You can do it! It's not that hard... Screws and small parts can easily be made in the lathe. I used a mill to carve out
the base on mine. It can be as crude or elegant as your imagination allows so give it a go! I have made a dozen or so Morse
code keys and have given several away to my friends. I plan to make an all brass Morse key eventually by casting the frame out
of brass bullet casings. I use silver for the contact points.
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The base on this one is steel and all the small parts are brass. I had no plans but just made up what looked to be what I wanted in a key.
I have made huge ones"Paul Bunyan type" and a tiny one too just for fun. This one works great and I use it on 40 meter CW.