[sci.electronics] In search of knife switches & lamp receptacles

thomas@mvac23.UUCP (Thomas Lapp) (05/24/90)

> BACKGROUND
> 
> When I was 8 years old, my dad introduced me to the world of electricity by
> starting me on a project.  Together, we built some circuits on a 
> 6x10 inch piece of wood, using various SPST and DPDT knife switches and

Woah.  Sounds like my childhood.  My change was that the whole thing was
powered by a 6-volt battery, and we split a pencil to reveal the "lead"
(it might have BEEN lead at that time), and affixed it to the board to
make a 'dimmer'.

Our parts were obtained not from a radio shark...er...shack store, but
were from a mom-and-pop hardware store.  Have you tried a hardware store?

I wanted to use the miniature porcelain sockets, but couldn't find any.
Used a metal socket that had two protruding tabs with holes.  I think
Dad had to solder wires to the holes, and hook the wire, so I could use
a screw to fasten.  Then again, we may have screwed the thing fast to the
wood by screwing down through the holes.  I forget.

                         - tom

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post@hpfcso.HP.COM (Dave Post) (05/24/90)

Regarding knife switches and "surface mount" lamp recepticles:

A couple months ago, I visited McGucken's Hardware in Boulder, CO.

They had both, but I think it was only DPST switches.  Maybe you could
locate a humongous hardware store in your area.

David Post     post@hpfcla.hp.com  hplabs!hpfcla!post

mmm@cup.portal.com (Mark Robert Thorson) (05/24/90)

How about just using alligator clip leads?  Easy to get, and easy to 
understand.  Also get D cells, LEDs, and a small motor.  The LEDs will
teach your kid about polarity, which the old light bulbs didn't do.

Taping three batteries together and soldering leads across the ends
makes a nice battery pack, though I wouldn't be surprised if nobody makes
batteries with solderable metal contacts anymore.  If that is the case, 
a battery clip is needed.  Three batteries is nice because you can then
power TTL.

Be sure to solder series resistors on the LEDs before giving them to
your kid.

The battery from a Polaroid film pack also powers TTL nicely, using a couple
bent paper clips as contacts.  You need to lower the voltage a little,
for example using a 1N4001 rectifier to subtract a diode drop (0.7 volts).

henry@utzoo.uucp (Henry Spencer) (05/24/90)

In article <240.UUL1.3#5131@mvac23.UUCP> thomas@mvac23.UUCP (Thomas Lapp) writes:
>powered by a 6-volt battery, and we split a pencil to reveal the "lead"
>(it might have BEEN lead at that time)...

Not unless you're older than one would suspect... :-)  Pencil "lead" has
been graphite for a couple of centuries now.
-- 
Life is too short to spend    |     Henry Spencer at U of Toronto Zoology
debugging Intel parts. -Van J.| uunet!attcan!utzoo!henry henry@zoo.toronto.edu

nelson@bolyard.wpd.sgi.com (Nelson Bolyard) (05/26/90)

In article <8048@odin.corp.sgi.com> I wrote:

>- Summary:  If you know of a source of knife switches or miniature lamp
>	receptacles, please reply (or post a followup) to this mail.
>
   [ background and failed attempts elided ]
>
>If you know where I can buy knife switches and/or miniature lamp receptacles
>Please let me know.  Note that "so-and-so has them in their catalog" isn't
>likely to be useful information.

I'm happy to report that this morning I bought an SPDT and DPDT knife switch
and a candlabra (sp?) base white backlite lamp receptacle at OSH (Orchard
Supply Hardware).  I'd have never thought to look there except that several
of the replies I received suggested looking there.  

Thanks for all your replies!

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