Muller Dynamo

[Scorch]

Tried finishing up the sine wave peak switch block today.
But I did find this to be very challenging.

Without a proper assembly jig; it can be very challenging to attempt to make sure all the copper switch contacts are even and uniform.
Add to this a 3D printed part that has not been "faced" requiring a lot of time trimming and leveling channels, and surfaces, just so the copper contact strips will actually fit and, after several hours, I was not very satisfied with my humble, hand worked, attempt at trying to fabricate uniform parts that actually match and ride evenly on the rotor/commutator.
In fact, after just a few revolutions, by hand, I can see these uneven contacts are just going to cut right through the thin copper strips on the rotor.

SO I grabbed some of the switches, I plan to use on my mini dynamo, which are just salvaged parts from an old washing machine timer.
And, to my amazement, the spacing of these timer contacts are actually the same as the Q2 contact block.
And they do have very nice, smooth faced, contacts which should be a lot friendlier to the thin, copper, contacts on the rotor.

So I tossed out my original, hand made, attempt and worked with these machine made contact strips which actually worked out quite well and I am very satisfied with the end result.

So, 4+ hours later, I was finally able to install two more bolts.   

[Scorch]

The instructions say something to the extent of 'drill hole for Allen wrench'.
This because the set screws are actually located in the main body of the hub, versus in the flange, which is directly below the insulator.

But cutting a hole, anywhere near the path of the switch contacts, fails to appeal to my common sense logic.
So I removed the hole then drilled, and tapped, a 10-32 hole in a different location and installed my own stainless steel set screw.

}:>

[Scorch]

Ok; I was looking at this switching setup again and still not real satisfied with the way the insulator turned out.

It does fit nice and tight on the hub, and does work ok, but the PETE supplement bottle I used does have some very minor irregularities.
It does have a very slight seam and there does appear to be some inconsistencies in the thickness of the material resulting in just a very slight (maybe a few thousandths of an inch) of 'up & down' movement of the switch contacts. . . .

These types of bottles probably come from a blow mould, or some such thing, which has pretty loose tolerances and I had noticed some thickness differences from one bottle, to the next, of the same product.
And, the sad thing is, I am kind of a perfectionist when it comes to these moving parts. Any irregularities, or wobbles, just annoys me, to no end, even though I am sure it will work just fine. . .

So I spent a little more time looking around and discovered that "Great Stuff" can caps actually work a lot better than any other spray can caps, or bottles, that I could find at this point.
Unlike a lot of paint, or other, spray can caps, this HDPE cap actually fits snug on the hub, does not have any taper, has no visible mould seams, appears to be a more consistent thickness, and a more suitable material for the job.   

Guess I just had to look in the right place for the "Great Stuff" which has been probably been using the same cap for many years and is not likely to change any time soon.

And I do hope to get some more work done this weekend.

}:>

[Scorch]

And here is how it looks with the right, great, stuff installed.

}:>

[marcx41]

I have just receive the spools...The shipping take 6 weeks, and for the moment I can't share anything...only some pictures of the stators with emply spools...