wrote:

[...]

It looks as though you hve got everything in the right place

[...]
The Copper Contact was as shown (nearly
straight) when I got it - it doesn't make contact with the Carbon Pile
until the Brass Linkage is nearly touching the Bypass Contact.

That's why you aren't getting a gradual start-up, the resistance isn't
coming into play until too late in the operating sequence.

Also,
the slot where the Copper Contact and Brass Linkage tie together is
held together very tenuously - I'm afraid it's going to fall apart
every time I fully-depress the pedal.

Gently curving the 'copper' (more likely phosphor bronze) strip towards
the pile would cause it to make contact earlier and would also change
the angle of the fork so that it held the brass linkage more positively.
Perhaps the fork should be angled more sharply to make sure it is well
hooked into the strip (be careful not to crease the metal and snap it).

Have you checked the carbon discs to make sure that some of them aren't
shattered - or some might be missing?. That would make the pile too
short to touch the 'copper' strip properly.

--
~ Adrian Tuddenham ~
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www.poppyrecords.co.uk