|
|
The Cardboard
Variable Capacitor
Homemade or "Homebrewed"
 
The
"Cardboard" Variable Capacitor as built in this article will yield a
cap in the range of about 300 pF Max. Increasing it to 7" will
get well up to 370 pF.
It is build of readily available material found around the house (some
at the hardware store).
Materials needed:
2 pieces of cardboard 8" or more square
1 piece of cardboard 6 or more square.
A small amount of aluminum foil
2 short pieces of 22 to 26 gauge stranded wire about 8" or more.
A small amount of electrical tape, but just about any kind of tape will
work.
1 6-32 flat head machine screw about 3/8 " long with a nut.
1 clear page protector 8 1/2" x 11" size. These are used to put a piece
of paper in to protect it and it goes into a 3 ring binder.
One can of spray contact adhesive. You can also use brush on contact
adhesive.
|
"The Rotor"
We will make the roto (moving
section)
first.
Lay
out one of the 8" square (or larger) pieces of cardboard (with a
compass) with a 6" diameter circle and draw a line down the center .
Poke a small hole in
the center. Cut out the 6" circle.
|
Cover
half of the circle of cardboard up with scrap paper or old cardboard.
Spray on some "spray adhesive" on the exposed half that is not covered.
You can also use "brushed on " contact cement if you like.
|
Stick
on some aluminum foil on the adhesive sprayed side. Working from one
edge to the other and slowly working out any wrinkles as you go.
|
Flip
it over and cut off the excess foil with a single edged razor blade.
Until it looks like the photo below.
|
Excess foil removed. Also cut
away
foil 3/8" around center hole.
Poke
a hole 3/4" from center point and about 1/4" off the foil and pull a
wire through with the end of the wire "stripped" (insulation removed).
Just like in the photo above.
|
Place a piece of
electrical tap
(or whatever you have) on the wire to hold it down on the aluminum foil.
|
Next we will use the "page
protector".
Cut it into two separate sheets 8 1/2" x 11
On
the side of the circle that has the aluminum on it (1/2alum., 1/2
cardboard), apply a coat of "spray adhesive" to the entire
surface and stick on the "sheet protector" after the adhesive drys just
a little. After it dry a little more, remove the excess plastic with a
razor blade just like the aluminum earlier. This "electrically
isolates"
the foil.
|
Set the roto aside for now
The "Stator"
Now for the stator (non moving
section).
 
Layout
the other piece of cardboard like the photo on the left. and cutout the
pieces with a razor knife or exacto knife. When done they will look
like the photo on the right. Sort of like the letter C and D.
|
Layout
the last piece of cardboard like the photo on the left. Cut it out with
a razor knife. When done it should look like the photo on the right. I
clipped the "point" off near the center, but it is not mandatory.
|
Spray
the entire side with adhesive and apply foil about 1/4" away from the
edge like the photo above. Poke a hole about 3/8" off edge of
radius side and about 3/4" off straight side and poke a wire through
that has been stripped back about 3/4" of insulation.
|
Like
before, take a piece of electrical tape and hold the bare wire down to
the foil.
|
Spray
adhesive on foil side and stick on the other half of the sheet
protector (clear plastic) on. Trim off the excess with a razor blade.
|
Now take this section and spray adhesive on
one side only.
|
Stick it onto the the section we just made
(stator).
|
Assembly of the
project
Take
the "roto" section and push the flat head machine screw through the
"center" hole from the "all cardboard side". Now push the threads
through the "Stators" center hole so it looks like the photo above.
|
Flip it over
| Secure
it with the nut so there is a little resistance when the rotor is
turned, but not to much! |
On
the surface of the "C" shaped cardboard (see photo on left), I used hot
melt glue, but you can also use white glue or brush on contact cement
to the surface. I then placed the "D" shaped cardboard on it and taped
it on to help hold it on.
This entire "C" and "D" shaped pieces only serve to help push the roto
evenly to the stator section. This give you a more smooth increase or
decrease in capacidence as you turn the rotor.
|
Complete and ready to use!
The
clear page protectors serve to keep the two foil section from coming
into electrical contact with each other.
As the two foil section grow closer to each other, the capacitance
grows. As they are drawn apart, it decreases.
This is a variation of what was called a "book capacitor" back in the
1920's. The book capacitor was just two sheets of metal that were moved
closer to each other or separated sort of like a book. the capacitance
grew or decreased.
Enjoy!!
|
Return
to the Homebrewed Radio Web Page
|
Crystal Radio
|
Return
to
"Stay Tuned " Home
Page
© 1999-2010 Darryl Boyd, All rights
reserved
Copyright
Notice:
My website is copyrighted. This includes
all images, text, drawings.
If you are thinking of downloading my
copyrighted items and selling them on ebay (or
anywhere) keep this in mind,
I monitor ebay for such violations. I will
pursue the issue with ebay and in the courts if
necessary.
I do not furnish them for your gain from
my hard work.
Send Email To:
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
b |
o
|
y
|
d
|
@
|
b
|
o
|
y
|
d
|
h
|
|
o
|
u
|
s
|
e
|
.
|
c
|
o
|
m
|
Because of antispam
techniques, you
can not "cut and paste" the above text
We have made every effort to ensure
that the information provided on this website is
accurate and up to
date.
All information on this website is informational only
and no guarantees
to the accuracy of any of the projects
or circuits on this site or calculators. If you find
something you feel
is inaccurate, please inform us by e-mail.
Be sure to provide a thorough argument to support your
case. Confirmed
changes will be made as quickly as possible.
The images on this website are protected by
copyright. They
are the property of the owner of this website and may
not be used
without the owners permission. Please don't use the
images made by us on this website without |
|
|
