16PDT switch - ideas!?

[qubuntu]

Hi everyone, this is my first post here

Some time ago I got hold of a couple of Russian military surplus 16-pole double-throw rotary switches for a project I never even started...

Well, I had a mad idea the other day: given two sufficiently similar circuits, I could actually solder the components directly onto the poles of the switch and (probably with loads of p2p wiring) end up being able to switch between the two circuits. Each pole would serve one circuit node. Yes, I know I could just build two circuits on PCBs and switch between them with a DPDT but...

Does anyone have any ideas for circuits that are similar but differ sufficiently to bother doing this? Call me crazy if you like.

[Mark Hammer]

You know, as tempting as the opportunity to switch that many poles might be, I have to ask myself: do I really want to have that much wire floating around in anything I make? And the answer is a resounding "no". Just too many opportunities for failure.

[qubuntu]

Hmmm, yes, point taken... But I've got to do something with these switches!

[Mark Hammer]

1) Well, I suppose you don't have to use ALL the available poles.

2) How big is it, compared to your average rotary switch?

[eschertron]

1) Well, I suppose you don't have to use ALL the available poles.

2) How big is it, compared to your average rotary switch?

Good Question... In my mind, when I hear "Russian Military Surplus" I think those switches must be 3 inches wide and about 6 to 8 inches deep.
Certainly big enough to run all the P2P wiring for an amp, or at least build a sci-fi monster movie set prop! Qubuntu, do you have any pics to show us?

[rjb]

But I've got to do something with these switches!

Spray paint them, cover them in glitter, hang them on the wall and call it art.

[qubuntu]

Here they are. Sorry about the image quality. Switches are about 3" by 1.5". They're pretty industrial.

[Mark Hammer]

Actually, a good-looking switch, if there is such a thing. Clean-looking contacts, and probably intended for something like a Centronics/parallel interface printer switch (there actually WAS a time before USB). I gather each wafer has four SPDT connections.

While I cannot think of a single use for 16 poles, undoing the nuts, removing two wafers, screwing the remaining wafers back in place, and sawing off the unused portion of the centre shaft, would get you an 8PDT switch which might be useful for something without taking up too much room.

For example, it could be used to select between a pair of preset control settings. I'm partial to the idea of "order-flipping" in pedal boards and loop selectors, that let you stick A-before-B or B-before-A. Eight poles would let you do that for 2 pairs of loops at once, with LED indication (4 poles needed per order flip).

[Jazz P Bass]

That's not a big switch.
This is a big switch.
Wurlitzer Sideman (1959)

[nickb]

I really didn't think that size mattered...

[qubuntu]

That's not a big switch.
This is a big switch.

That is indeed a bigger switch. Yours is bigger than mine

I cannot think of a single use for 16 poles

I originally intended to use one as an analogue VGA monitor selector - but then I switched to digital cables instead.

I'm partial to the idea of "order-flipping" in pedal boards

Yes, that's a good idea...

Thanks for your replies, guys

[Mark Hammer]

Holy crap! I'm reminded of the TV commercial for the water-flavouring product MIO, where the pitchman declares "It changes everything".

That switch has enough poles on it TO "change everything", the channel, the weather, your gear, your sex, the political system, the future, you name it.

[Enzo]

Looks like the old Centralab switches.

16 poles could be a transmit/receive switch, or a band switch for communications radios.

Build some dumb circuit in a plexiglass box for appearance, use one or two of the decks for real, then just solder various pretty colored components on the remaining decks. it will impress the tire kickers.


"That's not a noif. THIS is a noif." (...C. Dundee)

[J M Fahey]

Here they are. Sorry about the image quality. Switches are about 3" by 1.5". They're pretty industrial.
[ATTACH=CONFIG]23733[/ATTACH]
[ATTACH=CONFIG]23734[/ATTACH]

Oh !!!! THOSE !!!!!
Where did you get them?
This guy

needs his 16 room mic eavesdropping system repaired at once.

Please check:

The Lives of Others trailer - YouTube

By the way, try to rent it, *terrific* film (in more than a way )

Or plain watch it online:

The Lives Of Others Das Leben Der Anderen 2006 BRRip XviD VLiS - YouTube

Remember to turn [CC] Closed Caption > English ON, for English subtitles.

[qubuntu]

Well, whatever I do with these things I'll post some pictures when I'm done...