2/20 - 2/21 - The base for the scope is cut out, the scope pedastle has also been cut. Bearings have been made for it to move on and a bike wheel has been hacked apart for the axle, bearings and cones. Legs have been added along with the motor. A 200:1 CNC DC 12v motor. At this stage, it looks like a turtle and since the entire family is into karate, the boys came up with Donatello as a name.
2 Mirrors, 12" have been delivered to me. Along with all the supplies from mirrors.com. Thanks John! I have made a single tool that will be used to grind these out.
1/4/2006 I have to this point, ground out both mirrors, A and B, using 80, 120, 220, 320, grit. this was a total time of approx. 40 hours of grinding. I have also ground through the 30, 15 and 9 micron. These mirrors are at a 5.097 f ratio. I was shooting for a f/5 so I am right there. I have created a tool for the lap and used gougez 64 pitch. The tool, and mirrors are ready for polishing. Detailed records will be kept here for this. I will use the same lap for both mirrors although that wont matter much simply because the laps will conform to each mirror. I will polish out one mirror completely before polishing out the second mirror. I will add photos of the tool, lap, mirrors and the scope tomorrow.
3/8/06 I have completed polishing out of mirror A. I have taken some photos of it from initial testing. Looks like a possible turned down edge. Will investigate further though. Mirror b is still unpolished. I am going to polish and figure on mirror at a time. It took apporx 30 hours to pollish out the mirror completely. A laser test at 45 deg angle showed no pits at all and no scratches.