Test Equipment Anonymous (TEA) group therapy thread

[0culus]

I need an LCR meter of some kind, and that meter is very attractive for the price. Naturally I'd love to have one of those GenRad RLC DigiBridge units that Mr. Carlson has, but $$ 

Right now, the voltage measurement stable consists of an HP 3455A (absolute bargain at a local property auction, replaced my other 3455A which was flaky and is now a source of parts), an HP 427A (thanks to k7je!), a Simpson 260, and my trusty Fluke 87-V. I'm quite happy with it all, though I wouldn't mind having a few more of the newer HP/Agilent branded bench meters. Seems like you can never have enough ways to measure voltage.

I guess you can also count my 432A power meter, though that's obviously for measuring relatively low power rf only.

[mnementh]

@Ero-Shan - good on you for having mercy on that T932...    I hope to someday see pics of it restored and being used! 

So how come you have mercy on the T932 .....BUT railed me about rebuilding the OL-1 calling it so much junk?    

Stamping foot...waiting. 

I picked on you about saying "It is going to be USED...!", when we both know that on any bench since the '60s its best use is to prop up a real scope or maybe as a curve tracer. I was ALL FOR you trying to restore it though, as it does have a fair bit of history to it.   

And IIRC, I ALSO did praise your efforts in the end... clearly and without equivocation:

The Heath CRT is out for delivery. Mail typically arrives here about 11:30 which is 2 hours from now. I'll get the scope prep'ed for the transplant.

Good luck med; I hope it's everything the seller promised. You deserve a break on this project, it's been a total charlie-foxtrot so far.   
If it's any consolation, it HAS been a LOT of fun watching you beat the damned thing into submission by force of wit and will alone.  

mnem
 

mnem
 

[bitseeker]

While we are showing off NON electronic projects and because it is kind of satisfying.

Todays non electrical calibration gear was going to get a strip and good shellacking but when it arrived turns out it had been furniture waxed over time which would have been a major pain to entirely strip and refinish differently. IPA with 800 wet and dry and a little steel wool in places for the cleanup. Followed by 3 or 4 coats of this so far and a few more to go https://www.howardproducts.com.au/feed-n-wax.html/

Add in some black laser cut felt discs to the bottom of the wells and lid and much much nicer than the before shot. Just don't ask how many hours of work

Really looks much nicer, bean. Well done! 

That box looks beautiful, bean! Great job on the finish. It's just glowing.

[Kosmic]

I need an LCR meter of some kind, and that meter is very attractive for the price. Naturally I'd love to have one of those GenRad RLC DigiBridge units that Mr. Carlson has, but $$ 

Right now, the voltage measurement stable consists of an HP 3455A (absolute bargain at a local property auction, replaced my other 3455A which was flaky and is now a source of parts), an HP 427A (thanks to k7je!), a Simpson 260, and my trusty Fluke 87-V. I'm quite happy with it all, though I wouldn't mind having a few more of the newer HP/Agilent branded bench meters. Seems like you can never have enough ways to measure voltage.

I guess you can also count my 432A power meter, though that's obviously for measuring relatively low power rf only.

If you are just looking for ESR not looking for crazy accuracy, you can go a long way with something like that. Only 25$ I think.

Edit: The ESR02 does almost everything (including, L, C and R) like most component testers.

[med6753]

I picked on you about saying "It is going to be USED...!", when we both know that on any bench since the '60s its best use is to prop up a real scope or maybe as a curve tracer. I was ALL FOR you trying to restore it though, as it does have a fair bit of history to it.   

And IIRC, I ALSO did praise your efforts in the end... clearly and without equivocation:



mnem
 

Yes, you did. Mea culpa. 




 

 

[mnementh]

Or maybe these are more your style...

   



mnem

[bd139]

Is that a death toaster? 

[0culus]

I was going to say redneck toaster, but somehow it's not redneck enough. 

[Mr. Scram]

Or maybe these are more your style...

   



mnem

"Do you feel rubber Crocs are too stylish for you? Can't enjoy an evening out because you're being swarmed by the opposite sex? We've got just the thing for you! Wear these natural crocs and people will avoid you like the plague while being completely devoid of style!"

[BU508A]

OMG!   

Really, I prefer much more my Birkenstock Boston:

[bitseeker]

Now that really jumps the shark...er...'gator when it comes to OT topic of the day.

[bd139]

Yes that one certainly is the most off topic I’ve seen. Have we discussed footwear before? 

[med6753]

I was going to say redneck toaster, but somehow it's not redneck enough. 

That's the Brave Little Toaster after getting hooked on meth. 

[bitseeker]

Unfortunately, it only makes single-sided toast. I'll wait for version 2.0.

[tggzzz]

My mother has one small alligator/crocodile that is about the right size for this. It would work if I chopped it in half and used the rear half for the other shoe - a serious winklepicker

   

[mnementh]

mnem

Is that a death toaster? 

I was going to say redneck toaster, but somehow (the word "redneck"...) it's not redneck enough. 

That's the Brave Little Toaster after getting hooked on meth. 

Unfortunately, it only makes single-sided toast. I'll wait for version 2.0.

That IS Tejas Toaster Ver 2.0. It does two slices at once AND softens the butter for you; the other side of the toast is "some assembly required".

mnem

[Mr. Scram]

Unfortunately, it only makes single-sided toast. I'll wait for version 2.0.

The primate based turning mechanism isn't pictured, as it was taking the picture.

[VK5RC]

Shows my illnesses, I thought it was an RF dummy load not a toaster - maybe both!
TEA and toast!

[kj7e]

A few new books arrived;



And performed a full cal/adjustment on the HP 3310B with the help from the new manual.  Love paper books.

[mnementh]

Nicely OCD'd! 

mnem
 

[worsthorse]

good lord. i leave you all on your own for one day and this is what i find when i come back?

Or maybe these are more your style...

   

You all need to get a hobby.        

[mnementh]

In my defense; My wife DID leave me alone in the house all day. 

mnem

[worsthorse]

I've been looking for one more P6541 probe to give me a complete set for the Tektronix 338 logic analyzer and the prices on ebay have been ridiculous. So no joy until I came across this:

eBay auction: #323543249158

On which I made a low offer, which was almost instantaneously accepted. So now I own a Tektronix 308 logic analyzer to go with the 338 for the price of the probe alone.



Do I need another low speed logic analyzer? Of course not. But I didn't need the first one, either.

In other news, I now have three, count 'em three, laptops running MSDOS 6.22 (one with Windows 3.11, whoop!). How did this happen? Well, I needed one to run a bunch of really really old radio programming software, so now I have three.

And if there is any electronic rabbit hole deeper and twistier than the ones I usually inhabit, it is the one with the sign over that entrance that says...    MSDOS  remember all those old games you used to play? right this way!  MSDOS 
 

[bsfeechannel]

Unfortunately, it only makes single-sided toast. I'll wait for version 2.0.

There you have it.

[mnementh]

Unfortunately, it only makes single-sided toast. I'll wait for version 2.0.

   There you have it.

And that is how you make a hot breakfast in your motel room... 

mnem
I would NEVER do that... not unless it was absolutely, pozzitively AMUSING.