"Radio Man" wrote in message
news:SbyFd.20564$lG.19133@trnddc03...
I wonder if there is any merit in using aluminum foil
duct tape to make a capacitor?

I wonder what the background to you idea is?

New approaches to existing designs should offer one or more of:

Cost savings (cheaper materials, less man hours, ease of manufacture etc)
Better reliability and/or life (not the same thing by the way)
Extra functionality

For most things, the cost of materials is not a cost driver- the cost of the
material in a variable capacitor is dwarfed by the labour and machining
costs.

So, how does using duct tape help?

The CD idea falls flat as, while they may be cheap, the amount of machining
'saved' is mininmal. I suppose if you are totally strapped for cash, out of
work and with time on your hands, they may offer some advantage, but you
end up with a 'product' of inferior quality. Engineers who are driven by
such a penny pinching approach usually end up bankrupting their company as
their products are poor.


--
Brian Reay
www.g8osn.org.uk
www.amateurradiotraining.org.uk
FP#898