The 1998 mirror class, the first of the 'modern' series, was held at the McGregor Observatory, but that was much too small. So the 1999 mirror class was held at the Springfield Community Center on Main Street in Springfield. There was plenty of room, but hauling our equipment and supplies in was a chore. Here are some photos we have located from that class.
Session (Unknown)
This is from an unkown session of the 1999 mirror class, held at the Springfield Community Center. Photos in this section by Ken Slater, a member of the class, and at that time a new member of the Springfield Telescope Makers.
1999 Stellafane Mirror Class Session 3 held on 1999-May-22 Session (Unknown)
Grinding in the main room - plenty of room for us, but we had to be careful not to damage the wood floors. Roger Williams, club member, grinds at left rear, while his friend, Peter Fishell, watches.
Grinding in the main room
1999 Stellafane Mirror Class Session 3 held on 1999-May-22 Session (Unknown)
Polishing was done in the smaller room off the main room, sort of a lobby. Again plenty of room for all.
Polishing in the anti-room
1999 Stellafane Mirror Class Session 3 held on 1999-May-22 Session (Unknown)
Mixing plaster in the huge old soapstone sink. Having running water in the kitchen area was a very nice thing!
Mixing Plaster
1999 Stellafane Mirror Class Session 3 held on 1999-May-22 Session (Unknown)
Pouring plaster in a cardboard form - Junie Esslinger's old ceral box.
Pouring Plaster
1999 Stellafane Mirror Class Session 3 held on 1999-May-22 Session (Unknown)
Ken Slater's sagitta tester, packed in Styrofoam for tranport to mirror class.
Sag Tester packed for transport
1999 Stellafane Mirror Class Session 3 held on 1999-May-22 Session (Unknown)
Ken checks the depth of his 6" mirror with his dial-gauge sagitta tester. He was the first build one at mirror class, and these are now standard in the mirror class.
Checking Depth
Session 3
Session 3 was held on Saturday, 1999-May-22 at the Springfield Community Center. Photos below by Gene Zagorsky, who was a member of the class (see last photo).
1999 Stellafane Mirror Class Session 3 held on 1999-May-22 Session 3
Wayne Zuhl concentrates on checking his sagitta with Ken Slater's gauge.
Wayne checking depth
1999 Stellafane Mirror Class Session 3 held on 1999-May-22 Session 3
Bruce and his son set up their dual grinding bench.
Bruce and his son
1999 Stellafane Mirror Class Session 3 held on 1999-May-22 Session 3
Bruce bevels his mirror at the kitchen sink while Brad Vietje looks on.
Bruce bevels
1999 Stellafane Mirror Class Session 3 held on 1999-May-22 Session 3
Maryann Arien hogs out her 10-inch with an iron pipe cap. As president of the STM's, she helped get mirror classes started in 1998 and 1999.
Maryann Hogs Out
1999 Stellafane Mirror Class Session 3 held on 1999-May-22 Session 3
The First Stellafane Tester, built and documented on the Stellafane web site by Ken Slater.
The First Stellafane Tester
1999 Stellafane Mirror Class Session 3 held on 1999-May-22 Session 3
Jack Heinzman uses Dave Kelly's tester. Ken Slater built a crude wooden version, and a few months later Dave Kelly had constructed this excellent aluminum version which was used in mirror class.
Dave Kelly's Tester
1999 Stellafane Mirror Class Session 3 held on 1999-May-22 Session 3
Wayne Zuhl, (unknown) and Gene Zagorsky work at the kitchen sink on their bevels.
Checking Bevels
1999 Stellafane Mirror Class Session 3 held on 1999-May-22 Session 3
(Unknown), Junie Esslinger and Gene Zagorsky. Junie is melting picth, but he was also instrumental in working with Maryann Arien to get the Mirror Class established in the late 1990's.
Beveling at the Sink
1999 Stellafane Mirror Class Session 3 held on 1999-May-22 Session 3
Gene Zagorsky grinds. Dave McGaw and Joel Gillman flank him, both club members.
