rwiederrich
Goldfinger
Reged: 11/17/05
Posts: 8333
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: 8333
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: 8333
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: 8333
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: 666
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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: 8333
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: 1222
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, 10XW, 5XO
Member of the Calumet Astronomical Society
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mark cowan
Vendor (Obsidian Optics)
Reged: 06/03/05
Posts: 2159
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: 8333
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: 1237
Loc: Estonia
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Could be useful for making huge binos 
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rwiederrich
Goldfinger
Reged: 11/17/05
Posts: 8333
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: 1572
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: 8333
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: 4037
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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12 inch Truss Reflector "John"
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: 3125
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: 8333
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: 8333
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
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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: 8333
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
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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: 8333
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.
--------------------
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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