Howdoo,
Hmmm... if you are struggling financially then I wouldn't recommend making your own mirror first time around because you need to get a bit of gear together before you can even start. The only reason folks seem to grind their own is so that they *can* get a superior quality optic - it's not because it is cheaper. The advent of mass produced mirrors of reasonable quality makes it far cheaper to buy one ready made (but you can still build the rest of the scope & save some bux?)
I'm just about to embark on my own mirror (150mm to learn with) but it has taken me a while to scrounge all the necessary tools & materials together (blanks, grit, pitch, polish, lap mould, dental stone, glass mosaic tiles, spherometer, grinding pedestal & miscellaneous tools etc.)
By all means, if you're not in a hurry & can scrounge the stuff you need then go for it - you'll get a really fine mirror if you're prepared to put the hours in. But it won't be cheaper in the long run. The one advantage is that a lot of the stuff can be re-used if you intend to make more mirrors or bigger ones later?
Anyhow, good luck on your mission dude....
