Make your own capacitors

[John-Del]

Hi all. The cost of resistors has gotten so prohibitive that I'd like to make my own. By doing so, I can be sure that these parts will not be made in China so that I don't pollute my antique radios with that Chinese crap. I hate when they overheat and smell like Kung Pao chicken.

I don't want to make wirewound resistors because I get confused between clockwise and counter clockwise and I don't want the electrons to spiral in different directions causing them to cancel out.

So, does anyone have formulas or ratios of carbon material and how much pressure required and what type of binder I'll need to press my own? How can I make the outer tube?

Should I use paint for the color code or will a Sharpie work (they are made in the U.S., right?)

You can reach me directly at ***@fools.com

Thanks.

**********

John
Wolcott, CT

[Jim Mueller]

On Mon, 23 Oct 2017 14:36:22 -0700, John-Del wrote:

snip

Post by John-Del
How can I make the outer tube?

Phenolic tubing from McMaster-Carr works well. You can also look on the
web and find out how to mold them from epoxy.

Post by John-Del
Should I use paint for the color code

If you use paint, oil based enamel works well. All the acrylic paints I
have tried are slightly conductive and change the values of the resistors.

more snip

[Foxs Mercantile]

Post by John-Del
So, does anyone have formulas or ratios of carbon
material and how much pressure required and what
type of binder I'll need to press my own?

Might I suggest turning shoelaces into charcoal and using that as your
base material.

[philo]

Post by John-Del
Hi all. The cost of resistors has gotten so prohibitive that I'd like to make my own. By doing so, I can be sure that these parts will not be made in China so that I don't pollute my antique radios with that Chinese crap. I hate when they overheat and smell like Kung Pao chicken.
I don't want to make wirewound resistors because I get confused between clockwise and counter clockwise and I don't want the electrons to spiral in different directions causing them to cancel out.
So, does anyone have formulas or ratios of carbon material and how much pressure required and what type of binder I'll need to press my own? How can I make the outer tube?
Should I use paint for the color code or will a Sharpie work (they are made in the U.S., right?)
Thanks.
**********
John
Wolcott, CT

My advisor in the HS ham radio club told us that back in the spark gap
days, people indeed made their own capacitors:


A zinc tub filled with saltwater.

That was filled with salt-water filled beer bottles with wires going to
all the electrolyte.


He said that if a bottle broke YOU KNEW IT!

[Frank]

Post by philo
My advisor in the HS ham radio club told us that back in the spark gap
A zinc tub filled with saltwater.
That was filled with salt-water filled beer bottles with wires going to
all the electrolyte.
He said that if a bottle broke YOU KNEW IT!

Did they make their own zinc tubs, beer bottles and salt?

[philo]

Post by Frank

Post by philo
My advisor in the HS ham radio club told us that back in the spark gap
A zinc tub filled with saltwater.
That was filled with salt-water filled beer bottles with wires going to
all the electrolyte.
He said that if a bottle broke YOU KNEW IT!

Did they make their own zinc tubs, beer bottles and salt?

They made their own *empty* beer bottles.

[Frank]

Post by philo

Post by Frank

Post by philo
My advisor in the HS ham radio club told us that back in the spark gap
A zinc tub filled with saltwater.
That was filled with salt-water filled beer bottles with wires going
to all the electrolyte.
He said that if a bottle broke YOU KNEW IT!

Did they make their own zinc tubs, beer bottles and salt?

They made their own *empty* beer bottles.

Another win for self-sufficiency!!

[Peter Wieck]

Post by Frank
Another win for self-sufficiency!!

Yeah, about anything with starch, sugar and yeast will ferment and make alcohol. Anything from honey to Yak milk. So, after the balloon goes up, there still might be some sort of embalming fluid available. My neighbor makes his own wine - he does not tromp on the grapes, however. It only tastes like does.

Peter Wieck
Melrose Park, PA

[Frank]

Post by Peter Wieck

Post by Frank
Another win for self-sufficiency!!

Yeah, about anything with starch, sugar and yeast will ferment and make
alcohol. Anything from honey to Yak milk. So, after the balloon goes up,
there still might be some sort of embalming fluid available. My neighbor
makes his own wine - he does not tromp on the grapes, however. It only
tastes like does.
Peter Wieck Melrose Park, PA

That's a relief. The upcoming cataclysm may be almost bearable.

But, back on topic. My intuition says clear beer bottles might have
better dielectric properties than brown beer bottles.

[Peter Wieck]

Post by Frank
But, back on topic. My intuition says clear beer bottles might have
better dielectric properties than brown beer bottles.

Well, you would be correct. Clear glass is almost entirely silicone (sand) with some admixtures of Borax to reduce brittleness and increase resilience. Both of those materials are poor conductors.

Brown glass gets iron, sulphur and carbon as additional admixtures. They will (minutely) increase conductivity. And Chromium Oxide is the colorant for Green Glass - again something of a conductor, but not seriously as green glass has been used time immemorial for insulators.

Peter Wieck
Melrose Park, PA