Re mirror with your own vacuum chamber

[xelasnave]

I don't know if this has been raised here but check out utube for build your own vacuum chamber and do mirrors at home.
I have just started but there seems many clips covering this....or has anyone already made one?
Alex

[Wavytone]

It's nothing new - the scientific American ATM books explained all some 60 years ago... While the basics haven't changed the technology available has improved somewhat since.

[xelasnave]

I was only 10 years old then so I missed it.
Alex

[billdan (Bill)]

Hi Alex,

Unless you are setting yourself up as a business I can't seem to see the point.

If you are just going to coat an occasional mirror with aluminium it is an expensive piece of equipment and you would never see the return on investment.

You would be better off silvering your mirrors every 2 years like Sopticals does. Silvering a mirror is very cheap you can buy a silver kit at a reasonable price and they give you enough chemicals to do at least a dozen mirrors.

http://angelgilding.com/kits-chemica...ay-silver.html

Plus vacuum chambers used for vacuum depositing are very dangerous and if not in the hands of an expert they can implode (or explode).

Cheers
Bill

[xelasnave]

Hi Bill,
The only point I suppose would be the satisfaction of doing it.
Why build a mirror for example when one can buy something probably cheaper.
I just thought my find although old news may be of interest to some.
I had not considered building one but now you mentioned explosion possibilities the idea I find has greater appeal.
Once when I was obsessed with all things astronomy I was going to collect crystal and make my own glass and build a triplet refractor.
Why buy when you can make it for three times the price.
Alex

[billdan (Bill)]

I know where you are coming from Alex, 20 years ago I tried to build a kiln and melt glass to make my own mirrors. But impatience set in and I bought a 12in mirror instead.

[xelasnave]

Well I was just about to mention this guy...
http://www.instructables.com/id/Cast...pe-Mirror-fro/
Alex

[billdan (Bill)]

Thanks for that link Alex, I have seen lots of similar websites doing the same techniques. Mel Bartels in the USA is now making large diameter thin meniscus mirrors using slumping techniques. That is he melts the glass over a spherical mould.

http://www.bbastrodesigns.com/slump/MoldMaking.html

Bill

[OzEclipse (Joe Cali)]

Alex
There was a thread discussing this last year
http://www.iceinspace.com.au/forum/s...d.php?t=137406

In the USA some surplus gear might be able to be purchased cheaply. Not so here.

Joe

[xelasnave]

Hi Bill
Thanks for the link.
I had thought about moulded blanks a decade ago so I find it most exciting to find someone having a go.
Hi Joe
Thanks for pointing me to the earlier thread.
Alex

[Stefan Buda]

Originally Posted by xelasnave

I don't know if this has been raised here but check out utube for build your own vacuum chamber and do mirrors at home.
I have just started but there seems many clips covering this....or has anyone already made one?
Alex

Hi Alex,
A late reply to your question, as I was away for a while: Yes I have made one that can take up to 10" diameter optics and can do AR coatings too.
I only use it for my own needs but if someone asks me I'm willing to help with coating small optics.
Cheers,
Stefan

[bojan]

Stefan did a wonderful AR coating job to my Canon 400mm F/2.8 L lens.