Spencer Chase wrote in 970126 MMD:

> There are many old hobbyist books which cover nickel plating.  T J
> Lindsay Publishing specializes in "Lost Technology" books and other
> obscure information.  They have a few titles on plating.  I have several
> books myself and can suggest titles or make copies of what I think are
> the best.

I have the "507 Mechanisms" book published by Lindsay.  The first edition
of this book appeared in the 1860s, and it's a real hoot.  Some of the
ideas suggested are gloriously impractical these days, but I'm sure
someone's tried every single one at some time or another.

I'd be interested in knowing the titles and/or authors of books you
recommend.  That way I can search for them through the local public
library's computer system.

> I have put together several different test suction sources and suggest
> that the cheapest and easiest, when an original pump is not available,
> is a converted vacuum motor.  Electrolux is one of the best and
> quietest and they are very easy to find as junk for little money.
> They need to be installed in a sound quieting enclosure and provided
> with a speed control and a bleed.  A high wattage incandescent light
> dimmer will vary the speed of the universal motor.

This seems to make sense.  I certainly can't use the household vacuum
cleaner, which is a powerful shop vacuum which can suck up golf ball
sized lumps of plaster.  Slowing it down enough to get a sane suction
pressure would certainly reduce the airflow too much. (see below)

> *Important*: These motors are "air-over cooled," that is, they cool
> themselves in the air stream they are moving.  If the speed is too
> slow or the air supply is closed off, they will overheat and fail,
> possibly catastrophically.  Make sure that there is always sufficient
> air flowing over the motor that the exhaust air is not too warm.

What about using those square computer "muffin" fans?  They'd even fit
easily in a rectangular wood box, and have the advantage of being
controlled with low-voltage, low-current power supplies.  One could,
I suppose, run a really hefty fan at a fraction of its rated voltage,
and get low airflow at low pressure.

Colin Hinz
* ASFi Music Works * asfi@interlog.com * (416) 516-8686 *