Miscellaneous Items

Updated April 18, 2016

I am making a microphone using a 1.25" wooden ball and piece of 1/2" PVC pipe.

The ball started with a pre-drilled hole. I cut off a flat area on a bandsaw and used a Dremel to manually enlarge the openings.

I will add a strain relief & cord, screen, and 1 or 2 electret mic elements to it.

I intend it to actually be functional.

I don't know if I will try this idea or not. I noticed that the dimensions of some large drink bottle caps are very close to the 2 large Dialights used on the chest. They even have little ribs around the outside. If they were stacked on a slice from a 1-1/4" pipe they are very similar. A person could cut out the top and put in a circular piece from a cheap push closet lamp for a lens.

Over all, it would be easier to buy either the real thing or a resin copy from a club vendor. But just because it is easier doesn't mean that I won't try this idea. It could be very cheap except for the time to put into it.

I believe that some small copper plumbing fittings can be used to make the brain light rods.

I tried to create a fiberglass brain cup using some plastic drinking cups for molds. It didn't work well and was lopsided, so I threw it out.

I also suspect that it would transmit a lot of motor noise & vibration.

I gave a co-worker the brain cup dimensions and he turned this out on the lathe. Unfortunately, not only are the flanges too thick at each end, but the wall thickness in the middle is far too much.

I'll have to re-assess what I am going to do for this part.