What did you buy today? Post your latest purchase!

[wkb]

The grinder is *great*. Very much a Bwahhaha feeling, to have a no-cord portable grinder. It's a bit quieter than typical mains powered grinders too. As if that might be important for some reason...

Makita obviously knows their market.  Next thing you know they will include a spark suppressor.  Strictly for safety of course.

Quite recently, a very large bush (forest) fire in Western Australia was caused by someone cutting metal with an angle grinder, so sparks can be a safety hazard.

Not "can be", ARE

[CatalinaWOW]

Of course sparks are a safety hazard.  I have started fires myself with angle grinder sparks.  Care should be used to avoid this, and you should keep a fire extinguisher handy in case your care isn't enough.

Perhaps some have missed the veiled reference to what is at least a portion of the market for a quiet cordless angle grinder, those who are using them to grind off locks, chains and other de-portability devices.  Who don't want audible or visible evidence of their nefarious operations.

[TerraHertz]

In pursuit of collecting the most archaic 'digital oscilloscopes' possible, this arrived today.
A HP  5180A 'waveform recorder.'  (HP 1983 cat, pg 171)
20MHz sample rate, 16K sample memory. Requires an external XYZ display. (Which I have.)

It powers up but displays an error on startup. The manuals are still in the post, so no teardown and repair attempt for a while yet. Just a cover off, LEDs-test pic.

The CPU is an MC68A00P, and code is in three mask-ROMS.

One brief moment of horror - there's an empty card slot, A6, marked 'DAC' on the motherboard.  But the card-retaining foam rubber strips show no sign of that card ever being present in the past so I'm guessing it's some optional feature.

There's one small plastic button cap missing. See https://www.eevblog.com/forum/buysellwanted/wtb-some-old-hp-equipment-plastic-buttons/

[Nominal Animal]

There's one small plastic button cap missing. See https://www.eevblog.com/forum/buysellwanted/wtb-some-old-hp-equipment-plastic-buttons/

Since you already have some of the missing button caps, may I recommend you measure them carefully (using proper calipers) and provide the measurements, so that if you or others cannot find any, they can be at least 3D printed in PLA or ABS?  And, if someone isn't sure but has an assortment of old buttons, they can check the measurements to verify?

[TerraHertz]

I'd have done that, if I thought there was any point. But there are multiple reasons why there isn't:

* These are quite common. Anyone having any old HP gear, needing more, AND having a 3d printer, will have some of these already. They can measure them themselves. So the remaining tedious details are superfluous reasons why I didn't.

* The outside is 2-slope pyramidal, with radius on each transition. So much fun to try and measure precisely, calipers or not.

* The internal shape and its dimensions are complex, and 'press-fit critical'. Good luck trying to measure and print it to good enough tolerance to actually work.

* The click-fit and resistance to popping off again, is due to 2 tiny little ridges on the inner faces, that key into grooves on the switch shaft. Molded in some very hard plastic. Good luck getting them right in 3D printed thermoplastic and not having them just flatten or shear off when pressing the button on.

* The color and surface texture matching is critical for old gear historical restoration. I do not believe that 3D printing using commercially available filament could possibly get even close. And so there is no point whatsoever. Better to have no button than some bodgy crap-looking immitation.

Thanks for the suggestion, but I think it was a knee-jerk 'off course 3D printing solves everything.'
Rear feet and some other parts where color and texture don't matter, sure. I did see the thread on making parts for restorations when searching for sources. But not suitable for these.

[McBryce]

In pursuit of collecting the most archaic 'digital oscilloscopes' possible, this arrived today.
A HP  5180A 'waveform recorder.'  (HP 1983 cat, pg 171)
20MHz sample rate, 16K sample memory. Requires an external XYZ display. (Which I have.)

It powers up but displays an error on startup. The manuals are still in the post, so no teardown and repair attempt for a while yet. Just a cover off, LEDs-test pic.

The CPU is an MC68A00P, and code is in three mask-ROMS.

One brief moment of horror - there's an empty card slot, A6, marked 'DAC' on the motherboard.  But the card-retaining foam rubber strips show no sign of that card ever being present in the past so I'm guessing it's some optional feature.

There's one small plastic button cap missing. See https://www.eevblog.com/forum/buysellwanted/wtb-some-old-hp-equipment-plastic-buttons/

Here's the pdf version in case you can't wait for the post... https://xdevs.com/doc/HP_Agilent_Keysight/HP%205180A%20Service%20Manual%20Vol%201.pdf

McBryce.

[TerraHertz]

Here's the pdf version in case you can't wait for the post... https://xdevs.com/doc/HP_Agilent_Keysight/HP%205180A%20Service%20Manual%20Vol%201.pdf
McBryce.

Thanks! I did manage to buy both Vol I & II of the service manual (2nd vol has the schematics) plus the op & programming manual. But they will take a while yet to arrive. That PDF is interesting reading. For one thing, looks like there is no A6 board. Also it gives me the part number of a diagnostics disk, and I have the computer it runs on. Now for the search...

No error message listing in that PDF though.

I'd forgotten about xdevs.com.  Good to be reminded (and this time enter it propperly in my links list.)

[McBryce]

Here's the pdf version in case you can't wait for the post... https://xdevs.com/doc/HP_Agilent_Keysight/HP%205180A%20Service%20Manual%20Vol%201.pdf
McBryce.

Thanks! I did manage to buy both Vol I & II of the service manual (2nd vol has the schematics) plus the op & programming manual. But they will take a while yet to arrive. That PDF is interesting reading. For one thing, looks like there is no A6 board. Also it gives me the part number of a diagnostics disk, and I have the computer it runs on. Now for the search...

No error message listing in that PDF though.

I'd forgotten about xdevs.com.  Good to be reminded (and this time enter it propperly in my links list.)

Here's the full list of the available pdf's where I got it. The operation and programming manual is there too, plus so much more HP documentation: http://doc.xdevs.com/doc/HP_Agilent_Keysight/index.htm

McBryce.

[Nominal Animal]

Thanks for the suggestion, but I think it was a knee-jerk 'off course 3D printing solves everything.'

No, not really; it's just that without measurements, one cannot really tell if they have these or not, unless they know they are for HP equipment.

3D printing replacements would be a temporary solution anyway.  I'm not a 3D printing fanatic..

For similar reasons you outlined above, for completely new buttons, one would need to make aluminium molds for casting in ABS.  Or rather, a mold with an inner "piston" with the inside features, that one could press semi-molten ABS into shape against the smooth mold in the outside shape of the button cap.  Add a couple of ceramic heating elements and a thermocouple or an RTD to the aluminium mold, so it can be kept at 105°C - 150°C (above the glass transition for ABS).

I thought this might come in handy if ever one runs out of available replacements, or wants slightly customized replacements.
Hopefully someone keeps at least one cap in pristine condition, so that measurements can be made, before that happens.

[TerraHertz]

Thanks for the suggestion, but I think it was a knee-jerk 'off course 3D printing solves everything.'

No, not really; it's just that without measurements, one cannot really tell if they have these or not, unless they know they are for HP equipment.

It seems you are not a collector of old HP test gear. Everyone who _is_, knows these buttons well and very likely has some gear with them. Everyone who _isn't_, won't have any of them, or care.

For similar reasons you outlined above, for completely new buttons, one would need to make aluminium molds for casting in ABS.  Or rather, a mold with an inner "piston" with the inside features, that one could press semi-molten ABS into shape against the smooth mold in the outside shape of the button cap.  Add a couple of ceramic heating elements and a thermocouple or an RTD to the aluminium mold, so it can be kept at 105°C - 150°C (above the glass transition for ABS).

I can't imagine why you felt it necessary to explain to me how injection molding works.
No one is ever going to bother making new molds for these or any other old instrument buttons. Even the Chinese wouln't, due to the tiny market size. There is never going to be any source other than scavenged from wrecked pieces of equipment. Same with the HP 'buckling spring' switch bodies.

Here's the full list of the available pdf's where I got it. The operation and programming manual is there too, plus so much more HP documentation: http://doc.xdevs.com/doc/HP_Agilent_Keysight/index.htm

Yes, It's a huge list. Very nice to have. I did mung the URL and have a look.  Also the root https://xdevs.com/
Who is the charming fellow with the impressive lab and long list of cool project writeups? One of our members?

[ChristofferB]

A beautiful Apollo-era piece of scientific instrumentation!

A Lecroy (LRS) 161 dual discriminator. yep. It's another NIM module.. I may have a very rare strain of gear acquisition syndrome..

It's stamped 1969, and is tagged as from Brookhaven national lab, as well as US atomic energy commission! Markings are almost better than the functions!

Oh and it works flawlessly. My TOF-MS signal chain is complete!

[TerraHertz]

A beautiful Apollo-era piece of scientific instrumentation!

A Lecroy (LRS) 161 dual discriminator. yep. It's another NIM module.. I may have a very rare strain of gear acquisition syndrome..

It's stamped 1969, and is tagged as from Brookhaven national lab, as well as US atomic energy commission! Markings are almost better than the functions!

Oh and it works flawlessly. My TOF-MS signal chain is complete!

That's really nice!
Did you ever find schematics for that Lecroy Qvt 3001 analyzer?   ( https://www.eevblog.com/forum/chat/what-did-you-buy-today-post-your-latest-purchase!/msg3397118/#msg3397118 )
I couldn't find anything, and that lack discouraged me from buying the only one I could find on ebay. Plus it had a very messed up front plate.

[ChristofferB]

No schematics still, only a user manual. I did just use the discriminator and a ns delay gen to test the "t" - time of flight mode, with great results!

The HP display on the left is the display of the qVt - scope is the start/stop pulses

[MathWizard]

Some poteniometers for repairing a gamepad. I had a bunch of 10k pots of a very very similar package, but not that I could easily attach to the thumbstick axis.

ALSO, some mint-chocolate chip ice cream. But wow, does it ever taste like my toothpaste. So basically that has ruined it, last time I buy mint ice cream I guess, evn if it is on sale like today, which was why I got it.

[Nominal Animal]

I can't imagine why you felt it necessary to explain to me how injection molding works.

I wasn't thinking about the industrial process, but the hobby one: doing it in singles at home, not commercially.  I bet you are thinking of the commercial injection molding process; I'm not.

I admit, I was distracted trying to think of a way to create the details on the piston using hobby equipment when writing that.. Sorry.  The piston part is the hard one, probably would have to be made in parts.  My local Hacklab does have a CNC machine so neither precision or price should be an issue.  I already have suitable ceramic heating elements, RTDs, and microcontrollers that can interface to those, so its definitely feasible in theory – whether the results would be worth it, I have no idea.
Casting or injection molding custom button caps might be a fun hobby project.

[xrunner]

I'd have done that, if I thought there was any point. But there are multiple reasons why there isn't:

* These are quite common. Anyone having any old HP gear, needing more, AND having a 3d printer, will have some of these already. They can measure them themselves. So the remaining tedious details are superfluous reasons why I didn't.

* The outside is 2-slope pyramidal, with radius on each transition. So much fun to try and measure precisely, calipers or not.

* The internal shape and its dimensions are complex, and 'press-fit critical'. Good luck trying to measure and print it to good enough tolerance to actually work.

* The click-fit and resistance to popping off again, is due to 2 tiny little ridges on the inner faces, that key into grooves on the switch shaft. Molded in some very hard plastic. Good luck getting them right in 3D printed thermoplastic and not having them just flatten or shear off when pressing the button on.

* The color and surface texture matching is critical for old gear historical restoration. I do not believe that 3D printing using commercially available filament could possibly get even close. And so there is no point whatsoever. Better to have no button than some bodgy crap-looking immitation.

Thanks for the suggestion, but I think it was a knee-jerk 'off course 3D printing solves everything.'
Rear feet and some other parts where color and texture don't matter, sure. I did see the thread on making parts for restorations when searching for sources. But not suitable for these.

With all due respect (and I do respect you) you are wrong here. I've 3D printed the power buttons for certain hp equipment (see pic) and they fit just fine and look OK for my taste, but I don't feel the need to do more work to them. But if you want a near-exact copy then you must do more to the button!  You can't expect it to be that way right off the 3D printer.

First, of course, you sand it with fine sandpaper. As you know, you cannot get the exact color filament off the shelf. So, you must prime it and color match it yourself with semi-gloss or gloss modelling paint. I know from years of model railroad modelling experience you can make it look almost exactly the same no matter what color you need! I don't want to start a big argument but you CAN make these parts look like near perfect matches. 

[beanflying]

For some of the smaller buttons it might make more sense to make a Silicone mold in lieu SLA or FDM printers in your collection. A lot of the ones I have made FDM was fine but it still has me considering an SLA Printer  Silicone molds with Epoxy is a great technique to learn and have in your bag of tricks regardless.

Picked up my Makpac Boxes today and I wasn't going to pay the extortion for the trolley so with the help of someone elses box Cad model I knocked up the rest of the base and brought some cheap casters to make it tomorrow. Laser Cut Latches because I can 

[TerraHertz]

With all due respect (and I do respect you) you are wrong here. I've 3D printed the power buttons for certain hp equipment (see pic) and they fit just fine and look OK for my taste, but I don't feel the need to do more work to them. But if you want a near-exact copy then you must do more to the button!  You can't expect it to be that way right off the 3D printer.

First, of course, you sand it with fine sandpaper. As you know, you cannot get the exact color filament off the shelf. So, you must prime it and color match it yourself with semi-gloss or gloss modelling paint. I know from years of model railroad modelling experience you can make it look almost exactly the same no matter what color you need! I don't want to start a big argument but you CAN make these parts look like near perfect matches. 

But that's a different situation. I wasn't rejecting 'improvisation' in all cases. The buttons I need are tiny, precision, several are needed, they have to match exactly because they are right next to identical ones. And the equipment has historical interest.

Your example... yeah, of course. Ironically I've just bought something with a missing power button. A HP 3326A, see pic. Also the switch shaft is snapped off. Improvisation is going to be required. Though I'll still see if I can find an original one first.

[Nominal Animal]

And the equipment has historical interest.

Keith Rucker of VintageMachinery.org (ksrucker at Youtube) restores and maintains vintage machine and woodworking shop machines, like mills, drills, planers, and such.
He's gone to the trouble of even casting new parts using self-made patterns (at Windy Hill Foundry) from cast iron, and often makes "new old" replacements using durabar (cast iron type product) et cetera, and fixes cast iron parts by brazing (as would have been done a century ago).  The most common problem does not seem to be the manufacturing step per se, but having the correct blueprints/dimensions of the part.  This is often excarberated by the fact that what remains is often broken, missing, or badly worn or pitted, so its measurements are no longer very useful.

I personally really like the idea of using original materials and manufacturing methods, adjusted to tiny batch sizes down to singles, perhaps done even in a hobby environment, to replicate period-accurate new parts that are no longer available.  I wasn't trying to push 3D printing on you, I swear! 

[beanflying]

YouTube recommended video late night recommendation. Seems Potentially really really Dangerous and it was really really cheap and Bangemgood added free Respirator & Goggles as a sweetner also all the bits were in Oz so only a few days away. 

Cheapest option with the least safety  https://www.banggood.com/4-Inch-800W-Electric-Chain-Saw-Handheld-Logging-Saws-For-Makita-18V-21V-Battery-p-1784777.html?cur_warehouse=USA&ID=6287830&rmmds=category

[gamalot]

Yet another handheld multimeter - Kyoritsu KEW 1021R 

[TerraHertz]

Keith Rucker of VintageMachinery.org (ksrucker at Youtube) restores and maintains vintage machine and woodworking shop machines, like mills, drills, planers, and such.
He's gone to the trouble of even casting new parts using self-made patterns (at Windy Hill Foundry) from cast iron, and often makes "new old" replacements using durabar (cast iron type product) et cetera, and fixes cast iron parts by brazing (as would have been done a century ago).

Now this I won't argue with. Last year I bought a giant milling machine, an Anayak FV-2V. It's _finally_ down on pads on the floor, in the right place, in my metalworking shed. It still needs a fair bit of work. For one thing it's missing one of the handwheels on the bed feed screw. Which is a real pain. Still thinking what to do about that. Casting a new one is among the options, and then there's the selective chrome plating on the outer wheel surface. Which the one chrome plating shop I've asked, claims 'can't be done.' Though it obviously can; just need the right surface masking coating during plating.

I know exactly how it came to be missing too. The factory I bought it from when they originally fork lift moved it, had removed the handwheel to allow the huge machine to sit close enough on the forks. They moved the machine to storage, where it sat for nearly a year. By the time I bought it, they had no institutional memory of removing the wheel, or where they'd put it. Arses.

[PlainName]

an Anayak FV-2V

Very nice. Wish I had room for one. And the skillz to play it.

[Nominal Animal]

I do want to get into milling (and casting) aluminium, especially funky enclosure lid-heatsinks for Linux SBCs.  Maybe injection molds for custom buttons, too.

For that purpose in mind, I got me a 400W brushless spindle with an ER11 collet holder kit.  Includes the spindle, spindle bracket, the brushless controller, a small LED RPM display, and a AC-DC power supply.  Well packaged, except the four spindle bracket screws were willy-nilly in the box, so I stuck them in the foam.  Still need some ER11 collets and a dial test indicator to test for runout.



A real milling machine would be niiiice, especially a heavy old used one, but they're rare here, and even harder to transport to the ice planet of Hoth (north of Arctic Circle), where I intend to do my milling for now.  (There is a Hacklab here in Helsinki with a CNC mill, and I'm a member.)

[Cubdriver]

I know exactly how it came to be missing too. The factory I bought it from when they originally fork lift moved it, had removed the handwheel to allow the huge machine to sit close enough on the forks. They moved the machine to storage, where it sat for nearly a year. By the time I bought it, they had no institutional memory of removing the wheel, or where they'd put it. Arses.

It’s stored in the box with all the black first generation HP enclosure feet that are nearly always missing from instruments that we buy...

Congrats on the mill - I hope you can come up with a workaround for the missing handwheel.  A Bridgeport is still on my wish list for someday.

-Pat