MOTM

Since I have nothing better to do, I thought I'd bring this up yet again.
My question to those who care: have you tried paint?
A while back I got a bit caught up in the colored washer frenzy & did a bit
of experimenting.
I painted some steel & aluminum washers I borrowed from work(first primed
them with Zinc
Chromate, then sprayed with whatever color was at hand), & the results were
reasonably
satisfying. Aesthetically they were satisfactory, but the finish would not
tolerate excessive
wear. Still, seems somehow to be a little more satisfying than Sir
Marks-a -Lot.

tomr

I've seen red and blue anodized washers at the local hardware store. Maybe
more colors are available. I'd probably need 4 colors - how many colors does
everyone else need?

Dave

> -----Original Message-----
> From: hodad1@... [mailto:hodad1@...]
> Sent: Thursday, October 07, 1999 3:28 PM
> To: motm@onelist.com
> Subject: [motm] colored washers yet again
>
>
> From: hodad1@...
>
> Since I have nothing better to do, I thought I'd bring this up yet again.
> My question to those who care: have you tried paint?
> A while back I got a bit caught up in the colored washer frenzy &
> did a bit
> of experimenting.
> I painted some steel & aluminum washers I borrowed from work(first primed
> them with Zinc
> Chromate, then sprayed with whatever color was at hand), & the
> results were
> reasonably
> satisfying. Aesthetically they were satisfactory, but the finish
> would not
> tolerate excessive
> wear. Still, seems somehow to be a little more satisfying than Sir
> Marks-a -Lot.
>
> tomr
>
> >

> From: hodad1@...
> Still, seems somehow to be a little more satisfying than Sir
> Marks-a -Lot.

"Sir Marks-a-lot", as you say, produces more of a transparent color. A
much different look than paint when applied to metal.

LH

I was thinking at least 6 and maybe as many as 8. However, I wanted to
limit the colors to those that could be easily distinguished in low light.
LH

----------

> From: Dave Bradley <daveb@...>
> To: motm@onelist.com
> Subject: RE: [motm] colored washers yet again
> Date: Thursday, October 07, 1999 5:01 PM
>
> From: "Dave Bradley" <daveb@...>
>
> I've seen red and blue anodized washers at the local hardware store.

Maybe

> more colors are available. I'd probably need 4 colors - how many colors

does

> everyone else need?
>
> Dave
>
> > -----Original Message-----
> > From: hodad1@... [mailto:hodad1@...]
> > Sent: Thursday, October 07, 1999 3:28 PM
> > To: motm@onelist.com
> > Subject: [motm] colored washers yet again
> >
> >
> > From: hodad1@...
> >
> > Since I have nothing better to do, I thought I'd bring this up yet

again.

> > My question to those who care: have you tried paint?
> > A while back I got a bit caught up in the colored washer frenzy &
> > did a bit
> > of experimenting.
> > I painted some steel & aluminum washers I borrowed from work(first

primed

> > them with Zinc
> > Chromate, then sprayed with whatever color was at hand), & the
> > results were
> > reasonably
> > satisfying. Aesthetically they were satisfactory, but the finish
> > would not
> > tolerate excessive
> > wear. Still, seems somehow to be a little more satisfying than Sir
> > Marks-a -Lot.
> >
> > tomr
> >
> > >
>
>

> From: "David Bivins" <david@...>
>
> Serious question, and not meant to offend: has anyone found their

patching

> has gotten faster or better using color coded jacks? I understand
> color-coded cables (though I only color code cables for length), but

jacks?

> Seems like once you know the module, you would know where things go, and
> there is a label for each input and output...
>
> Like I said--no offense meant!

None taken here Dave. You may have missed the origin of where this
discussion started some time ago. Color coding of jacks was an alternative
for homebrew multiples as an easy way to see what jack was connected to
what. For example, all the reds are one group, all the blues another, etc.
One advantage of a system like this is flexibility. It would let you have
multiples connected that might not actually be adjacent 1/4 jacks. And, if
you had a 1U or 2U panel that was blank, you could mark your multiples
without any painting on the front. Plus, if you decided six months after
you started using it that one of the multiples needed "one more" jack
attached, you could do so, robbing it from another and indicate the rear
connections by simply changing the color of the washer on the front.

My MOTM multiple will be a single row of 1/4 jacks 48 jacks long that runs
the length of my case horizontally between two rows of MOTM modules (24
single units wide). I cannot be certain how I will need the multiples, so,
I will leave that flexible by marking them with colored washers.

Larry H.

Colors, colors. Hell, I'm just grateful that Paul labeled the damn things in
the screenprint and I don't have to use that clickety label maker thing on
the panels ;)

Serious question, and not meant to offend: has anyone found their patching
has gotten faster or better using color coded jacks? I understand
color-coded cables (though I only color code cables for length), but jacks?
Seems like once you know the module, you would know where things go, and
there is a label for each input and output...

Like I said--no offense meant!

:)

David.

> -----Original Message-----
> From: J. Larry Hendry [mailto:jlarryh@...]
> Sent: Thursday, October 07, 1999 5:56 PM
> To: motm@onelist.com
> Subject: Re: [motm] colored washers yet again
>
>
> From: "J. Larry Hendry" <jlarryh@...>
>
> I was thinking at least 6 and maybe as many as 8. However, I wanted to
> limit the colors to those that could be easily distinguished in low light.
> LH
>
> ----------
> > From: Dave Bradley <daveb@...>
> > To: motm@onelist.com
> > Subject: RE: [motm] colored washers yet again
> > Date: Thursday, October 07, 1999 5:01 PM
> >
> > From: "Dave Bradley" <daveb@...>
> >
> > I've seen red and blue anodized washers at the local hardware store.
> Maybe
> > more colors are available. I'd probably need 4 colors - how many colors
> does
> > everyone else need?
> >
> > Dave
> >
> > > -----Original Message-----
> > > From: hodad1@... [mailto:hodad1@...]
> > > Sent: Thursday, October 07, 1999 3:28 PM
> > > To: motm@onelist.com
> > > Subject: [motm] colored washers yet again
> > >
> > >
> > > From: hodad1@...
> > >
> > > Since I have nothing better to do, I thought I'd bring this up yet
> again.
> > > My question to those who care: have you tried paint?
> > > A while back I got a bit caught up in the colored washer frenzy &
> > > did a bit
> > > of experimenting.
> > > I painted some steel & aluminum washers I borrowed from work(first
> primed
> > > them with Zinc
> > > Chromate, then sprayed with whatever color was at hand), & the
> > > results were
> > > reasonably
> > > satisfying. Aesthetically they were satisfactory, but the finish
> > > would not
> > > tolerate excessive
> > > wear. Still, seems somehow to be a little more satisfying than Sir
> > > Marks-a -Lot.
> > >
> > > tomr
> > >
> > > >
> >
> >
>

If I could respectfully add to that sentiment...


Wouldn't it be hard to 'absolutely' color-code the jacks? Some "signal in"s
can sometimes take a CV; the VCO Sync I/O jack is all KINDS of things. It
would seem limiting to me to strictly color code them. I know I've seen some
do it, but it might psychologically suggest to a user, "don't plug that CV
in here-this is a signal out jack," when in fact that might just be the
coolest thing you could do!

No offense to those on a quest. Heaven knows I have enough of my own
indefensible quests going on...



Serious question, and not meant to offend: has anyone found
their patching
has gotten faster or better using color coded jacks? I
understand
color-coded cables (though I only color code cables for
length), but jacks?
Seems like once you know the module, you would know where
things go, and
there is a label for each input and output...

Like I said--no offense meant!

:)

David.

> From: "Tkacs, Ken" <Ken.Tkacs@...>
>
> If I could respectfully add to that sentiment...
>
> Wouldn't it be hard to 'absolutely' color-code the jacks? Some "signal

in"s

> can sometimes take a CV; the VCO Sync I/O jack is all KINDS of things. It
> would seem limiting to me to strictly color code them. I know I've seen

some

> do it, but it might psychologically suggest to a user, "don't plug that

CV

> in here-this is a signal out jack," when in fact that might just be the
> coolest thing you could do!
>
> No offense to those on a quest. Heaven knows I have enough of my own
> indefensible quests going on...

Sigh.......

You guys are missing the purpose of colored washers. NONE of the regular
MOTM modules would be changed to colored washers. They are for multiples
only.

I previously wrote:

> From: J. Larry Hendry <jlarryh@...>
> Color coding of jacks was an alternative
> for homebrew multiples as an easy way to see what jack was connected to
> what. For example, all the reds are one group, all the blues another,

etc.

Larry (I promised this is my last post with "colored washers" in the
subject line) Hendry

Now here's a thought that passed through my puny mind:
what about using different colored washers on different modules, sort of in
lieu
of dividers or whatever? Might make it easier to tell where your 420 ends &
your 410 begins. Not that I'm likely to do this, but seemed like a simple
way
to make modules appear more discreet.

tomr

I'm researching this problem now, but approaching it from the perspective of
edge graphics for the modules. Looks cooler, and is highly visible. I
currently have thin Artpak tape on the edges, and am looking into thin metal
dividers that you could bolt under the module mounting screws for that Moog
modular look.

See attached puny jpg.

Dave

> From: hodad1@...
>
> Now here's a thought that passed through my puny mind:
> what about using different colored washers on different modules,
> sort of in
> lieu
> of dividers or whatever? Might make it easier to tell where your
> 420 ends &
> your 410 begins. Not that I'm likely to do this, but seemed like a simple
> way
> to make modules appear more discreet.
>
> tomr

Well, I'll be! That makes perfect sense. I had thought it was to visually
check signal flow. Especially considering the way you're doing mults, that
seems to be the way to go.

> -----Original Message-----
> From: J. Larry Hendry [mailto:jlarryh@...]
> Sent: Thursday, October 07, 1999 7:44 PM
> To: motm@onelist.com
> Subject: Re: [motm] colored washers yet again
>
>
> From: "J. Larry Hendry" <jlarryh@...>
>
> > From: "David Bivins" <david@...>
> >
> > Serious question, and not meant to offend: has anyone found their
> patching
> > has gotten faster or better using color coded jacks? I understand
> > color-coded cables (though I only color code cables for length), but
> jacks?
> > Seems like once you know the module, you would know where things go, and
> > there is a label for each input and output...
> >
> > Like I said--no offense meant!
>
> None taken here Dave. You may have missed the origin of where this
> discussion started some time ago. Color coding of jacks was an
> alternative
> for homebrew multiples as an easy way to see what jack was connected to
> what. For example, all the reds are one group, all the blues
> another, etc.
> One advantage of a system like this is flexibility. It would
> let you have
> multiples connected that might not actually be adjacent 1/4
> jacks. And, if
> you had a 1U or 2U panel that was blank, you could mark your multiples
> without any painting on the front. Plus, if you decided six months after
> you started using it that one of the multiples needed "one more" jack
> attached, you could do so, robbing it from another and indicate the rear
> connections by simply changing the color of the washer on the front.
>
> My MOTM multiple will be a single row of 1/4 jacks 48 jacks long that runs
> the length of my case horizontally between two rows of MOTM modules (24
> single units wide). I cannot be certain how I will need the
> multiples, so,
> I will leave that flexible by marking them with colored washers.
>
> Larry H.
>
>