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<TITLE>Fast, Perfect Pitch Laps!</TITLE>

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Photos of the "Perfect Pitch" lap mold, along with some laps it has made.

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Images of the LM-4 mold and representative laps are shown below. To view a higher resolution

image of these images, simply click within any of them. Send me images of your great laps, and I'll add them to the site.</H3>

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</A><H3>A photo of the LM-3 "Perfect Pitch" lap mold. Note that the newer LM-4 is translucent white, not yellow.</H3>

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</A><H3>A 10.6" diameter pitch lap for a Lurie-Houghton astrocamera, made with the new LM-4 lap mold.</H3>

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</A><H3>A close-up shot of the above pitch lap, showing the crisp facets and tapered pitch square side-walls. You can also see how the lap mold replicates the curvature of the primary mirror, minimizing or eliminating hot pressing.</H3>

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<P>This image of a crisp lap (with a bit of a comical touch) was submitted by Brian Seyferth. He adds: "Thanx for the lap mold. The enclosed is my first lap. I took the 12" all the way through the final figuring and put it in a scope. I then decided to shorten the focal length, and am part way through the process for the 2nd time. It makes great laps."

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</A><H3>Here's a picture of a pitch lap made with the older LM-2 lap mold, submitted by user Chris Erwin. Since laps made with the mold have a thin film of pitch at the bottom of the channels, it's tricky to get good contrast in a photo.

The sharp, well-defined facets show best in profile, as seen along the top edge of this tool.

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Here's some comments and a nice photo from Bruce Grim:

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I wanted to tell you how pleased I am with my first attempt lap. This is a revolutionary method and you are to be commended - I will certainly talk it up around here. Years ago I got fairly proficient with the old open rubber mats, but this is considerably easier and I'm sure, far more consistent for anyone. See the attachment for a photo of my 8" lap.

Thanks a bunch!

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Speaking of comments, here's a testimonial from Craig Nance, in Hawaii:

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Aloha Kevin! I'm a huge fan of your pitch lap mold! I ordered one some time ago and have enjoyed using it ever since. I have tried every other technique to make laps over the years, and your mold is the way to go. I have made dozens of laps with itand am delighted how "perfect" they come out. I still have a sense of amazement whenever I peel the mold off and reveal a perfect pitch lap! This past weekend I made a 20" f/6 pitch lap using the mosaic technique; first time I have tried this. Your directions were very helpful and it ended up being the best lap of a larger size I have ever made. I should stop right there and be eternally grateful. (Craig goes on to ask if I make any larger size molds to do it in a single pour; alas, the CNC master molds would be economically justified) Again, the pitch lap mold is an AWESOME product! Thanks so very much for offering such a fine product!

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And, lastly, one from Richard Jones:

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Just wanted to let you know that I finally got around to making a pitch lap with one of your molds. It is a ten inch Sitall mirror blank that I am

working on at present. The lap came out beautiful. I couldn't believe that none of the pitch stuck to the lap mold! I did lose two of the very small

edge pieces when peeling off the mold but this was quickly corrected with a butane torch and reapplied. One warm press and I was ready to

polish. You deserve a medal from the Amateur Telescope Making community for coming up with this mold. To think of all the time I have spent

making laps a la Texereau; I couldn't be more pleased. Now the hardest part of mirror making is a thing of the past. I can forge ahead knowing

that when or if this lap wears out the next lap will be a piece of cake. Usually, when the mirror is finally polished out the lap is thin and hard, not

good for parabolizing. I will make! a! new lap just for parabolizing since it is so easy.

Thank you again for your lap molds.

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