Test Equipment Anonymous (TEA) group therapy thread

[bd139]

@mnem and others who like their PC's to have a lighting show going, I just watched this video these fans are really quite clever as well as being pretty, enjoy.

My computer has no fans 

Oh yes it does........



YOU!! 

No never like that. I hate it. Just slightly less than all the other ones I’ve owned. Computers are seen with too much fondness in my opinion. They are merely the sum of several tens of thousands of potentially incompetent decisions that somehow due to galactic coincidence correlated into something marginally greater than the sum of its parts.

The only relationship I have with any computer is that I’m not going to go full Sony on it. Yet.



With that attitude prevalent they live in fear at my command.

[BU508A]

All this sentimental talk about kids... Anyone want mine?

My youngest was trying to fart on the middle one and pooped herself earlier, the oldest is currently walking around in complete black face which is apparently a facial treatment and the middle one is making noises like a Clanger.

Honestly, you Brits kill me. What the hell is a "clanger"? It looks to me like the crossbreeding of a rat and an anteater. 
Or a Wombel, perhaps.

[bd139]

All this sentimental talk about kids... Anyone want mine?

My youngest was trying to fart on the middle one and pooped herself earlier, the oldest is currently walking around in complete black face which is apparently a facial treatment and the middle one is making noises like a Clanger.

Honestly, you Brits kill me. What the hell is a "clanger"? It looks to me like the crossbreeding of a rat and an anteater. 
Or a Wombel, perhaps.

Yes they’re basically knitted space wombles. Probably a side effect of some psychedelic drugs.

Interestingly I had a naughty amble around Wimbledon common during lockdown. No wombles sighted unless they’ve evolved into rats now.

If you want some really crazy shit to watch look out for In The Night Garden. Requires a few drinks to really get into it.

[factory]

Another very overpriced hp (hernia producer) 150A has appeared on ePay;
https://www.ebay.com/itm/114879968565
The seller has been very lazy & copied the other overpriced listing and forgot to remove the bit about the power cord (yeah what power cord  ). Also it's post 1960 (not 1955) as the serial prefix is 048 and the case is in blue/grey, the serial of 04393 is the newest I've seen (my 150A is 04254 & the rough 150AR is 3247) and first that I've seen without a fixed power cord.



Just noticed the tag is labelled for 240V, probably wants the transformer tappings checking in case it's been changed to 115V, not that anyone will be buying it at that price.


David

There’s a matching but later 130C appeared as well. Also a Hernia Producer of course but reasonably priced in comparison. Alfreton and I don’t have the room or inclination to deal with it.

Not even looked at ePay UK tonight, just done US & EU, I do have a 130A & 130C in storage and still want a 130BR version.
The 130C is only 31lbs/14kg, the 150A on the other hand is apparently 65lbs/29.5kg & 85lbs 38.5kg for the 150AR rack version according to the manual, the 150A is still a work-in-progress and has been for a couple of years, need to get the HV section reassembled back into it after I replaced the leaking oily HV caps.

I've now got something much heavier (two person lift required), still need to post about it, I did take some pictures before it went straight into storage.

David

[mnementh]

All this sentimental talk about kids... Anyone want mine?

My youngest was trying to fart on the middle one and pooped herself earlier, the oldest is currently walking around in complete black face which is apparently a facial treatment and the middle one is making noises like a Clanger.

Honestly, you Brits kill me. What the hell is a "clanger"? It looks to me like the crossbreeding of a rat and an anteater. 
Or a Wombel, perhaps.

Yes they’re basically knitted space wombles. Probably a side effect of some psychedelic drugs.

Interestingly I had a naughty amble around Wimbledon common during lockdown. No wombles sighted unless they’ve evolved into rats now.

If you want some really crazy shit to watch look out for In The Night Garden. Requires a few drinks to really get into it.

I thought they were a spinoff of that weird Soup Dragon vs the Iron Chicken thing from the 70s...?

mnem
"Everybody remember where we parked."   https://yarn.co/yarn-clip/d0b3ccfc-1b9f-4c2f-ac30-a65049d2172d

[Cerebus]

A reminder, as if it needed making, that: "Association football is a game for gentlemen, that is played by thugs, and rugby football is a game for thugs that is played by gentlemen".

One could add the footnote that rugby league and Australian no-rules football are games for thugs played by thugs.

I recommend adopting some rules from Icelandic mud football. For example, when a player is fouled, the other player has to give him a kiss on the fouled area.

 

We have an informal rule like that in Rugby Union, something to do with a good rough loofaing in the baths afterward. 

Had to google that and google showed up with this explanation picture. Which doesn't make it clearer to me. 

The Loofa (Loofah, Luffa) :



The cellulose structure left after the rest of the body of the fruits of  the species Luffa aegyptiaca and Luffa acutangula have been left to wither on the vine. Traditionally used in Britain as a rough bath sponge, good for exfoliating and removing rough skin from the feet.

The pink fluff around that lass resembles the modern version of the Loofa which is a bundle of nylon(?) mesh which, for some unknown reason, always seems to be pink. The lass quite resembles my ex-wife from what I can see in that photo.

[mansaxel]

Other than overly expensive brands like Proxxon, does anyone know of anything that fits the bill?

I was just going to suggest Proxxon. I am very happy with the drills, flexible shafts and stuff we've got from  them.

Cry once. Or, twice, once when you pay, and once when HM Customs want their share.

[Specmaster]

All this sentimental talk about kids... Anyone want mine?

My youngest was trying to fart on the middle one and pooped herself earlier, the oldest is currently walking around in complete black face which is apparently a facial treatment and the middle one is making noises like a Clanger.

Honestly, you Brits kill me. What the hell is a "clanger"? It looks to me like the crossbreeding of a rat and an anteater. 
Or a Wombel, perhaps.

Yes they’re basically knitted space wombles. Probably a side effect of some psychedelic drugs.

Interestingly I had a naughty amble around Wimbledon common during lockdown. No wombles sighted unless they’ve evolved into rats now.

If you want some really crazy shit to watch look out for In The Night Garden. Requires a few drinks to really get into it.

That is some weird shit you watch, how on earth did you get into that then, on the old psychedelic weeds at the time or what   

[bd139]

Meant to post this earlier. Absolutely insane collection of Heathkit gear!



Also tek kit later on.

[Specmaster]

Talking of tracking numbers, I ordered some matching paint and clear lacquer for my car in rattle cans and last Sunday I was given a tracking number for the paint by the paint company and only today has the tracking number been updated by the courier (Hermes) so it has now gone from "We're expecting it" to, "We have it" and "Its on its way", but where and what has it been doing from Sunday to today? It is supposed to be a 48Hr service 

At last when it arrives, I'll be able to spray the replacement trim piece that the stupid American style car wash rotating brushes managed to rip off and mangle up 3 years ago, it has taken that long to find another suitable trim piece (not that many cars like mine in the breakers yet) and to get a new one was over 3 times what wash company paid me as compensation, without painting and fitting, which the stealer er I mean dealer almost matched in cost. So I paid £24 for the trim and £36 for the paint and clear lacquer and to have it done by the dealer was almost £600   

[Cerebus]

Other than overly expensive brands like Proxxon, does anyone know of anything that fits the bill?

I was just going to suggest Proxxon. I am very happy with the drills, flexible shafts and stuff we've got from  them.

Cry once. Or, twice, once when you pay, and once when HM Customs want their share.

I've always found Proxxon overpriced versus their quality. Sure, they are probably at the top of the game in that table top tools market, but I've always felt a bit let down with what you get for the money. There's probably some domestic Japanese brand that beats them pants down on quality that we never get to see, but that's by the by. The Proxxon table top belt sander that would fit my requirements is £130, but doesn't look (or I suspect feel) like £130 worth. That's more than a full sized Makita belt sander that would probably piss all over it in the quality stakes - I have one and they are both precise and indestructible.

I've very nearly bought Proxxon tools several times but thankfully it's been from an old fashioned shop, and getting them into my hands they just haven't touched that spot that feels right, and they haven't been cheap enough that I was prepared to risk making a mistake.

Now, if Fein made something of the right size I might well consider giving them my money, or an arm and a leg, whichever was the less costly.

[Cerebus]

Talking of tracking numbers, I ordered some matching paint and clear lacquer for my car in rattle cans and last Sunday I was given a tracking number for the paint by the paint company and only today has the tracking number been updated by the courier (Hermes) so it has now gone from "We're expecting it" to, "We have it" and "Its on its way", but where and what has it been doing from Sunday to today? It is supposed to be a 48Hr service 

At last when it arrives, I'll be able to spray the replacement trim piece that the stupid American style car wash rotating brushes managed to rip off and mangle up 3 years ago, it has taken that long to find another suitable trim piece (not that many cars like mine in the breakers yet) and to get a new one was over 3 times what wash company paid me as compensation, without painting and fitting, which the stealer er I mean dealer almost matched in cost. So I paid £24 for the trim and £36 for the paint and clear lacquer and to have it done by the dealer was almost £600   

"We're expecting it" means that they have issued a tracking number to the sender to print a label, but the sender hasn't actually send it yet. So that wait since Sunday has been the supplier sitting on their hands.

[Specmaster]

I never knew that Heathkit had made so many kits, that collection massive, I'd hate to put a value on that collection, especially as most I think are fully operational, thanks for sharing. 

[med6753]

Meant to post this earlier. Absolutely insane collection of Heathkit gear!



Also tek kit later on.

Think of the thousands and thousands of cold solder joints. 

[med6753]

I never knew that Heathkit had made so many kits, that collection massive, I'd hate to put a value on that collection, especially as most I think are fully operational, thanks for sharing. 

Unless he restored them I think it's safe bet that half of them don't work. And believe or not there's probably a small group that never worked. 

[med6753]

And yes, they made that many kits. I still have many of their catalogs from the 1970's.

[Roger Need]

Amazon.ca Heads-Up: 0805 Resistor Sample Book

              

CAD$13.49 at:https://www.amazon.ca/gp/product/B08P8TYQ2S/

For those in the Great White North... this Amazon is worth jumping on while you can. I got two because they promised 170 different values of 1% 805 resistors; I was figuring there had to be some skeevy catch, like a short 10-20ct strip of each or somesuch, so I bought two. But no... what came was 2 books of 1% 0805 resistors, 50 each in standard E24-Series values from 0R0 to 10M0. That's 8500 pieces for 13.49 Canuckistan shekels or US $9 & change each.

So much for double-filling one book to recycle the other for my caps! 

mnem
 

Thanks for the tip.  I ordered a SMD resistor sample book and it arrived today.  Nicely bound and labelled.  I see Amazon is out of stock at the warehouse and they now come from China but the price has gone way up to $54 

Roger

[vk6zgo]

I am alive.

Very busy with the relocation and the 8 weeks old son (right now with digital output: 1 cry or 0 sleep).

Can't wait to post you guys pics of my new lab (4x time bigger than the Deutsch one).

Back to madness now. I miss you all and some sane TEA.

Congratulations, Zucca, and thanks for stopping in. Looking forward to seeing the new lab (4x!).

The stripling actually has a quad state output that varies wildly at any given time: cry, sleep, poop and pee in your face when changing his diaper.  Been there, done that and got the washcloth.

When I was a young father (now I am an ancient one), I thought I had this baby changing routine down pat.

With a girl, their party trick is to wait until you have changed them, then do a small lake in their pants, all the time smirking at you, but that is easy to allow for.

What I hadn't anticipated was the "fountain effect" when I first had to change my son.
Of course, whilst squirting me in the eye, he had the same smirk as his sister!

[mnementh]

Wouldn't it be great if they came with a Owner's Manual...?

mnem
Just imagine if we could create a functional Service Manual... Fuck, the DTC section alone would be worth billions...

[Specmaster]

I never knew that Heathkit had made so many kits, that collection massive, I'd hate to put a value on that collection, especially as most I think are fully operational, thanks for sharing. 

Unless he restored them I think it's safe bet that half of them don't work. And believe or not there's probably a small group that never worked. 

Well there was a work bench towards the end with kit on it and what appeared to be work in progress.

[Neomys Sapiens]

Regarding the energetic substances discussion: I wonder if there is a substance whose explosive decomposition can be initiated by a magnetic field? That would be interesting! (directly, not by any eddy current heating effect, of course).

[vk6zgo]

Talking of tracking numbers, I ordered some matching paint and clear lacquer for my car in rattle cans and last Sunday I was given a tracking number for the paint by the paint company and only today has the tracking number been updated by the courier (Hermes) so it has now gone from "We're expecting it" to, "We have it" and "Its on its way", but where and what has it been doing from Sunday to today? It is supposed to be a 48Hr service 

At last when it arrives, I'll be able to spray the replacement trim piece that the stupid American style car wash rotating brushes managed to rip off and mangle up 3 years ago, it has taken that long to find another suitable trim piece (not that many cars like mine in the breakers yet) and to get a new one was over 3 times what wash company paid me as compensation, without painting and fitting, which the stealer er I mean dealer almost matched in cost. So I paid £24 for the trim and £36 for the paint and clear lacquer and to have it done by the dealer was almost £600   

Reminds me of when I broke the RH flasher lens on my 1999 Camry.

Went to the Toyota Parts counter.

When the bloke sitting behind a PC, seemingly playing a computer game, finally deigned to notice me, looked up & said "Waddya want?", I told him my details.

After farting around on the computer for a few minutes, he said "$300, & 5 days Ex East!"
I declined, & decided to look elsewhere.

OK, the Camry is old, but that body style was current from1998 to 2004, there are thousands of them still on the road, & after all, it was a piece of bloody plastic!

After Googling, I found a local supplier of Chinese copies at $79, next day pickup.
It looked identical to the original one-------I'm wondering if the "5 days" was the time it took for "the Wise men from the East" to buy a faux one, & find a genuine Toyota box to put it in!

[mnementh]

Yeah, having done more than a few "rebuilds", I can tell you the quality of the Chinese/Taiwanese/Czech Republic made "crash parts" is definitely not "equivalent". 

What they do offer is being able to replace say both headlights/taillights with ones that look the same as each other at a reasonable price... so you don't have one that's all hazy and the other shiny/new and just screaming "I got the shit smashed out of this quarter!!!" Also, you can be sure of getting passsable quality at a known price; free of cracks and with sockets that  work right now; something you cannot be sure of with boneyard pulls, especially if a 3rd party pulls them for you.

I've had to replace enough of them after they were brought in because the cheap sockets in 'em eat bulbs or they leak and shatter the bulb every time it rains... for my own repairs, I usually prefer to stalk the boneyards and get OEM whenever possible.

In fact, finding a pair of NOS OEM headlights in Pick & Pull was a major reason I ultimately decided to do the frontend rebuild on Franken-Cruiser to the 2008-2010 body style. Those headlights were $680 each List; worth probably a couple hunnerd more than the whole damned car... 

mnem
 

[mnementh]

...The endplate is actually a remix of the MSI dragon rendered as a fan grille; I stretched it to 6mm thick in Cura so I could have some decent rigidity. The bracket with feet was a bit of a PITA to design, but I did finally beat Frustion360 into submission. It holds the fan ~30mm above the surface the stack rests on, so the whole thing is pretty much a fan-assisted chimney.

So what is it...? I'll let y'all guess. Hints: Input is on the right, and I'm intending to push each set of resistors at 30-40W total.

Oh, and it's something I've been meaning to make literally for decades but kept putting off until now, when it became important because of WAF.

Now I know y'all will have misgivings aboot something like this actually dissipating 150-200W and being made almost entirely of low-temp thermoplastic. I do as well, to some extent. However, this whole stack sits quite solidly on top of that fan without even having a frame around it; I'm reasonably certain that it's going to be fine for its intended purpose, as it will never be used for anything but low-voltage loads.

mnem
*knocks self unconscious with a decibel mallet*

So I finally made enough room to put this beast to work... It's been running over an hour at 0-+5dB (80-90% volume) and I can just feel the heat if I lay my finger directly on the 8Ω resistor. But the receiver is cooking, I tell you what!

Volume of the monitor speakers cranked like that is what I'd call "moderate"; aboot what my wife turns the stereo up to when she wants to shake her booty at me.

The only problem I see is all the receivers I have to test are actually new enough to have a rear center channel... which I totally brain-farted on when I built this. I'm gonna have to tear it all down and add another channel.

But hey, med!!! I finally have a use case for that extra Minimus-7!!!

mnem
        

        

[vk6zgo]

Yeah, having done more than a few "rebuilds", I can tell you the quality of the Chinese/Taiwanese/Czech Republic made "crash parts" is definitely not "equivalent". 

What they do offer is being able to replace say both headlights/taillights with ones that look the same as each other at a reasonable price... so you don't have one that's all hazy and the other shiny/new and just screaming "I got the shit smashed out of this quarter!!!" Also, you can be sure of getting passsable quality at a known price; free of cracks and with sockets that  work right now; something you cannot be sure of with boneyard pulls, especially if a 3rd party pulls them for you.

I've had to replace enough of them after they were brought in because the cheap sockets in 'em eat bulbs or they leak and shatter the bulb every time it rains... for my own repairs, I usually prefer to stalk the boneyards and get OEM whenever possible.

In fact, finding a pair of NOS OEM headlights in Pick & Pull was a major reason I ultimately decided to do the frontend rebuild on Franken-Cruiser to the 2008-2010 body style. Those headlights were $680 each List; worth probably a couple hunnerd more than the whole damned car... 

mnem
 

Still, at just over a quarter of the price, I can afford to treat them as "consumables".

I would probably have gritted my teeth & gone with the $300, if I could have bought the thing over the counter, but the "5 days Ex East" got right up my nose!

As Perth is a State Capital, car companies always carried spares for popular vehicles, but for years, now, there has been a disturbing trend of  the majority of business & Federal govt enterprises retreating to the "South East corner" of Australia.

Some of the more annoying "'tothersiders" delight in sneering at WA as "wait awhile", but when we didn't have to wait for someone on the other side of the country to get off their bum & ship our order, we didn't have to "wait awhile,"