Mirror Cell and Plop Related Links and References

Ross Orr shows an improved mechanical design for the common 3-point plywood cell.
http://www.glpbooks.com/oyb/roscope/pri_cell.html

An Easy to Make Six Point Mirror Cell
http://www.starastronomy.org/TelescopeMaking/MirrorCell/index.html

A very clean six point mirror cell by Albert Highe
http://www.ultralightscopes.com/images/CellAsm.jpg These cells are components of Albert's commercial telescopes http://www.ultralightscopes.com/

Another nice six point cell http://www.strnad-emskirchen.de/12_zoll.htm

Jan Van Gestal's page has some good cell ideas and experiences.
http://home.wanadoo.nl/jhm.vangastel/Astronomy/50cmscope/20inch_e.htm

A different way of doing a six point cell. This one was invented by Richard Schwartz. It might be called a 5 + 1 design to distinguish it from those with 6 points in a single ring. The web page is by Tom Krajci. http://overton.tamu.edu/aset/krajci/cell-6-pt/cell-6-pt.htm I haven't done much Plop analysis of this design. What little I have done has not indicated an improvement over the 6 points in a ring design as far as supporting the mirror is concerned. The convenience of near 90 degree arrangement of the collimation bolts is another matter, not addressed by Plop, or me.

Tom Krajci's interesting 12-point cells
http://overton.tamu.edu/aset/krajci/cell-12-pt/cell-12-pt.htm

Tom Krajci's analysis of the effects of support pad size http://overton.tamu.edu/aset/krajci/cell-wide-pad/cell-wide-pad.htm

Nils Olof Carlin has used Plop to study the effects of edge supports that inadvertently apply axial forces to a mirror.http://web.telia.com/~u41105032/sling/sling.htm

Jeff Anderson Lee's layouts for 18-point and higher cells. Has Plop .gr files for each.
http://www.cs.berkeley.edu/~jonah/18plus/

A Study of 18-point Mirror Cell Optimization Using Varying Forces
Jeff Anderson-Lee
http://www.cs.berkeley.edu/~jonah/18plus/p18.html

Bruce Sayre's 20-inch cell
http://www.foothill.net/~sayre/20-in.%20cell.htm

Frédéric Géa's astatic supports http://www.astrosurf.com/altaz/astatic.htm,
chrysocal levers (astatic supports with flex bearings for minimal hysteresis) http://www.astrosurf.com/altaz/chrysocallevers.htm,
and music wire lateral supports http://www.astrosurf.com/altaz/lateralsupport.htm

Plop Setup Files

One stop shopping for your Plop setup file needs. A collection of Plop setup files (.gr files) for several different cell geometries. This includes Tom and Jeff's 12 point designs, Jeff's collection of 18 and over cells and some others not available elsewhere. http://www.atmsite.org/contrib/Holm/cells/plopsetup.html