[Fists] Stop that Sliding bug for Cheap

[Fred Adsit]

Greg, most of these keys are mounted on 1/4" bases. Both my handkeys are.
But in your case -- and I have my neck out a mile -- I think the difficulty
you have is resolvable using glue..

I would find a stiff but very thin scrap of metal (any metal shop can cut a
piece for you and buff the corners a bit so it isn't a real toad-stabber)
large enough to support the key well back near the knob so it won't rock
downward as you key. The base will be too thin to use screws to hold the
J-38 on it, so use glue - not Velcro or anything with Any thickness - just
use glue. Superglue will tack it down fine. If at some future time it needs
to be removed, sharply bending the plate will likely snap the key right off
it, so I think (I hope) what I suggest is not too radical. Now set that on
some of that bubbly non-skid stuff and you hopefully will find it fits you
to a T. Ideas from others welcome here.

You did say lift off the table. I assume you mean it does that because it
rocks the base downward, making the front lift up, when you tap the key. If
this is not the case, then you need to add MORE glue. Glue some of the
sticky stuff to the bottom of the suggested plate. It won't skid. And I
really don't think it will lift off the table. Making this all one piece
will facilitate picking it up and moving where it feels most comfortable.

This is a contest weekend and I am not in it. :-). Am still reworking the
ham shack while I am inspired. Today I could not locate any of that material
at the grocery, the big hardware, or the big drug store. The grocery stock
clerk said he would get some in ASAP - he knew what I meant, but it fell off
the end of their order list quite some time ago.

73 de Fred NY2V FISTS 1293

----- Original Message -----

From: Gregory W. Moore
To: Fred Adsit
Cc: fists@mailman.qth.net
Sent: Saturday, November 23, 2002 2:16 PM
Subject: Re: [Fists] Stop that Sliding bug for Cheap


FISTS DE WA3IVX

tnx for info on the no slip. I have used (in no particular order) Duct Tape
(hey, it fixes everything else LOL), and left a bunch of  sticky crud on the
table and the feet of the key, Masking tape, velcro, and even putty. All of
them left residue on the table, and if you move your bug and Vibrokeyer
around like I do, there gets  to be a mess, that one constantly cleans up.

I appreciate the source for the nonskid material.Incidentally, if anyone has
a good solution for my favorite straight key, the J38, which has served me
well for 37 years now, and since "it ain't broke" & doesn't need fixing, I
would appreciate it. I don't want to screw it down, so I have used velcro. I
have been thinking about a brass plate or something to give it just enough
weight so it doesn't lft off the table when keyed. I used to have the thing
mounted on a 1/4" steel plate,  but it raised the key too high, and I have a
tendency to "glass arm" if the key is not  the right height, due to some
nerve damage and spinal fusion operations in my neck.

73 es tnx de Greg WA3IVX

> prev msgs removed