Brendan,
Bob Hammond's reply of Brian's site of
<
http://www.groundmotion.org/main.html> if an excellent resource
for many elements of a Yuma2 build that at least has the
schematic, mechanical drawing and parts list. Much of the
information would apply to building a Inyo. Also excellent set of
information in addition to helicorder for Yuma2 recording.
Some other links for Inyo built that have active helicorders as
well are:
<
https://www.buffalogeo.com/Inyo.html>
<
https://www.buffalogeo.com/Inyodetails.html>
<
https://www.buffalogeo.com/florenceseismic.html>
<
https://www.theconnection.com/design-details-for-fbv/>
<
https://www.theconnection.com/fbv-steel-case/>
<
https://www.theconnection.com/force-balanced-vertical-seismometer/>
<
https://www.sydneystormcity.com/g_phones.htm#INYO>
<
https://www.sydneystormcity.com/seismograms.htm>
Inyo that was active many years until about mid 2024:
<
http://web.archive.org/web/20200117153249/http://earthalabama.com/equipment.html#Inyo_parts>
<
http://web.archive.org/web/20200217013731/http://earthalabama.com/seismicity.html>
<
http://web.archive.org/web/20240822135236/http://earthalabama.com/seismicity.html>
Other Yuma2 built about 10 years ago with only helicorders of the
instruments and still active are:
<
http://alanslab.com/seismo/seismo.html>
<
http://www.rowelabs.com/roweseismo.html>
Alan has few pics of his Yuma2:
<
http://www.alanslab.com/Yuma/Yuma.htm>
There was an excellent site of Yuma2 build and smaller Yuma2 builds
that sadly for all intents
archive.org did not archive what was
simple HTML web site and images of <
http://www.earthmode.org>. A
really great loss. I might, but have not been able to find yet
copies in PDFs and HTML manual saves of <
http://www.earthmode.org>.
The resource that is one link I am sure you have seen for all files
and related information for building and theory for Inyo and Yuma2
for many years was Brett M. Nordgren's web site
<
http://bnordgren.org/seismo/>. Again sadly
archive.org for all
intents did not archive over the many years for all intents
<
http://bnordgren.org/seismo/> so when
bnordgren.org domain expired
a few months after Brett passed away
<
https://www.legacy.com/us/obituaries/name/brett-nordgren-obituary?id=54163943>
the site was lost except at least I made copy of site a few days
prior to
bnordgren.org domain about to expire and a few times in
few years prior for other reasons.
Trying to figure out from files on <
http://bnordgren.org/seismo/>
the information to build an Inyo or Yuma2 is challenge. I started
working on building document in LibreOffice start of 2025 to
consolidate, organize, with table contents link index and internal
links to cross reference the related information including
information that applies to both instruments or very close to
same. This is a very time consuming effort that sadly paused
unexpectedly mid 2025 where I have multiple OS issues. No data loss
for work, just pause I man itching to resume. The effort is very
time consuming as I have to convert each PDF manually for
LibreOffice as only way to correctly convert. PDF conversion tools
make a mess and not even close to conversion I do manually. One
PDF takes from day to over week to convert. The various advanced
math formulas take alot of effort to convert and ensure I converted
manually correctly. I do make various comments, additions, et al
of my own at times in document. The document has credits of
designers, builders (I have included details of builder's
information for their instruments, et al).
I have no mill or such equipment. I really wanted to build some
Inyos. In late 2023 I tried to make Boom1 which is most
challenging Inyo part to made with just hand hacksaw and file. I
managed to make a Boom1 and managed to achieve the important
tolerance and parallel cut of the hinge part of Boom1. I
managed to achieve a tolerance for the Boom1 hinge of +- 0.005"
with freehand hacksaw, file, and unique technique of hand taped
guides on the raw Boom1 L before I started to cut with hacksaw.
This took nearly 30 man hours over about 6 weeks due to weather:
<
https://www.flickr.com/photos/33969106@N03/54531839860>
<
https://www.flickr.com/photos/33969106@N03/54530615037>
<
https://www.flickr.com/photos/33969106@N03/54530615042>
<
https://www.flickr.com/photos/33969106@N03/54531734408>
I have no workshop so all this metal work has to be done outside
during non-winter months.
I had actually wanted to build an Inyo for years, but I did not
feel I could make Boom1. As side note if you look carefully at
<
https://www.buffalogeo.com/Inyodetails.html> you will see a
different approach to buildin the Inyo Boom where the L is actually
a seperate piece of metal attached via machine screws and a one
piece boom rater than larce Boom1 with small L attached to Boom1 to
connect to boom capacitor plates.
When I saw how parts for Yuma2 were laid out on
<
http://www.earthmode.org> and
<
http://earthalabama.com/equipment.html#Inyo_parts>
mid 2019 I started to find tapping, micrometer, and other items
needed before I start purchasing metal. Sadly mid Fall 2019 I
sustained a very serious rib cage injury that made normal
breathing very very painful, let alone near impossible to sleep,
get in/out bed, make meals, no showering for months, etc. By time
the rib cage injury was bearable early March 2020 COVID-19 changed
the most basic for everyone. It was not until Fall 2023 could I
purchase any metal from any metal store in Toronto as these metal
stores (not same company) continued to operate in COVID-19
lock down when for over 2 years, and only few times mild
variations until 18+ months prior to metal stores deciding to stop
COVID-19 lock down. I purchase in person and pay cash as done for
years at metal stores where I can usually find what I need in
offcuts so no need to cut from standard stock. Hence a 4+ year
delay in starting my Inyo and Yuma2 building.
I learned and designed 3D print file for Yuma2 coil and then over
next few years improved code so can make coil form using same
OpenSCAD file just using different basic dimension information.
Using this same OpenSCAD file with different basic dimension
information I can create coil jibs to centre magnet in ring and
align boom to level with coil centred to coil. This in my opinion
will require different ring height, and changes to some of magnet
assembly materials used. After I have built an Inyo and Yuma2 with
ring magnet assembly I will try an alternate coil/magnet design I
arrived at in later 2019 easier to make with other pluses in
design. I have tested the design idea, hence know should work with
Inyo and Yuma2.
In 2024 I managed to cut most of metal for 3+ Inyos and 4+ Yuma2.
A key electronic part for the electronics, Wima MKS2 10uF, was
end of life Spring 2025 because the company that supplied the
unique very thin film used for MKS2 stopped production on short
notice due to financial problems. This means the ExpressPCB
files for the Inyo and Yuma2 are no longer useable because the
MKS2 uF was unique in only 10uF film capacitor with 5mmpin
spacing. Most 10uFs are 22mm or larger pin spacing with one
exception of one made at 15mm pin spacing. Hence new PCB needs
to be designed to accommodate the larger PCB space six 10uFs will
require. It will not be good idea to use MLCC for these six 10uF
film capacitors.
It is likely best to design PCB using Open Source ECAD so PCB can
be made by any PCB fab but ExpressPCB. ExpressPCB will not accept
gerber files and no other PCB fab can use ExpressPCB files. The
schematics were on Brett's site in PDF as well as the ExpressPCB
files.
I am still trying to find hoe for files on
<
http://bnordgren.org/seismo/> and of course would post WIP
organized consolidation PDF and LibreOffice document that takes just
couple clicks over few seconds to create PDF with PDF links. I was
really hoping to do so with
bnordgren.org domain, but
bnordgren.org
domain keeps bouncing about to other parties using
bnordgren.org
for really odd makes no sense uses. I wanted to use
bnordgren.org
as many links many places refer to
bnordgren.org or files of
bnordgren.org. The other goal is once have site, ideally
bnordgren.org fine way for
archive.org to correctly archive again
ideally with
bnordgren.org. Maybe trying to hold out for
bnordgren.org is not best practical approach.
I also like to find new home for fbv-topics mailing list using same
mailing list software that fbv-topics uses. So far only can find
paid versions of sites specifically designed to host just mailing
lists using same software. Easy to import existing fbv-topics. I
have sense with Brett's passing there is not anyone else to
approve new persons wanting to join fbv-topics that has good
information on the Inyo and Yuma2 that still apply.
John L. Males
Toronto, Ontario
Canada
2026-04-12 10:38+0000 UTC eMail Start
2026-04-12 12:47+0000 UTC
2026-04-12 08:47-0400 EDT
*****Not GPG/PG Signed*****
On Date: Sat, 11 Apr 2026 10:25:02 +0100
From: Brendan Cooney <
brenw...@gmail.com>
> Hi Gary
>
> do you or does anybody else have any construction details of the
> INYO or YUMA force balanced seismographs, i noticed that some of
> the links on Larrys website are not working. I'm based in the
> south east of ireland and its fairy quite seismically. Plans,
> BoM, Dimensions, coil construction etc etc would be great.
>
>
> regards
>
> Brendan.
>
> On 03/04/2026 22:39,
g...@theconnection.com wrote:
> >
> > Hi Everyone,
> >
> > I see a lot of discussion about the Raspberry Shake
> > seismometers, how are they with the far distance shakes coming
> > from the South Pacific. Are there any members with a Force
> > Balance Vertical unit that Brett Nordgren and Dave Nelson
> > developed several years ago. I have a couple, one a vertical
> > and also a horizontal see:
https://www.theconnection.com/ It
> > would be good to compare notes on our FBV’s.
> >
> > Take Care,
> >
> > Gary
> >
> > *585 Lincoln Ave.
> > Palo Alto CA 94301*
> >
> > *
650-326-0655*
> >
> > **
> >
> > Check Out Latest Seismometer Reading <
http://theconnection.com/>
> >
> > *I hear and I forget. I see and I remember. I do and I
> > understand*. Chinese proverb
> >
> > __
> >
> > *Be Like Costco…do something in a different way*
> >
> > *Don’t trust Atoms…they make up everything*
> >
> > Fortune Favors The Brave
> >
> > A part of good science is to see what everyone else can see but
> >
> > think what no one else has ever said.
> >
> > The difference between being very smart and very foolish is
> >
> > often very small.
> >
> > So many problems occur when people fail to be obedient when
> >
> > they are supposed to be obedient, and fail to be creative when
> >
> > they are supposed to be creative.
> >
> > The secret to doing good research is always to be a little
> >
> > underemployed. You waste years by not being able to waste
> >
> > hours.
> >
> > It is sometimes easier to make the world a better place than to
> >
> > prove you have made the world a better place.
> >
> > Amos Tversky
> >
> > --
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> > To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from
> > it, send an email to
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> > To view this discussion visit
> >
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> > <
https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/psnlist/1bb501dcc3b2%246a9cfae0%243fd6f0a0%24%40theconnection.com?utm_medium=email&utm_source=footer>.
>
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>
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