rwiederrich
Goldfinger
Reged: 11/17/05
Posts: 8226
Loc: Bremerton Washington
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We will be taking delivery soon of this multi mirror polishing machine.
Here are some iamges. It weights about 1500 lbs and needs to be moved with a floor dolly.
Rob
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www.goldmtobservingcenter.com
A great place for amateur astronomers, and ATM's to come and enjoy their hobby.
http://tech.groups.yahoo.com/group/HomemadeRefractorTelescopes/ My homemade refractor group.
www.vimeo.com/6014031
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rwiederrich
Goldfinger
Reged: 11/17/05
Posts: 8226
Loc: Bremerton Washington
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Another view
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www.goldmtobservingcenter.com
A great place for amateur astronomers, and ATM's to come and enjoy their hobby.
http://tech.groups.yahoo.com/group/HomemadeRefractorTelescopes/ My homemade refractor group.
www.vimeo.com/6014031
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rwiederrich
Goldfinger
Reged: 11/17/05
Posts: 8226
Loc: Bremerton Washington
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A final view of the 4 tubs. I will be getting all the hardware too.
Rob(fun fun fun)
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www.goldmtobservingcenter.com
A great place for amateur astronomers, and ATM's to come and enjoy their hobby.
http://tech.groups.yahoo.com/group/HomemadeRefractorTelescopes/ My homemade refractor group.
www.vimeo.com/6014031
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The bear
scholastic sledgehammer
Reged: 02/11/08
Posts: 824
Loc: rushville, indiana
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where in the world did you find this puppy at?
doc
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Longitude -85.42786 Latitude 39.59153
"current build 6 inch F6.5 "Little Toe"
"if all else fails use duct tape "works for me"
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rwiederrich
Goldfinger
Reged: 11/17/05
Posts: 8226
Loc: Bremerton Washington
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Quote:
where in the world did you find this puppy at?
doc
My Optical engineer friend Bob Mathews of Bob Mathews Optics..the fellow who is helping me make my 10"f/16 objective. It is an extra machine he doesn't need and he gave it to me. I'll see what I can do with it.... 
Rob(blessed)
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www.goldmtobservingcenter.com
A great place for amateur astronomers, and ATM's to come and enjoy their hobby.
http://tech.groups.yahoo.com/group/HomemadeRefractorTelescopes/ My homemade refractor group.
www.vimeo.com/6014031
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kfrederick
professor emeritus
Reged: 02/01/08
Posts: 620
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looks like you can do 4 at a time/ how big can it do? very nice thanks for sharing // kevin
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rwiederrich
Goldfinger
Reged: 11/17/05
Posts: 8226
Loc: Bremerton Washington
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Quote:
looks like you can do 4 at a time/ how big can it do? very nice thanks for sharing // kevin
It will(and has done) 4 12" mirrors at the same time.
It strokes and polishes exactly the same on all 4 spindles..if you set it that way. You can set it to polish 4 different focal length mirrors at the same time.
Rob
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www.goldmtobservingcenter.com
A great place for amateur astronomers, and ATM's to come and enjoy their hobby.
http://tech.groups.yahoo.com/group/HomemadeRefractorTelescopes/ My homemade refractor group.
www.vimeo.com/6014031
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Sean Cunneen
Let Me Think
Reged: 08/01/07
Posts: 1207
Loc: Blue Island Illinois
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Nice tile, is that real lineoleum? I have fond memories of growing up in a kitchen with that very same pattern!
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Sean Cunneen
Blue Island, IL
12.5" Ultralight Strut Dob
127mm f/9 refractor
35Pan, 17T4,
10XW, 7XW, 5XO
Complete set of Orthos.
Member of the Calumet Astronomical Society
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mark cowan
Vendor (Obsidian Optics)
Reged: 06/03/05
Posts: 2103
Loc: salem, OR
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Let the clone wars begin! Now let me get this straight, that means if you make a mistake on one of them you make a mistake on all of them? Cool. I've heard of this approach before.
Best,
Mark
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rwiederrich
Goldfinger
Reged: 11/17/05
Posts: 8226
Loc: Bremerton Washington
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Quote:
Let the clone wars begin! Now let me get this straight, that means if you make a mistake on one of them you make a mistake on all of them? Cool. I've heard of this approach before.
Best,
Mark
I supose that can be true...IF...you make a mistake.
It is a production machine...I remember bob having 4 4" lenses being polished out on this machine.
Each stroke arm is fully adjustible so you can monitor each mirror/lens independantly.
Bob has one machine that can run 15 mirrors/lenses at the same time. If an order calls for 30 exact duplicates of the exact prescription...he can do it.
Since he's giving it to me...I'll worry about making mistakes later. 
And if worse comes to worse...I'll disassemble it and use it as parts for making GEM's or other telescopes.
It has lots of 2" pillow blocks...steal shafts. and cool fixtures for using to build custom made mounts.
There is more to this then just what it currently is.
Rob(the surgean is on call)
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www.goldmtobservingcenter.com
A great place for amateur astronomers, and ATM's to come and enjoy their hobby.
http://tech.groups.yahoo.com/group/HomemadeRefractorTelescopes/ My homemade refractor group.
www.vimeo.com/6014031
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Hrundi
Pooh-Bah
Reged: 02/06/08
Posts: 1159
Loc: Estonia
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Could be useful for making huge binos 
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rwiederrich
Goldfinger
Reged: 11/17/05
Posts: 8226
Loc: Bremerton Washington
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Quote:
Could be useful for making huge binos
The possibilities are boundless....
Rob
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www.goldmtobservingcenter.com
A great place for amateur astronomers, and ATM's to come and enjoy their hobby.
http://tech.groups.yahoo.com/group/HomemadeRefractorTelescopes/ My homemade refractor group.
www.vimeo.com/6014031
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Mike I. Jones
Carpal Tunnel
Reged: 07/02/06
Posts: 1533
Loc: Fort Worth TX
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Is that an old Elgin polisher? Have you found a label with the manufacturer and model number? You got a good one there, time to tool up for lenses as well as mirrors. Be sure to keep it lubed good. You should still be able to get the meehanite diopter tools with the right taper for it at optical fabricator supply shops.
I got lucky back in 1983 or so in a similar way. A buddy of mine called me in a panic asking if I had $1500, there was a 24" Strasbaugh polisher on sale at an auction marked as a pottery wheel! For that I said yep I'll get the cash out, we went over to Dallas, and I picked it up. Also came with two 22" and two 18" driver plates. I have had a lot of fun on that machine, and plan to have a lot more when I retire in a few years. I'm working a 10" f/9 Newt primary for my wife's uncle in the picture (which is also my avatar). Sure beats walking around a barrel, which I did for many of my early mirrors.
Glad you got a good find, Rob! You are really going to enjoy that polisher.
Mike
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56 mirrors, lenses, 16" f/6 Newt, 6" f/10 refractor, TOA-130S, Tinsley 5" f/15 Mak, 6" f/4 RFT, Coronado PST. Still to build: 24" f/10 Modified Dall-Kirkham, 10" f/26 Mak, 8" f/12 apo, spectrohelioscope, Herrig, Schupmann, and others.
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rwiederrich
Goldfinger
Reged: 11/17/05
Posts: 8226
Loc: Bremerton Washington
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Quote:
Is that an old Elgin polisher? Have you found a label with the manufacturer and model number? You got a good one there, time to tool up for lenses as well as mirrors. Be sure to keep it lubed good. You should still be able to get the meehanite diopter tools with the right taper for it at optical fabricator supply shops.
I got lucky back in 1983 or so in a similar way. A buddy of mine called me in a panic asking if I had $1500, there was a 24" Strasbaugh polisher on sale at an auction marked as a pottery wheel! For that I said yep I'll get the cash out, we went over to Dallas, and I picked it up. Also came with two 22" and two 18" driver plates. I have had a lot of fun on that machine, and plan to have a lot more when I retire in a few years. I'm working a 10" f/9 Newt primary for my wife's uncle in the picture (which is also my avatar). Sure beats walking around a barrel, which I did for many of my first mirrors.
Glad you got a good find, Rob! You are really going to enjoy that polisher.
Mike
Hey Mike...I'm glad you know a lot about these machines...Bob said some of the tooling will not be coming with it(He's using that on another machine)...but like you said..I can probably find anything I need at the location you suggested.
I'll go out and see it on Sunday and determine its best way home.I'll look for any identifying marks or labels.
Strang...I didn't even bother to ask Bob...... 
I tinkered on the 10"f/16 today setting up balance..counter balance systems......I'm about done with most of that...just the forward counter balance...but I need to wait on the lens.....I'm getting pretty close to being done.....
Well.....it aint done till the fat piece of glass sings....
Thanks for your support...Mike.
Rob
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www.goldmtobservingcenter.com
A great place for amateur astronomers, and ATM's to come and enjoy their hobby.
http://tech.groups.yahoo.com/group/HomemadeRefractorTelescopes/ My homemade refractor group.
www.vimeo.com/6014031
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droid
rocketman
Reged: 08/29/04
Posts: 3984
Loc: ohio
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I remember seing a home made mirror making machine plans on line years ago, but this is far and away ahead of those.
I see some one already asked about the use for making lenses,maybe a 10 lens in your future rob?
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102mm Celestron C102HD
Tasco 7TE5 60mm Classic
Tasco 9TE5 60mm Classic
Celestron Ultima 2000 SCT
Remains of an 8 inch dob
Celestron Comet catcher(orange tube)
1960 Edscorp Space Conquerer 6inch f/8
10x50 Bushnell Binoculars.
11T 4.5 inch Tasco reflector Lunograsso?
60mm Telescope Club
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Mark Harry
Post Laureate
Reged: 09/05/05
Posts: 3086
Loc: Northeast
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I almost failed to notice those tapered spindles. If I could make a suggestion, I think it would be in your best interest to change those to threaded stubs, in 1"-8thd (coarse)- that's pretty much standard for spindles, and it will interchange with lots of other makes, such as Strassies. (-OR- you could make female tapers with threaded stubs, if the height doesn't get to be an issue)
I'm assuming it's a single motor layout?
Nice "find"!
Mark
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So many projects, so little time!
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rwiederrich
Goldfinger
Reged: 11/17/05
Posts: 8226
Loc: Bremerton Washington
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Quote:
I remember seing a home made mirror making machine plans on line years ago, but this is far and away ahead of those.
I see some one already asked about the use for making lenses,maybe a 10 lens in your future rob?
Right..however..I'll be making that 10" at Mathews Optics..on his nicer(way nicer) machines.
Rob
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www.goldmtobservingcenter.com
A great place for amateur astronomers, and ATM's to come and enjoy their hobby.
http://tech.groups.yahoo.com/group/HomemadeRefractorTelescopes/ My homemade refractor group.
www.vimeo.com/6014031
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rwiederrich
Goldfinger
Reged: 11/17/05
Posts: 8226
Loc: Bremerton Washington
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Quote:
I almost failed to notice those tapered spindles. If I could make a suggestion, I think it would be in your best interest to change those to threaded stubs, in 1"-8thd (coarse)- that's pretty much standard for spindles, and it will interchange with lots of other makes, such as Strassies. (-OR- you could make female tapers with threaded stubs, if the height doesn't get to be an issue)
I'm assuming it's a single motor layout?
Nice "find"!
Mark
I went out and looked at this machine on Sunday...man it is solid as a Tank. Bob removed some items from it to use on some of his other machines. He also removed the motor(easily replaced)......But what got me excited was not what I was looking at...but what I saw I could build from what I was looking at.
At the bottom of the machine are those crank handles...these are the clutch speed adjustment handles. You pull a pin and move the handle to another location on the plate...this speeds the table and arm stroke.
The adjustment handles on the top are for increasing or decreasing the stroke of the over arms. It truely is a *beast* and will need a flat trailor and some kind of roller dollies to move. It weights a literal ton.
This machine.. if disassembled, could yield the materials to build at least four german EQ mounts too. It has at least 6 2.5" pillow blocks...many 2.5" steel shafts...and lots of lifty armatures for making the axis. The parts alone and the material to build far more mounts for telescopes is what attracted me to this in the first place.
Sure...I can bring it back into a production machine.....but for the cost savings in parts and materials alone that are *hiding* within it...I couldn't pass it up. And being FREE.....I'd be a fool to pass it up.
By the time I get done dismanteling this thing.....I'll have a nice supply of modifiable parts and bearings...shafts..clutches....the stuff for building other things. It's a treasure trove of ATMing stuff.
Rob
--------------------
www.goldmtobservingcenter.com
A great place for amateur astronomers, and ATM's to come and enjoy their hobby.
http://tech.groups.yahoo.com/group/HomemadeRefractorTelescopes/ My homemade refractor group.
www.vimeo.com/6014031
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rwiederrich
Goldfinger
Reged: 11/17/05
Posts: 8226
Loc: Bremerton Washington
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I fetched the machine yesterday...and I have it resting in my horse trailor surrently...till I find the location I want to put it. It is a pre-war table and was actually cut in half. It used to have 8 drums(made of copper). Well Bob has the other half in his shop//which he currently is using right now.
The clutch system is pretty slick and so is the speed drive for each table and over arm.
You can angage or disengage the slip clutches by the very bottom handles(not the dial handles). Then with the dial handles you can rotate(which turns a large worm gear on an axis that slided the drive across the surface of a large 20" brass plate. As you engage in each slot the clutch will spin faster or slower in relations to its contact to the rotating 20" clutch plate..giving different speeds for the mirror table and or over arm. Then the upper control handles..just under the tables edge...control the over arm stroke. You can also adust the depth of stroke by means of a slide adjust on the small rotating table for each over arm(I don't know what that is called. All polishing machines have them for controling length of stroke..
I will need to replace the motor...since it went with the other half. It is chain driven..so I'll also need to work on this.
After looking at it for much longer then I did on Sunday....I will rent a floor jack and move it next to my other machine(somehere). It is so well built and so sturdy and has made thousands of lenses/mirrors....I am finding it hard to just use it for parts. I will make it a goal to get it back into shape(Bob will be my sourse for info).
It truely is an awesome find for an amateur.
Rob
--------------------
www.goldmtobservingcenter.com
A great place for amateur astronomers, and ATM's to come and enjoy their hobby.
http://tech.groups.yahoo.com/group/HomemadeRefractorTelescopes/ My homemade refractor group.
www.vimeo.com/6014031
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rwiederrich
Goldfinger
Reged: 11/17/05
Posts: 8226
Loc: Bremerton Washington
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Well I rolled that 1500lb monster out of my trailor and began removing items to clean them up. I removed the 4 copper tubs(these are so well built  ).
I took a hand full of images to share so you can see the inner workings of this awesome machine.
First I begin at the bottom and work up.
Here are the brass/copper clutches. As you can see the main shaft on the bottom turns and by way of a control shaft you can turn a large rack-n-pigion gear to move the lower clutch across the face of the main clutch plate. This causes that plate to turn faster or slower depending on the need.
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www.goldmtobservingcenter.com
A great place for amateur astronomers, and ATM's to come and enjoy their hobby.
http://tech.groups.yahoo.com/group/HomemadeRefractorTelescopes/ My homemade refractor group.
www.vimeo.com/6014031
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rwiederrich
Goldfinger
Reged: 11/17/05
Posts: 8226
Loc: Bremerton Washington
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A bit closer view of the cluches. Noe the shaft comming across from the right controls the direction of the lower brass cluch. Iyts handle is on the front of the machine on the bottom. Turn this while the main upper cluch is disengaged and you can turn it in or out...making the upper plate turn faster or slower.
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www.goldmtobservingcenter.com
A great place for amateur astronomers, and ATM's to come and enjoy their hobby.
http://tech.groups.yahoo.com/group/HomemadeRefractorTelescopes/ My homemade refractor group.
www.vimeo.com/6014031
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rwiederrich
Goldfinger
Reged: 11/17/05
Posts: 8226
Loc: Bremerton Washington
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This images shows the upper engaging arm that raises the upper clutch plate. You can see it engaging the base under the thrust spring. Turn this large lever on front(top lever) and you disengage the clutch so you can turn the bottom lever to increase/decrease arm/table speed.
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www.goldmtobservingcenter.com
A great place for amateur astronomers, and ATM's to come and enjoy their hobby.
http://tech.groups.yahoo.com/group/HomemadeRefractorTelescopes/ My homemade refractor group.
www.vimeo.com/6014031
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rwiederrich
Goldfinger
Reged: 11/17/05
Posts: 8226
Loc: Bremerton Washington
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This shot shows all the control arms coming across to thier particular aspects. The top bar controls the belt tension...bottom is the speed control arm. Lots of fun moving stuff. The rollers can be seen too for the belts.
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www.goldmtobservingcenter.com
A great place for amateur astronomers, and ATM's to come and enjoy their hobby.
http://tech.groups.yahoo.com/group/HomemadeRefractorTelescopes/ My homemade refractor group.
www.vimeo.com/6014031
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rwiederrich
Goldfinger
Reged: 11/17/05
Posts: 8226
Loc: Bremerton Washington
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This last images shows the upper control arms(handles) for engageing the large clutch plates...also a bit of the over arms.
I'm gonna have fun rebuilding this monster and getting all the missing parts..like motor and building belts for it.
the table shafts can be removed and I bet I can make new ones. I'll get in touch with Bob to see what I can do.
It will remain outside the shop till I get it in opperating order again...I can work around it much easier this way...then I will roll it in its place in the shop.
Way fun.
Rob
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www.goldmtobservingcenter.com
A great place for amateur astronomers, and ATM's to come and enjoy their hobby.
http://tech.groups.yahoo.com/group/HomemadeRefractorTelescopes/ My homemade refractor group.
www.vimeo.com/6014031
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Mark Harry
Post Laureate
Reged: 09/05/05
Posts: 3086
Loc: Northeast
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Ahh, for the simplicity of DC drives.....!
Mark
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So many projects, so little time!
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rwiederrich
Goldfinger
Reged: 11/17/05
Posts: 8226
Loc: Bremerton Washington
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Quote:
Ahh, for the simplicity of DC drives.....!
Mark
Indeed. Now I'm looking for a motor that has a reduction to about 50~60 RPM. I have a motor that meets that nearly but I can seam to figure out the electrical connector on it to test it before I attemp using it.
It currently is driven by a chain drive. I'll tinker.
Rob
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www.goldmtobservingcenter.com
A great place for amateur astronomers, and ATM's to come and enjoy their hobby.
http://tech.groups.yahoo.com/group/HomemadeRefractorTelescopes/ My homemade refractor group.
www.vimeo.com/6014031
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Mark Harry
Post Laureate
Reged: 09/05/05
Posts: 3086
Loc: Northeast
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Since I'm a firm believer in stroke dependent polishing, the reduction on my machine from the gearbox on the spindle motor to the spindle shaft is #40 chain. It never rotates very fast, and has been most satisfactory for the last 12 years. The sprockets and chain were available at the time.
M.
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So many projects, so little time!
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rwiederrich
Goldfinger
Reged: 11/17/05
Posts: 8226
Loc: Bremerton Washington
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Quote:
Since I'm a firm believer in stroke dependent polishing, the reduction on my machine from the gearbox on the spindle motor to the spindle shaft is #40 chain. It never rotates very fast, and has been most satisfactory for the last 12 years. The sprockets and chain were available at the time.
M.
*stroke dependent* polishing...meaning..you can control the stroke on the machine....?
Each over arm can be adjusted for stroke depth and stroke width. As the table turns..the over arms stroke back and forth(that stroke can be adjusted).
The drive on this machine is chain driven(Much larger then the typical bike chain)..looks to be even larger then motorcycle chain. I'll pop the sprocket off and go size it. I ordered the flat belt material..to make the four drive belts required to drive the tables from McMaster-Carr.
I removed one of the spindles from its drive shaft and am going to have it remachined an threaded...getting rid of the taper tip. I'll also have the spindle shaft shortened...so I can use pipe flanges secured to the bottom of my homemade tables. In this way...I can remove them if need be. Plus this will lower the table in the drum, giving me more vertical room for thicker mirrors.
List of things to do to bring this machine into the 21st Century.
1) remove and remachine all 4 spindles.
2) make 4 new flat belts
3) rebuild the drive system
4) build 4 new poker pins using 9/16" rod and welding 1/2 steal balls to their tips
5) build 4 sturdy 15" mirror tables with cleats
6) grease the daylights out of it.
7) (MAYBE) order 4 plano cast iron laps/holders from Universal Photonics.
8) anything else I can think of......
Then put it in the shop and put it to work.
Rob
--------------------
www.goldmtobservingcenter.com
A great place for amateur astronomers, and ATM's to come and enjoy their hobby.
http://tech.groups.yahoo.com/group/HomemadeRefractorTelescopes/ My homemade refractor group.
www.vimeo.com/6014031
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Sky Captain
Metal Whisperer
Reged: 11/07/04
Posts: 7109
Loc: Issaquah, WA.
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Thats pretty cool Rob! How about a guided tour next week at your star party? (As if I needed to ask.)
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Equipment Overload!
Kerry
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Mark Harry
Post Laureate
Reged: 09/05/05
Posts: 3086
Loc: Northeast
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"*stroke dependent* polishing...meaning..you can control the stroke on the machine....?"
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What I meant, was that the stroke is the predominant way I polish; not "spin-polishing"
With the DC drive, I can certainly control the stroke parameters. The arm position also varies the amplitude and offset. A secondary eccentric also allows a variance that never "repeats".
Mark
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So many projects, so little time!
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rwiederrich
Goldfinger
Reged: 11/17/05
Posts: 8226
Loc: Bremerton Washington
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Quote:
Thats pretty cool Rob! How about a guided tour next week at your star party? (As if I needed to ask.)
Guided tours are always part of the GOMOC experience.
Rob(It's easy to find..it's sitting outside the shop door)
--------------------
www.goldmtobservingcenter.com
A great place for amateur astronomers, and ATM's to come and enjoy their hobby.
http://tech.groups.yahoo.com/group/HomemadeRefractorTelescopes/ My homemade refractor group.
www.vimeo.com/6014031
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rwiederrich
Goldfinger
Reged: 11/17/05
Posts: 8226
Loc: Bremerton Washington
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Quote:
"*stroke dependent* polishing...meaning..you can control the stroke on the machine....?"
----------------------------
What I meant, was that the stroke is the predominant way I polish; not "spin-polishing"
With the DC drive, I can certainly control the stroke parameters. The arm position also varies the amplitude and offset. A secondary eccentric also allows a variance that never "repeats".
Mark
Yes...I *stroke polish* myself. My Porter polishing machine is exactly what you described.
Looks like this new machine..strokes while allowing the laps to rotate freely on the rotating mirror.
On my Porter..I can also control the rotation of the lap...I can run it in reverse to the mirror.
My hopes are to get this machine in operation as soon as I can and see how it polishes several mirrors at the same time.
Rob
--------------------
www.goldmtobservingcenter.com
A great place for amateur astronomers, and ATM's to come and enjoy their hobby.
http://tech.groups.yahoo.com/group/HomemadeRefractorTelescopes/ My homemade refractor group.
www.vimeo.com/6014031
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SkyArcher
Post Laureate
Reged: 04/12/06
Posts: 3415
Loc: 9545' in Colorado
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That machine brings back memories. My first job out of high school was as a gopher for a optical lens company. Among the many stupid things that I had to do was to watch the offset polishers to make sure they didn't clog up and dry out. Just like your machine. Four offset polishers. 30 years later, I still twitch thinking about it.
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Sir Skyler Archibald.....
An 8" Deep Space Hunter
4.5 w/ GOTO
4.5 newt w/ home built Dob mount
Omphaloskepsis - I didn't realize that there is a word for what I do while waiting for web pages to download 
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rwiederrich
Goldfinger
Reged: 11/17/05
Posts: 8226
Loc: Bremerton Washington
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Quote:
That machine brings back memories. My first job out of high school was as a gopher for a optical lens company. Among the many stupid things that I had to do was to watch the offset polishers to make sure they didn't clog up and dry out. Just like your machine. Four offset polishers. 30 years later, I still twitch thinking about it.
Good memories...huh..
I will be making a cerium pump system too/
Rob
--------------------
www.goldmtobservingcenter.com
A great place for amateur astronomers, and ATM's to come and enjoy their hobby.
http://tech.groups.yahoo.com/group/HomemadeRefractorTelescopes/ My homemade refractor group.
www.vimeo.com/6014031
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rwiederrich
Goldfinger
Reged: 11/17/05
Posts: 8226
Loc: Bremerton Washington
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Got some machining done on the polishing machine Saturday(Instead of having a star party).
First I removed all 4 spindles that were too tall and had taper pins at thier tips. Took them to my cousins shop and we remachined them. First I removed the top 3" of the spindle shank. Then chucked them in the lathe and turned them down and turned 1" threads on the ends. So they could hold the 4 cast iron flanges I purchased.
I had to retap them..because they were originally tapered thread.
We also chucked up the flanges and machined true both ends..so they would be flat on the new spindle seats and flat and true for the new tables.
Here is an images of one of the finished remachined spindle and its flange. Threading them was quite fun actually. My first time I ever threaded on a lathe....
Rob
--------------------
www.goldmtobservingcenter.com
A great place for amateur astronomers, and ATM's to come and enjoy their hobby.
http://tech.groups.yahoo.com/group/HomemadeRefractorTelescopes/ My homemade refractor group.
www.vimeo.com/6014031
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rwiederrich
Goldfinger
Reged: 11/17/05
Posts: 8226
Loc: Bremerton Washington
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Here is an image showing tubes 2 and 3 with their newly remachined spindles and thier flanges in place.
The flanges will be mounted to the bottom of each mirror table.
Rob
--------------------
www.goldmtobservingcenter.com
A great place for amateur astronomers, and ATM's to come and enjoy their hobby.
http://tech.groups.yahoo.com/group/HomemadeRefractorTelescopes/ My homemade refractor group.
www.vimeo.com/6014031
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rwiederrich
Goldfinger
Reged: 11/17/05
Posts: 8226
Loc: Bremerton Washington
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With tub 1 in place and the spindle poking through with the flange resting by.
Now things are lower in the tubs and I can make nice mirror tables and not have an issue with the over arms and poker pins being to high.
Rob
--------------------
www.goldmtobservingcenter.com
A great place for amateur astronomers, and ATM's to come and enjoy their hobby.
http://tech.groups.yahoo.com/group/HomemadeRefractorTelescopes/ My homemade refractor group.
www.vimeo.com/6014031
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rwiederrich
Goldfinger
Reged: 11/17/05
Posts: 8226
Loc: Bremerton Washington
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And lastly the flange mounted on the spindle in the copper tub. Next for this project will be mirror tables.
Now I'm going out to the shop to make the 4 2.5" wide leather belts for the drives for each over arm and spindle.
Gonna dig up the motor on an older machine I don't use much and mount it on this machine...it looks like it will work perfectly. 2hp with a 70rpm reduction...It aught to work just fine.....  before I know it this machine will be completely retro fitted and ready to go....Yeah!
Rob
--------------------
www.goldmtobservingcenter.com
A great place for amateur astronomers, and ATM's to come and enjoy their hobby.
http://tech.groups.yahoo.com/group/HomemadeRefractorTelescopes/ My homemade refractor group.
www.vimeo.com/6014031
|
rwiederrich
Goldfinger
Reged: 11/17/05
Posts: 8226
Loc: Bremerton Washington
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Spent some time in the shop(while the thunderstorms ripped the place up)...and built the 4 flat leather belts for the table/over arm drives on my new polishing machine.
Here are the belts done after I cut them to length and fitted the spine rings and pins. The spine tool for the seams is resting there in the right forground. this tool is so slick. You simply put the clamping rings in it run a guid pin tyhrough them to keep them aligned and press in your belt.....then place the entire thing in your shop vice and clamp the snott out of it. This causes the spine neadle tips to press inot the leather and holds fast. Then you fix both ends together with a grooved keeper pin.
This was fun to do. Reminds me of the leather tooling I did when I was a kid in shop class.
Rob(ready to be fitted on the machine)
--------------------
www.goldmtobservingcenter.com
A great place for amateur astronomers, and ATM's to come and enjoy their hobby.
http://tech.groups.yahoo.com/group/HomemadeRefractorTelescopes/ My homemade refractor group.
www.vimeo.com/6014031
|
rwiederrich
Goldfinger
Reged: 11/17/05
Posts: 8226
Loc: Bremerton Washington
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Belts fitted and snugged up. these kinds of belts are so easy to put on and adjust.
Notice the spindles with their flanges...and how much lower they rest compared to the bench top...where in a previous image you can see the taper pins well above the top of the machine and tubs. 2 main retro items finished.
Now just to fit the scavanged motor to the drive chain....and weld up 4 poker pins.
Once this is done...I simply have to cut out 4 tables and mount them to the flanges.
I'm so excited to test run it.
Rob
--------------------
www.goldmtobservingcenter.com
A great place for amateur astronomers, and ATM's to come and enjoy their hobby.
http://tech.groups.yahoo.com/group/HomemadeRefractorTelescopes/ My homemade refractor group.
www.vimeo.com/6014031
|
Sky Captain
Metal Whisperer
Reged: 11/07/04
Posts: 7109
Loc: Issaquah, WA.
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Nice job Rob.
I need to come by and say hi.
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Equipment Overload!
Kerry
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rwiederrich
Goldfinger
Reged: 11/17/05
Posts: 8226
Loc: Bremerton Washington
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Quote:
Nice job Rob.
I need to come by and say hi.
Tackling the scavenged 2hp reduction drive motor is gonna be interesting. I gots to rip it off that large brown 2 table machine and figure out how I'm mounting it on this machine. It has to go from belt to chair..or I might be able to possibly change out the chair sproket on the new machine to a double pully......I need to think about this.
Rob
--------------------
www.goldmtobservingcenter.com
A great place for amateur astronomers, and ATM's to come and enjoy their hobby.
http://tech.groups.yahoo.com/group/HomemadeRefractorTelescopes/ My homemade refractor group.
www.vimeo.com/6014031
|
rwiederrich
Goldfinger
Reged: 11/17/05
Posts: 8226
Loc: Bremerton Washington
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Well..letting my fruitful mind work on it for a time I arrived at my solution. First I went over to my father-in=laws and snagged several large pieces of 10" square double angle plate steal...some smaller angle pieces and a bit of plate. Broke out the torch and welder and mounted the large square *U* plate on the bottom next to a similar piece. Clamped the large 2hp motor on its side on this and cut some angle and *U* and weldem them to the large steal base. Drilled mounting holes and bolted the motor down.
These images show different stages of my tinkering.
--------------------
www.goldmtobservingcenter.com
A great place for amateur astronomers, and ATM's to come and enjoy their hobby.
http://tech.groups.yahoo.com/group/HomemadeRefractorTelescopes/ My homemade refractor group.
www.vimeo.com/6014031
|
rwiederrich
Goldfinger
Reged: 11/17/05
Posts: 8226
Loc: Bremerton Washington
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I had to rewire the motor to. It was funkyly done by the previous owner. Here is a pic from the top showing the chain drive angle. As you can see,,I still need the chain and drive sprocket. Part of the motor is bolted down...the clamps are simply there when I was welding this up. I will drill out holes there and bolt the drive part down.
--------------------
www.goldmtobservingcenter.com
A great place for amateur astronomers, and ATM's to come and enjoy their hobby.
http://tech.groups.yahoo.com/group/HomemadeRefractorTelescopes/ My homemade refractor group.
www.vimeo.com/6014031
|
rwiederrich
Goldfinger
Reged: 11/17/05
Posts: 8226
Loc: Bremerton Washington
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This last images from the front..shows the large angle plate used as the base for everything. The motor runs at 57rpm...just nice. Bouncing back and forth from this and the making the 4 steal poker pins in the shop on the lathe was fun.
So...I finished..
1) Making 4 2.5"wide leather flat drive belts.
2) Modifying and remachining all 4 spindles by cutting them and machining threads on their ends to accept 4 flanges.
3) machined 4 poker pins on the lathe with 1/2" ball tips.
4) Machined 4 flanges to be mounted on the bottom of the 4 mirror tables.
5) Located, engineered, mounted a 2hp 56rpm outdrive motor to bottom of polishing machine base.
Lastly...I need to mount drive chain and drive sprocket(once they arrive)...and make the four mirror tables.
Fun fun fun. I will beable to work on four seporate mirrors independantly of one another at the same time...what a pleasure when that happens.
Thanks for looking in.
Rob(Off to the shop)
--------------------
www.goldmtobservingcenter.com
A great place for amateur astronomers, and ATM's to come and enjoy their hobby.
http://tech.groups.yahoo.com/group/HomemadeRefractorTelescopes/ My homemade refractor group.
www.vimeo.com/6014031
|
rwiederrich
Goldfinger
Reged: 11/17/05
Posts: 8226
Loc: Bremerton Washington
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Well got my chain and sprocket yesterday, and I installed them today.
Cut about 7 links from the chain and built a rolling idler to take up a bit of slack in the chain.
I bolted/welded the motor fixed after I measured the location for the motor. A bit of 3" 1/4' angle iron with a drilled hole to hold the neoprene roller was welded secure to the base iron plate...
Now things are all finished with the drive...and it works swell....
Here is an image of the finished motor and chain mounted.
--------------------
www.goldmtobservingcenter.com
A great place for amateur astronomers, and ATM's to come and enjoy their hobby.
http://tech.groups.yahoo.com/group/HomemadeRefractorTelescopes/ My homemade refractor group.
www.vimeo.com/6014031
|
rwiederrich
Goldfinger
Reged: 11/17/05
Posts: 8226
Loc: Bremerton Washington
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Closer peak through the machine at the new chain and idler.
--------------------
www.goldmtobservingcenter.com
A great place for amateur astronomers, and ATM's to come and enjoy their hobby.
http://tech.groups.yahoo.com/group/HomemadeRefractorTelescopes/ My homemade refractor group.
www.vimeo.com/6014031
|
rwiederrich
Goldfinger
Reged: 11/17/05
Posts: 8226
Loc: Bremerton Washington
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2 of the four poker pins I machined with 1/2" balls turned on the tips.
I'll rent a pallot jack and put the machine in the shop and then I'll get to making them tables for the flanges.
--------------------
www.goldmtobservingcenter.com
A great place for amateur astronomers, and ATM's to come and enjoy their hobby.
http://tech.groups.yahoo.com/group/HomemadeRefractorTelescopes/ My homemade refractor group.
www.vimeo.com/6014031
|
rwiederrich
Goldfinger
Reged: 11/17/05
Posts: 8226
Loc: Bremerton Washington
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Next is a few more images of the finished machine.
--------------------
www.goldmtobservingcenter.com
A great place for amateur astronomers, and ATM's to come and enjoy their hobby.
http://tech.groups.yahoo.com/group/HomemadeRefractorTelescopes/ My homemade refractor group.
www.vimeo.com/6014031
|
rwiederrich
Goldfinger
Reged: 11/17/05
Posts: 8226
Loc: Bremerton Washington
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One from the machines right side.
--------------------
www.goldmtobservingcenter.com
A great place for amateur astronomers, and ATM's to come and enjoy their hobby.
http://tech.groups.yahoo.com/group/HomemadeRefractorTelescopes/ My homemade refractor group.
www.vimeo.com/6014031
|
rwiederrich
Goldfinger
Reged: 11/17/05
Posts: 8226
Loc: Bremerton Washington
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|
Last image taken of the front....with new belts..new poker pins..new drive motot and chain.
I'm so excited to get this machine up and running and making mirrors and lenses.
Rob
--------------------
www.goldmtobservingcenter.com
A great place for amateur astronomers, and ATM's to come and enjoy their hobby.
http://tech.groups.yahoo.com/group/HomemadeRefractorTelescopes/ My homemade refractor group.
www.vimeo.com/6014031
|
rwiederrich
Goldfinger
Reged: 11/17/05
Posts: 8226
Loc: Bremerton Washington
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|
OK..these are the last images of my new machine after I retro fitted it and made it ready.
I rented a pallot jack and put it in the mirror making area of my shop.
--------------------
www.goldmtobservingcenter.com
A great place for amateur astronomers, and ATM's to come and enjoy their hobby.
http://tech.groups.yahoo.com/group/HomemadeRefractorTelescopes/ My homemade refractor group.
www.vimeo.com/6014031
|
rwiederrich
Goldfinger
Reged: 11/17/05
Posts: 8226
Loc: Bremerton Washington
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|
LIne up of mirror polishing machines....
--------------------
www.goldmtobservingcenter.com
A great place for amateur astronomers, and ATM's to come and enjoy their hobby.
http://tech.groups.yahoo.com/group/HomemadeRefractorTelescopes/ My homemade refractor group.
www.vimeo.com/6014031
|
rwiederrich
Goldfinger
Reged: 11/17/05
Posts: 8226
Loc: Bremerton Washington
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|
Telescopes and mirror making machines.....Mmm Mmm good stuff....
--------------------
www.goldmtobservingcenter.com
A great place for amateur astronomers, and ATM's to come and enjoy their hobby.
http://tech.groups.yahoo.com/group/HomemadeRefractorTelescopes/ My homemade refractor group.
www.vimeo.com/6014031
|
rwiederrich
Goldfinger
Reged: 11/17/05
Posts: 8226
Loc: Bremerton Washington
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Last imagae I'm gonna post..this is looking down the mirror making machine row from the sink..toward the large door.
Thanks for peeking in and thanks for your input.
Rob(OFF having fun fun fun)
--------------------
www.goldmtobservingcenter.com
A great place for amateur astronomers, and ATM's to come and enjoy their hobby.
http://tech.groups.yahoo.com/group/HomemadeRefractorTelescopes/ My homemade refractor group.
www.vimeo.com/6014031
|
Sky Captain
Metal Whisperer
Reged: 11/07/04
Posts: 7109
Loc: Issaquah, WA.
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|
Looking nice Rob! See you next week.
--------------------
Equipment Overload!
Kerry
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