Shopping for your mirror-specific items
There are many options here and I want to make sure you are aware of them all. One way to go is to buy a kit from either Willmann-Bell or Newport Glass as discussed below. Another way to go is to buy a mirror blank and tool. In the workshop you can make your own cement tool for under $10.00. I will have available #60 grit, #120 grit, #320 grit silicon carbide abrasives available at cost from Salem Distributing. And I have abrasive below 500 grit available at no cost. I will also have pitch and cerium oxide for polishing available at a very friendly price.

Mirror Kits
Below I have listed some of the options. The prices for Willmann-Bell have been verified for this year. They have remained unchanged for the past 5 years. The kit prices from Newport glass were verified Oct 2001 and found to be the same as their 1997 catalogue. The detail blank and tool prices were not verified because they do not have the price list available on their internet page, but I suspect little or no change. The prices from United Lens were not verified, but one participant last year purchased 10 inch blanks from them at the cost shown.
Kit (option 1) Supplier ID Price
6 inch Educational kit (pyrex) Newport Glass KITED600C $119.95
6 inch kit Willmann-Bell $84.95
8 inch Educational kit (pyrex) Newport Glass KITED800C $169.75
8 inch kit Willmann-Bell $134.95
10 inch kit (pyrex) Newport Glass KIT 1000 $219.95
10 inch kit Willmann-Bell $234.95

The kits from Newport glass include:
•    Pyrex mirror blank
•    Glass tool
•    Silicon carbide -- 1 or 2 lbs each of: #80grit, #120 grit, #180 grit, #220 grit
•    White aluminum oxide -- 0.25 lbs each of: #30 grit, #25 grit, #20 grit, #15 grit, #9 grit
•    Cerium oxide -- 0.25lb
•    Burgandy pitch -- 1 lb

The Newport glass "educational kits" appear to be the same except the mirror and tool have pregenerated f/8 curves. The price includes aluminum coating but you have to send your finished mirror back to Newport, and the "C" suffix kits which I have listed have a 1/10 wave aluminized diagonal. Since the blanks have curves, the abrasives start at #220 Silicon carbide rather than 80.

The Willmann-Bell kits contain:
•    two equal pyrex blanks -- one to be used as a tool and the other to be used for the mirror
•    the necessary abrasives, pitch, and cerium oxide.

I see no comments about a diagonal. The two blanks is interesting because after you are through you can make a cement tool and make a second mirror from the tool.

Purchasing Individual Items

Mirror Blanks
Size Supplier Comment Price
6 inch United Lens $15.50
6 inch Willman-Bell $27.95
6 inch Newport Glass SPX600 $21.95
8 inch United Lens UL-23 $33.00
8 inch Willman-Bell $47.95
8 inch Newport Glass (non generated) SPX800 $39.95
10 inch United Lens UL-26 $84.00
10 inch Willman-Bell $111.95
10 inch Newport Glass (non generated) SPX1000 $120.00
12.5 inch United Lens UL-28 $170.00
12.5 inch Willman-Bell $181.95
12.5 inch Newport Glass (non generated) SPX1200 $169.95
      * United Lens requires a $75 minimum order

Mirror Tools
Size Supplier Comment Price
8 inch Willmann-bell buy another blank $47.95
8 inch Newport Glass T800 $21.95
10 inch Willmann-bell buy another blank $111.95


Ceramic Tiles for cement tools (option)
Size Supplier Comment Price
Cerq-hex-tol Willmann-bell 1 sq. ft. $8.95


Pitch
Type Supplier Comments Qty. Price
#73 Gugolz Salem Distributing 073-06-1 1 kg $17.17
#64 Gugolz Salem Distributing 064-06-1 1 kg $17.17
Burgandy pitch Willmann-Bell 1 lb $11.00
5 lb $25.00
Burgandy pitch tempered Willmann-Bell 1 lb $13.00
5 lb $35.00


Abrasives (Willman-Bell)
Silicon Carbide 4 oz 8 oz 1 lb 5 lb
40g $9.00 $20.00
60g $9.00 $20.00
80g $9.00 $20.00
120g $7.00 $8.00 $10.00 $20.00
220g $7.50 $8.50 $10.50 $20.00
320g $8.00 $9.00 $11.00 $25.00
500g $8.50 $9.50 $12.00 $27.00

Aluminum Oxide 4 oz 8 oz 1 lb 5 lb
120g $7.00 $8.00 $10.00 $20.00
220g $7.50 $8.50 $10.50 $20.00
320g $8.00 $9.00 $11.00 $25.00
500g $8.50 $9.50 $12.00 $27.00


Abrasives (Salem Distributing)
Silicon Carbide
60g $9.75
80g $9.75
120g $10.45
220g $10.88
320g $17.00
500g $29.00
600g $37.00

Aluminum Oxide
25 micron $17.00
12u $17.00
5u $17.00
3u $34.00



Suppliers
Willmann-Bell, Inc
P.O Box 35025
Richmond, Va. 23235
Ph 800-825-7827
FAX 804-272-5920
Info 804-320-7016
www.willbell.com

 Newport Glass
P.O. Box 127
10564 Fern Avenue
Stanton, Ca. 90680
Ph 714-484-7500 or 8100
FAX 714-484-7600 or 8101
E-mail ngw@netcom.com
www.newportglass.com
United Lens Company, Inc.
259 Worcester Street
Southbridge, Ma 01550-1325
Ph 508-765-5421
FAX 508-765-0500

 Salem Distributing Company
Wnston-Salem, North Carolina
1-800-456-8468
FAX 1-800-944-8468
(yes the 8468 is the same)