Another Question

Started by mad_astronomer, 09/24/2002 07:55AM
Posted 09/24/2002 07:55AM Opening Post
Where in the blazes can one get plate glass blanks. I am on a tight budget but I want to make something fairly large ~17-20" and therefore I can't really afford much other than plate (since my last post, I looked at BVC prices and still found them to be a tad stiff). I will first learn on a smaller mirror, say ~10", at a mirror making class taught by our local mirror making Guru, so I think that I should be able to work with a large slab of thin plate glass upon completion of this class. (I've already done a fair ammount of background reading on the subject)

Greg

"Though parted by a gulf more impassable than any sea, the telescope lets us traverse what otherwise had been barred and lands us at last above the shores we went forth to seek. Real the journey is, though incorporeal in kind. Since the seeing strange sights is the essence of all far wanderings, it is as truly tavel so the eye arrive as if the body kept it company." Pervcival Lowell
Posted 09/24/2002 04:36PM #1
Thick plate glass is a rare find these days. Dan Cassaro sells som 16" blanks that are 7/8" thick. He also has some 20" available in this thickness but even I would be hesitent to tackle it. Mind you my first mirror was a 14" out of 3/4" plate. Currently I am working on an 18.625" blank out of 7/8" plate but I would not be comfortable going any larger. The only problem with Dan's glass is that he is back logged a bit, and is currently trying to get caught up. If you are not familiar with the ATM resource page check it out at:

http://www.freenet.tlh.fl.us/~blombard/

Another option is to talk a local glass company into getting you some 1" plate glass. It is no longer made in the U.S. but is still able to be found. Up to a 20" mirror should be possible.

Jack