OVER 2 YOU 209 (07/12/04)

CLOCK WATCHER

I am an amateur horologist. Does anyone know of a PC program that will allow me to monitor and analyse the ticking of a mechanical clock, via a microphone, to assist with the adjustment of the pendulum or escapement?

Ben Stewart, via email

I have used a program called Windows Timing Machine available at:

http://home.teleport.com/~gregsa/clocks/wtm/

Although quite old, it runs okay on my Windows 2000 & XP machines. If Ben only wants to set the mechanism in beat, the free version will work just fine. However it is rather crude in how it distinguishes the ticks, I had to fiddle with recording volumes and trigger levels for quite some time. I found I could measure the beat far more accurately by just recording the

sound directly into a sound editor, and then reading off the tick times and putting them into a spreadsheet and then averaging the intervals. This was able to show me the escapement wheel was off-centre on my regulator.

Geoff Frank, Bury

With reference to a program to regulate a pendulum clock, I cannot help on that score, but I can offer some help on the actual regulation.  When you are regulating a clock, there is always the question ' How far do I have to turn the nut?'. There is a formula, which allows you to answer this question. If L is the length of the pendulum and N the threads per unit length of the rating nut, then one complete rotation of the nut will change the rate of the clock by 720/(N*L) seconds per day.   This can be re-arranged to give degrees of rotation of the nut for a change of one second per day as N*L/120 degrees.  L and N must be in the same units.   If L is in inches then N must be in threads per inch, if L is in centimetres then N is in threads

per centimetre.

E. Boardman, via email

Possibly the best timing machine of any kind available on the market is the "Microset" timing machine by Brian Mumford. This is a hardware device, which then carries out further analysis on a PC or Apple: http://www.bmumford.com/mset/

John Newgas, via email

There is a freeware software oscilloscope, which can be downloaded from the following website: www.digitalfilter.com/sftosc/sftosc.html. It is designed for use with a microphone and should meet the requirement admirably. I have used it, or one like it, to calibrate a rev counter on a diesel engine from engine noise. In some applications it can make life easier, if you store the source noise on a tape recorder and plug its output into the soundcard.

David McMullen, via email

FELINE DETERRENT

Whenever I sit down at the computer my cat insists on jumping on the table and plonking herself down in front of me, resting her backside on the keyboard, with predictable results. Has anyone any advice or suggestions for a humane deterrent, perhaps something that smells bad to cats (but not to humans, or damaging to computer keyboards) that will keep her away?

Violet Keys, via email

Wipe the keyboard with citronella. Cats hate the smell.

Jill Harris, via email

I find a peppermint, preferably of the Sharps Extra Strong variety, on topof the monitor encourages the cat to move up in the world where it is also a little warmer and more comfortable than the keyboard.

Patrick Methold, Cowes, Isle of Wight.

One sure way of preventing Violet’s cat from sitting on her computer keyboard would be to place a bottle of vet's pills beside it.

Peter Michel, via email

I suspect that Violet already has everything necessary to keep her cats from sitting on her keyboard, namely a door. To be more specific, a closed door, with the cats on the other side.

Chris Winpenny, via email

My sister had a similar problem with her pups. She found a device called a "Pet Deterrent", which is available from Maplin Electronics, costing £7.99 (www.maplin.co.uk). It is shaped like a large paw; built-in sensors detect movement and emit a 3 second high pitch pulse to warn off the animal.

Keith Harvey, via email

Presumably the cat was after your mouse!  I suggest giving the mouse to your cat and buying a trackball.  Alternatively reconfigure the asterisk, exclamation or question mark keystrokes to the sound of a Rottwieler barking, so that you can warn off the cat as it approaches.

Tim Jones

I think that what Violet Keys needs Pawsense (www.bitboost.com/pawsense/).

It detects cats walking across the keyboard, and locks the computer up. At the same time, it makes a "sound that annoys cats", which should teach them better ways. When last I

looked at the site a year or so ago, it promised a Mac version but it hasn’t materialised, anyway, cats don't go near Macs because they feel so frumpy in comparison.

Jim Delaney, Bethnal Green

Might I suggest a cat collar, a table leg, and a suitable length of string with the ends tied to each item?

R. Aked (Dog lover), via email

P.S. The cat should be wearing the collar!

My cat also sits on my desk while I'm working. Fortunately he avoids the keyboard, but likes to sleep under the little spotlight I've fixed to the side of my PC - I he’s attracted by the warmth from the bulb.

Peter Simon, via email

Get a Chihuahua.  They're compact enough to be able to sit on your lap without interfering with the keyboard and they'll keep cats at bay.

Gill Dexter, via email

She could buy an extra keyboard at a boot sale and place it near her PC and give that to her cat.  The Needs of Kitty always come first, it’s the law!

J. Diamond, Littleton, Winchester

Feed the cat somewhere else just before you want to use the computer. Shut the cat out of the room. Site a small (noisy) fan to blow over the keyboard. A clear rigid slippery keyboard cover should also help.   I use 5mm Perspex.  Keep it clean and in place.  The cat will be reluctant to step on it and will gradually lose the habit, whether or not you are typing.

David Kent, via email

As a gamekeeper I have the ideal solution to Violet Keys' problem of her cat jumping onto her keyboard. It's called a shotgun and quite humane if applied correctly - more humane in fact than what cats do to our birds.

Allan N Chivers, N Wales

CAN YOU HELP?

I have recently retired though ill health and now occupy much of my time making various items on my Scroll Saw.  It would like to create my own profiles/images from photographs etc. and wondered if anyone knows of any software that might be suitable to this purpose?

Alan Martin Huntingdon

Is it possible to get hold of a straight-path laser printer or powder copier, which will take heavyweight stock (anything over 300 gsm)? The object is to print in foil over the impression, with the foil adhering to the laser print or toner. Invitations and cards will not pass through a conventional wrap-round printer or photocopier. The major manufacturers cannot offer anything unless I go up to a £6k+ professional digital printing press. I feel sure that someone, somewhere, makes a suitable printer?

R. Kissack, via email