I didn't cheat by looking up the image. I had a wire recorder I got from an antique store in Pomona about 20 years ago (also bought a cool 70s-era portable 8-track player at the same time), and it had spools a lot like this. The wire seemed a little thicker.
Not my pic, but this is the model of 8-track I had. Super cool! (The wire recorder I gave away to someone. Never worked anyway, though it had one of those cool "electric eye" volume indicator tubes.)
Since the spool is also metal, I think it's intended to provide a conductive path back from an object either being released by a balloon or shot by some sort of rocket.
Older guided missiles trailed wires behind for control inputs.
I wouldn't think they'd use that sort of spool if the connected object was being shot with a rocket. I don't think the wire could unroll fast enough.
I had a wire recorder I got from an antique store in Pomona about 20 years ago (also bought a cool 70s-era portable 8-track player at the same time), and it had spools a lot like this.
Winner winner, chicken dinner! That didn't take long at all. Gordon is THE MAN!
Hah, I was trying to be sneaky as to not give anything away to others trying to figure it out.
Funny story how I learned about wire recorders.... In an old episode of Hogan's Heroes, they receive a gift of a pair of hand knitted socks that of course made it past the guards. One toe of the sock had a thread hanging out and they threaded that into a wire recorder disguised as a sewing machine to play back a secret message. I wondered about trying to actually make one and after a few minutes on Google, found out that it wasn't just a TV show prop but wire recorders were real. http://www.rfcafe.com/miscellany/homepage-archive/2013/Wire-Recorders-HogansHeroes-Sock-Player.htm
The machine in the YouTube video looks very like the one I had, except mine also had one of those green "magic eye" tubes that indicated volume. It briefly made what could be considered sound -- maybe 15 seconds -- when I think some caps blew. After that it was just loud hiss. I was always going to fix it, but instead, to make room in the garage I just gave it away to a friend. I think these were very popular in the 50s as an alternative to wax or plastic belt transcription machines for dictation.
I haven't been to the Pomona antique stores in maybe a decade, and I know many of my favorites from the 80s and 90s are no longer there, but for a time, it was a great place to pick up things like this, and for not much money. I think I paid $35-40 for the recorder, but about $125 for that 8-Track, seeing how it's one of them there mod'ren designs (I overpaid; the plastic was yellowing, not all white like in the picture I posted). These days everybody tries to sell the stuff on eBay and charge way too much shipping. The wire recorder was quite heavy, and probably would be $50 to ship.
I found an article that mentioned type 420 stainless in connection with a wire recorder. 4xx series low-nickel stainless is magnetic (witness its application in cookware for induction stovetops). http://www.aes.org/aeshc/docs/recording.technology.history/begun6.html
However, other recorders there mention 18-8 wire. That is puzzling. Well, cold working (as in pulling wire?) can make any stainless turn magnetic. (18-8 is like type 304, 18% chromium, 8% nickel, generally not magnetic).
Another tidbit was that in early implementation the wire was magnetized transversely, perpendicular to the direction of motion, with poles on opposite sides of the wire. However, the playback strength would subsequently vary with the twist of the wire. So, later implementations placed the two poles along the direction of motion, so the wire was magnetized the wire axially, insensitive to twist on playback.
erco
Posts: 20,256
Comments
I have had this item at my desk for ~15 years and I ask all new Engineers/Techs that I hire to tell me what it is:
-Phil
If so, then given erco, the aircraft would likely be a blimp or dirigible.
That and "tab" washers.
Shark fishing
Older guided missiles trailed wires behind for control inputs.
I wouldn't think they'd use that sort of spool if the connected object was being shot with a rocket. I don't think the wire could unroll fast enough.
Winner winner, chicken dinner! That didn't take long at all. Gordon is THE MAN!
DOH! Sorry, I missed Andrew's post, he nailed it straightaway. Well done young man! You and Gordon get to split a bag of Fahnestock clips!
Funny story how I learned about wire recorders.... In an old episode of Hogan's Heroes, they receive a gift of a pair of hand knitted socks that of course made it past the guards. One toe of the sock had a thread hanging out and they threaded that into a wire recorder disguised as a sewing machine to play back a secret message. I wondered about trying to actually make one and after a few minutes on Google, found out that it wasn't just a TV show prop but wire recorders were real.
http://www.rfcafe.com/miscellany/homepage-archive/2013/Wire-Recorders-HogansHeroes-Sock-Player.htm
The machine in the YouTube video looks very like the one I had, except mine also had one of those green "magic eye" tubes that indicated volume. It briefly made what could be considered sound -- maybe 15 seconds -- when I think some caps blew. After that it was just loud hiss. I was always going to fix it, but instead, to make room in the garage I just gave it away to a friend. I think these were very popular in the 50s as an alternative to wax or plastic belt transcription machines for dictation.
I haven't been to the Pomona antique stores in maybe a decade, and I know many of my favorites from the 80s and 90s are no longer there, but for a time, it was a great place to pick up things like this, and for not much money. I think I paid $35-40 for the recorder, but about $125 for that 8-Track, seeing how it's one of them there mod'ren designs (I overpaid; the plastic was yellowing, not all white like in the picture I posted). These days everybody tries to sell the stuff on eBay and charge way too much shipping. The wire recorder was quite heavy, and probably would be $50 to ship.
I'll take a burger at Five Guys next time you're down, if you're buyin'. I'm still dreaming about the last one I had...
Gordon: I'm very sorry about that typo. I meant Fahnestock Chips, Pringles' newest flavor. That classic taste of musty metal goodness!
-Phil
How is the spool being metal a hint?
The spools in the Techmoan thumbnail don't look like they're metal. Does the spool really need to be metal?
I wouldn't think you'd want electricity flowing through the wire.
Do you have a working device?
http://www.aes.org/aeshc/docs/recording.technology.history/begun6.html
However, other recorders there mention 18-8 wire. That is puzzling. Well, cold working (as in pulling wire?) can make any stainless turn magnetic. (18-8 is like type 304, 18% chromium, 8% nickel, generally not magnetic).
Another tidbit was that in early implementation the wire was magnetized transversely, perpendicular to the direction of motion, with poles on opposite sides of the wire. However, the playback strength would subsequently vary with the twist of the wire. So, later implementations placed the two poles along the direction of motion, so the wire was magnetized the wire axially, insensitive to twist on playback.
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wire-guided_missile
If not then, I go with the dental floss for jaws.