It’s
time to build primary mirror cells. They will consist of circles of ugly plywood, six 5/8” bolts,
springs, washers and wingnuts, six ¼”
masonite mounting pads and enough sticky tape to cover each of the pads.
Ugly plywood circle 5/16” holes at 120 deg cooling holes at 120 deg marking mirror
masonite
for pads 5/16” holes in
pads bevel holes in pads finished cell w/pads & bolts
side
view of finished cell tube/cell on
“optical bench” cell press fitted in
tube eyeball aligning secondary
eyeball
aligning primary primary
fore/aft for focus then marking
position in tube
A
machine bolt was inserted in each masonite pad with tapered head in beveled
hole to insure bolt face cleared the mirror surface, then double sided tape was
attached to the pad and the pad then attached to mirror. I drew circles on the mirror back centered on
the bolt positions to properly align pads – once stuck they are in place! Springs
were then placed on each bolt and the plywood cell then attached to the bolts
with nuts to permit adjustment of the mirror. Focus on a mountain 10 miles away
was reached with plywood primary cell about ¾” from the tube back – just right,
so no need to shorten tube. Tube and
upper ring total length is 56” – just fits in Jeep.