That is high praise, indeed, coming from you, Mr SeVeNeVeS, and I sincerely mean that.
Working with the tiny stuff was/is quite the challenge.
But anyone here who works with model trains, or any kind of model, can appreciate the often painstakingly slow progress in making something in miniature.
The screws (8 of them, 2 on each side, 2 on the bottom and 2 on the back copper bracket) are 0-80, (US specs, 80 is Threads Per inch--denoted TPI--a size 0 screw is .064” diameter) which is about a size M1.5-M1.6.
Had to tap all the holes too (gee, that is a tiny tap!), but the material is brass; relatively soft and so was easy to tap.
Anything that was screwed together was done for support and/or strength, like anchoring the plug inside the brass frame so it doesn’t move when being pushed or tugged on (by way of the back copper bracket, also screwed on).
Doing it that way also enables me to entirely disassemble the plug in case I need to repair (resolder) the wires.
It is DIY USB plugs on both ends with just Red, White, Green and Black wires run through the sheath.
But I’ve been soldering stuff for 40 years and am pretty confident that it is a good solder job. So I doubt that I’ll have to open it up.
All other embellishments are either epoxied on (which means they are permanently attached) or stuck on with clear (RTV) silicon caulk, and so can be [carefully!] removed without damage either to the embellishment or the brass case.
This is was done to be able to polish them (more on that later).
You can only barely see it on one pic but there are feet RTV’d on the bottom.
The thing weighs enough such as to cause a very slight sag, so I put feet on it for support, which also hide the bottom screws…alas, my alignment of those leaves much to be desired.
I did better on the plain “Art Nouveau” plug, lining them up pretty well, which you can see in that pic with the diamond/harlequin embellishment.
I will try to post some W-I-P pics that I took.
OK, about the shininess….
I fully understand. and even like, the Steampunk look that has the patina/worn appearance.
And I have received some criticism of my few items for being too new looking.
Altho’ it was not my intention to make a “Twenty Thousand Leagues Under the Sea/ Captain Nemo/ could-be-on-the-Nautilus keyboard, it somehow developed into that as soon as I put the Wavelike end pieces and the compass on it.
The “porthole” lights on the front just added to the motif. So, the whole thing became quasi nautical (and the W-I-P monitor, for the sake of consistency is also "nautical" ).
On board a ship, even a submarine, things have to be kept clean and orderly; the term “shipshape” exists for a reason.
There are no repair facilities at sea, or under it. You fail to maintain your vessel, you die.
And Captain Nemo was a stickler for order and cleanliness. (He was also as mad as a hatter.)
Note that brass things (it is typically brass on a ship) can be worn, deeply scratched and even gouged, etc. but they will still be polished.
(Also I was in the Navy and there is the saying: “There will always be some brass that needs polishing.” )
So that is why I opted for the shiny look.
