The Tale of a DIY CW Paddle Key

My first DIY Paddle Key 

Way back in 2014 I built a two paddle cw key from basically trash; an empty Tic-Tac box, piece of phone cord, a bunch of popsicle sticks, 3 screws, 3 nuts and a 3.5mm Stereo phone plug. 

With this I attempted to practice morse code sending with the Ham Gadgets Pico-Keyer.

The popsicles sticks levers proved to be too stiff and I swapped them for some FR4 PCB material cut into paddle shapes.

Fast forward eight years and the PCB levers were getting too limber. Squeezing the paddles together cause the PCB levers to curve around the center bolt contact without touching.

In replacing the PCB paddles with a couple pieces of spring steel, I decided to do a redesign and ditch the Tic-Tac box for an open frame key. 

Old PCB levers, trial fit of steel levers
decided to get rid of Tic-Tac box

I used a scrap piece of 1/2 inch plywood for a wood base and a wooden lever mount. I glued and stapled the two pieces of wood together, drilled holes and added a ring terminal and more hardware to the center bolt. I attached the steel levers with a bolt, ring terminal and washer on each paddle. Soldered the three ring terminals to the phone cord, Secured the phone cord with zip ties and placed heat shrink tubing over the paddle ends.   

Finished (?) Two Paddle CW Key

The action is a little stiff, I might have to bevel the sides on the forward end of the wooden level mount to allow the levers to easily touch the center bolt.

As I have the $12 Chinese Paddle as my main paddle this key will serve as a backup.