Morse Key

[Steve WithnellParticipant @stevewithnell34426]

 

Always wanted to make a morse key.   This is scratch built to my design,  starting with some salvage mahogany.    I made good use of the KX1 to get the base profiled and then machine some of the trickier pieces like the cast iron saddle and to profile the main lever.

All the drawings I did using cut2d,   I haven’t managed to cross over into 3D cad yet.

The base carries 200g of lead ballast, which brings the overall weight upto around 850g.  The pcb was cut using one of those chinese CNC engravers and again cut2d for the drawings.

 

[SillyOldDufferModerator @sillyoldduffer]

Drool!  Lovely job.  I particularly like the knob and spring bridge, never seen anything quite like that before.

Small point, does the lever only earth through the bearings and spring?  If so, might be worth adding a braid strap to provide an earth immune to wear & patina building up over time and eventually causing intermittent keying.   Or will it live in a display cabinet because it’s too beautiful to use?

Dave

[Mike HurleyParticipant @mikehurley60381]

Very nice piece of work Steve.

[Steve WithnellParticipant @stevewithnell34426]

Thank you!

At the minute the earth path is through the lever pivot.  I’ve hesitated to add an earthing strap to avoid spoiling the look of it,  the best place I can think of is directly under the spring where it might be less obvious.

The exposed spring was deliberately for show – just to add a bit more interest.   It does mean that the pivot shaft is pulled up by the spring and then pushed down when the key is down.   Not sure that’s a good thing generally,  but for this application it probably doesn’t matter at all.

First contact was John, N3WT on 15 metres.    Proved a) the key works and b) my morse is in need of significant improvement 🙂

[Alan Wood 4Participant @alanwood4]

Hi Steve, here’s one based on Bill Smith’s vertical keyer design.  I made it for a long time friend in the US who was a  CW only operator.

[duncan webster 1Participant @duncanwebster1]

Why can’t the return be via the spring?

[Steve WithnellParticipant @stevewithnell34426]

Probably can be.   I haven’t done any electrical tests to see what’s happening at the contacts,   I did think about simply doubling up the return path by using the spring and the saddle to ensure good behaviour.

I don’t actually know if a better ground path is necessary yet.

[old foolParticipant @old-fool]

That’s nice Steve. Something I’ve wanted to do myself but never got round to it. Don’t think I’ll bother now my effort would never look that good.

Just a point on earthing. If you’re using a solid state TX then probly ok, might get erratic, if it’s a valve rig an unearthed beam may get a bit exciting should speed up your sending a bit! just tell them you’re using Japanese! Hi.

If you want to add an earth strap I’d go for a small pig-tail under the pivot. Say from beam to pivot support. Try one of them small pig-tails you used to find in old car distributers, on the points. That way it’ud do the job and not be visible.

Just a thort. Lovely job though.             Bob

P.S. hope you use it not just put it on display. Things that work should

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