Farnsworth Discussion

Well, the label says 'M2.5 x 6', but I've just dug one out to offer up to my micrometer and I get:

2.48mm (tube OD) 1.5mm (tube ID) 4.6mm (head OD) and 6.38mm long (minus head) and in old money (imperial) that's:
0.099in, 0.06in, 0.18in and 0.25in (approx.)

I have a bag of (almost) 500, which is plenty to last me, even if I go into production of Farnsworths. PM me, and I could maybe help you out with a little baggie of them.
 
DemonFire said:
cool I might have to look at putting something like that together for mine. Right now I just have 3 settings on mine immediate ring, and 2 delayed settings.


So here is what going on with my switch, looking at it it looks like the copper(?) shelf ring on the inside of the knob is hitting the threaded part on the switch. I believe this is what holding it from going down further thus preventing me from closing it all the way. When the knob is attached its not even close to flush with the faceplate. Anyone have any ideas on how I can fix this issue?
View attachment 603931
Click to expand...


I had the same problem with my first build. Worse in my case, as my brass plates are somewhat thinner than the plate you might be using, and I had a huge stand-off of the knobs to contend with. I ended up finding some ring nuts with the correct thread (to replace the hex nuts) and ground them down in diameter and thickness with the old Dremel, so that they sat nicely in that little recess in the knob. I also cut down (carefully!) the threaded outer collar of the switches with an Exacto razor saw, without harming the inner rotary shaft. I just left enough threads to hold the switches flush with the back of the plate, and have the outer threaded collar flush with the top of the ring nut when screwed on. I could then cut the rotary shafts so that the black knob was hard up against the front of the face-plate, and the brown (centre) one was flush with the top of the ring nut. That one needed to have the base ground down though, as it was still too tall (as factory standard) for the lid to fully close. I just took it down to the edge of the grub screw - luckily that was enough. Both switches still functioned when I'd finished, so I couldn't have done too bad a job.

Nice to see the new push button solution from Dr. T. on here. I was never happy with the look of mine, and I'll be getting one of these for my latest build.
 
Yeah I'll get some pics tonight of how I modified the switch to be shorter and simpler. And show how far down you can get the faceplate when using that switch instead.
 
Here is the switch after removing the screws, cutting them down, and removing several of the additional spacers and contacts.
image.jpegimage.jpeg

And how flush it is after screwing onto the faceplate. It could probably still go lower, but te audio jacks keep the plate from going down any further on that corner
image.jpeg

And nd finally I added the button head hex screw in the back for accuracy, though it doesn't actually hold the plate on since I'm using magnets. I placed it a little too far down, but oh well.

image.jpegimage.jpeg

And all put together. I haven't glued down the crystal yet, can't figure out how I want to get the crackled look the real ones have. And I have a potentiometer coming for the center knob. So far this second attempt is leaps and bounds better than the one I made back when I started this thread.

image.jpegimage.jpeg
 
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Well I'm calling this done. I'm happy with the paintjob after redoing it a few times. Big thanks to Deck5 for the fabled brown dial. All knobs can turn, though the center one has no functionality. You can't quite tell, but I put a few good dents in the box for authenticity.

image.jpegimage.jpegimage.jpegimage.jpegimage.jpegimage.jpegimage.jpegimage.jpegimage.jpeg

 
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Well, I'm a little late on sharing, but I finally started posting instead of just lurking on the forums and figured y'all might enjoy this. It's got working video, and I moved the lens a bit to accommodate a small personalisation plate in the upper corner. I can't find where I put it, I think I lent it to a friend. Anyway, there's a video at the bottom that shows me watching myself on the screen.

FB_IMG_1465478388227.jpg
FB_IMG_1465478395741.jpg
FB_IMG_1465478402110.jpg


Oh I forgot to list how it works. .face/palm. The internal components are a deconstructed Samsung Note 2 Phone running on VZW and Wifi. I mounted the stylus nib to the knob and it swipes the screen to accept incoming Skype and Google Hangouts calls.

FB_IMG_1465478388227.jpg


FB_IMG_1465478395741.jpg


FB_IMG_1465478402110.jpg
 
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Nice Farnsworth, Dismal! Really enjoying seeing these "working" modifications! Been collecting parts to start one myself.

Has anyone found a cheaper source for Wheatley 9601s (as in less than the going rate of around $50)?
 
Its been a while since I visited this build, but does anyonenhave a source for the glass? Im using a Russ plate for my build if that helps. That and the audio chip link in post 1 seems to be dead.
 
The audio link was just files from the iOS app. If you have a Mac you can download the app and lookup how to extract files from an app, that's how I got them for my build.
 
DemonFire said:
As far as the knob goes, it's not hitting the hex screw at all but the top of the threading. Seems like I'll have to figure out a way to file down the inside of the knob or see if there is another position switch out there that will work for that.
Click to expand...

Just use a small milling toolbit on the Dremel or a drill bit to remove some of the brass .
 
Just joined and have worn out my eyes reading the thread in search of a template, or file, for the face plate. I will be getting to use a laser cutter next month and I want to try cutting out a faceplate. I have made one before with hand tools, but I just don't like the way it looks.
 
Since the project run for the faceplates seems pretty much dead i've started contacting local companies that can make one for me but i'm wondering if anyone still has a faceplate template to share? The ones i've tried to make myself aren't perfect as i don't have the right measurements

i've been sitting on the rest of the parts for too long now and i want to finish this project
 

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