[sdiy] Reed Switch and Magnet Keyboard

[Scott Stites]

Hi all,

It seems I run into reed switches a lot when I'm foraging around on the net
for something.  A quick check of a couple places turned up what seem to be
the best prices at Hosfelt Electronics - hermetically sealed reed switches
for 15 to 19 cents apiece, ranging from .85 inches to a little over two
inches.

http://www.hosfelt.com

Cheers,
Scott

PS - They're good people, I've dealt with them before.


----- Original Message -----
From: "Michael Boracci" <mboracci at nfpcomputer.com>
To: "harrybissell" <harrybissell at prodigy.net>; "Tim Parkhurst"
<tparkhurst at siliconbandwidth.com>
Cc: "'Ray Wilson'" <raywilson at comcast.net>; "Scott Stites"
<scottnoanh at peoplepc.com>; "Synth-Diy" <synth-diy at dropmix.xs4all.nl>
Sent: Thursday, December 11, 2003 9:01 PM
Subject: RE: [sdiy] Reed Switch and Magnet Keyboard


> Did we not discuss this topic a few months ago ?
>
> I was telling Mr. Wilson about Meder electronics. ( http://www.meder.com )
> They have dual reeds, and SMD reeds. most likely not cheap, but very good.
> One of the local reps met with me to discuss which ones would be good for
> keyboards. He mentioned that Meder sells to Rodgers organ. Allen also uses
> reeds. I saw the system on display at the Allen organ store in Mineola.
>
> I have a few dozen of the doughnut magnets. They only seem to work when
they
> are surrounding the reed. Not very well otherwise. Got them from a really
> old keyboard when I worked for Grumman Systems Support.
>
> The magnets used in magnetic earrings are the best. They are cobalt, or
> something and they really work great, but you have to get them wholesale.
>
> I have been trying to get my own controller going for a while. 72 keys and
> the reeds must be mounted below the keys on this one. A real pain. It is
> much better to use an organ keybed because you can mount the reeds
> vertically at the rear of the bed with the magnet on the end of the key.
> Easy to mod. even after it is working.
>
> Does anyone have another source for reeds?
>
> Michael
>
>
>
>
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: owner-synth-diy at dropmix.xs4all.nl
> [mailto:owner-synth-diy at dropmix.xs4all.nl]On Behalf Of harrybissell
> Sent: Wednesday, December 10, 2003 11:23 PM
> To: Tim Parkhurst
> Cc: 'Ray Wilson'; Scott Stites; Synth-Diy
> Subject: Re: [sdiy] Reed Switch and Magnet Keyboard
>
>
> (if I could find them I'd use) Tiny horseshoe magnets, with the reed
switch
> located across the gap.  As the magnet approaches the switch, the flux
will
> be concentrated through the switch vanes and tend NOT to leak to the
> adjacent switches.  Might be harder to install
>
> H^) harry
>
> Tim Parkhurst wrote:
>
> > You might get a little extra 'breathing room' between the adjacent
> > magnets/switches by offsetting every other magnet and switch assy. In
> other
> > words, on one key the magnet and switch sits fairly close to the pivot
> > point; on the next key, the magnet and switch sit fairly far away from
the
> > pivot point. One problem I see with this approach is that the switches
> > sitting close to the pivot point will tend to close slightly earlier
than
> > the switches sitting further away. This might be such a minor timing
> > difference as to be unnoticeable, but (if needed) you might be able to
> > compensate by putting shims under the switches that sit further from the
> > pivot. This would raise them up slightly so that they would close
earlier.
> >
> > Tim Servo
> > "Imagination is more important than knowledge." - Albert Einstein
> >
> > > -----Original Message-----
> > > From: Ray Wilson [mailto:raywilson at comcast.net]
> > > Sent: Wednesday, December 10, 2003 5:11 AM
> > > To: Scott Stites
> > > Cc: Synth-Diy
> > > Subject: [sdiy] Reed Switch and Magnet Keyboard
> > >
> > > Hi Scott (and list)
> > >
> > > You mentioned that you had made a keyboard using reed switches and
> > magnets.
> > > I want to outfit a set of piano keys in this manner and am interested
to
> > > know how you kept adjacent key switches from being activated together.
I
> > > have a source for some nice inexpensive reed switches and magnets of
> > various
> > > sizes and would appreciate your suggestions (and anyone elses who
wants
> to
> > > chime in).
> > >
> > > Thanks
> >
> >
>
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