Improvement to Tschock's mouse trap plug spinner

[Gordon Airporte]

I think this makes it a little nicer to use. It's easier to brace against the solid tube when cocking it vs. bracing against the spring, plus the tube formed by the spring can't bend. The tube is 11/32" brass stock from a hobby store, although I probably should have looked around for pens to use before I bought it. Inside diameter is 5/16".
Um, pardon the ghetto tape job. Heat shrink tubing might work better.



And here you can see how the bent wiper insert is notched into the tube. It's crushed at the top because I used an oversized pipe cutter and it didn't work too well - that doesn't serve any function.



The trick was bending the spring arm to fit up through the tube, then bending it back. I'm also looking to do something with a smaller inner tube to keep the blade centered within the spring. I think that would be nicer too.

[Manz_Moe]

hey nice work, as long as it works you can "pretty it up" and refine the idea later.

[digital_blue]

Just a thought... if you don't wrap the dowel in tape it will suit you well as an emergency plug follower.

db

[Gordon Airporte]

Just a thought... if you don't wrap the dowel in tape it will suit you well as an emergency plug follower.

Heh, yeah... beats using my pinky
The tape is because I wasn't careful about the grain orientation and the spring started splintering it. That handle is another area that could use refinement come to think of it - it tends to spin around inside the dowel when it's under tension.

[digital_blue]

Really? My dowel handle (you can see pics of mine in Tshocks thread) seems to fit fine. I did put a very slight bend into the wire before inserting it into the dowel. It helps to keep it snug.

db

[Gordon Airporte]

I did put a very slight bend into the wire before inserting it into the dowel. It helps to keep it snug.

Yeah, that's what I did too. Maybe I should look for a harder dowel.