Test Equipment Anonymous (TEA) group therapy thread

[m k]

I guessed there's something.

My first supplement was Barney.
Next thought was singing in the rain.
(not with Barney)

[mnementh]

On the Bench Today: NEW A1 SIZE CUTTING MAT

   

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B08FM3ZP4V

One of the things that evidently didn't survive either move were any of my cutting mats; I've already got some marks on the marble countertop, so time for a new one. I've used the grey FISKARS ones for quite a while now, as they're only $30-38 in A1 size; but they're only a 3-layer mat, and the last one I got at Wally Wurlld just reeked of plastic outgassing for over a month. 

Today I found this one; a 5-layer mat with a nice metric side, and with the current 20% discount it's only $26.

When it gets here in a few days I'll post real pics and first impressions. If you're needing a new mat, this could be a killer deal. No idea if those outside the US can find this one with similar discount. 

mnem
*scrubbing a paint sprayer*

[nixiefreqq]

I guessed there's something.

My first supplement was Barney.
Next thought was singing in the rain.
(not with Barney)

oh yeah.......fred and barney......that would have been a good choice.

wait a second......did you just call barney a "supplement"?   is that a vitamin reference?

this is getting to weird even for me.

[mnementh]

I think he meant more like "complement"; I'd just chalk it up to lost in translation/language barrier.

mnem
 

[AVGresponding]

Discord is beginning to pump some heat

[Cerebus]

Talking of filthy test gear and the levels of yuck that some people will tolerate as normal.

Lidl UK are this week flogging cheap steam cleaners in the middle isle and I picked one up. £17.99 from memory. Does a good job on windows, seat upholstery, carpets and those bits of taps and other sink fittings that accumulate crud. Haven't any crusty TE to try it out on at the moment but I think it'll prove a useful addition to the cleaning armoury for front panels, the niches of controls and the like. We shall see when the opportunity presents itself (which at the moment I fear will be far too far in the future).

[bd139]

Watch out with the steam cleaners. My aunt was religiously steam cleaning everything and not dealing with the humidity problems. Her entire place basically rotted.

[Squarewave]

Yeah, if you're not careful when steam cleaning, you could land yourself in hot water...

[Robert763]

A few days ago I've received a small bubble envelope from fellow member, Robert763. It contained the missing piece for my 8060A, the bail stand. I'd like thank him again for his generosity, and show the results:

Sorry it's not quite the right colour....

[Neper]

"Going flakey"?
I always thought that Philips & flakey were synonomous!

Not here, it doesn't.

I got the scope second-hand in 1995 and it gave me 25 years of trouble-free service until it showed the first signs of capacitor aging when it took a minute between switching it on and the Power LED coming on. I still think of it with fondness.

[tggzzz]

"Going flakey"?
I always thought that Philips & flakey were synonomous!

Not here, it doesn't.

I got the scope second-hand in 1995 and it gave me 25 years of trouble-free service until it showed the first signs of capacitor aging when it took a minute between switching it on and the Power LED coming on. I still think of it with fondness.

Sounds like my Tek 485, except after turning it off then on, it started instantly! That was a bugger to faultfind, since I could only do one switch-on test every 12 hours.

Worth it in the end, though

[Zoli]

A few days ago I've received a small bubble envelope from fellow member, Robert763. It contained the missing piece for my 8060A, the bail stand. I'd like thank him again for his generosity, and show the results:

Sorry it's not quite the right colour....

It does the job, and that's most important thing; from now, I don't have to move to read it.

[Zoli]

On the Bench Today: NEW A1 SIZE CUTTING MAT

   

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B08FM3ZP4V

One of the things that evidently didn't survive either move were any of my cutting mats; I've already got some marks on the marble countertop, so time for a new one. I've used the grey FISKARS ones for quite a while now, as they're only $30-38 in A1 size; but they're only a 3-layer mat, and the last one I got at Wally Wurlld just reeked of plastic outgassing for over a month. 

Today I found this one; a 5-layer mat with a nice metric side, and with the current 20% discount it's only $26.

When it gets here in a few days I'll post real pics and first impressions. If you're needing a new mat, this could be a killer deal. No idea if those outside the US can find this one with similar discount. 

mnem
*scrubbing a paint sprayer*

For us here  in Canuckistan is Princess Auto:
https://www.princessauto.com/en/36-x-24-in-self-healing-cutting-mat/product/PA0008926826
And, to stick to the lately topics: is nice frog green 

[mnementh]

Yup. That's the one that was on my back bench when I was playing wannabe Canucki-dwagon. Bought on sale for $16, eh...?

Also, what could possibly be more on-topic to TEAnonymous than essential stuff for the workbench...?

mnem

[mnementh]

Tripped over this again while being mauled in the Discord...



mnem
 

[mnementh]

   Jeebus... is there anybody left selling on fleaBay who isn't a complete muppet...?

I just had to poke this seller with the PM stick because 10 days after I paid, it is supposed to be delivered no later than tomorrow, yet still only shows "Label Created" and not in FEDEX possession. Do they really think nobody is gonna click on the TRACK PACKAGE button...?

mnem
fleaBay: all they actually have now is fleas.

Didn't even ship it until this afternoon; long after I poked him with the PM stick.     Def not getting 5 stars on the SHIPPING feedback.

mnem
*toddles off to ded* 

Has been IN TRANSIT from Willington, CT since 10AM; 35 minutes away. I guess no TE joy for me tonight. 

mnem
at least I have the joy of pork chops for dinner...

[med6753]

Update on the B&K Precision 2120 re-cap.

After checking further I discovered that the board directly under the power transformer could easily be removed after pulling the switch rods and 4 connectors. So transformer was re-installed and board now on bench. This will be much easier to work on.



View of transformer back in place and board removed.

[bitseeker]

I've got a couple of vintage TE clocks, these were made by a few TE manufacturers for adding timecode to recorder printouts & tape recording. In the case of the HP can also be used to automate the printing, with several selectable rates.

Oh, no! Just what I didn't need to see. Must. Resist. Adding. To list.

Too late... That's just too nice to ignore. I'll go hide now.

[Brumby]

Ha ha ha....!  With all the self-control of ... ... ....


Who am I kidding...
 

[bitseeker]

I don't know how funds are with you, but have you thought of getting a Rigol or Siglent SA, maybe as well as the HP?

I have a few scopes here, Tek, an HP, a 20MHz solid state scope about 30 years old. I have a few valve scopes, most of which work. The one I reach for is the 100MHz Siglent. It's pleasant to use, it's light, it doesn't take up any room, it has a load of features that are useful enough, such as a fairly good frequency counter, which often saves the trouble of firing up a dedicated frequency counter.

Indeed I've considered one, I'd happy pay the price as they're not all that expensive really. I don't think I'd buy one AND the HP though. Perhaps later on I could if I need space. I think I will go the the HP for the price as it'll certainly prove useful for a few projects, where the range is outside of the RF unit I have for my TF2380 at present.

Well this is the Test Equipment Anonymous thread, it should be a bit like AA where we get together and support ourselves in getting out of this terrible addiction.

Consider what I say next as the Devil leading you into temptation.

Having wanted an SA for ages, and looked at Marconi etc and wondering about the problems with them, I was talking to a neighbour who had just blown north of 30 grand on a collectable newish BMW. He was explaining all about it. He washes it and polishes it and drives about 500 miles a year in it. I thought "Bugger it. Why shouldn't I spend £1,500 on an SA?" So I bought a Siglent. I use it for more hours than he uses his BMW and I don't have to wash and wax it all the time. I don't have to tax, insure, have it MOT'd and serviced either.

I might also get a Marconi or an HP, out of curiosity and the urge to acquire.

You can't take your dough when you go.

Well said, Zenith. To each their own, but I like my test equipment. Some of it has even appreciated since I bought it. 

[bitseeker]

Ha ha ha....!  With all the self-control of ... ... ....


Who am I kidding...
 

Haha. Yeah, you've been here too long. Like an open book...

[bitseeker]

Dear TEA fellows,

inspiration has struck me. Now here it comes: the long awaited TEA song about bd139!

Added to the POI list of TEA songs. Cracked me up...all over my lab.

[bitseeker]

Trick is to not buy that shit. Not giving asshats money.

But it is an addiction Lately not that much though. Got enough stuff around to keep me busy for a while.

Sadly, the length of the "keep me busy" queue wasn't a limiting factor.

Budget sure is, though.

[bitseeker]

EDIT : look what I just found !!!

No need to bother taking apart my two spare IBM computers to try their CD drives !

I have a junk box full of old IDE FDD/HDD/CD... 7 CD drives look !! 

Cool.... I am covered 

Haha. Sometimes it is fun rediscovering stuff you forgot about. Even better when it happens when you actually need it. That doesn't happen all the time. Congrats.

[bitseeker]

Spotted today on eBay, why the F**K wouldn't you clean a sale item up before listing it 

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/304587729413

I rather like it when people don't clean stuff. It affects the price.

This raised a whopping £10:



Bit of a clean later:



Winner!

6 years ago now that...

My sentiments exactly! I have no problem being given reasons to haggle the price down.

I think I've seen this scope of your before. Nevertheless, kudos again on a great looking restoration.  What did you use to get the dark brown dark again? Or is that just flash blowout in the "before" pic?