Semaphore cont'd

Page 2

Step 3:
After forming, it's time to drill three1/4 inch holes in each arm to hold the red, green and yellow signal lenses. Use a number 5 punch (if you have one) to punch a piece of clear acrylic plastic. Make six round pieces. If you don't have a punch, use a Dremel Tool to shape each lense. After you have the six pieces shaped, paint with green, red, and yellow clear paint (see Figure 5). While the lenses are drying, paint one arm black with a white
stripe and one arm red with a white stripe (Click here to view arms).

Figure 5

 
 
Step 4:
To construct the semaphore pole mast, cut one 4" piece of 9/32" brass tubing and one 9 1/2" piece of 1/4" brass tubing (see Figure 6). Now slip the 1/4" tubing into the 9/32" tubing and expand to 12 1/2 inches (see Figure 7). Use a small amount (3/16") of silver solder and liquid silver solder flux to attach these pieces together. The trick here is to saturate the solder joint with flux and use a tremendous amount to heat at the solder joint. Use at least a 200 watt soldering iron or butane torch (see Figure 8). Using an iron less than 200 watts will not melt the silver solder and you will be waiting months for the solder to melt. DO NOT USE REGULAR SOLDER. Silver solder is expensive, but forms an exceptionally strong bond suitable for outdoor use. The semaphore mast should look like Figure 9.
     

Figure 6

Figure 7

Figure 8

Figure 9
 
 
Step 5:
Take your piece of 1/16" x 3/4" x 3 inch brass stock (see Figure 10) and cut out four pieces that measure
approximately 3/8" wide by 15/16" long (see Figure 11). These will be your ladder supports. Drill a 1/4" hole
in three of the supports and a 9/32" hole in the fourth piece to fit over the mast. Space each support about
3 1/2" from each other and silver solder them onto the mast. Be sure to use flux (see Figure 12).
 

Figure 10

Figure 11

Figure 12
 
 
 
 
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