Stretched membrane mirror test

[I_Forgot]

Here is my second test. This time it's a 14" diameter flower pot tray with metallized film stretched over it. I added an air hose spigot and sucked a little air out of of the chamber behind the film. It works!

The flower pot tray is a little flimsy so it tends to loose the circular shape when the film starts pulling at it, but the principle appears sound so I'll be looking for larger forms to use. The goal is to go to a 1m diameter mirror, with better film, which I have waiting for the larger form.

I'll try burning something with the mirror tomorrow!

Here's a picture.

I_F

[Bill Fitzpatrick]

If you could get the air in and out fast enough you have a pretty big woofer.

[neutron7]

you could use a bicycle rim for the form. they are very rigid.

you would have to seal up the spoke holes and mount it to some wood or something like that.

[soongsc]

Originally posted by I_Forgot
Here is my second test. This time it's a 14" diameter flower pot tray with metallized film stretched over it. I added an air hose spigot and sucked a little air out of of the chamber behind the film. It works!

The flower pot tray is a little flimsy so it tends to loose the circular shape when the film starts pulling at it, but the principle appears sound so I'll be looking for larger forms to use. The goal is to go to a 1m diameter mirror, with better film, which I have waiting for the larger form.

I'll try burning something with the mirror tomorrow!

Here's a picture.

I_F

If that only going to be a mirror?

[I_Forgot]

Yes, just a mirror, but there are some amazing things that can be done with large concave mirrors. Stereoscopic display systems, heads-up inspection magnifiers, wienie roasters, the list goes on and on...

If I can manage to put together a large reasonable quality mirror I expect to at least try using it for a telescope. I'm not expecting much there, but who knows? A 1 m diameter mirror will have some serious light gathering power. I am thinking about trying some electrical correction to a parabolic shape.

I_F