Science Buddies: "Ask an Expert"

My project "Recording on a Wire" is supposed to take me through steps to assemble the Read/Write head that I will use to record and playback in the project I chose about recording on a steel wire. I followed the steps listed, but figure 5 and 6 show a detailed recording head and teflon tensioner device that is nothing looking like the pieces the instructions had me put together. The teflon tens. device is easy to figure out but it is if a page on assembly of the read/write head is missing. I'm at a complete standstill with my project and have no idea how to get what they told me to build to look like figure 5 or 6. Help please?! The most important details of the whole project are missing on science buddies where our teacher wanted us to go to choose and build a project. Can anyone instruct on how to assemble the read/write portion of my project??

I'm not familiar with the project you are doing, but I know someone who is. One of the original submitters of that project works here in my company. I have contacted him and asked if he can help. I'll forward whatever information he can provide.

In the mean time, I hope you can experiment with a few ways to get all the elements of this machine put together.

Have fun!

I did get that feedback from our local expert. Here's what he had to say:

"Figures 6 is not an up close detail of the recording head it is just showing the relative positioning of the head to the tensioning device and wire. What you see in the picture is mostly just the clamp holding the recording head (a vise) and the electrical connections to the head. For an up close detail of the head refer to figure 3."

Notice he said he just used a vise to hold the recording head. This is where you have room for invention. You can put these pieces together any way you think will work, and using whatever you have available. The way I see it is the important thing is to use the slot in the tensioner to hold the wire at the same elevation as the recording head, and be able to position the tensioner it so you can keep tension on the wire.

Good luck!