On Thu, 23 Dec 2004 08:55:17 -0500, Bob Engelhardt
wrote:

Very nice! As I always say "Finding complicated solutions is easy,
finding simple ones is hard". The plating makes it even nicer. Four
months is a bit long for the gestation, though. I'd suggest getting a
dog and taking it on walks in the woods. It's a great way to give your
mind time to mull over design problems.

I have time. I freely acknowledge that I'm not the quickest gun in
Dodge. Oh well! I do better with electrical stuff on a good day.

A design question: why the third piece (the ring)? Why wasn't it
integral to the outer/turning piece?

It acts as a washer so the rotating collar slides on the nickle-plated
ring rather than anything turning against the aluminum surface. The
nickel isn't just for appearance. Nickel slides on nickel very
nicely. It's not as hard as chrome but it's pretty hard and very easy
to work with. It gives the clamping lever a nice "crisp" feel.