Author Topic: Test Equipment Anonymous (TEA) group therapy thread  (Read 14549642 times)

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Online Berni

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Re: Test Equipment Anonymous (TEA) group therapy thread
« Reply #16450 on: September 17, 2018, 08:09:30 pm »
@mnementh Here is a something that might be good for your 3D printing?



At work we really quieted down the Prusa i3 Mk2 by simply putting a very soft styrofoam board under it.

Keeps the vibrations from getting into the table and out while not being all bouncy like some of those flexible springy feet that some people use (Letting the printer bounce like that affects print quality)
 

Offline URI

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Re: Test Equipment Anonymous (TEA) group therapy thread
« Reply #16451 on: September 17, 2018, 09:37:58 pm »
TEA struck me again!

I just bought a broken Agilent DSO-X 3034A including original probes.   :palm:
How will I be able to justify this to my swmbo..?   |O

I do hope it's repairable since it was described as having a firmware failure and no issues with the front end.
If I'll have been able to manage that I could argue how much money I saved but if I don't..   :scared:     :-DD
A life without TEA is possible but pointless.
 

Offline bd139

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Re: Test Equipment Anonymous (TEA) group therapy thread
« Reply #16452 on: September 17, 2018, 09:49:09 pm »
That's a biggie! Bet that hurt the wallet a bit even when it was dead.

TBH that's probably worth shipping back to keysight to be fixed.
 

Offline mnementh

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Re: Test Equipment Anonymous (TEA) group therapy thread
« Reply #16453 on: September 17, 2018, 09:50:03 pm »
... rather than the Glenn Frey Traveling Spectacle...

Sounds like motorized eyeglasses for the ageing dissipated rockstar. Essential accessory, a large bottle of Mick and Ron's Patent Prostate Reviver — "For when the groupies say yes, but your body says no".
*Snerk* The amount of coke those boys did, that thing probably shriveled up to the size of a raisin. Major part of why Glenn was such an asshat at the time, though.

Stumbled across this last night while taking a break from battling SketchUp... it felt appropriately desolate:



Awesome apocalyptic artwork by Canadian cartoonist Max Dunbar.


I have managed to create a part in Sketchup that should be reasonably serviceable; while not as polished as I feel I managed with the base of the meter stand, I've decided to declare success and move forward. It's printing now.

mnem
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« Last Edit: September 17, 2018, 09:53:20 pm by mnementh »
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Offline Cerebus

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Re: Test Equipment Anonymous (TEA) group therapy thread
« Reply #16454 on: September 17, 2018, 10:33:40 pm »


Awesome apocalyptic artwork by Canadian cartoonist Max Dunbar.

I take it that in this universe Lucy van Pelt is drawn like Tank Girl (The comic book version, not the sanitized film version).
Anybody got a syringe I can use to squeeze the magic smoke back into this?
 

Offline mnementh

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Re: Test Equipment Anonymous (TEA) group therapy thread
« Reply #16455 on: September 17, 2018, 10:36:00 pm »
"...Mirrors on the ceiling,
& pink champagne on ice.
Then she said,
'We are all just prisoners here; of our own device...' "


https://youtu.be/ahdkigY8h6w

mnem
"....'Relax' said the night man,
'We are programmed to receive.
You can check out any time you like,
But you can never leave...'


I added your excerpts, too, just in case someone hasn't heard the song before (is that even possible ???) or doesn't catch onto the connection.

That's awesome! I doubt it's possible either, but hey... this is the internet. Folks here never cease to amaze me that way.  :-DD

But just so you know, there was a reason I separated the two stanzas with the video:

As is the case with TEA, what is most important is not usually A or B, but what goes on in between.   ;)


@mnementh Here is a something that might be good for your 3D printing?



At work we really quieted down the Prusa i3 Mk2 by simply putting a very soft styrofoam board under it.

Keeps the vibrations from getting into the table and out while not being all bouncy like some of those flexible springy feet that some people use (Letting the printer bounce like that affects print quality)

My Tornado came with proper screwed-on rubber cup feet, but I still stuck some self-adhesive 8mm thick foam rubber pads underneath them to eliminate the sounding board effect of my drafting table. It quieted things noticeably, without creating any detectable wiggle in the base.

Not a big fan of those dampers; they allow belts to cog if something binds rather than tripping the current limit in the stepper driver. This leads to teeth ripped off the belt.

The better solution is to cure the noise at the source: The PWM noise created by the stepper drivers. The TMC2208 stepper drivers are the fix for that; they do it by knocking the corners off the step pulses to make them a little more sinusoidal, and by upping the frequency a little which GREATLY reduces the audible harmonics.

They cost about $30 for a full set, though you really only need the X & Y to get rid of most of the PWM noise.


mnem
"No longer surprised... but constantly amazed." ~ me
« Last Edit: September 17, 2018, 10:44:26 pm by mnementh »
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Offline mnementh

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Re: Test Equipment Anonymous (TEA) group therapy thread
« Reply #16456 on: September 17, 2018, 10:43:53 pm »
TEA struck me again!

I just bought a broken Agilent DSO-X 3034A including original probes.   :palm:
How will I be able to justify this to my swmbo..?   |O

I do hope it's repairable since it was described as having a firmware failure and no issues with the front end.
If I'll have been able to manage that I could argue how much money I saved but if I don't..   :scared:     :-DD
I was about to ask if you'd gotten it with all the MSO options enabled... guess you'll know once you get it and see if you can recover from the chip.  |O

Good luck, my friend.

mnem
But you're not thinking about that stupid RC-what-the-fukkever now, are you?!?  :-DD
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Offline Specmaster

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Re: Test Equipment Anonymous (TEA) group therapy thread
« Reply #16457 on: September 17, 2018, 10:50:28 pm »
My Tornado came with proper screwed-on rubber cup feet, but I still stuck some self-adhesive 8mm thick foam rubber pads underneath them to eliminate the sounding board effect of my drafting table. It quieted things noticeably, without creating any detectable wiggle in the base.

Not a big fan of those dampers; they allow belts to cog if something binds rather than tripping the current limit in the stepper driver. This leads to teeth ripped off the belt.

The better solution is to cure the noise at the source: The PWM noise created by the stepper drivers. The TMC2208 stepper drivers are the fix for that; they do it by knocking the corners off the step pulses to make them a little more sinusoidal, and by upping the frequency a little which GREATLY reduces the audible harmonics.

They cost about $30 for a full set, though you really only need the X & Y to get rid of most of the PWM noise.


mnem
"No longer surprised... but constantly amazed." ~ me
Hmm, that doesn't quite compute, surely if something binds, the motor draws more power and thus should trip the current limit in the stepper driver  :-//
Who let Murphy in?

Brymen-Fluke-HP-Thurlby-Thander-Tek-Extech-Black Star-GW-Avo-Kyoritsu-Amprobe-ITT-Robin-TTi
 

Offline Specmaster

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Re: Test Equipment Anonymous (TEA) group therapy thread
« Reply #16458 on: September 17, 2018, 11:15:30 pm »
Sitting here twiddling my thumbs and checking my delivery of 4mm gold banana plugs from CPC I discovered to my surprise that I have ended with 8 plugs which are bereft of terminal screws but these came as individual plugs in their own sealed plastic bags  :wtf: that means that there left the factory like that :rant:

I also discovered possible a poor man's voltage standard if he already has a Heathkit oscilloscope calibrator IG-4505 and its in good condition, its has output settings for 1mV, 10mV, 100mV, 1V, 10V and 100V and after a warm period mune gives out 1.003mV, 10.024mV, 100.455mV, 1.00428V, 10.0459V and 100.402V certainly good enough for most applications and gives a quick guide to a new meters accuracy. Obviously its cheaper to grab yourself a AD584-M then to buy a calibrator, but if you already have one......
Who let Murphy in?

Brymen-Fluke-HP-Thurlby-Thander-Tek-Extech-Black Star-GW-Avo-Kyoritsu-Amprobe-ITT-Robin-TTi
 

Offline bitseekerTopic starter

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Re: Test Equipment Anonymous (TEA) group therapy thread
« Reply #16459 on: September 18, 2018, 12:06:38 am »
I added your excerpts, too, just in case someone hasn't heard the song before (is that even possible ???) or doesn't catch onto the connection.

That's awesome! I doubt it's possible either, but hey... this is the internet. Folks here never cease to amaze me that way.  :-DD

But just so you know, there was a reason I separated the two stanzas with the video:

As is the case with TEA, what is most important is not usually A or B, but what goes on in between.   ;)

Yeah, I originally added it that way, but then thought it might set the two parts too far apart, the spacial disconnect having more potential to cause confusion within such a long post.

I've changed it back to give it another try.
TEA is the way. | TEA Time channel
 

Offline mnementh

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Re: Test Equipment Anonymous (TEA) group therapy thread
« Reply #16460 on: September 18, 2018, 12:07:27 am »
My Tornado came with proper screwed-on rubber cup feet, but I still stuck some self-adhesive 8mm thick foam rubber pads underneath them to eliminate the sounding board effect of my drafting table. It quieted things noticeably, without creating any detectable wiggle in the base.

Not a big fan of those dampers; they allow belts to cog if something binds rather than tripping the current limit in the stepper driver. This leads to teeth ripped off the belt.

The better solution is to cure the noise at the source: The PWM noise created by the stepper drivers. The TMC2208 stepper drivers are the fix for that; they do it by knocking the corners off the step pulses to make them a little more sinusoidal, and by upping the frequency a little which GREATLY reduces the audible harmonics. They cost about $30 for a full set, though you really only need the X & Y to get rid of most of the PWM noise.

mnem
"No longer surprised... but constantly amazed." ~ me
Hmm, that doesn't quite compute, surely if something binds, the motor draws more power and thus should trip the current limit in the stepper driver  :-//
   It's all about the balancing act. The current limiter is supposed to shut the motor down if there's a STALL; it has to be set high enough that you don't have missed steps like happened with my first print. This is still a pretty fair amount of torque applied to just a few teeth on a T6 belt.

Those rubber isolators A) reduce the precision of the drive by being flexible and creating natural pivot points across the axes of the bolt pairs and B) allow the pinion to deflect instead of stopping, thereby allowing the belt to cog and rip teeth off. They're being sold here as a gimmick; they're not intended for this use. They're intended to be used as a self-alignment mechanism for stepper motors with integral leadscrew.

mnem
"I object to power without constructive purpose." ~ Lt. Commander Spock
« Last Edit: September 18, 2018, 12:09:32 am by mnementh »
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Offline bitseekerTopic starter

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Re: Test Equipment Anonymous (TEA) group therapy thread
« Reply #16461 on: September 18, 2018, 12:08:39 am »
Stumbled across this last night while taking a break from battling SketchUp... it felt appropriately desolate:



Awesome apocalyptic artwork by Canadian cartoonist Max Dunbar.

That's cool. When I saw it, I thought, hey, that looks like it could be Charlie Brown and Snoopy all grown up. Then, I saw the filename... ^-^
TEA is the way. | TEA Time channel
 

Online xrunner

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Re: Test Equipment Anonymous (TEA) group therapy thread
« Reply #16462 on: September 18, 2018, 12:12:41 am »
That's cool. When I saw it, I thought, hey, that looks like it could be Charlie Brown and Snoopy all grown up. Then, I saw the filename... ^-^

He got the football - what happened to Lucy?  :-//
I told my friends I could teach them to be funny, but they all just laughed at me.
 

Offline bitseekerTopic starter

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Re: Test Equipment Anonymous (TEA) group therapy thread
« Reply #16463 on: September 18, 2018, 12:16:14 am »
She's probably busy with an institution full of PTSD patients in that post-apocalyptic future.
TEA is the way. | TEA Time channel
 
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Offline mnementh

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Re: Test Equipment Anonymous (TEA) group therapy thread
« Reply #16464 on: September 18, 2018, 12:24:02 am »
That's awesome! I doubt it's possible either, but hey... this is the internet. Folks here never cease to amaze me that way.  :-DD

But just so you know, there was a reason I separated the two stanzas with the video:

As is the case with TEA, what is most important is not usually A or B, but what goes on in between.   ;)
Yeah, I originally added it that way, but then thought it might set the two parts too far apart, the spacial disconnect having more potential to cause confusion within such a long post. I've changed it back to give it another try.
I understand, and I appreciate. Thanks!

That's cool. When I saw it, I thought, hey, that looks like it could be Charlie Brown and Snoopy all grown up. Then, I saw the filename... ^-^

He got the football - what happened to Lucy?  :-//


Post-apocalyptic future... guess he couldn't save her. Or maybe he actually managed to kick it sometime in the limbo after Schulz' last strip, ending the game.

Things are never the same when we grow up; what was so important becomes as dust in the wind. *sigh*

mnem
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Offline mnementh

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Re: Test Equipment Anonymous (TEA) group therapy thread
« Reply #16465 on: September 18, 2018, 01:34:10 am »
   Awesome apocalyptic artwork by Canadian cartoonist Max Dunbar.
I take it that in this universe Lucy van Pelt is drawn like Tank Girl (The comic book version, not the sanitized film version).
   Now there's a name I haven't heard since a lifetime ago...  For those who haven't a clue, the entire Trilogy can be read here: Tank Girl - Comic book Jam

mnem
moo.
« Last Edit: September 18, 2018, 03:14:56 am by mnementh »
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Offline mnementh

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Re: Test Equipment Anonymous (TEA) group therapy thread
« Reply #16466 on: September 18, 2018, 01:59:29 am »
Sitting here twiddling my thumbs and checking my delivery of 4mm gold banana plugs from CPC I discovered to my surprise that I have ended with 8 plugs which are bereft of terminal screws but these came as individual plugs in their own sealed plastic bags  :wtf: that means that there left the factory like that :rant:

I also discovered possible a poor man's voltage standard if he already has a Heathkit oscilloscope calibrator IG-4505 and its in good condition, its has output settings for 1mV, 10mV, 100mV, 1V, 10V and 100V and after a warm period mune gives out 1.003mV, 10.024mV, 100.455mV, 1.00428V, 10.0459V and 100.402V certainly good enough for most applications and gives a quick guide to a new meters accuracy. Obviously its cheaper to grab yourself a AD584-M then to buy a calibrator, but if you already have one......
At least yours got to you.  :-DD

The Saga of the $88 DE-5000 Continues...

     

Tonight, I get a text my DE-5000 has FINALLY been delivered...   8 minutes after the supposed delivery time, I find this.  Ummm.... yeah.

I wish I could say this was the first time... but it isn't. There is a pretty good chance that this delivery notification is an outright fabrication as well, and I may get the package tomorrow. It has happened to me before.  |O

mnem
Now that I've given up all hope, I'm much better. I used to be constantly disgusted; now I'm merely amused.
« Last Edit: September 18, 2018, 05:05:13 am by mnementh »
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Offline bitseekerTopic starter

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Re: Test Equipment Anonymous (TEA) group therapy thread
« Reply #16467 on: September 18, 2018, 02:03:45 am »
Your mailbox is solar?
TEA is the way. | TEA Time channel
 

Online xrunner

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Re: Test Equipment Anonymous (TEA) group therapy thread
« Reply #16468 on: September 18, 2018, 02:10:09 am »
Who says they are lying? It says it was delivered ... just not exactly where:-DD
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Offline mnementh

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Re: Test Equipment Anonymous (TEA) group therapy thread
« Reply #16469 on: September 18, 2018, 02:15:18 am »
Your mailbox is solar?

It's a black metal box, outside in the Texas sun. It is by definition VERY solar.  :phew:



HOT SHINY BALLS!!!

mnem
*sizzle*
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Offline mnementh

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Re: Test Equipment Anonymous (TEA) group therapy thread
« Reply #16470 on: September 18, 2018, 02:38:45 am »
Who says they are lying? It says it was delivered ... just not exactly where:-DD

Actually, it specifically states it was delivered in my mailbox. My VERY EMPTY mailbox. Conveniently well after business hours for the Customer Service line, which typically takes 30-60 minutes to get through to an actual person. I can literally drive to my post office in person and rattle the postmaster's cage in person faster than I can get anyone on the phone.

And as I just said; this isn't the first time. I've had items supposedly delivered like this, then called Customer Service the following day, who contacted the carrier and came back to me saying that said carrier had my package on their truck for delivery THAT day. TWICE. In short, the delivery notification was UTTER fabrication to make it look like they're doing their job.

If it was misdelivered, there's pretty much ZERO chance I'll get it; I've had THAT happen here too. Hope whomever got my box of flight controllers and brushless motors has a great time with them.

"Oh, we're sorry; your route was handled by a temp yesterday. They must have put it in the wrong box." 
"Okay... how do I file a claim?" 
"Does your package have insurance?"
How would I know? I never RECEIVED it!"
"Well if it doesn't have..."
"You have the tracking number right in front of you. Look it up."
"I'm sorry sir, you'll have to have a trace done on the package..."
"A what?!? You KNOW it was mis-delivered; you just told me so. It doesn't MATTER if I have insurance. The Post Office has been grossly negligent here."
"I'm sorry sir..."
"Yes, yes you are... in every horrible meaning of that phrase..." *Storms out and calls the 800 number*

mnem
Now where'd I put the remote to my suborbital crowbar launcher...
« Last Edit: September 18, 2018, 03:11:27 am by mnementh »
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Offline Brumby

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Re: Test Equipment Anonymous (TEA) group therapy thread
« Reply #16471 on: September 18, 2018, 03:15:48 am »
Now where'd I put the remote to my suborbital crowbar launcher...

I keep mine next to the Widlarizer.
 

Offline mnementh

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Re: Test Equipment Anonymous (TEA) group therapy thread
« Reply #16472 on: September 18, 2018, 03:28:22 am »
Now where'd I put the remote to my suborbital crowbar launcher...

I keep mine next to the Widlarizer.
I had to stop doing that; I reached for the ol' thumb-detecting nut-fucker one time without looking and started mahhering away at a stuck optical drive... by the time I realized the hard "WhaM! WhaM! WhaM!" I expected was actually a dull "whudd! whudd! whudd!", I'd wasted half a magazine of crowbars somewhere in the Ukraine.  :palm:

Do you have any idea how expensive it is to reload that damn thing?  :-DD

mnem
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Offline bitseekerTopic starter

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Re: Test Equipment Anonymous (TEA) group therapy thread
« Reply #16473 on: September 18, 2018, 03:56:56 am »
Your mailbox is solar?

It's a black metal box, outside in the Texas sun. It is by definition VERY solar.  :phew:



HOT SHINY BALLS!!!

Ah, yes. The solar toaster oven. :-DD
TEA is the way. | TEA Time channel
 

Offline Brumby

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Re: Test Equipment Anonymous (TEA) group therapy thread
« Reply #16474 on: September 18, 2018, 04:03:18 am »
On a dark desert highway, cool wind in my hair
Warm smell of old meters, rising up through the air

....

... it's a work in progress.
 


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