[dfro]

CarWiz

Thanks for the reply. I understand your points. This is a switch for a keyboard instrument. I am following a design that was used for decades by electronic keyboard companies before they started making conductive, molded, rubber domes that compress when the key is pressed.

One end of the spring is attached to the instrument key and is pulled up against the horizontal beam part of the brass staple form. It touches the brass staple form in the middle of the spring. This switch design allows the key to travel past the contact point with no effect on the feel of the key. The spring just bends a little against the brass bar. Also, the spring is tightly wound, so the coils do not separate and pinch the brass bar - the pressure is very slight, also. There is a little friction, but many vintage keyboards seem to still be going with no problems.

The old Hammond organs did not bother with any plating of the steel contacts on a similar design to mine. Over time the contacts would oxidize and effect the triggering of the notes.

I have also noticed that many of the keyboards have the spring silver plated instead of gold plated. The manufacturers did not seem to be concerned about the silver oxidizing.

Could I get a thicker. more durable plate with silver?

Thanks,

dfro