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Re: Rode NT-4 homemade shockmount and zeppelin

Subject: Re: Rode NT-4 homemade shockmount and zeppelin
From: Walter Knapp <>
Date: Sun, 19 Dec 2004 11:18:17 -0500
From: Rob Danielson <>

> 
> At 11:12 PM -0500 12/17/04, Walter Knapp wrote:
> 
>>I would also get a layer of wind stopping fabric into the mesh. In
>>addition to the furry outside. You have only a single layer of protection.
> 
> 
> that would be good to try. Do you have a source for this?

Rycote's liner looks nonwoven, like polartec fabric only very thin. The 
source is your local fabric shop. You can find many suitable fabrics 
there. The thinnest of polartec, various of the fill fabrics, or flannel 
would be where to start.

Sennheiser uses a very fine mesh on theirs. Kind of like the nylon panti 
hose that Lang uses on his windscreens. Look in fine lycra fabric for that.

It's not clear if Rycote uses glue or heat to bond that layer. They, of 
course, describe it like some very special process, but it's probably 
some common industrial practice.

>>You might also look at craft shop "plastic canvas" for the mesh.
> 
> 
> I should compare these sonically. The gutter mesh is really cheap-- 
> when we make up 20 mics it adds up.

Plastic canvas is not a expensive product. It's advantage would be in 
it's greater strength allowing for less supporting structure. And you 
can mold it to a shape with heat as it's a thermoplastic. They do have 
ready molded 3" globes and egg shapes available as I reported earlier. 
Before I went with getting zepplins off ebay I'd experimented with 
molding it and had some success making the end domes for zepplins. At 
the time I was using boiling water for the heating, but it would work 
better at a temp a bit above boiling, like you could obtain in a regular 
oven.

Eventually I'll get back to all that as I need some zepplins that are 
not standard shape.

Note one zepplin I have shows the genesis of the zepplin material. It's 
a shaped cotton mesh that was then paint coated to stiffen it. For this 
material look for latch hook rug making backing in the craft shops. 
Soaked wet it can be molded to shape. Then paint coated to fix the 
shape. Modern zepplins still are molded with the sort of pattern that 
results even though they are straight thermoplastic.

>>I favor o-rings over rubber bands. You can get all kinds of different
>>types in bulk here:
>>http://www.allorings.com/material_selection.htm
>>
>>I prefer the Silicone ones in my SASS as they don't tend to stick to the
>>mics over time. That's the same as Rycote uses I'm pretty sure. I have
>>some of the Rycote ones and they look the same. You have to check the
>>sizing chart to understand the ordering page.
> 
> 
> Great idea. I asked them if they'd consider a $10 sample kit for 
> microphone applications.

Good luck on that, they seem to be a industrial supplier. I expect you 
will have to come up with sizes at least. I've been slowly accumulating 
a bunch of sizes of the smallest diameter silicon o-rings. Each time 
I've ordered I've added a few extra sizes to the order. I should look 
into the feasibility of getting the material in bulk and bonding custom 
size o-rings as needed. I know that's possible with the plain rubber 
ones, don't know how it's done in silicon.

Note I have also used fine bungee cord elastic. Mostly to rebuild some 
basket suspensions. It's easy enough to work with.

Walt




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