vacuumcleanerbug
Vacuum cleaner semi-automatic bug
(also known as Vibrosuck)
by OH6DC
My old vacuum cleaner has retired from its cleaning duties and began a new life as a semi-automatic CW key. Or more precisely: an automatic dot generator of such a key.
A revolutionary innovation: vacuum cleaner suction makes a strip of paper vibrate and this in turn moves the contact wire so that dots are formed. The paper strip has some weights on its free end to slow down the vibration speed.
The beast is controlled by this single lever paddle made of a hacksaw blade. Dashes are made manually and dots automatically.
See & hear a video clip below. Excuse the somewhat unclean dots.