Zight: Enhancing Your Telescope View with Precision Mirror Blanks
United Glass LLC
Why consider Zight for your telescope mirrors?
Our team’s focus on your market ensures we develop products that are actually designed with your needs in mind. And because we manufacture here instead of overseas, you’re not eating increased costs from having the glass freighted across the Atlantic and stored in the US.
What kind of product availability and order turnaround can I expect from Zight?
We manufacture and stock all the most commonly used tools and blanks so there’s no worry on your end whether the glass you need is available. And rest assured, if we don’t have the size you’re looking for in stock, we’ll make it and have it ready for you within a couple weeks.
Custom sizes to suit your needs
We understand that having the right tool can make or break your mirror grinding project. We can make any size you need, talk to your Zight representative about it.
Zight for Stars
United Glass LLC
Borosilicate 3.3 Mirror Blanks - Annealed
Circular glass manufactured in 3.3 Borosilicate has been the standard in the mirror-making industry since the float method manufacturing was introduced. This methods ensures your glass is made with:
- · A great melt, removing micro-bubbles and strain lines which can impact the quality and optics of the mirror.
- · A highly parallel and flat surface, which helps you save time and avoid unwanted variances when grinding & polishing your mirror.
Optical Properties
ZIGHT Borosilicate Glass is completely transparent and shows no substantial absorption of the light spectrum.
- · Refractive Index: 1.473 (λ = 587.6 nm) n
- · Photoelastic constant: 5.0*10—6 mm2 .N—1
- · Thermal Expansion Coefficient: 3.3 X 10-6ºK
- · Density: 2.23 g/cm3
ZIGHT FOR STARS
Tempered vs. Annealed
A tempered glass is much harder (because of the thermal treatment it undergoes) making it better suited for industrial applications but less suited for applications where the glass will be machined down or transformed. With annealed glass, the glass can be cut, drilled, machined or polished without loosing its properties or shattering.
Zight for Stars
United Glass LLC
Soda Lime Glass Tool - Annealed
Soda lime glass is ideal for mirror grinding tools and many of our customers now prefer using a glass tool over a ceramic tile disc. Soda lime is also produced by the float method and ensures:
- · A great melt, removing micro-bubbles and imperfections.
- · A highly parallel and flat surface, giving you total control of how you shape and prep your mirror tools.
Soda Lime is an excellent alternative to other tool materials as it allows for an ideal glass-on-glass grinding process but with a more cost-effective glass material than the borosilicate blank.
Not to mention eliminating the typical disadvantages of using tile (like water proofing and degradation).
Optical Properties
ZIGHT Borosilicate Glass is completely transparent and shows no substantial absorption of the light spectrum.
- · Refractive Index: 1.473 (λ = 587.6 nm) n
- · Photoelastic constant: 5.0*10—6 mm2 .N—1
- · Thermal Expansion Coefficient: 3.3 X 10-6ºK
- · Density: 2.23 g/cm3
ZIGHT FOR STARS
ANNEALED BLANKS & TOOLS
There are some common sizes we normally keep in stock to cover any urgencies that come up. However, we can swing any size you need with a favorable lead time that you won’t find with anyone else.
| Unit ID | (d) Overall Diameter | (t) Overall Thickness |
|---|---|---|
| XX-6X25 | 6" (152.4mm) | 1" (25mm) |
| XX-8X25 | 8" (203.2mm) | 1" (25mm) |
| XX-8X32 | 8" (203.2mm) | 1.25" (32mm) |
| XX-10X38 | 10" (254mm) | 1.5" (38mm) |
| XX-12X38 | 12" (304.8mm) | 1.5" (38mm) |
| XX-12X51 | 12" (304.8mm) | 2" (51mm) |
| XX-16X51 | 16" (406.4mm) | 2" (51mm) |
| XX-24X76 | 24" (609.7mm) | 3" (76mm) |
| XX - Product Code |
|---|
| AB- Annealed Borosilicate |
| AS- Annealed Soda Lime |
| QZ- Quartz (Fused Silica) |
ZIGHT FOR STARS
Need a different size?
We can make any custom size for your mirror blanks. Just ask one of our Zight representatives about how to get the perfect size glass for your project.