U47-style bodies - who can make one?

[seavote]

silent arts wrote:"lamenting and ranting on: I HATE DOING ANY METAL WORK ON MY OWN
flaming how really stupid am i 
confession is I might be out with option B.
would be the part I don't like to do, since I'm - do you call it double left handed ?"

now you know how i feel trying to understand circuits!!!! ;D ;D

 

[mad.ax]

As JDB said, how do you get the 3 layers mesh assembly into the one piece head basket?

I do hope that your supplier is willing to deliver the 3 mesh already soldered because this kind of weld seam looks very hard to properly DIY. Solder paste doesn't seem to be an option here, cause we need a solder joint which will not melt during the reflow process...

Now what about this possibility?:

Make a one piece design out of  brass tubing, 63mm. External diameter, and 60mm. Inner diameter.
That would be cheap and it solves the problem of getting the vertical bars square and straight.

Now we need some support inside for the mesh...
I'm thinking of 2 rings, one “L” shaped, and one “T” shaped. Those two rings will have a 60mm. external diameter so they could just slide into the one piece design but barely. If you can find a thick enough tubing, they can be machined from it, otherwise, they will have to be made from solid brass, but as they are small that wouldn't be too expensive (cheaper than the previous design anyway).

The L shaped ring goes at the bottom of the cylinder mesh assembly, the T shaped one at the top, and then the bell shaped mesh. Apply some solder paste at the junctions of the rings with the mesh, slide down the one piece design, and bake in the oven.
You will need a simple jig to keep the bottom ring 11mm. higher than the external cylinder

I hope that the following drawing is understandable...

Axel

 

[Skylar]

There is really no need to alter the headbasket geometry from the original.


IF I cannot provide the headbaskets fully assembled and finished,

the 3-layer mesh for the cylindrical section would be pre-cut and formed with no seam.
You would just place the three layers into the headbasket, lining up the seams behind one of the vertical rails.
You could pretty easily solder the seam in place with a gun or apply solder paste and bake.
Alternatively, you could use an epoxy of some sort.

The bowl-shaped top mesh would be pre-formed, and it would be a matter of just pressing it into the top of the headbasket.
Manually solder it into place from the inside or solder paste and bake.

Langley told me that this is how they have done other microphone headbaskets in the past.


I think the easiest method would be either the solder paste or epoxy.
Or maybe a hybrid of the two...solder paste for the cylinder seam, epoxy for the top mesh.

This is where I will do some experimenting if it comes down to the user having to assemble the headbaskets.
I will figure out what works best, and put together a how-to guide.


But I'm trying to work this out so that no assembly needs to be done!
The goal is for everyone to get a nice package in the mail with fully finished bodies + headbaskets.

Of course, if you want just the raw parts, I should be able to supply a limited number for those who want to do the work themselves.



Attached is a cross-section of the one-piece headbasket for S&Gs.

 

[mad.ax]

Skylar,

let's forget about altering the geometry from the original. Those grooves are just my personal obsession because I'm worried by the messy edges of the 3 layer mesh assembly.

From your post n°859, you abandoned the one piece “tubing” design because there was “no where to anchor the mesh, making assembly possibly messier than the 4-piece approach”

But soldering the vertical bars and the seam could be tricky, so now you're considering back the one piece solid brass option.

I took the liberty to edit your drawing. You could have those two red rings machined from solid brass and the whole outer thing made from brass tubing. This way there's no alteration from your design, but the final cost will be much lower.

Since you already planned to apply some solder paste to solder the mesh, it will solder the rings to the tube in the same operation.

Axel

 

[Skylar]

I understand what you're saying, but that approach creates a whole new set of problems, like:


a) how do you match the outer diameter of the three-layer cylindrical mesh with the outer diameter of the rings while maintaining concentric alignment?
You can't do it without a fixture or jig of some type.
The other option is to have lips in these rings, as shown in your previous drawings, but then you would be deviating from the original dimensions and you would create a small gap between the outer brass tube and the mesh (depending upon which side you put the lip on), which would affect the sound and the aesthetic, so that's not an option in my opinion.


b) how do you avoid possible bowing of the cylindrical mesh during assembly of inner rings + mesh?
Again, a fixture/jig could solve this issue, but that's not user-friendly and creates a lot of unnecessary cost whether this is assembled by a shop in quantity or individually by users.


c) how do you build the inner ring + mesh assembly so that the mesh height is correct?
The diagonal mesh (outermost layer) will expand and compress quite a bit.
Grab a piece of mesh and stretch it diagonally, and you'll see what I mean.
Without two solid things on top & bottom to govern its height (like the inner ledges of the one-piece design), it becomes difficult to keep the height of this sub-assembly correct.
If you're off by ~1mm or more, the headbasket no longer fits on the body correctly because it will conflict with the capsule mount plate.


d) how do you attach the inner rings + mesh assembly into the brass tube?
solder? epoxy? If so, you'll end up with a seam of solder or epoxy around the top and around the bottom ledge inside the headbasket.
This seam would very likely interfere with the way the headbasket fits onto the rest of the body, not to mention it could be visible and look sloppy.
Whatever seam you make here would be highly susceptibile to becoming dislodged, making the whole mic a bit more fragile.


e) if you do figure out a way to attach the inner rings + mesh assembly, how do you keep the whole thing aligned so that it's not slanting in one direction or another even slightly (which will, again, introduce fitment problems and look sloppy)?
I think you would have to make a cylindrical fixture with a flat/level edge for alignment while you insert the inner rings + mesh sub-assembly.
But even if you do this, all bets are off as soon as you remove the fixture to weld/solder/epoxy the sub-assembly to the outer brass tube.


These are just a few things off the top of my head, so there may be solutions to some of these that I have not figured out yet, and there may be additional problems that I have not thought of.
But the point is there are a lot of new problems that this method introduces.



The one-piece headbasket makes assembly considerably easier.
There are multiple, feasible methods that could work—it's just a matter of me experimenting and finding the right one...IF it even comes down to that at all.

 

[mad.ax]

IMHO some of these problems are common to both approach, and I may not have explained clearly some others, so here are some answers...

a) how do you match the outer diameter of the three-layer cylindrical mesh with the outer diameter of the rings while maintaining concentric alignment?
I guess this one is the same with the one piece solid design. Precise cutting of the mesh and spring effect will result in maximum expansion limited by the 60mm. inner diameter.
Could work, or not... But if will work the same way with both design.

b) how do you avoid possible bowing of the cylindrical mesh during assembly of inner rings + mesh?
My idea was not to assemble the mesh + rings first, and then to slide them into the brass tube!
Rather to slide everything down the brass tube before soldering the whole thing in the oven.
As long as the brass tube is there there is no bowing possible.

c) how do you build the inner ring + mesh assembly so that the mesh height is correct?
Well, the maximum 60mm. diameter and the two others layers will prevent compression.
Expansion would mean diameter reduction which would be counteracted by the two other layers.
But mainly, the correct height is set by the jig, which need to go in the oven during the soldering process. Thus it needs to be made of metal. 3 or 4 feet to hold the lower ring precisely 11mm. above the base, then one slide down the outer tube, then the mesh, the top ring, the dome shaped mesh, and the uper arm of the jig which press the whole assembly down.

d) how do you attach the inner rings + mesh assembly into the brass tube?
Whatever solder or epoxy you may use in your one piece design to hold the mesh will also hold
the rings. Since we want the mesh to have a outer diameter of 60mm, it will sit precisely in the corner of the ring and the outer tube, just were the solder joint is needed.

e) if you do figure out a way to attach the inner rings + mesh assembly, how do you keep the whole thing aligned so that it's not slanting in one direction or another even slightly (which will, again, introduce fitment problems and look sloppy)?
The outer tube IS the fixture which holds everything in place. If its inner diameter is precisely 60mm, and the rings are just a “small” 60mm, there won't be enough room for anything to slant.

Of course, everything would be much easier if the 3 mesh could be already assembled in order to form a perfect 60mm cylinder...

I hope you don't mind me exploring other methods, I am just trying to help...

Axel

 

[davidvaldes]

I don´t have the skills nor the tools, so I´m voting for option A.

Cheers.

 

[audiovisceral]

Another vote for option A. I'm sure you'd do a better assembly than me and I don't mind paying a bit extra for your time if it's fair.

"(Read 36264 times)"!!!

 

[speakercoil]

I also vote option A... Mainly because I am lazy when it comes to assembly. Soldering is fun to me, and I don't consider it work... However something of that sort just seems tedious and aggravating.

This project is really getting me excited.

-Grant

 

[SSLtech]

I'm putting in two votes for 'A'.

Keith

 

[stitch-o]

 

[FerrariT]

Option B for me please?

 

[Skylar]

Talking to the Wire Mesh guys tomorrow—apparently they have some news for me...

 

[chuckkey11]

Been watching and standing by.  :

 

[Sredna]

1 vote for option A (lazy me...)

Thanks,

Anders

 

[Skylar]

Okay!

I'm finally getting some formed wire mesh prototypes from Langley Wire Cloth.

So, it looks like what I will do is have the headbasket made as one piece of brass, then affix the mesh myself, and have the whole thing finished with a shiny, polished nickel and/or matte nickel plate.

The bodies will be bead-blasted + clear anodized aluminum.

Once I can confirm the prototypes, we should be able to start pre-orders.

 

[fazeka]

Hi Skylar,

I have to be honest, if it wasn't for Max's recent post regarding limited availability of his MK7 kits, I probably would have forgotten about this thread. Consequently, your bodies have recently been on my mind (mic bodies, that is). ;D

With that said, first of all I wanted to thank you for the work that you've done so far. I have to imagine that the thought and planning behind this effort up to this point have been nothing but staggering. Further, your attention to detail is beyond most (in my opinion; my standards are pretty high). Having said that and in light of your most recent post, I feel that if you need additional funds to cover for the assembly of the mesh grill/headbasket, that I myself would be more than happy to compensate accordingly.

Again your persistance and patience is testimony to why projects such as these end up being successes.

Best regards,
Chris

 

[Skylar]

Thank you for the kind words and your offer of assistance, Chris!


I won't need any extra funds or anything like that.
I'm going to have a few people to help me with assembly so that it can be done more efficiently.

Really, the assembly process will consist of applying solder paste to the headbasket with a syringe, inserting the mesh, and baking 10–20 units at a time in reflow oven.
I may even be able to set up some kind of conveyor system so that headbaskets can travel through the oven assembly-line style.
It should be pretty straight-forward and not require a large time investment.

 

[tommypiper]

The bodies will be bead-blasted + clear anodized aluminum.

Thanks.  Didn't we vote on what type of finish we'd like to get?  What were the results?  (I'm sorry I don't have time to hunt through the thread for that at the moment, my kids are screaming, maybe someone knows where it is, thanks.)

I don't recall anodized aluminum being discussed before as a finish.  Can you tell us more, please?  Will we be able to have it nickel plated (on our own, after purchase)?  Does nickel plating work over anodized aluminum?

I'm sure you'll show us quality pics of the prototypes and information about finish options.  Thanks for your consistent hard work and tenacity on this project.

 

[MATTI]

It would be something like this without the Capital records sticker but with the mood
http://www.gearslutz.com/board/so-much-gear-so-little-time/408254-smile.html#post4402319

Matti