Author Topic: Ebay find: Giant lot of surplus test equipment  (Read 14514 times)

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Offline azerTopic starter

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Ebay find: Giant lot of surplus test equipment
« on: November 08, 2016, 09:21:30 am »
http://www.ebay.com/itm/272441786707

Quite a lot of nice gear in there actually. But, I'm afraid it will add decades to my repair backlog. :scared:
 
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Offline MadTux

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Re: Ebay find: Giant lot of surplus test equipment
« Reply #1 on: November 08, 2016, 11:12:40 am »
Interesting find.  Some quite nice instruments in there.
But I guess the seller would earn much more by listing them separately.
 

Offline grumpydoc

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Re: Ebay find: Giant lot of surplus test equipment
« Reply #2 on: November 08, 2016, 12:12:51 pm »
Why is the good stuff always in the 'States?
 

Offline Vgkid

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Re: Ebay find: Giant lot of surplus test equipment
« Reply #3 on: November 08, 2016, 03:45:19 pm »
Nice set of gear. I would only keep a few pieces. Throw some away, sell the rest.
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Offline CatalinaWOW

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Re: Ebay find: Giant lot of surplus test equipment
« Reply #4 on: November 08, 2016, 04:54:31 pm »
Someone got caught with their pants down.  Auction ends and you have about four hours to cart it off.
 

Offline bitseeker

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Re: Ebay find: Giant lot of surplus test equipment
« Reply #5 on: November 08, 2016, 07:55:02 pm »
That's a lot of stuff. A great find for someone in the neighborhood. Looks like they're relocating and don't want to incur the cost to move it, hence the huge lot.

Quote
We are moving offices making it necessary to liquidate a good chunk of our inventory.  We simply do not have the time to test and list each item separately on Ebay, so it will all be sold as one lot.

The best deals often come that way.
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Offline ruairi

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Re: Ebay find: Giant lot of surplus test equipment
« Reply #6 on: November 08, 2016, 08:23:53 pm »
It's less than 30 minutes from me but I don't have the time, space or really even the need for this gear (bar a few pieces).

I hope it goes to a good home.

Cheers,
Ruairi
 

Offline nctnico

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Re: Ebay find: Giant lot of surplus test equipment
« Reply #7 on: November 08, 2016, 08:35:15 pm »
Most of it is rather old so the value isn't that great considering you also have to haul away the pieces which are worth nothing.
There are small lies, big lies and then there is what is on the screen of your oscilloscope.
 
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Offline CatalinaWOW

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Re: Ebay find: Giant lot of surplus test equipment
« Reply #8 on: November 16, 2016, 03:11:53 am »
I did it.  Bought the lot, loaded it and brought it back home.

Still haven't unloaded it from the trailer and tow vehicle, just too tired since it was a lot of physical work. And 2000 km of driving.  Combined the trip with a visit to relatives so it wasn't just for the TE.  My wife really appreciated the surprise of getting the trip and helped a ton (literally) in loading the gear.

It is a huge variety of equipment.  Most what I would call intermediate age (1970s to 1990s)- and most appears to be in pretty good physical condition.  There were few broken, bent or missing knobs and only a few missing handles. 

I will have a long time sorting, trying and repairing when possible, but it appears that the vast majority will be of some use.

Some things I noticed as I carried them the 100 meters from the pickup location to my vehicle.

A 0 to 60 kV adjustable DC power supply.  I don't know what the original purpose was, but I can think of a few things I might use it for.  Will have to do some set up before it is safe for me to try.

10kHz to 30 GHz signal generator.  Who needs such a thing.  I can only evaluate the first couple of gigaHz, and most of that only in a cursory fashion.

Several robust DC power supplies.  Guaranteed ability to repair and use.

At least 5 HP 3458 meters.

I will report more on my findings from time to time.
 
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Offline ez24

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Re: Ebay find: Giant lot of surplus test equipment
« Reply #9 on: November 16, 2016, 03:19:34 am »
Congrats

Just curious why you use metric units since you show a US flag.  I cannot imagine where 2000 km is from Van Nuys.
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Offline CatalinaWOW

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Re: Ebay find: Giant lot of surplus test equipment
« Reply #10 on: November 16, 2016, 03:30:01 am »
I used metric units because it seems to me that most of the people on this forum are outside the US.  And it doesn't hurt to be familiar with them.  Someday we will switch here in the US.  Maybe in my lifetime. 

The drive is round trip from southern Oregon, including the side trip to the relatives in the Inland Empire.  And though it is a long drive, it isn't the distance that is obnoxious, it is driving the last 50 km or so in Southern Cal traffic.  I moved out of that area in 1993, the traffic has gotten worse since, and it was definitely a big factor in my departure.  Parked on the 405 both getting to and departing the pickup site was as painful as I remembered it.
 

Offline lowimpedance

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Re: Ebay find: Giant lot of surplus test equipment
« Reply #11 on: November 16, 2016, 04:26:26 am »
I did it.  Bought the lot, loaded it and brought it back home.

Still haven't unloaded it from the trailer and tow vehicle, just too tired since it was a lot of physical work. And 2000 km of driving.  Combined the trip with a visit to relatives so it wasn't just for the TE.  My wife really appreciated the surprise of getting the trip and helped a ton (literally) in loading the gear.

It is a huge variety of equipment.  Most what I would call intermediate age (1970s to 1990s)- and most appears to be in pretty good physical condition.  There were few broken, bent or missing knobs and only a few missing handles. 

I will have a long time sorting, trying and repairing when possible, but it appears that the vast majority will be of some use.

Some things I noticed as I carried them the 100 meters from the pickup location to my vehicle.

A 0 to 60 kV adjustable DC power supply.  I don't know what the original purpose was, but I can think of a few things I might use it for.  Will have to do some set up before it is safe for me to try.

10kHz to 30 GHz signal generator.  Who needs such a thing.  I can only evaluate the first couple of gigaHz, and most of that only in a cursory fashion.

Several robust DC power supplies.  Guaranteed ability to repair and use.

At least 5 HP 3458 meters.

I will report more on my findings from time to time.

That's a long haul, but for what appears to a good score so worth the effort. Will be interesting to see some pics of the 'pile' as its sorted through ! :).
The odd multimeter or 2 or 3 or 4...or........can't remember !.
 

Offline CatalinaWOW

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Re: Ebay find: Giant lot of surplus test equipment
« Reply #12 on: November 16, 2016, 04:58:27 am »
First picture.  About a quarter of the material unloaded.  There are a lot of hidden treasures here.  A tray full of torque screwdrivers  (low value torque wrench in screwdriver format).  A stereo microscope.  A couple of digital recording scales.  An autocollimator.  There will be a lot of learning for me just finding what some of these instruments do.

I couldn't resist a quick peek.  I powered up two of the HP 3468 Multimeters (note the number error in my previous post) and a HP 3561A Dynamic Signal Analyzer.  The DSA appears to work properly, as does one of the 3468s.  The other passes self test, but has a fixed and incorrect -0.3 volt reading.

With just the two working instruments I am happy.  Everything else is gravy.
 

Online Someone

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Re: Ebay find: Giant lot of surplus test equipment
« Reply #13 on: November 16, 2016, 05:56:33 am »
A tray full of torque screwdrivers  (low value torque wrench in screwdriver format).... An autocollimator.
Those alone will more than cover your costs, nice bonus in the junk.
Everything else is gravy.
Quite some gravy.
 

Offline edpalmer42

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Re: Ebay find: Giant lot of surplus test equipment
« Reply #14 on: November 16, 2016, 06:17:06 am »
Congrats!  What a haul!

Now you know what you'll be doing for the rest of your life!  >:D  :-DD
 

Offline EEVblog

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Re: Ebay find: Giant lot of surplus test equipment
« Reply #15 on: November 16, 2016, 06:25:12 am »
 :clap:
Some money to be had testing and reselling that stuff on ebay
 

Offline Vgkid

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Re: Ebay find: Giant lot of surplus test equipment
« Reply #16 on: November 16, 2016, 08:00:50 am »
Definetly looking forward to everything that you got. I would keep all of the 3456A's, and the RB reference, and still make several times what I sold it for.
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Offline tautech

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Re: Ebay find: Giant lot of surplus test equipment
« Reply #17 on: November 16, 2016, 08:09:17 am »
Is that a spectrum analyser just to the right of the middle of the stack ?
The blue one.
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Offline razberik

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Re: Ebay find: Giant lot of surplus test equipment
« Reply #18 on: November 16, 2016, 09:33:27 am »
At least 5 HP 3458 meters.
What ? :o Isnt that just typo ?
 

Online The Soulman

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Re: Ebay find: Giant lot of surplus test equipment
« Reply #19 on: November 16, 2016, 09:56:18 am »
At least 5 HP 3458 meters.
What ? :o Isnt that just typo ?

Yes.

I powered up two of the HP 3468 Multimeters (note the number error in my previous post)
 

Offline KM6XZ

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Re: Ebay find: Giant lot of surplus test equipment
« Reply #20 on: November 16, 2016, 10:43:38 am »
Congratulations!  Too bad I am 10,000km away or I would have outbid you:>)   I used to live just north of San Francisco...still have a house there is Marin, and used to go to the monthly swap meets in Los Altos Hills where that era equipment was available in large quantities, before eBay so prices were based on the almost saturated market there in Silicon Valley when it was still electronics, not software. I had a van that only was used on those early morning runs to the swap meets and outfitted a large 23 tech repair shop for pro audio. All but a couple pieces of the 400 or so pieces of Tek, HP, GenRad, Sound Technology, Fluke,Motorola(RF service monitors) came from those swap meets. Great fun for the 15 years or so it lasted when collecting test gear was a pretty localized hobby, many of those at the swap meets were the engineers who deigned the gear in the first place.
 

Offline Jwalling

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Re: Ebay find: Giant lot of surplus test equipment
« Reply #21 on: November 16, 2016, 11:30:42 am »
Curious - what is the model # of that Rohde signal generator?
Jay

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Offline Jwalling

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Re: Ebay find: Giant lot of surplus test equipment
« Reply #22 on: November 16, 2016, 06:04:26 pm »
Is that a spectrum analyser just to the right of the middle of the stack ?
The blue one.

I think we're both inquiring about the same piece. I think it's a Rohde generator. (I think this because it looks like my SMT03, which I love!)
Jay

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Offline CatalinaWOW

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Re: Ebay find: Giant lot of surplus test equipment
« Reply #23 on: November 16, 2016, 06:36:18 pm »
Is that a spectrum analyser just to the right of the middle of the stack ?
The blue one.

That is the Rohde signal generator mentioned in the following post.

Curious - what is the model # of that Rohde signal generator?

I am less than sure of the markings.  Probably SMT-03.  It is a 5kHz to 3.0 GHz generator.  I haven't played with it yet, so don't know if I will keep it or sell it.

Congratulations!  Too bad I am 10,000km away or I would have outbid you:>)   

Possibly.  I was prepared to go much higher than it took to win the auction.  Don't know why there wasn't more interest. 


The stuff is now all piled indoors and I am starting an inventory.  My intentions are to have a really well outfitted lab when I am finished, and sell, part out or otherwise dispose of the rest.  My biggest problem will be deciding not to keep some of the neat stuff here.  It can't take me the rest of my life, I can't have all of that space taken up by gear gathering dust.

I will post an inventory when it is complete.  Then if people have a strong interest in something they can contact me.  I will probably use Ebay as my primary sales vehicle, but would gladly give deals to members of this forum.

The photo shows almost the entire stack.



 
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Offline Vgkid

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Re: Ebay find: Giant lot of surplus test equipment
« Reply #24 on: November 16, 2016, 08:26:01 pm »
I spy a hp 611X series power supply. >:D
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