Date: Tue, 27 Jun 2006 10:44:14 -0400
To: puptcrit-AT-lists.driftline.org
From: Joe <joe-AT-dunfee.com>
Subject: [Puptcrit] Spring Sources


Most (perhaps all) hardware stores in the U.S. have a section with a 
large selection of springs.  Of course the very large ones do, but 
even the smaller ones (who participate with Ace Hardware) do in my area.

They include a number of very small springs - this way you can feel 
the strength of the various sizes.

As an alternative, if you want to do mail order is to get a 
pull-scale (like a fish scale) at the scale you want (a postage 
scale?) and then connect it to the mechanism.  You can get an 
accurate measure of the pull you need from that and many springs are 
sold with that information.

   There are also ways to calculate the strength of a spring knowing 
its wire diameter and the diameter of the coil, but it is not a 
casual calculation if you haven't had a class on it.  Personally, for 
a puppet, I would rather just play with the various spring sizes 
rather than do the calcuations.  I suspect there will be charts for 
standard sizes though.  Contact me if you are really interested in 
this and I will put  more effort into looking for something like this.

Joe Dunfee  joe-AT-dunfee.com
Gordonville, Pennsylvania, U.S.A. 

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