad built telescopes. I asked how big was the largest one, and he said 12 ½”. I thought about that. My Sears refractor was longer than that! Out of curiosity and at his invitation, I came over to his house and met his dad. He took me to the garage and showed me his equatorially mounted 12 ½” f/7 reflector. As I was expecting some little punky scope 12 ½” long, I almost fell flat on the floor. That thing was a monster! He then dragged a smaller scope into the back yard and showed me the Lagoon Nebula. That was an 8” f/6 in a square plywood tube. I actually saw colors including purple and blue. I have never seen color in that nebula since. From that moment on, I knew I had to make my own telescope. His dad helped guide me to an 8” mirror kit from Telescopics, a company sadly now defunct.
Next up, I’ll describe some philosophy and the first steps.

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