Test Equipment Anonymous (TEA) group therapy thread

[mnementh]

I think I'm gonna go look ad DIY vids on replacing a window screen... try and work smarter, not harder.

mnem
no, no, no, no, no... not Home Improvement!!! bad dwagon!!!

[Specmaster]

Yes I know the UK is also an island as well, but we don't want to open that can of worms again. 

Nope it's not an island... there are hundreds of trucks and cars going in and out of this "island" every single day via the tunnel, as well as a constant stream of ferry boats.... I would say it's a pseudo-island ! 

True, but the problem isn't the trucks etc, its the people. None of that would prevent closing the ports and tunnel for a short spell, life would be harder its true but if that is what it would take to control a virus etc, then it should be perfectly possible to do. 

[Brumby]

I think I'm gonna go look ad DIY vids on replacing a window screen... try and work smarter, not harder.

mnem
no, no, no, no, no... not Home Improvement!!! bad dwagon!!!

I can just see you doing the 21 nail gun salute...   

[Saskia]

received final parts for Daughter's audio streamer. Will finalize it, then build her a replacement computer and attempt data salvage from her exploded one.

[Cerebus]

Exploded you say? You haven't by any chance being using "Mr. Smith" of Twickenham's super secret design for a capacitor tester?   

[Specmaster]

Now, lets all calm down a bit, I was only saying SWMBO that it seems that people in general are getting very fidgety and nerves getting frayed, and I put it all down to the last 18 months of living with the global conditions. Here in the UK alone it seems as a lot of people are venting their frustrations in a physical fashion, there are just so many reports now of fights breaking out and murders have increased massively, it seems that we have just in Essex we have almost 1 a week being reported. Think it might be that some people seem to have almost nothing to occupy their minds with. 

[mnementh]

I think I'm gonna go look ad DIY vids on replacing a window screen... try and work smarter, not harder.

mnem
no, no, no, no, no... not Home Improvement!!! bad dwagon!!!

   I can just see you doing the 21 nail gun salute...   

 

That was one of my favorite "WCPGW?" moments from the show... but seriously, this one is a bit of a bitch.

It's not a patio door (I do have on of those to do as well), it's storm door. While the one sliding window does come out, it doesn't appear I can get the fixed window or screen out without unhanging and dismantling the storm door. I'd really rather not do the screen with it still hanging, but not sure I want to risk damaging a decades old storm door with crusty hardware and probably brittle corner brackets holding it together.

I was hoping to find a vid that could shed some light on this particular problem, but so far no joy. 

mnem
"We have 2 kinds of mosquitoes... them small enough to fly through the screen door, and them big enough to open it."

[25 CPS]

Then why make up non factual crap to defend poor performance of your adopted country and then be surprised when you get a response! You were so far away from any semblance of the truth and fact it was warranted.

So its you that needs to take that FUCKING chill pill and consider what you type and before you hit the key to post more

As to other peanuts COVID is NOT POLITICS it is public health

It started because you took exception to 25 CPS using the adjective "draconian" in a perfectly innocuous non-political post asking an innocent question and you overeacted and made it political by responding with an uncalled for "us and them" reply criticising both 25 CPS and Canada. Dial it back several notches please.

Reusing boilerplate text is normal so I wasn't surprised to see that statement about being able to arrange inspection of that 34401A copied and pasted into the auction or included as part of a setup template.  What surprised me, based on the first hand accounts from my childhood best friend who lives in Sydney now, is that this wouldn't be possible, but nothing was added to invite prospective buyers to arrange a substitute like being able to ask the seller to demonstrate the meter in photos or on video instead.

With respect to using the word "draconian", that's honestly the impression I've gotten from the first hand accounts I've been hearing.  My friend's suffering.  He really is.  How much TV can you watch?  How much reading can you do?  How much other stuff can you fill the time with when you're locked up at home staring at the same four walls brooding while your mind wanders?  Meanwhile, I hear about using party drugs to get away from it and fill the void as the days turn into weeks turn into months turn in to years soon, I hear about taking GHB and drinking half a bottle of champagne and popping sleeping pills to unwind enough to sleep at night.  And I understand.  You do what you need to do to survive; we both learned that a long time ago when we were kids living on the same street.  At least I can leave the house, do stuff, fill the time, live somewhat of a normal existence but when I hear from my old best friend who's been boxed in so bad for so long and everything's been taken away that there's nothing left but drugs and alcohol to cope with it, my heart breaks and it really forces some critical thinking about the collateral damage inflicted by a cost no object, ends justify the means approach to things.

[Specmaster]

Update on the TTi DSA511, I have had a response from TTi after I emailed them and said that they could not find anything relating to the DSA511 but the DSA524 is largely the same item and kindly emailed me a scanned copy they did for me. This is 500% better than the one downloaded from the web, but it's still lacking the section for the front panel and the controls  which is a major part of the device, no parts list for the other 2 boards, no parts list and zero calibration instructions / data. I've had to go back to them requesting that missing information, fingers crossed maybe I might get some more info tomorrow.

[mnementh]

Good hunting, Spec!

mnem
*toddles off to nuke a door*

[Kosmic]

GPSDO Display Progress

This is the mounting solution for the processor board I came up with.

Considerations entertained -

Space flight requirements: Negative
Military battlefield requirements: Negative
Child proof requirements: Negative

Using an existing design, I added a support structure to enable it to slide into the existing channels in the case. A ~1 hour 3D print.

It will be held in by the two end cover plates (yet to be designed) so no need for any more holes in the case. It's shifted to one side in consideration of the RS-232 connector to be mounted on the rear cover plate.

Look really clean, i like it! 

[mansaxel]

At least I can leave the house, do stuff, fill the time, live somewhat of a normal existence but when I hear from my old best friend who's been boxed in so bad for so long and everything's been taken away that there's nothing left but drugs and alcohol to cope with it, my heart breaks and it really forces some critical thinking about the collateral damage inflicted by a cost no object, ends justify the means approach to things.

Our public health agency have been very much criticised for not being hard enough with restrictions (and we're lifting the last legislative blocks on public gathering and so on today, with the caveat that non vaccinated people should keep observing the distancing rules and perhaps refrain from going to bars etc.) 

What many people have not realised is that the Agency are taking a holistic approach to this. Death is death, and it is undesirable regardless of cause. If you survive the epidemic only to go crazy and pop seriously unhealthy drug cocktails from the isolation, exactly what has been gained?

If your children miss school that will in the end delay their development and lessen their chances to get to higher education,  we have decades of data showing that average life span for people with an University degree is longer than for people with only basic education.

And the list goes on.

This is horribly hard to get through in a screaming fit debate when politicians are competing to look decisive and tough to gain points.

This does not mean that one should ignore the severity in this, but that measures taken need to conform to a life-long perspective of population health. Which is a helluva lot finickier than brazen lockdowns. And it is a lot of grinding down the odds with consecutive passes taking a few ppm off the mortality every time.

[Wolfgang]

At least I can leave the house, do stuff, fill the time, live somewhat of a normal existence but when I hear from my old best friend who's been boxed in so bad for so long and everything's been taken away that there's nothing left but drugs and alcohol to cope with it, my heart breaks and it really forces some critical thinking about the collateral damage inflicted by a cost no object, ends justify the means approach to things.

Our public health agency have been very much criticised for not being hard enough with restrictions (and we're lifting the last legislative blocks on public gathering and so on today, with the caveat that non vaccinated people should keep observing the distancing rules and perhaps refrain from going to bars etc.) 

What many people have not realised is that the Agency are taking a holistic approach to this. Death is death, and it is undesirable regardless of cause. If you survive the epidemic only to go crazy and pop seriously unhealthy drug cocktails from the isolation, exactly what has been gained?

If your children miss school that will in the end delay their development and lessen their chances to get to higher education,  we have decades of data showing that average life span for people with an University degree is longer than for people with only basic education.

And the list goes on.

This is horribly hard to get through in a screaming fit debate when politicians are competing to look decisive and tough to gain points.

This does not mean that one should ignore the severity in this, but that measures taken need to conform to a life-long perspective of population health. Which is a helluva lot finickier than brazen lockdowns. And it is a lot of grinding down the odds with consecutive passes taking a few ppm off the mortality every time.

To me the swedish way looks like a very pragmatic solution to an overaging society and the pension problem. It only got a very bad press because it did not stress the obvious advantages enough 

[mansaxel]

TE and electronics news for today:

My microphone multicable project is progressing slowly. The hardware is in place, and I have started exploring what I need of toobing and shrinkery. The box end sort of asks for a bend limiting extra going out of the trumpet strain relief; I'm thinking about a piece of hose some 300mm out just to  make  bends less flexy.

The other end, as it is resistor colour coded (with the two new colour codes "shocking pink" and  "tea with milk" for Eleven and Twelve, respectively, you read it here first!) will need 5mm i/d clear PVC tubing over the pairs -- they're already plastic sheathed but it is a lot sturdier not to mention easier to comb that Medusa out if the pairs are stiffened, and then the transition into the big cable needs a big nice piece of heavy duty shrink tubing, complete with glue.

My "chorus pedal" project is progressing slowly. I'm sort of between the hunter and gatherer phases, as I've almost decided on a circuit, and secured the near-unobtanium IC's, (which will be needed regardless of which circuit we end up with.) but also started BOM filling and getting hardware. Stomp box switches are high on the wish list, as are Hammond boxes, because we're getting ready to build a channel switching box first, to get some feeling for the hardware side of the project.

[mansaxel]

TE and electronics news for today:

If I remember to post the pic too, this thread wins.

[duckduck]

This is also why some of us have 3D printers and 3-4 minutes of CAD time 

Yes that's because you are already proficient using a 3D printer and  CAD modelling. I am not...

But yes here and there I can see how a 3D printer could make sense for me. Will probably buy one "one day"...

However I don't know if these cheap consumer grade melted filament printers would be up to the job ?

Clip obviously has to use clear plastic, does that exit for this style of printer ?
Plastic would have to be flexible once the part is printed, of course...
Also the surface/finish should be perfectly smooth to look good.. not sure this can be guaranteed. Might need to sand down the little ridges these printers make as they stack layer upon layer. Sanding would most likely render the clear plastic...opaque. Might come back to being clear fine polishing, like modern cars plastic head lights though ? Still, a lot of work....   Could still be worth a shot at least to see if it's a dead end of if it can indeed yield a satisfactory result.  If it's not, then might still b worth at least creating the 3D model for these clips, for you can e-mail to professional 3D printing companies that have million dollar printers suing a different technology and a broader choice of material. Maybe they can manage to do something that works. Would be expensive for just one part of course but  if you order a bag of them, since there are many in a scope, might bring the cost per unit down...

So yeah, I guess where there is a will (and a wallet), there is a way !

Ender 3 at about $200USD and a roll of PETG in clear would do you nicely  The CAD modelling is a time thing and like most things in life the more you do the faster and better you get at it.

That roughy model btw would print as you see it so the layers would run around the loop and give you flex without breakage and for the toughest result on the screw hole a washer to spread the load across those layers. I wouldn't sand it either it will never be an injection molded part and while Resin printers give better resolution the prints tend toward more brittle over FDM.

Really early print of mine on my CR10S using PETG clear roll ends below. Few blobs on the fine edges caused by a lack of supports on the print and maybe the retraction needed tweaking.

Goddamn  Bless you bunch of GAS-afflicted enablers. Shopping for a 3D printer now.

Also, holy crap! What a great meter the 87V is. I have used it half a dozen times in the past couple of days. It has a decent backlight, a decent built-in stand, it has instant and LOUD continuity, and is rated 600V CAT IV. Yes, my 179 has all of that, too (OK, continuity isn't loud), but the 87V has that REL ∆ button and more digits.

[AVGresponding]

Rapid Electronics living up to their name, my lifetime supply of stackable 4mm banana plugs arrived (all 95 of them, and yes I did count all the individual component parts), with a few other odds and ends like the socket strip for the MAA723s.
Naturally I forgot to order any matrix board...

[Neper]

What a great meter the 87V is. I have used it half a dozen times in the past couple of days. It has a decent backlight, a decent built-in stand, it has instant and LOUD continuity, and is rated 600V CAT IV. Yes, my 179 has all of that, too (OK, continuity isn't loud)...

Speaking of continuity and loud, it seems that these are the options for the continuity buzzer of my new Siglent SDM3045X:

OFF: well, off
LOW: inaudible with barely discernible clicks on making and breaking the contact of the tips
MED: a little bit louder, audible when there's no noise
HIGH: same level with a somewhat higher tone.

I thought this was wrong, so I had the dealer send another one which behaves just the same way and someone on here confirmed that his is no different.

Still odd...

[Saskia]

Need to start sorting and cataloging the 3d printers.
Velleman K8200, Monoprice Mini, Ender, some resin thingie, ...

Anyone need one ? ...

[ch_scr]

Need to start sorting and cataloging the 3d printers.
Velleman K8200, Monoprice Mini, Ender, some resin thingie, ...

Anyone need one ? ...

Having seen a "Velleman K8200" in person, you can be happy if someone takes it of your hand without a bribe 
The "Monoprice Mini" is at least somewhat reasonable.
On the Ender it depends on the model, but chances are good.
The resin printers evolved fast, and as a consequence, old ones got obsolete fast. (small volume, low resolution, slow print time)

[mnementh]

Goddamn  Bless you bunch of GAS-afflicted enablers. Shopping for a 3D printer now.

Also, holy crap! What a great meter the 87V is. I have used it half a dozen times in the past couple of days. It has a decent backlight, a decent built-in stand, it has instant and LOUD continuity, and is rated 600V CAT IV. Yes, my 179 has all of that, too (OK, continuity isn't loud), but the 87V has that REL ∆ button and more digits.

you're welcome!!! 

But personally, I like your little red rrrooossian meter better. 

mnem
*huggles his 189 close*

[AVGresponding]

At least no-one posted any pics of 1N4148's a couple of pages ago...



Here's some ebay tat for your amusement/derision. Those Tek 465/475/485's went cheap I thought.



This is a bit pricey for something that is certainly battered and may well be fuckered:

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/234202619569




Price still sensible on this:

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/373733141717




It's brown. It's a Keithley. The bid so far is £10. Don't get too excited though.

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/174948346819




Despite the name, it isn't. They are still pretty good though, and the seller often responds well to halfway sensible lowballs.

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/324153507990




Potential easy fix, or a deadasaurus? At least the display digits are all bright...

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/304161927613




I've a good idea what the problem is with this. If I'm right, cost to fix = £0

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/373735152113




Not an unreasonable BIN. The seller has two.

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/165096539697




Serious probulator. You know it means business when it has a pistol grip.

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/255139878988




This sir, is an ex-meter. It has ceased to measure, the chooch is pooched, it is no more.

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/133792901502





Fatboy-scope.

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/255152825828




Not sure that even turning this into a lamp could improve it...

https://i.ebayimg.com/images/g/EoMAAOSwnFBhUX65/s-l1600.jpg




This went for silly money. You can get them new for the same price!

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Cliff-CL185-Quicktest-Connector-Safe-Block-/373723975707

[Vince]

If you are going to make moulds and melt plastic, consider extruding strip. A simple die of two reilled holes with a slot between them will make the right shape. you then need a cylinder and piton behind it to force the melt through.
Then  fold and punch holes for any size you want.

Extrusion, wow didn't even think of that ! Sounds luxurious bit most definitely the best option for "mass" production so to speak !

Keep your ideas coming, I like them !   

Now I can't help but try to think how I could cobble together a machine to extrude these strips... sounds like it should be possible to DIY something... hell first let's check if the Chinese aren't already selling a turn-key DIY machine ! 

Could use inductive heating to keep the die and melted plastic at the proper temperature, a thermo-couple, some electronics to regulate the temperature hmmm.. sounds like fun !  I am sold !    I will churn out plastic strips like one would churn out pasta out of a pasta machine !! 

[mansaxel]

mnem
*huggles his 189 close*

Bah.

[Vince]

Here's some ebay tat for your amusement/derision.

Fatboy-scope.

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/255152825828

Wow, another GOULD 1604 ?! Are they all coming out of the woods or what ?!

150 quid for a non working one  ?! Paid mine 20 Euros, 10 times less, literally !

Talking of my GOULD 1604.. today I received the used pens from Captain_Bullshot (thanks !), just shoved them into the built-in plotter and what do you know, it prints something !! 

Of course the scope / main board is brain dead, but I guess the plotter assembly must have at least some low level degree of smartness, because when you power up the scope, for a few seconds the plotter does a little dance and prints some stuff, see below !

It writes no text. It draws the outline of a few small squares, yeehaa !!!