"Airy R. Bean" wrote in message
...
Presumably also, therefore, with the miniature grinding
wheels of the "Dremel" style?

"john jardine" wrote in message
...material is basically quite soft and can be easily shaped with an
angle
grinder....



Yes. They work very well (even more so the diamond tipped fitments) but
take a god awful amount of time to process any useful areas.

The 'select 1 of 10' ATU would seem a grade 1 mechanical-electrical
juggernaut of switches, relays?, screening cans, adjustable inductors
(roller coasters?), variables caps, connectors and knobs. I wish you a
interesting journey :-).
During a radio phase I think I also tried 'em all. Concluded they're all
much-of-a-muchness and finally settled on a 2 component "L". (The human
ear's 'Db' response seems to make a bit of a mockery of equipment technical
spec's :-).
regards
john

I'll make up some switches out of brass rod - what I
have in mind is something like a large banana plug & socket
combination activated by nylon or PTFE rods. (I don't envisage
one FG rotary switch - I'll do it with separate switches,
possibly with some interlocking along the lines of
old railway signal box practice - I've enough books here
on that subject!

Primary doodles indicate that the antenna could be left
permanently connected to the inductor and one of the C's,
except in the case of a "T" network when it needs to be
connected to the other end of the said C.

There won't be any relays. The vertical antenna to the base
of which the ATU will be directly coupled is about 10 ft from
the shack and what I have in mind to use is a series of
activating rods - cunningly hidden/faced by a small picket fence.

The only area of development I haven't yet sussed out is how
to pass the operating rods into and out of a sealed (to keep
out the rain) chamber. Perhaps something like the stern
gland of a ship's propeller shaft might come into play here.

"john jardine" wrote in message
...
The 'select 1 of 10' ATU would seem a grade 1 mechanical-electrical
juggernaut of switches, relays?, screening cans, adjustable inductors
(roller coasters?), variables caps, connectors and knobs. I wish you a
interesting journey :-).

PS. Don't expect any reports of rapid progress - mechanical
contrivances seem to take me an age, and I'm also undertaking
my own "vibroplex" bug key at the same time (Hence this
thread about marble slabs) . Mechanics is frustratingly slow.....

1. In software, you get an idea, and a couple of hours later, your
prototype is working well and exciting you as to the possibilities
of the next version.

2. In hardware, you get an idea, and a couple of days later, your
prototype breadboard is singing along.

3. In mechanics, you get an idea which requires 10 components,
and one week later you're lucky if you've managed to make the jig
for machining the first of those components!

"Airy R. Bean" wrote in message
...
I'll make up some switches out of brass rod -

"Airy R. Bean" wrote in message
...
PS. Don't expect any reports of rapid progress - mechanical
contrivances seem to take me an age, and I'm also undertaking
my own "vibroplex" bug key at the same time (Hence this
thread about marble slabs) . Mechanics is frustratingly slow.....

1. In software, you get an idea, and a couple of hours later, your
prototype is working well and exciting you as to the possibilities
of the next version.

You didn't manage that at Westinghouse, did you? As I recall you got sacked
for not getting it working.

2. In hardware, you get an idea, and a couple of days later, your
prototype breadboard is singing along.

With or without Big K?

3. In mechanics, you get an idea which requires 10 components,
and one week later you're lucky if you've managed to make the jig
for machining the first of those components!


Fettled castings, stuck threads, etc etc.

"Airy R. Bean" wrote in message
...
PS. Don't expect any reports of rapid progress - mechanical
contrivances seem to take me an age, and I'm also undertaking
my own "vibroplex" bug key at the same time (Hence this
thread about marble slabs) . Mechanics is frustratingly slow.....

1. In software, you get an idea, and a couple of hours later, your
prototype is working well and exciting you as to the possibilities
of the next version.

2. In hardware, you get an idea, and a couple of days later, your
prototype breadboard is singing along.

3. In mechanics, you get an idea which requires 10 components,
and one week later you're lucky if you've managed to make the jig
for machining the first of those components!

"Airy R. Bean" wrote in message
...
I'll make up some switches out of brass rod -


Absolutely true!.
About 30 years ago I picked up a rake of bits and pieces from an amateur who
operated in the 30's. Drawers full of brass stud terminals, connectors, wire
crimp ends, knob pointers etc. nickel plated screw-downs etc. They're much
too nice to use for normal construction and I've been waiting for a project
to turn up where it's worth spending the time to make use of them. (maybe
have to invent some kind of art-deco project) The Vibroplex idea is just
this kind of much-sweat-n-toil, 'object of beauty', that's actually worth
passing down from generation to generation. All the electronics and
programming I've ever done, is so GD transient that I'm lucky to remember
any of it after even a couple of years.
regards
john

A fatal attitude to progressing with useful projects in
the mean time!

I had this approach to a number of things until someone
pointed out to me that the most expensive and luxurious
item that is already in your junk box is much, much
cheaper than the shoddiest thing you can buy!

Now, if it's to hand, and will do the job, I use
it and move on.

For example, I had a 28MHz 2-ele beam that was in
its original packing for many years - then the aluminiium
tube got used to make the legs of a clock-testing horse
last year.


"john jardine" wrote in message
...
...... They're much
too nice to use for normal construction and I've been waiting for a
project
to turn up where it's worth spending the time to make use of them......