Homebrew Drum Computer (magnetic heads)

Date: Fri, 14 Dec 2007 08:21:55 -0800 From: jwstephens at msm.umr.edu To: CC: Subject: Re: Homebrew Drum Computer (magnetic heads) Pete Turnbull wrote: It would take an examination of the magnet circuit that you are creating with the head material and the magnetic media. This is not a problem that can be attacked by comparing to other applications because the materials will be different. I don't know if one can obtain material that can be attached to a drum, but it probably wont be the same consistency as that of cassette or audio tape for instance. and the aluminum drum backing will be different in nature than the tape with the felt backing that you have with those heads. Also all the drums I ever saw had a sort of flying head with a horizontal head in a hole with a small spring mechanism that would hold it in position. I don't if the head normally was out of contact with the drum while the head was stopped and was then sucked in, or if it landed and was pushed back, but that whole affair was delicate as well. John Bohner has some drums that we could photograph and use for you to get some ideas on how to do the heads. I'm not aware of any drums that ever had heads that resembled cassette recorder heads though. Jim