[ATM] ATM: Channeled grinding tools-

[stainless_steel at suddenlink.net]

Michael,

By the time you are in the finer grades of alox, with no pits left over from 
the larger carbo, and you do the pencil test on each tile, you will see that 
a tile tool does in fact, in the end, fit precisely, everywhere. If it 
didn't, making a successfull mirror with a channeled tool would be 
impossible.

DLZ-130


On May 10, 2009, at 5:33 PM, Bob May wrote:

> One thing that I'm having trouble understanding is why there
> needs to be channels on the tool???

My original mirror, I used a glass tool. It was another blank. I used
it because the original  owner started the mirror with it, and I
didn't know much better.

The solid tool has a tendency to stick to the blank occasionally, and
can be a real issue to get them unstuck. Scary things like rubber
mallets, and other semi brutal methods. Sometimes what works best is
to stick the whole shebang in a bathtub for a couple days. A true PITA.

I haven't had it happen since going to  channeled tools. The process
of the problem might be part capillary action, maybe some surface
tension. I also suspect that the better the alignment, that is the
mirror and tool being an exact fit, might make the problem more
likely. Certainly the channeled tools will never match exactly.

-73 de Mike N3LI -