Thanks a million Meredith.  I will buy a couple of them this weekend and =
give it a try.  BTW, the thread between You, Dick and Chris was =
extremely helpful in causing me to rethink my situation involving my =
vertical.  I had just assumed that it was all stock until I read you =
guys exchanges.  I am much appreciative to all of you.
James Allen
  ----- Original Message -----=20
  From: meredith lamb=20
  To: psn-l@.................
  Sent: Thursday, August 21, 2008 10:45 AM
  Subject: Re: SPRENGNETHER 201 LONG PERIOD VERTICAL SEISMOMETER


  Hi James,

  My wild Imagination says it might even be tough baling wire (ha); but =
of course I don't really know.

  Heres another flat hinge spring source material scenario you could =
consider (assuming you will replace such).  It involves
  automotive and/or machinist feeler/thickness gauge sets.  I've not =
actually checked; but one could assume the likelyhood
  that chains like Autozone, etc., will have these readily on hand.  =
They usually come in ~ muliple sizes "leaves" of different
  size thicknesses (usually marked thereon with the size thickness =
thereon).  They are stacked and anchored at one end, and can be
  extended outward per each size.  They range ~ from one thousandth or =
so inch thick upward to roughly 20 thousandth of
  a inch thick.  I think they are usually cheap per each set; I just saw =
Amazon.com, with sellers offering such at around
  $3.60...but the sticker is; the high ~$6 shipping.  Obviously if you =
buy locally, its alot cheaper.  Anyway, you would need
  two sets of such to get two same sizes of whatever you use.  Drill out =
the rivot anchor/s, and then you have all manner of sizes to
  explore as hinges for your vertical.  Of course; nowadays, they could =
also be marked as metric, or even both ways thereon.

  Actually, I think they are tougher and much less prone to "aquiring" =
accidental bent areas in them, than phosphur bronze or even
  tempered blue spring stock/coil/shim.   You will still have to use a =
hand shear tool and reduce the widths; and a followup hand file
  to get rid of the burrs along the cut edge.

  I suppose they could be rather a ideal thickness variety set for any =
amateur seeking to build their own vertical hinges.=20

  What size to initially try/use (?)....my guess is anything between =
0.005 and 0.010' thick.

  You might anticipate that your present wire probably gouged into the =
aluminum clamp surfaces.  Check and lightly file it flat if
  necessary.

  Take care, Meredith
   =20


  On Thu, Aug 21, 2008 at 10:37 AM, JAMES ALLEN  =
wrote:

    Hello Meredith, Dick, Chris  I rechecked the wire hinges coming from =
mine.  I do not have a micrometer, but there is one wire per hinge =
(black) which is relatively rough and not shinny like piano wire but =
just as springy.  I suppose it is steel wire and smaller in diameter =
than that used for a paper clip.  Now, I am beginning to under stand =
that this must not be original to the unit and should be a flat flexible =
hinge instead.  Perhaps that is the reason I have been having so much =
trouble getting the seismometer boom to remain centered. =20
    James Allen








Thanks a million Meredith.  I will =
buy a=20
couple of them this weekend and give it a try.  BTW, the thread =
between=20
You, Dick and Chris was extremely helpful in causing me to rethink my =
situation=20
involving my vertical.  I had just assumed that it was all stock =
until I=20
read you guys exchanges.  I am much appreciative to all of=20
you.
James Allen

  
----- Original Message ----- 
  From:=20
  meredith lamb 
  
To: psn-l@.............. 
  
Sent: Thursday, August 21, 2008 =
10:45=20
  AM
  
Subject: Re: SPRENGNETHER 201 =
LONG PERIOD=20
  VERTICAL SEISMOMETER
  


  
Hi James,

My wild Imagination says it might even =
be tough=20
  baling wire (ha); but of course I don't really know.

Heres =
another flat=20
  hinge spring source material scenario you could consider (assuming you =
will=20
  replace such).  It involves
automotive and/or machinist=20
  feeler/thickness gauge sets.  I've not actually checked; but one =
could=20
  assume the likelyhood
that chains like Autozone, etc., will have =
these=20
  readily on hand.  They usually come in ~ muliple sizes "leaves" =
of=20
  different
size thicknesses (usually marked thereon with the size =
thickness=20
  thereon).  They are stacked and anchored at one end, and can=20
  be
extended outward per each size.  They range ~ from one =
thousandth=20
  or so inch thick upward to roughly 20 thousandth of
a inch =
thick.  I=20
  think they are usually cheap per each set; I just saw Amazon.com, with =
sellers=20
  offering such at around
$3.60...but the sticker is; the high ~$6=20
  shipping.  Obviously if you buy locally, its alot cheaper.  =
Anyway,=20
  you would need
two sets of such to get two same sizes of whatever =
you=20
  use.  Drill out the rivot anchor/s, and then you have all manner =
of sizes=20
  to
explore as hinges for your vertical.  Of course; nowadays, =
they=20
  could also be marked as metric, or even both ways =
thereon.

Actually, I=20
  think they are tougher and much less prone to "aquiring" accidental =
bent areas=20
  in them, than phosphur bronze or even
tempered blue spring =
stock/coil/shim.=20
    You will still have to use a hand shear tool and reduce the =
widths; and=20
  a followup hand file
to get rid of the burrs along the cut =
edge.

I=20
  suppose they could be rather a ideal thickness variety set for any =
amateur=20
  seeking to build their own vertical hinges. 

What size to =
initially=20
  try/use (?)....my guess is anything between 0.005 and 0.010' =
thick.

You=20
  might anticipate that your present wire probably gouged into the =
aluminum=20
  clamp surfaces.  Check and lightly file it flat=20
  if
necessary.

Take care, Meredith
  


  
On Thu, Aug 21, 2008 at 10:37 AM, JAMES ALLEN =
<jcallen1@...........> =

  wrote:

  

    

    
Hello Meredith, Dick, Chris  I =
rechecked=20
    the wire hinges coming from mine.  I do not have a micrometer, =
but=20
    there is one wire per hinge (black) which is relatively rough and =
not shinny=20
    like piano wire but just as springy.  I suppose it is steel =
wire and=20
    smaller in diameter than that used for a paper clip.  Now, I am =

    beginning to under stand that this must not be original to the unit =
and=20
    should be a flat flexible hinge instead.  Perhaps that is the =
reason I=20
    have been having so much trouble getting the seismometer boom to =
remain=20
    centered.  
    
James Allen