[sdiy] Vernier Dials Question

[Scott Gravenhorst]

I've modified both of my FatMan synths exactly this way.  The pots are 5:1
ratio for mine.  Center the fine, adjust coarse close and use fine to nail it.  
It's very quick and making fine nudges on the pitch are never traumatic.

When I was a kid, my dad had a tube radio that had a vernier tuner.  Very
nice in those days.  The vernier mechanism was rather large, the large
portion being some 4 inches wide if I remember.

I think it's gone.

"Jay Schwichtenberg" <jays at aracnet.com> wrote:
>I think they are pretty neat looking but hate them for freq adj. Problem is
>it takes 5 minutes to turn them from one end of their range to the other.
>With a two control system (course/octive & fine tune) you can tune things
>real quick. Basicly you have a '2 turn' system.
>
>Jay
>
>> -----Original Message-----
>> From: owner-synth-diy at dropmix.xs4all.nl
>> [mailto:owner-synth-diy at dropmix.xs4all.nl]On Behalf Of Peter Grenader
>> Sent: Friday, August 09, 2002 11:45 PM
>> To: prototek; synth diy
>> Subject: Re: [sdiy] Vernier Dials Question
>>
>>
>> Sure you can use them....but they cost a FORTUNE and are overkill for some
>> applications - in my humble opinion.
>>
>> Verniers behave simularily to highly accurate mutli-turn trimmers.
>> Depending on the type, it may take 10 full rotations of the knob
>> to get the
>> equivalent of one turn of a standard pot (rail to rail).  Some
>> are geared so
>> that the knob portion (the part you grab and turn) rotate at a different
>> rate physically to the outer indicator wheel (like the
>> Putneys/Synthis did).
>> Some have little window indicators on top (much like the date window on an
>> old mechanical watch) which indicate what turn you are on.  Some
>> have three
>> digital mechanical displays above the knob in which to indicate your
>> positition. In any event, you are normally paying about 20 to 30 times as
>> much for a vernier than a standard pot.
>>
>> Now you can appreciate why they may be overkill in certain
>> applications.  A
>> ten turn level offset for a VCA would be frustrating (to me, anyway).
>>
>> Yet for filter and oscialltor freq they can be way cool.  Rids you of the
>> need of a fine tune pot, that's for sure.
>>
>> I believe ( i may be wrong here) there is no such thing as a log vernier -
>> they are all linear by nature - yes?
>>
>> I have heard horror stories about when (if) they get dirty - cleaning them
>> with the wrong solvent or using somehting like WD-40 will goop them up so
>> they are hard to operate.
>>
>> hope this helps,
>>
>> Peter
>>
>>
>> on 8/10/02 12:11 AM, prototek at prototek at optonline.net wrote:
>>
>> >
>> > I love the look of those old school Vernier Dials. I'm not familiar with
>> > their exact nature, but I would really like to use them as
>> knobs. Is this
>> > possible to do on 1/4" pots? Is it as easy as using a standard
>> "minimoog"
>> > style knob, or are there other things involved?
>> >
>> > Thanks,
>> > John
>> >
>>
>>
>>
>
>

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-- Scott Gravenhorst | LegoManiac / Lego Trains / RIS 1.5
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