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Hello again crystal radio fans. Just
can't get enough of these crystal sets, huh? Ha ha, me too. The solder had
barely cooled from my first crystal set, when I
started in on the second.
Again, I am using Gollum's spider web coil for my
first crystal set. This time I used a box that is large enough for the two
variable capacitors with their old looking knobs. The box is wooden
with an oak finish. I bought the box at
Bed Bath and Beyond.
They have several sizes in stock. The box doesn't come with a top, so
I stopped by
Michael's and found some thin plywood that I could make
a top from. This is where all the components are mounted.
I used a Greenlee one half inch chassis punch to make the holes, but
you have to be very careful so as not to split the plywood. If you
can find a good black plastic, that would be better. I am using those same cool H.H. Smith
all-metal binding posts. This time all I need is 4, antenna, ground and
two for the headphones.
The coil I used the litz wire as in my first set. I decided that I would try
a Budweiser beer coaster as a coil form. I left the diameter (slightly over
4 inches) as it was, and cut 13 slots in the coil form. Other brands of
beer coaster can be used as long as the size is right. For a non-alcoholic
crystal set, try an O'douls coaster.
I then weaved the wire as shown
here.
Dave likes to save money whenever he can!
Update! I have made some changes to this set.
I changed the rotary switch to a 8 point tap switch and wound a new
spider web coil. The coil has a primary winding for the antenna circuit
with a variable capacitor in series with it. The secondary has a variable
tuning capacitor and a diode tap.
The coil form is 4-¼ inches (10.7 cm) in diameter. I like these
Budweiser coasters better than the real spider web coil forms.
I cut 11 slits in the
spider form. Each slit should be 1-½ inches (3.75 cm)long. I wound
the antenna circuit with 30 gauge kynar coated, silver plated wire. This
wire was left over from my wire wrapping days. 28 or 30 gauge magnet wire
should be good. I wound 40 turns, tapping every 5 turns. At each tap, I
carefully cut and stripped the wire. I twisted it together and continued
my winding. When I was done, I took pieces of the same wire, and cut,
stripped and soldered it to the windings. Another way might be to not
cut the wire, but remove some insulation, and wind a piece of stripped
wire around the coil winding. But after I soldered the wires, I used
some heat shrink tubing to make the connections neater.
I then wound the detector winding using litz wire. I used the 40 strand,
44 gauge wire with the nylon coating. I wound 30 turns with a diode tap
at 24 turns. I wound the antenna winding first, then the detector winding
as this winding might to be pruned somewhat. The windings will fill the
spider form all the way out.
The first coil worked ok, but just didn't have that "feel". If you are
using a real short antenna, I would say that the original would be
alright. Don't take my word for it. Try them both and see for yourself.
The tap switch plate was installed to cover up the half inch hole
that the rotary switch held. I could have used the rotary switch
but tap switches do look pretty nice. This switch has 8 points and
the arm is slightly over one inch. I used the black garolite that
I had available. It would have been nicer if the piece was a quarter
inch larger. But it does work well and looks fine. The switch is made
up of decorative thumb screws and the arm is 3/8 inch brass. A stiff
spring keeps the arm tension just right.
If you have questions, please e-mail me and I will try my best to
give you an answer.
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