Making a homebrew CW paddle.

OK, my back problems are giving me pains in my arms, and overdoing the straight morse key is giving me RSI in my right wrist, so something needs to be done. 

ONE possibility is an air key, more to follow, but first, I'm going to have a go at a paddle.

as usual, budget to be kept at a bare minimum!

so, I had to get some other stuff at B&Q anyway so I threw a few other bits & pieces into the trolley.

bolts, nuts washers and 4 L brackets.  add a kiddie's knife that all our kids have outgrown and we get.......

for a base I'm not going to waste a nice piece of mahogany or cherry on a prototype, so I found a left over bit of spruce..... 

so start by drilling a hole in the knife blade.....

then mock up how things will sit......

then after checking clearances, get the screws into the wood...

which looks like this from the end.....

I reckon I have up to 5mm play in the gap, not that I'll need it.  If this all works, then I'll transfer it onto a nicer piece of wood and maybe make the brackets a little less Heath Robinson.

for those not in the know, earth goes to the centre, one wire to the left contact, one to the right, then a stereo cable to a jack plug into the electronic keyer.

now all I need is for the electronic keyer to arrive in the post from ebay land!

Updates to follow......