Waite Research Mirrors For Telescopes

Waite Research Mirrors For Telescopes Maker of Premium Telescope Optics and Dobsonian Telescopes

📘 Three Critical Telescope Mirror Making Blunders (And How to Avoid Them).

Lessons I've learned from years of making mirrors. Download FREE copy: https://checkout.mailerlite.com/checkout/31273 Waite Research – Precision Optics for Astronomy, Industry & Science

At Waite Research, we design and fabricate premium optics for advanced applications. From custom telescope mirrors (6″ to 38.5″) to specialized short focal-length designs, our optics are built for performance. We

proudly serve amateur astronomers, as well as industrial and scientific clients who rely on precision optics for their instruments. Every mirror we produce is crafted with accuracy and brightness in mind. With decades of experience and state-of-the-art fabrication techniques, Waite Research delivers optics that drive discovery, innovation, and exploration.

08/22/2026

Getting It Dialed In on the 18-Inch F/4

In the shop, wrapping up the final fine-grinding session on an 18-inch F/4 mirror, working through the last smoothing stages using 9-micron microgrit aluminum oxide. Those subtle blue tones on the edge? That is just the abrasive interacting with the tile tool.

Precision optics is a journey of patience and exact process, but you don't have to guess your way through it.

Want to master the craft without the costly trial-and-error? The No-Fail 6-Inch Telescope Mirror ebook and video guide are coming soon.

My goal is to do more than give you instructions. I want to help you understand the process well enough that you begin to think like a mirror maker.

👉 Pre-Order Special: Lock in early for the complete step-by-step guide and video tutorials at a special pre-launch promotional price. The No-Fail 6-Inch Telescope Mirror ebook is still available at the $18 pre-launch price, but only until it’s released (about the end of August). After launch, the price will be $27.

Get The No-Fail 6-Inch Telescope Mirror for $18, https://waite-research-no-fail-6-inch-build.subscribepage.io/

Clear skies,
Gordon Waite

08/09/2026

Perfecting the Curve: Shaping an 18-inch F/4 Mirror 🔭

Getting that curve dialed in on a large 18-inch f/4 mirror is all about consistency. In this shop session, I’m using a tile tool I made with 1x1 pool tiles and dental plaster. This tool is paired with #120 silicon carbide abrasive to establish the desired radius on the glass blank.

The previous sessions I was using the steel nut tool with #24 grit to hog out the curve on the flat blank. I started the curve by hand before setting it up on the fixed-post mirror grinding machine.

After getting part of the depth needed with the steel tool, I switched to my tile tool using #24, #40, #60, #80 and then to the #120 grit.

Using the right combination of tool and grit at this stage is essential to ensure the curve is formed accurately before moving on to finer stages.

I’ve spent years refining these steps. I’ve put three lessons—the ones that actually move the needle—into my free guide: 3 Critical Telescope Mirror Making Blunders (And How to Avoid Them).

🔗 Grab your free copy at the link in my bio!

Every telescope mirror maker remembers their first successful mirror. They also remember the mistakes.After decades of m...
07/30/2026

Every telescope mirror maker remembers their first successful mirror. They also remember the mistakes.

After decades of making custom telescope mirrors and helping amateur telescope makers around the world, I've seen the same questions come up over and over. Most aren't about talent—they're about knowing the right technique at the right time.

That's why I wrote 📘The No-Fail 6-Inch Telescope Mirror ebook.

This step-by-step guide walks you through the complete process of building a smooth, accurate 6-inch mirror with confidence. Along the way, I'll share the practical workshop techniques, troubleshooting tips, and lessons I've learned over decades in the shop.

Inside you'll learn:
🔹 How to choose the right materials and tools
🔹 Fine grinding and polishing techniques
🔹 How to recognize and correct common problems
🔹 When your mirror is ready for coating
🔹 Links to my YouTube demonstrations throughout the book

Whether you're making your first mirror or building your next one, my goal is simple: to help you create a telescope mirror you'll be proud to observe with.

📘 The ebook is now available for pre-order at a special introductory price of just $18. After launch, the price will increase.

I'd love to help you build your next mirror.

👉 Reserve your copy today:
https://checkout.mailerlite.com/checkout/32386

07/29/2026

Save your glass—and your sanity. Skip the frustrating trial-and-error that sets most mirror makers back weeks. 📚Grab our FREE guide: "Three Critical Telescope Mirror Making Blunders Beginners Make—and How to Avoid Them". Free instant download 📚👇
tinyurl.com/33szmrja

Fixing a bad turned-down edge takes patience, the right technique, and time at the lap. 🛠️✨

In this clip, we’re demonstrating how to correct an edge using a full-size pitch polisher placed over the mirror with very short, controlled back-and-forth strokes while rotating the tool. It’s methodical work—often taking 15-minute sessions over several runs—but getting that edge right makes all the difference in your final figure.

Watch the breakdown above, grab your free guide, and drop a comment below. 🔭

07/25/2026

From Flat Blank to Curve: Hogging Out an 18-inch F4 Mirror 🔭✨

If you are dreaming of building your own fast primary, don’t miss my free ebook where I share the hard-earned lessons from decades at the turntable: Three Critical Telescope Mirror Making Blunders (And How to Avoid Them).

🔗 Grab your free Ebook at the link in our bio.

To make the curve on this 18-inch mirror blank, I'm doing some work by hand before setting up the fixed post on the mirror grinding machine to let the machinery do the heavy lifting. For the handwork, I am using an 8-inch steel nut tool and grinding with #24 silicon carbide.
Back to the grind,
Gordon

07/18/2026

Over 3 million views on YouTube. Mirrors from 6" to 38.5". Decades at the turntable.

And the question I get most often is still: "Why isn't my mirror making progress?"

The answer, almost every time, is one of the same 12 mistakes.

I've written them all down — along with the fix for each one — in my new ebook:

📖 Twelve Mirror Making Mistakes That Beginners Make (Plus a Bonus) — and the Fixes That Save You Weeks of Frustration

From rough grinding blunders to pitch lap problems to the figuring errors that send people in circles for months, this guide covers the full journey from blank to paraboloid. Written for beginners, but useful for anyone whose mirror isn't behaving.

Just $14.99. Instant download.

👉 [link in comments]

If you know someone who's been struggling with a mirror, tag them below. 👇

07/16/2026

Micro-Grit: Why Less Pressure Means Better Results 🔭

Most telescope mirror makers start with standard abrasives and heavy weights, but when you move to micro-grit, the old rules don't apply. Because micro-grit uses flat platelets, adding weight doesn’t make the grind go faster.

In my workshop, I keep it simple:

✨Lose the weight: Let the micro-grit platelets do the heavy lifting naturally.
✨Keep it moist: A quick sq**rt of fresh 12-micron abrasive on the edge every two minutes ensures a consistent grind for the full 40–45 minute session.
✨The final step: Once that session is wrapped, take the tool off, clean the setup and switch to 9-micron for the final step.

I’ve spent years refining these steps and watching where newcomers trip up. I’ve put three important lessons—the ones that actually move the needle—into my free guide: "3 Critical Telescope Mirror Making Blunders (And How to Avoid Them)".
Grab your copy at the link in my bio!

07/10/2026

Before you can figure a telescope mirror, you have to know where it is actually polishing.

In this short video clip, Gordon Waite demonstrates a simple but revealing laser test on a 20-inch F/3.0 telescope mirror after a polishing session.

By shining a small laser pointer across the surface at an oblique angle, Gordon can see whether different zones of the mirror are fully polished yet. In the center of the mirror, you can see two dots. The brighter dot on the left is the reflection from the bottom of the glass, while the second dot, closer to the laser, is the reflection from the top surface. When that top-surface reflection is visible, it tells us that area of the mirror is not yet fully polished.

As Gordon moves the laser toward the edge, the second dot begins to fade and then disappears. That shows the outer zones are polishing much better than the center. In this case, the center still needs more polish, while the area from about the 50–60% zone out to the edge is already much better polished.

This kind of simple test helps guide the next step. Instead of guessing, Gordon can adjust the polishing technique to bring more action into the center and even out the polish across the full surface.

It’s a great example of how telescope mirror making is part craftsmanship, part testing, and part knowing how to read what the glass is telling you.

Watch the whole video on the Gordon Waite YouTube channel:
Testing the Polish on a 20-inch F/3.0 Telescope Mirror with a Laser
We will put a link to the video in the first comment.

07/06/2026

Mastering the Perfect Overhang: The Key to Precision Optics 🔭✨
Achieving a perfectly spherical telescope mirror requires more than just patience—it's about the technical precision behind every stroke.
The "fixed post" technique is a foundational aspect of my process for grinding telescope mirrors, ensuring consistency throughout the shaping phase. Maintaining the tool in a static, calculated position allows for a controlled, predictable grinding process that generally results in a nearly spherical mirror.
The effectiveness of this approach relies on two primary factors:
Tool Size: For a given mirror, the tool should typically be about 75% of the mirror's diameter.
Offset Calculation: The overhang (the offset) is established to be about 15% of the tool's diameter.
For example, if you are working with a 12-inch mirror, you would want to use a 9-inch tool and set your overhang at slightly under 1.5 inches. By adhering to these ratios and keeping the tool in a fixed position, you can significantly improve your results in the workshop.
Understanding these fundamentals is a game-changer. I have compiled more of the essential lessons I’ve gathered from years of making mirrors into my free guide, 3 Critical Telescope Mirror Making Blunders (And How to Avoid Them). You can download your copy at the link in my bio to help refine your own technique and avoid common errors.

Before you grind another stroke, read this.Every experienced telescope mirror maker has learned a few lessons the hard w...
07/01/2026

Before you grind another stroke, read this.
Every experienced telescope mirror maker has learned a few lessons the hard way.

If you're grinding your first mirror—or even getting back into the hobby after a long break—there are a few common pitfalls that can quietly derail your progress. The good news? They're all avoidable.

That's why Gordon put together this FREE PDF guide:

📘 Three Critical Telescope Mirror Making Blunders Beginners Make—and How to Avoid Them

Inside, you'll discover:

✅ The simple mistakes that can cost hours of unnecessary rework
✅ Practical workshop advice from decades of hands-on mirror making
✅ Proven techniques to help you produce a better telescope mirror

Whether you're working on a 6-inch mirror or a 20-inch project, these lessons can save you time, frustration, and help you enjoy the process even more.

Download your FREE copy here:
👉 tinyurl.com/33szmrja

Or simply click the link in our Facebook bio.

We'd love to hear what mirror you're working on—tell us in the comments! 🔭

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