OT: moving xtals

[DOUGLAS ZWIEBEL]

Al said:
Then  we'd disassemble the xtals and soak em in acid for a few minutes
to tweak them  up 3 or 5 KC.


I never did that.  I used to make a slurry with Comet (the cleanser,
before it went grit free) and, using an index finger on the xtal, make
circles in the slurry to "grind" the xtal (move it up in frequency).
Using this method, you could move a xtal all the way up the band, but
it took time.  And you would "measure" the frequency by transmitting
with it by FINDING it on your receiver, then taping a paper label to
the xtal with the new QRG.

To lower the frequency, I used to make figure 8's using solder to
"draw" on the xtal's flat surface.  Of course, you could not lower the
frequency too much that way or the xtal would stop vibrating.

Ah...the fun days when nobody thought about holding solder in their
hands (or mouth) and intentionally inhaling solder fumes (tendrils)
cuz it smelled so good.

de Doug KR2Q

PS...I have a crystal for 7000.1 - by is that a good one...would
multiply up on LOTS of bands!
_______________________________________________
Elecraft mailing list
Post to: [hidden email]
You must be a subscriber to post to the list.
Subscriber Info (Addr. Change, sub, unsub etc.):
 http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft   

Help: http://mailman.qth.net/subscribers.htm
Elecraft web page: http://www.elecraft.com

[Thom LaCosta]

On Sat, 16 Jun 2007, DOUGLAS ZWIEBEL wrote:

>
> To lower the frequency, I used to make figure 8's using solder to
> "draw" on the xtal's flat surface.  Of course, you could not lower the
> frequency too much that way or the xtal would stop vibrating.

I remember using the "lead" from the softest pencils I could find.
>

Remember all the "circuits" that you could find that let you "rubber" the xtals?

> Ah...the fun days when nobody thought about holding solder in their
> hands (or mouth) and intentionally inhaling solder fumes (tendrils)
> cuz it smelled so good.

That was the approved soldering method....ya held the solder in your teeth, so
that you had an extra hand....and if you got real fancy, you mounted the
soldering iron so that the tip was reight in front of you...that way, you could
use both hands to hold the stuff that you wanted to solder together.

Can't do it anymore....the hands shake, not enough teeth to hold solder and
seeing anthing that close is impossible.


Thom,EIEIO
Email, Internet, Electronic Information Officer
k3hrn

www.baltimorehon.com/                    Home of the Baltimore Lexicon
www.tlchost.net/hosting/                 Web Hosting as low as 3.49/month
_______________________________________________
Elecraft mailing list
Post to: [hidden email]
You must be a subscriber to post to the list.
Subscriber Info (Addr. Change, sub, unsub etc.):
 http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft   

Help: http://mailman.qth.net/subscribers.htm
Elecraft web page: http://www.elecraft.com

[David Cutter]

The first and last time I held solder in my teeth was many harvests ago and
I live to tell this tale:  I got the shock of my life which threw me across
the room leaving me quivering wreck and might easily have killed me.  I
later learned about "leakage current."  Appliances over here are allowed up
to 7.5mA of leakage current (from memory of BS3456 pt 101) for a heater
circuit.  The maximum current allowed to enter the mouth, broken skin or
internal is (memory?) 40uA and is regarded as "heart attached" (UL544, BS?).
That's why dentists use mechanically driven drills.

If you are in a position of training folk, please make it absolutely plain
that this should never be done even with a transformer isolated soldering
iron, the risk is horrendous.  Some people get away with, others may not be
so fortunate and it's nothing to do with solder poisoning which takes years,
this can be fatal in the blink of an eye.

David
G3UNA

>> Ah...the fun days when nobody thought about holding solder in their
>> hands (or mouth) and intentionally inhaling solder fumes (tendrils)
>> cuz it smelled so good.
>
> That was the approved soldering method....ya held the solder in your
> teeth, so that you had an extra hand....and if you got real fancy, you
> mounted the soldering iron so that the tip was reight in front of
> you...that way, you could use both hands to hold the stuff that you wanted
> to solder together.
>

_______________________________________________
Elecraft mailing list
Post to: [hidden email]
You must be a subscriber to post to the list.
Subscriber Info (Addr. Change, sub, unsub etc.):
 http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft   

Help: http://mailman.qth.net/subscribers.htm
Elecraft web page: http://www.elecraft.com