12-21-2006, 02:21 AM
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#1 | | Senior Member
Join Date: Sep 2006 Location: Northern Cal
Posts: 167
| Wiring a Foil
After wiring my foil as carefully as I can, I assemble the weapon and test it. While hooked up to Favero test box, I perform the following simple tests:
1. The light is red. I press the tip down. The light briefly turns yellow, and then goes out. Great.
2. The light is red. I tap the side of the blade sharply against the side of my shoe. The light stays red. Great.
3. The light is red. I tap the side of the blade sharply against another foil. The yellow light flashes briefly, and then returns to red. Why?
Almost all of my foils behave this way, though they seem to function OK on the strip. Is it normal behaviour for the favero light to turn yellow when tapping metal surfaces? If not, what am I missing? | 
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12-21-2006, 07:01 AM
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#2 | | Senior Member
Join Date: Nov 2003 Location: MD
Posts: 964
| The yellow light indicates a momentary break somewhere in the circuit. This could be due to any number of things but likely candidates include a loose barrel or socket (make sure that the pommel is tight), poor fit between the socket and body cord or a problem in the body cord.
Also bear in mind that under current timings that the Favero tester is probably more sensitive to short breaks than the scoring machine (something on the order of 1 vs 15 milliseconds). Left uncorrected, the problem will probably just get worse and eventually you will start seeing it when hooked up to a machine as well. | |
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12-21-2006, 08:03 AM
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#3 | | Senior Member
Join Date: Jan 2003 Location: Milwaukee
Posts: 973
| You have the same testor I do. The previous post is exactly correct as to the reason for the light . The question is, is it significant? The (Favero) testor will indicate breaks that are significant and insignificant. When preparing my foils for the last vet world championships, I got them to register "0" ohms. In other words, no significant dirt, perfect contact, and no corrosion. Still, hooking up to the Favero testor and whacking the foils against the side of my shoe, would produce the yellow light and a sore spot on my foot.
The problem is that the yellow light can also be an indicator of a significant problem. For instance, you rotate the foil point (without pressing it down) and you get a light, you may need cleaning, etc.. The Favero testor is a good testor, but I think to tell if you have a significant problem and ohmeter (albeit slow) is your best tool. Probably, only hooking up to a current machine will tell you for sure if it (the light) will register on a machine.
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I'm a foil fencer, and I can change, if I have to, I guess.
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12-21-2006, 09:21 AM
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#4 | | Senior Member
Join Date: Nov 2003
Posts: 932
| I use the Favero tester a lot. It's a wonderful thing. It is much more sensitive than a machine, which is good in a test box, but you have to know how to interpret the results.
I find that it's all in the force and the resilience of what you are hitting. A perfectly good weapon will, if you whack it hard enough on a hard surface, cause the yellow light to blink, indicating a momentary break. You need to whack it harder on a resilient surface (like your foot). I usually tap it with moderate, but not strong force on a table top. If I get a yellow, I look for a problem. There are few weapons I can't get to blink yellow if I whack it hard enough.
The top 3 causes for excessive yellow are: dirty tips, loose barrels and loose wire in socket. Less common problems are loose handle (which is only less common because fencers notice that one), tips starting to come apart, springs not seating well, and loose tip screws.
While you could have a consistent problem, it sounds like everything is fine. If you have an experienced armorer around, or you will be going to a tournament with a good armorer, you can get another opinion on that. | |
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12-21-2006, 10:21 AM
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#5 | | Senior Member
Join Date: Sep 2006 Location: Northern Cal
Posts: 167
| Excellent and useful replies from all. Thanks. | |
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12-22-2006, 06:55 PM
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#6 | | Senior Member
Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: TX
Posts: 480
| Quote:
Originally Posted by contre-Sixte  After wiring my foil as carefully as I can, I assemble the weapon and test it. While hooked up to Favero test box, I perform the following simple tests:
1. The light is red. I press the tip down. The light briefly turns yellow, and then goes out. Great.
2. The light is red. I tap the side of the blade sharply against the side of my shoe. The light stays red. Great.
3. The light is red. I tap the side of the blade sharply against another foil. The yellow light flashes briefly, and then returns to red. Why?
Almost all of my foils behave this way, though they seem to function OK on the strip. Is it normal behaviour for the favero light to turn yellow when tapping metal surfaces? If not, what am I missing? |
contre:
Your good. This is what is suppose to happen.
:-) You did a good job wiring the blade up.
Gary Spruill
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