This clever mechanical switch remains open so long as it is balanced in an upright position. But disturb it in any way, and the ball falls against the bars of the cage and closes the circuit. Use it to control an alarm to protect your valuables, or to trigger a camera to photograph wildlife.
- Like
- Digg
- Del
- Tumblr
- VKontakte
- Flattr
- Buffer
- Love This
- Odnoklassniki
- Meneame
- Blogger
- Amazon
- Yahoo Mail
- Gmail
- AOL
- Newsvine
- HackerNews
- Evernote
- MySpace
- Mail.ru
- Viadeo
- Line
- Comments
- Yummly
- SMS
- Viber
- Telegram
- Subscribe
- Skype
- Facebook Messenger
- Kakao
- LiveJournal
- Yammer
- Edgar
- Fintel
- Mix
- Instapaper
- Copy Link
Steps
Advertisement
Step #1: Drill out end of dowel
- Print and cut out a copy of the supplied template. The circle should be 7/8" in diameter.
- If you can print on to an adhesive label, do that. Otherwise stick the template to a flat-cut end of your dowel with rubber cement.
- Using a 3/32" bit, drill the two gray-tinted holes at least 3/4" deep, and the three other holes about 3/8" deep.
Conclusion
There are a number of variables that affect the mechanical sensitivity of the switch. The diameter of the detent hole drilled in the center of the dowel is an easy one to adjust; larger holes will tend to retain the ball longer and will decrease sensitivity. Likewise, the center of gravity of the switch assembly can be adjusted by how far the dowel is inserted, or by adding weight to its base. Using a PVC cap or a couple that's flat on the end, instead of rounded, will give a rather more stable switch. Experiment!
