What did you buy today? Post your latest purchase!

[djos]

Just bought a 2nd hand HP N40L MicroServer from Gumtree as spare parts for my N36L which suffered a power supply failure yesterday. It also came with 8GB of ram so my M36L got a ram upgrade as well as a new PSU. 

it required a full teardown and significant dust removal on the workbench 1st! I also tore down the PSU and cleaned it plus lubed the fan to ensure it doesnt die too (fan fail is what killed the original).


but now my server is back up and running!


I've already had to order a Noctua NF-A4x10 40mm fan to replace it tho because the OEM fan is insanely loud, the old N36L fan was never this noisy (my server lives in my study)! 

[GreyWoolfe]

I got one of these off of swip-swop today for $15 just a couple of miles from home.  I finally have all my Dremel accessories organized.  The best part was that SWMBO found it for me.  Mrs. GreyWoolfe does a great job of taking care of me!

[VK5RC]

A sign of a mature marriage,  " don't ask, don't tell" HiHi!
I don't ask about her shoes, she doesn't ask about my electronics /radios!

[rdl]

Those are surprisingly capable and useful little computers. I have two, an N54L running FreeNAS and an N36L with WHS (which spends most of it time turned off these days). I haven't had any trouble with the '54 but the power supply fan in the '36 developed a very loud whine after a few years. I've kept it quiet by oiling it every year or so. I bought a replacement fan last time, but as long as oiling continues to work I'll save the fan.

Just bought a 2nd hand HP N40L MicroServer from Gumtree as spare parts for my N36L which suffered a power supply failure yesterday. It also came with 8GB of ram so my M36L got a ram upgrade as well as a new PSU. 
...

[djos]

They sure are! Mine was running WHS2011 but recently got a Samsung EVO 850 120GB SSD System drive which I installed 2012 Essentials on - I was surprised to find the network performance of 2012 is radically improved over WHS with regular transfer speeds well above 100 MB/s from my Raid5 Array (P410 controller w/ 512MB BBWC & 4x 3TB WD Red HDD's). Mines Primarily a File Server with a few light duty apps installed (SABNZBD, Sonarr, Radarr, PVO Integration service).

My other Server is a Core 2 Quad Q9550 powered SFF PC running ubuntu hosting my Plex Media Server.

Those are surprisingly capable and useful little computers. I have two, an N54L running FreeNAS and an N36L with WHS (which spends most of it time turned off these days). I haven't had any trouble with the '54 but the power supply fan in the '36 developed a very loud whine after a few years. I've kept it quiet by oiling it every year or so. I bought a replacement fan last time, but as long as oiling continues to work I'll save the fan.

Just bought a 2nd hand HP N40L MicroServer from Gumtree as spare parts for my N36L which suffered a power supply failure yesterday. It also came with 8GB of ram so my M36L got a ram upgrade as well as a new PSU. 
...

[bob225]

I use to run whs and then 2012 as well as buffalo NAS's - I ditched this lot and went to Synology NAS's it runs every thing I want to, 0.5w in standby and 14-16W when in use and near silent they have paid for themselves just in power usage compared to the whs

[djos]

I use to run whs and then 2012 as well as buffalo NAS's - I ditched this lot and went to Synology NAS's it runs every thing I want to, 0.5w in standby and 14-16W when in use and near silent they have paid for themselves just in power usage compared to the whs

I'd love to upgrade to a 6 Bay NAS but I just can't justify the expense right now as I'm busy installing zwave ha gear everywhere the wife will let me.

[frozenfrogz]

I got this very handy little helper today for free!
You can have a guess what its job is and how it’s called.

To my German fellows: I think you all know, but please don’t spoil to soon for the others.

Top:



Bottom:

[Specmaster]

I got this very handy little helper today for free!
You can have a guess what its job is and how it’s called.

To my German fellows: I think you all know, but please don’t spoil to soon for the others.

Top:



Bottom:

Is it a spodger?

From mobile device so predictive text might have struck again [emoji83]

[frozenfrogz]

Is it a spodger?

No. Should maybe add the dimensions: It is 274 mm long (that would be 10 ¹³/₁₆'').

[bsudbrink]

Is that one of those things where you light a block of sugar on fire and let it drip into a bowl of wine?

[Kjelt]

Is it a bratwurst fat drainer 

[glarsson]

Absinthe spoon?

[Kjelt]

Egg yolk from white seperator?

[Smokey]

Stainless Steel Urinal top....

[Mr.B]

Is that one of those things where you light a block of sugar on fire and let it drip into a bowl of wine?

That is what it looks like to me.
It is the right shape for the cone shaped sugar cube.

[JohnnyMalaria]

A lederhosen belt buckle?

[frozenfrogz]

bsudbrink is right! It is called »Feuerzange« - a utensil for preparing »Feuerzangenbowle«

»Feuerzangenbowle« is usually prepared in autumn / winter, when it is cold, wet and dark outside.

You take a pot, fill it with a dry red wine, season it with sliced oranges and lemon, cinnamon sticks, star anise and cloves, then warm it up on the stove (do not cook!).

The most important part: Invite a lot of friends!

Finally, when everyone is gathered around, take your »Feuerzange«, put it over the pot, place a »Zuckerhut« (sugar loaf, lit. "sugar hat") on top, pour some rum - at least 54% alc. (100° proof and above) and light the rum on fire. 80% rum will give you the best result in regard to caramelization of the sugar!
While the sugar slowly caramelizes and melts away, keep on pouring rum with a scoop if necessary, enjoy watching the flames and have a splendid time anticipating the finalization of the »Bowle« together with your friends.

When the sugar has completely melted away, fill into cups and pass it to your friends.

Fun fact: The »Zuckerhut« has been the defacto standard for trading sugar from medieval times up until the 19th / early 20th century.

[Smokey]

That process needs a video =

[bsudbrink]

I was in Germany (Kaiserslautern) many many years ago (cold war era) at Christmas time.  Our hosts did this using a grate (almost exactly like an eight inch cooling fan finger guard) over the bowl and the cone standing up.  Later we went to a pub and there they did it with the cone on its side.

[frozenfrogz]

That process needs a video

Wow. That was cheesy AF!

[Specmaster]

That process needs a video =

I must say that looks like fun and I can almost taste it, delicious.

[GreyWoolfe]

The best part was that SWMBO found it for me.  Mrs. GreyWoolfe does a great job of taking care of me!

At the cost of a new set of cosmetics or a new handbag?

Believe it or not, no.  She is always finding things on Swip-Swop that she thinks I might like and shows them to me.  This was the first time that it was something I actually and a want/need for and was interested in.  Then there was the time she bought me a band saw from a local garage sale.  I ended up giving that to my son for a small woodworking side business he was putting together and had more use for it than me.  He lives about an hour away so I have access to it if necessary.  She never asks for anything but I make sure her wants get taken care of also.  She is also simple to please.  A bag of Chester's hot fries goes a long way

Christmas time is fun.  When she asks, I give her a list of things I want.  After saying, what the hell is that, and that, and THAT!  And shaking her head, she now has a list.  She does the same for me but at least I know what it is she wants.  The facial expressions are pure gold.

[Messtechniker]

1.) ESD mat
Why? Due to clever ventilation of my basement lab the general humidity level is dropping
in summer from over 85% relative to around 55 % relative, thus necessitating a this ESD mat.
By clever ventilation I mean: open all basement windows when the absolute humidity
outside is lower than the absolute humidity inside.

2.) RJ45 Clips
Why? When encountering in the field any cables with broken off clips, I always replace
these cables immediately for reliability reasons. However, sometimes I do not have the
right cable length at hand. I then fit these RJ45 cable clips and later on replace the thusly
repaired cable the next time I turn up at the site since utmost reliability is very important to me.
Refitting a RJ45 plug on a patch cable in the field is too difficult. I sometimes refit RJ45 plugs
in the lab for use by myself. Even so, I find industrially made cables with RJ45 plugs
significantly more reliable.

[tautech]

Only indirectly electronics related but I just bought a Husqvarna 562xp chainsaw with a 24" bar.  My trusty Stihl 250 is just not up to the task of bucking out some of the larger trees down on my property.

I almost bought the next model down - the "555" - which has a nice electronics meme model number - but in the end decided to put up another $100 and get a professional saw.

I've been hesitant to buy one of these newer saws with electronically tuned carbs. The Husky "Autotune" and Stihl "M-tronic" systems have been out for a few years now. The long term reliability of electronics is a virbrating, sawdust, dirt, oil and gas exposed saw is suspect IMO. We'll see.

It would be nice if they made the Autotune software available and usable for non-dealers to use the diagnostics and and do firmware updates etc...

Would love to hear if anyone has done any tinkering with these.  I'm sure someone on this forum has the skills to hack into the electronics on these.

Snap !

Well guess what, my youngest just bought the same model today. His 288 packed up and TBH for what he mostly does a bit smaller saw will be better. Now I can get my 359 back ! 

How's your one going ?
Oh and yes I haven't forgotten our discussion about these but haven't seen the guy as we're both pretty busy. He bought it from my friend and got strict instruction to use best oils at NOT lean rates and ensure the air filter is kept clean. Not doing so bluffs the carb into leaning out the mix at the risk of seizing the saw. 
So this ol' fella needs to get up to speed on these Autotune saws. 
Some YT vids of interest:
Overview.


In depth.
https://youtu.be/4oZgRNbN76Q