Products > Test Equipment

Used test equipment pricing increase over the last few years

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vk6zgo:

--- Quote from: coppercone2 on September 21, 2023, 02:16:04 am ---maybe it means its still useful? when people sat down to actually do something during covid they figured out the quality is there for a reason, especially if you fix it up

also the term obsolete is very nebulous. Plenty of labs consider 5.5 digits advanced. how much work do you do that actually uses 6.5 digits?

the applications for ultra precision are just not common. its specialized.

Right now the biggest things are motors and power storage. Robots, portable power, etc. The development problems with these kinds of technologies do not requires the highest precision.

I would say there is a power electronics revolution in the last 10 years. Its kind of like 'what amazing tool can you make with a battery' and 'how can advanced motors make our life easier'.

Motorized crimp tools? power tools that rival or surpass the corded version? batteries that allow for actual quality of life while traveling?

I would say that pure 'smart' devices turned out to be a damp squid. IOT was supposed to knock our socks off but it turns out its rather annoying, privacy concerns, reliabiltiy concerns. However.. power electronics equipment is changing things. EV cars too, their actually good.. .and solar. The implementation of micro processors in everything turned out to feel like a troll. But high quality batteries, power convertors, etc.. their changing life

If you develop such things, the old equipment is actually super.. professional and handy. And the sub revolution of 3d printers that require motors and medium accuracy electronics is also blossoming.

For instance like if you are trouble shooting a motor drive, or a welding machine, that are becoming prevalent and.. intrinsically useful.. having real equipment makes you feel alot better about your work.

i.e. lawn mower repair in the last 5 years may even require a professional oscilloscope now (and IMO not a bad thing, compared to dealing with blasted small engines)

--- End quote ---

I've never worked out why small engines seem to be designed to fail.

A big old multi cylinder car, truck, or stationary engine will rumble on for decades, but "hold your face wrong" & lawnmower engines that had been happily running will stall if you hit a thick bunch of grass, then refuse to start for the rest of the day-------and those stupid pull cords!!!

My first rotary lawnmower was a secondhand "Rover" brand, with a 4-stroke motor, & a really clever starting system.
There was a fold out handle on top, which you used to wind up a large spiral spring, refolded the handle, & tapped it briskly on the top.
This released the energy in the spring, spinning the engine up to speed, where it would almost always start first try.

This system was standard amongst Australian rotary mowers, until suddenly they all went to the damnable pull cords!  >:(

beanflying:
The move up to 6 1/2 for me at least initially was I wanted better validation/certainty on my current meters and sensors I was using for work and in the shop, what followed was a trip down the Rabbit hole  :-DD

They do very occasionally come up locally at ok to good prices, the trick is to have the $ 'then' and take no prisoners if you really want/need it.

I picked up was a 100V Japanese version Advantest 6871E out of Melbourne here for what I considered a very good price (seller is also a member here) off evilbay pricing was clearly set with the voltage thing in mind. Apart from that there was the 34461A mentioned earlier, I went in hard LATE on an Auction and got a 'bargain'.

I am also sitting on a project 3458A I hope to get to early next year and again I had the $ knew the downside and scored it for under $2k AUD with a bid on evilbay. The calculation here is worst possible outcome will be I get a chunk of that back as parts or another hefty bill from Keysight to get it going (battery/memory/ram issues).

The last Hamfest of any sort I darkened the door of was populated by every cliche you can think of and almost all of the test gear was nearly as old as the HAMS selling it >:D If you want to buy fixer uppers then sure go for it but I won't waste the fuel again.

The rest of my toys have been mainly USA sourced (when affordable freight was offered) with a few bits from Korea or Israel (not the tank squashed/dragged variety  :palm: )

deepfryed:
$2K for a 3458A is a bargain, keep us posted :)

I really wouldn't have any use for it other than as a transfer standard but wouldn't mind having one around if I can afford it  ;D

coppercone2:

--- Quote from: vk6zgo on September 21, 2023, 03:39:20 am ---
--- Quote from: coppercone2 on September 21, 2023, 02:16:04 am ---maybe it means its still useful? when people sat down to actually do something during covid they figured out the quality is there for a reason, especially if you fix it up

also the term obsolete is very nebulous. Plenty of labs consider 5.5 digits advanced. how much work do you do that actually uses 6.5 digits?

the applications for ultra precision are just not common. its specialized.

Right now the biggest things are motors and power storage. Robots, portable power, etc. The development problems with these kinds of technologies do not requires the highest precision.

I would say there is a power electronics revolution in the last 10 years. Its kind of like 'what amazing tool can you make with a battery' and 'how can advanced motors make our life easier'.

Motorized crimp tools? power tools that rival or surpass the corded version? batteries that allow for actual quality of life while traveling?

I would say that pure 'smart' devices turned out to be a damp squid. IOT was supposed to knock our socks off but it turns out its rather annoying, privacy concerns, reliabiltiy concerns. However.. power electronics equipment is changing things. EV cars too, their actually good.. .and solar. The implementation of micro processors in everything turned out to feel like a troll. But high quality batteries, power convertors, etc.. their changing life

If you develop such things, the old equipment is actually super.. professional and handy. And the sub revolution of 3d printers that require motors and medium accuracy electronics is also blossoming.

For instance like if you are trouble shooting a motor drive, or a welding machine, that are becoming prevalent and.. intrinsically useful.. having real equipment makes you feel alot better about your work.

i.e. lawn mower repair in the last 5 years may even require a professional oscilloscope now (and IMO not a bad thing, compared to dealing with blasted small engines)

--- End quote ---

I've never worked out why small engines seem to be designed to fail.

A big old multi cylinder car, truck, or stationary engine will rumble on for decades, but "hold your face wrong" & lawnmower engines that had been happily running will stall if you hit a thick bunch of grass, then refuse to start for the rest of the day-------and those stupid pull cords!!!

My first rotary lawnmower was a secondhand "Rover" brand, with a 4-stroke motor, & a really clever starting system.
There was a fold out handle on top, which you used to wind up a large spiral spring, refolded the handle, & tapped it briskly on the top.
This released the energy in the spring, spinning the engine up to speed, where it would almost always start first try.

This system was standard amongst Australian rotary mowers, until suddenly they all went to the damnable pull cords!  >:(

--- End quote ---

yeah I had so many experiences with the pull cord I don't want anything without a starter motor anymore. awful.

beanflying:
At the risk of offending a 'member' here get your hand off it! :palm:

Sure it is a nice example of it but upping the anti and separating the probe into a second additional overpriced listing shows you are a real dumbass. Going rate for a 410C with a probe is maybe $300USD if you are lucky.

Just because it is 'old' and has a valve in it doesn't make it worth 3-10x pricing!



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