Enigma-E Build 1 Jan 2015
This is an electronic version of the awesome Enigma machine used during WWII - there is a movie about the allies cracking the enigma code called The Imitation Game. The kit is bare bones and available from: http://www.jancorver.org/en/
I found a really nice build by Mike Ledermueller out of Toronto. Mike has pushed the envelope on enigma replicas. His machine can be seen at: http://www.cryptomuseum.com/kits/enigma/support/cases/0020/index.htm
I am going to try to build something similar to Mike's machine. Here is the base populated board:
I found a really nice build by Mike Ledermueller out of Toronto. Mike has pushed the envelope on enigma replicas. His machine can be seen at: http://www.cryptomuseum.com/kits/enigma/support/cases/0020/index.htm
I am going to try to build something similar to Mike's machine. Here is the base populated board:
This is the model M4 enigma, the machine I am modeling my machine after.
Here is Mike's machine... Notice the excellent case and attention to original enigma details. The rotor wheels, which Mike uses as up and down push buttons, are a really nice touch!
The stecker (plug) panel is folded down in front.
The stecker (plug) panel is folded down in front.
5 Jan 2015
The first set of parts I am building are the rotors, which in this case are just thumb wheels. A mechanical Enigma has a much more complex rotor, but for an electronic version, I am simulating the rotors. The rotors are cut from 14 gage steel and have 22 1/2" holes equally spaced on a 2" radius. The holes are tedious to drill, but I have a Acu-Rite DRO on my mill and it calculates a solution for the 22 holes and guides me to the location accurately. Then I cut around the center of the holes and round off the nubs. Here are the results - the wheels will be polished and cut in half to give me four "rotors.". More on this later.
6 Jan 2015
This Enigma has a QWERTZ typewriter format and I found a set of vintage typewriter keys with glass inserts on ebay. These will be attached to posts and used on the case. The keys are kind of cute. People buy them to make jewelry, usually with a steampunk theme.
I need to figure out how to keep the keys from rotating. A real enigma's keys are mounted on round rods which are mounted to pawls which prevent rotation. My enigma's keys will directly depress the buttons and need some method of holding the position of the keys. They should not wobble either...
The larger key, I made from the shift key, to activate the mode select on the board. This is a really great project.
I need to figure out how to keep the keys from rotating. A real enigma's keys are mounted on round rods which are mounted to pawls which prevent rotation. My enigma's keys will directly depress the buttons and need some method of holding the position of the keys. They should not wobble either...
The larger key, I made from the shift key, to activate the mode select on the board. This is a really great project.
Charles... You need one of these!
10 Jan 2015
The electronics arrived yesterday and I have begun designing the case and display bezels. The 16 segment displays supplied are too large (0.8" character) for the rotors, so I have found some 0.5" displays and plan on using them if this all works out. The plugs in the kit are not very close to the real enigma, but I found some double plug sockets on ebay from Ukraine which will look close. The enigma had double pin steckers, and the kit supplies single pin, which you can see in the photo. Here is a picture of the board and some of the parts, including the offending socket and plug:
11 Jan 2015
The board is up and working after a solid 3 hours soldering. Now back to designing and building the case.
18 Jan 2015
The enigma M4 has a couple of metal labels and these are available for purchase, but the seller's laser etching machine failed. So I pulled out my favorite design tool, powerpoint, and designed my own. Not having access to an enigma, I estimated a bit, but the design looks about perfect. The first plate sits in the upper right corner, and the second is the serial number plate, which I will stamp with my Enigma-E's S/N. A friend, Joe Love, has a laser engraver and agreed to do a little run for me. Here is the test run in a piece of scrap anodized aluminum. Thanks, Joe!
7 Feb 2014
I managed to get the plates cut... They look nice - kudos to Joe Love for the laser etching.
I managed to get the plates cut... They look nice - kudos to Joe Love for the laser etching.