Great, Walt. Thanks so much. I've printed this (and others) out. I'm
going to have a pretty good notebook! now to find a craft store in the area...
Ken
At 11:28 AM 2/27/2005, you wrote:
>From: Ken Durling <>
>
> > Exactly what I'm doing. I was going to check out the fake fur
> selection at
> > a local esoteric fabric store today. I'm curious what commonly available
> > materials you home-brewers use for the underlying hard skin. (Did Walt
> > just mention something? - dang, I erased the email by accident , along
> > with his comments on X-Y and M-S, Walt would you mind resending? Soo-r-rry
> > ) The commercial zeps look like they're made from some kind of perforated
> > metal or plastic, although I've yet to handle one. Would window screening
> > work? Thinking of a light wood or wire frame to support it. Just as a
> > starting point.
>
>The commercial zeps come in two types as far as what I have, Rycote and
>Sennheiser differ. And each has varied over the years. Comments below
>are primarily on their current offerings.
>
>Rycote zeps are built on a supporting structure of a slotted rail with
>supporting plastic rings at the ends and maybe in the middle in longer
>ones. On this is glued a hybrid mesh. This consists of a supporting
>heavier mesh of about 4 openings/inch. This mesh is molded into a form
>that resembles the original woven mesh that was used, but it's entirely
>thermoplastic. I have a older zep in which that mesh is actually painted
>cotton mesh, very, very similar to the latchhook mesh available in craft
>stores for making rugs. Glued to the large mesh is a lining fabric. This
>is a woven, thin fabric that has a fuzzy side out and a smooth side in.
>It's glued on the inside of the large mesh in the zep. Rycote makes a
>big deal about their special glue process, but it looks a lot like it
>may simply be rolled into the large mesh with heat using a special
>roller. It is attached before molding the ends. The slotted rail in the
>zep matches the rail of the suspension, the two slip together in a non
>rattling fashion, this is how you get the mic in and out quickly. One of
>the hemispherical end caps is removable to do this, the other end is
>glued on. If buying used zeps, the end caps are the most vulnerable.
>I've spent hours carefully welding the mesh back together on some I
>have. The other damage you will find is that the thermoplastic used in
>the support rings is moderately brittle. I've had to plastic weld a few
>of those too.
>
>Sennheiser's zeps differ primarily in the lining material of the zep and
>where it's located. They place their lining on the outside of the large
>mesh, and it's a very fine, but heavy duty plastic screening. Their
>slotted rails and rings are also heavier duty than Rycote's. And the
>entire package is much more solid. I've not noticed any difference in
>sound from the two brands. The Sennheiser and Rycote differ as to the
>sound you get off the zeps in a wind when it's time to get fur on.
>
>Sennheiser tends to use a much longer fur, that does not tend to mat as
>bad a Rycote's can. A fur cover from both tends to come with a brush to
>keep it untangled, more necessary with Rycote's.
>
>As far a substitute material. I doubt that window screening would be a
>good support material. Some folks have used hardware cloth. I've also
>seen windscreens that were welded aluminum rod covered with fabric. No
>supporting mesh, the fabric usually panty hose.
>
>Craft shops carry a material called plastic canvas. It's used as a base
>for needlepoint. It's available in sheets, and a couple molded shapes of
>interest. The largest mesh you can commonly find is 5/inch, though I
>have occasionally seen some 4/inch. It is a thermoplastic, resembles
>nylon, but probably is something else. Can be molded if heated a bit
>above the boiling point of water. I built a experimental two piece mold
>and experimented and managed to mold the end hemispheres, but it's tricky.
>
>A alternative is to go to the older way the commercial folks did it.
>That's to go to the craft shop and look for latchhook mesh. Usually
>available in rolls of material. This is cotton mesh, has a sizing
>coating to keep it stiff. If soaked in water it's easily molded to
>shape, and will hold the shape when it dries. It can then be coated with
>paint to form a mesh that's very much like the commercial mesh. While
>the paint is wet you should be able to attach the lining, though I've
>not tried that yet.
>
>The support rings could be made from sections of PVC tubing. Making a
>locking removable end should be interesting. It would be easy to make
>the slotted support rail and it's matching suspension rail on a milling
>machine. Probably possible, but not as easy using other tools.
>Sennheiser uses cam locks to lock the two together. Rycote has a rubber
>insert and clamp bolts.
>
>The fur cover is just a matter of sewing. Some commercial fur covers,
>including more recent Rycote are lined with nylon taffeta. No big deal
>if you know your way around a sewing machine. Could even be sewn by
>hand. Usually there is a zipper or two, and some snaps to hold it all
>together on the zep.
>
>Choosing fur: I look for fur that has a elastic knit backing. None of it
>stretches much, but a little helps to keep it tight and not flapping. I
>choose fur that's of irregular length, long as I can find, has no fine
>filler, and a backing thin enough that I can see light through it. You
>can try putting it up to your ear, but I've not found that to be too
>useful in a fabric store.
>
>Suspension: this is part of a windscreen, and part of it's support
>structure. The commercial setup has plastic clips on the mics, these
>have several eyes that one can slip thin o-rings into. The o-rings are
>supported by a ring that's slightly smaller than the inside of the zep.
>Rycote uses a closed ring in their modular system, the o-rings are
>attached with tiny plastic pins and washers to holes in the ring. The
>ring itself is attached with screws to the rail, which has many
>locations along it for ring attachment. A rubber H shaped piece is
>between that flat rail and the outside handle support. This is slipped
>into the groove of the zep to assemble. And then thumbscrews on the
>outside lock the handle to the rail and zep. The rubber H can be
>annoying to get on sometimes, with the legs of the H rolling into the
>groove or whatever.
>
>Sennheiser has a simpler system. Same inner mic clip design (in fact I
>use Rycote clips on my Sennheiser setups). The ring is heavier and open
>on the top. The o-rings are not attached with little pieces, but just
>slip into slots in the ring. Note because it's open on the top there is
>enough room in the mono setup to fit a M/S setup. The ring bolts to the
>plastic, H shaped rail, again several positions along the rail. The rail
>slips into the slot of the zep, and the zep is locked in place by two
>cam locks. The rail also has the handle attachment molded. All these
>parts are robust.
>
>Rycote uses silicon o-rings. These are available from other sources for
>far less than Rycote charges. Sennheiser is using the regular black
>rubber o-rings. I am gradually switching everything to the silicon,
>bought from <http://www.allorings.com/>http://www.allorings.com/
>That's also where I get silicon o-rings for the modified SASS. I like
>the silicon as they don't tend to stick to things like the rubber can,
>and they stand up to weather better. However, they are not as resistant
>to nicks and cuts, so have to be used with care.
>
>My M/S page has photos of some commercial setups. Please note these are
>not bought off the shelf things, every one was assembled from various
>parts bought off ebay, and a few parts bought new. (try machining up a
>equivalent to a Rycote mic clip some day)
><http://frogrecordist.home.mindspring.com/docs/my_ms_setups.html>http://frogrecordist.home.mindspring.com/docs/my_ms_setups.html
>
>I'm not sure what comments on XY and M/S you refer to. I did state you
>could not do a M/S with a cardioid and a omni, you really need a figure
>8 mic or it's equivalent. And pointed out that commercial windscreening
>won't work for XY, except for some small mics. If I've not covered your
>question, ask. I believe I also mentioned the modified SASS, pictures,
>etc here:
><http://frogrecordist.home.mindspring.com/docs/my_mod_sass.html>http://frogrecordist.home.mindspring.com/docs/my_mod_sass.html
>
>Walt
>
>
>
>
>
>
>"Microphones are not ears,
>Loudspeakers are not birds,
>A listening room is not nature."
>Klas Strandberg
>
>
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