Technique Links

Glass Loading

Casting

Lifting

Cleaning

Grinding

Polishing

Testing

Integration

Shipping

Casting Techniques

	Prof. Philip Pinto explains for visitors the spin casting in progress. At this time (May 2000) the second 8.4-m mirror for the LBT was being cast.
	This view, inside the oven, shows Ohara E6 glass in the process of melting. It will soon seep between the alumina-silica columns to create a honeycomb structure. The temperature at this stage is ~ 1100 C.
	To produce a focal ratio of f/1.14 for an 8.4-m mirror, the oven rotates seven to eight times per minute, which results in the blurred image.
	This view of the casting lab shows the two 8.4-m mirrors for LBT in the foreground and a 6.5-m mirror  in the background.