Spent a few hours yesterday without electricity, always a nice reminder of paper books, ink and fire. Don't lose sight of that stuff my friends.

So hindered by the absence of a search function I wound up lackadaisically perusing my paper copy of the Mouser catalog, which led me to this image:


Naturally, I'm led to believe that their superior resistor product is illustrated on the left.

It's the image on the right that tickles my fancy, however.


I've been plucking the used/clogged activated charcoal water filters from the trash (if they make it that far) in order to secure carbon materials with which to roll my own hopelessly noisy carbon resistors. The material itself is doubtless contaminated with all manner of miscellaneous bullshit that wouldn't make it past the door of any self respecting factory with the pressing goal for rampant pasteurization. I also highly doubt the resulting resistors will be RoHS compliant.


After rolling the material out I let it dry a few days. It does indeed reflect a resistance. Actual assembly is yet to be determined; I'm thinking Pyrex tubing cut to length, conductive plug/leg cemented in one end, infill of material gently compressed, over which another conductive plug/leg will be cemented.

Values will be arrived at through trial and error.

I was planning on posting about this project once I had made a few and could outline the process, but that catalog image forced my hand.. their rendition of the poor substrate is strikingly similar to my material of choice.