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Casting telescope mirrors

Posted: Thu Jul 25, 2013 7:42 am
by Ron Behrens
I have been experimenting for a year now with inconsistent results fusing and melting plateglass in molds I am at a point of experimenting with using crucibles and doing a full melt. I have come across several references in this forum of using clay flower pots. My question Would this be an option and how well will it work? If this s a useable option then how large of a clay pot is useable in this manner?
Ron

Re: Casting telescope mirrors

Posted: Thu Jul 25, 2013 8:03 am
by Wendell Brown
http://www.mdpub.com/scopeworks/blanks/index.html has been fusing glass for sometime. Check it out.

Re: Casting telescope mirrors

Posted: Thu Jul 25, 2013 8:15 am
by Ron Behrens
That was one of the first sites I came across roughly a year ago. Lots of useful info that I have used. I however want to go further and cast from a full melt in a crucible---- to learn if nothing elss---- and hoping it gives me a cleaner glass result
Ron

Re: Casting telescope mirrors

Posted: Thu Jul 25, 2013 8:59 am
by Wendell Brown
Up to what diameter blank are you trying to get to? I will watch this thread to learn also. These members have lots of experience and ideas.

Re: Casting telescope mirrors

Posted: Thu Jul 25, 2013 11:00 am
by Ron Behrens
I am currently working on 12 and 18 in diameter and up to 2.5 in thick. Once I get this down pat I will go up to 32 and 36
In diameter. I also plan to slump the blank over a prepared mold and create a meniscus blank
Ron