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Subject: Re: C-Spring Sensor - 5/6 Second Period
From: Christopher Chapman chrisatupw@.......
Date: Wed, 19 Jan 2011 10:31:10 -0500 (EST)






Subject: C-Spring Sensor - 5/6 Second Period


Has anyone tried this one? A vertical with a 5 to 6 second period using two=
 hacksaw blades. Would like to hear opinions as to whether this is a worth-=
while build.
=20
http://www.fairpoint.net/~sparksite/CSpring%20Printer.html
=20
Hi Richard,
=20
    This is an old design. Never use oil damping. It is non linear both wit=
h period and with amplitude. It is hideously temperature sensitive and it i=
s not easy to adjust..
=20
    There is a design for a magnetic damper for a vertical seismometer at w=
ww.jclahr.com/science/psn/chapman/as1%20damping/index.html Mount the 1/16" =
thick copper damping blade on the arm and put the quad damping magnet block=
 on the base. You can use soft Aluminum sheet for the blade - if you can bu=
y it - NOT hard or alloy sheet - but copper is better, since it is not sign=
ificantly diamagnetic.
=20
    Buy fully hardened hacksaw blades.The ordinary ones have a hardened edg=
e, but with a softer blade. Grind off both the teeth and the wavy bends on =
the base, otherwise you get cracks developing quite rapidly when the blade =
is stressed.

     DON'T mount a magnet on a seismometer arm. It picks up noise from the =
Earth's magnetic  field, current surges in the house wiring, the movement o=
f large vehicles, etc. Mount the pickup coil on the arm and use a shielded =
quad NdFeB magnet block, or use an optical position detector.

    The response can easily be extended to over 20 seconds using Robert's c=
ircuit for extending the period of geophones. You can get a x10 period exte=
nsion before running into sensor / amplifier noise, but it does mean that y=
ou have to build your own specialised amplifier - not too difficult to do u=
sing stripboard? See www.jclahr.com/science/psn/epics/roberts/index.html=20

    Do look through the articles on the jclahr website.

    Regards,

    Chris Chapman




= Subject: C-Spring Sensor - 5/6 Second Period

Has anyone tried this one? A vertical with a 5 to 6 second period usin= g two hacksaw blades. Would like to hear opinions as to whether this is a w= orth-while build.
 
 
Hi Richard,
 
    This is an old design. Never use oil damping. It is= non linear both with period and with amplitude. It is hideously temperatur= e sensitive and it is not easy to adjust..
 
    There is a design for a magnetic damper for a verti= cal seismometer at www.jclahr.com/science/psn/chapman/as1%20damping/ind= ex.html Mount the 1/16" thick copper damping blade on the arm and put t= he quad damping magnet block on the base. You can use soft Aluminum sheet f= or the blade - if you can buy it - NOT hard or alloy sheet - but copper is = better, since it is not significantly diamagnetic.
 
    Buy fully hardened hacksaw blades.The ordinary ones= have a hardened edge, but with a softer blade. Grind off both the tee= th and the wavy bends on the base, otherwise you get cracks devel= oping quite rapidly when the blade is stressed.
 
     DON'T mount a magnet on a seismometer ar= m. It picks up noise from the Earth's magnetic  field, current surges = in the house wiring, the movement of large vehicles, etc. Mount the pickup = coil on the arm and use a shielded quad NdFeB magnet block, or use an optic= al position detector.
 
    The response can easily be extended to over 20 seco= nds using Robert's circuit for extending the period of geophones. You can g= et a x10 period extension before running into sensor / amplifier noise, but= it does mean that you have to build your own specialised amplifier - not t= oo difficult to do using stripboard? See www.jclahr.com/science/psn/epics/= roberts/index.html
 
    Do look through the articles on the jclahr website.=
 
    Regards,
 
    Chris Chapman

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