Thank you for your interest in the ASGH mirror workshop. Hopefully by participating in this exciting workshop you will be able to learn how to make your own telescope mirror. By making your own telescope you will enjoy observing in new and wonderful ways with the thrill that what you see is being provided by an instrument that you crafted yourself.

In order to obtain the highest benefit from the workshop it is recommended that you make up your Christmas shopping list early (even if you are the Santa). It is recommended that you locate from within your house or procure (at a store similar to Home Depot) the following. On a separate list I have pictured many of the items

Household items   

               Sheet rock pail, or equivalent. Two would be nice.  Shaker container with closeable cover. I use one that came with parsley flakes.

Water sprayer. Something like a plant atomizer. Old Windex bottle works fine.  Palm size bottles with a snout and cap. Mustard and Ketchup picnic dispensers work OK. I like 4 oz bottles from Edmond Scientific, Yogurt or cake frosting containers or equivalent. For holding your abrasive dry and safe. You'll need about 8 Dish towels. Terry will work for rough drying. "Flour sack" towels dry more completely.   Box to hold all your stuff between sessions.  Keep as small as possible to help me out.   Coffee cans for melting pitch.

Specific mirror making items

There are many options here and I want to make sure you are aware of them all. One way to go is to buy a kit from either Willmann-Bell or Newport Glass as discussed below. Another way to go is to buy a mirror blank and tool. In the workshop you can make your own cement tool for under $10.00.  I will have available #60 grit, #120 grit, #320 grit silicon carbide abrasives available at cost from Salem Distributing. And I have abrasive below 500 grit available at no cost. I will also have pitch and cerium oxide for polishing available at a very friendly price.

Below I have listed some of the options. The prices for Willmann-Bell have been verified for this year. They have remained unchanged for the past 5 years. The kit prices from Newport glass were verified Oct 2001 and found to be the same as their 1997 catalogue. The detail blank and tool prices were not verified because they do not have the price list available on their internet page, but I suspect little or no change. The prices from United lens were not verified, but one participant last year purchased 10 inch blanks from them at the cost shown.  

The kits from Newport glass include: Pyrex mirror blank,  glass tool, Silicon carbide 1 or 2 lbs each of #80grit ., #120 grit, #180 grit, #220grit, White aluminum oxide 0.25 lbs each of  #30 grit  #25 grit, #20 grit, # 15 grit,  #9 grit,  cerium oxide; 0.25lb, burgundy pitch;1 lb

The Newport glass "educational kits" appear to have the same except the mirror and tool have pre-generated f/8 curves, the price includes aluminum coating but you have to send your finished mirror back to Newport, and the “C” suffix kits which I have listed have a 1/10 wave aluminized diagonal. Since the blanks have curves, the abrasives start at #220 Silicon carbide rather than 80.

The Willmann-Bell kits contain two equal Pyrex blanks, one to be used as a tool and the other to be used for the mirror, and all the necessary abrasives, pitch, and cerium oxide. I see no comments about a diagonal. The two blanks is interesting because after you are through you can make a cement tool and make a second mirror from the tool.

Click here for materials to have to make a mirror

And also here for more materials

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