From: Richard M. Koolish (koolish@bbn.com)
Date: 04/22/02-07:37:34 AM Z
> I do my initial polish with a wheel. Even though it is a special jeweler's
> wheel with special bearings and other things to reduce vibration to almost
> nothing, I still must do the final buffing by hand with two buffs. I cannot
> explain in words how to polish a dag plate. One must be shown by an
> experienced daguerreotypist. A poorly polished plate not only gives a poor
> image but is not as sensitive as a properly polished one. I have read
> somewhere that the early daguerreotypists had machine powered leather buffs.
> Perhaps something could be devised but I do not know how well they would
> work. During my training I was taught how and where to place my hands during
> buffing and how to get an even polish. Also how to know when the plate is
> correctly polished. It struck me as being similar to mirror grinding for
> astronomical telescope mirror when the final stage is also done by hand.
>
> Bob Schramm
Optics (telescope mirrors, lenses, etc) are traditionally polished with a
pitch lap and rouge. Amateurs often make small mirrors completely by hand,
including the rough grinding.
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