Test Equipment Anonymous (TEA) group therapy thread

[cyclin_al]

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.

It's not a whole lot better in Sydney.  More than once I've been greeted with "It has to be shipped up from Melbourne" - which is the south-eastern most corner of Australia.

Crazy, isn't it?.
What do you bet whatever you want arrived in Oz through Sydney, & was transported by road to Melbourne in the first place?

It's not like we live in "outback towns"for Pete's sake!
Hell, back in the day, you could buy just about anything in common use in places like Kalgoorlie or Port Pirie.

Even delivery to Wyndham or Derby in WA  which are "outback towns", wouldn't have been 5 days, unless it was "the Wet", with the roads washed out.

Sounds like Canada...

No, we don't have that part in Ottawa.  This is the national capital, which one would think is an important city.
The nearest part is in Vancouver.  That is about as far away at practically possible in Canada, at almost 8000km away.

[tggzzz]

Bored here. Nothing to buy on ebay. Considering building a silent Linux PC for VM host because I'm bored. Insanity or not?

Nor anything in the ppauction July collective.

And do you really have to ask?

[AVGresponding]

AVGresponding: momentarily tempted by the TF2016 until I remember the TF2015 I did a while back

Ah, ok.

@Specmaster, did you find a TF2016..?   

[Specmaster]

AVGresponding: momentarily tempted by the TF2016 until I remember the TF2015 I did a while back

Ah, ok.

@Specmaster, did you find a TF2016..?   

Nah, and I remember what a pig the one that bd had,  , so I won't be bidding on it

[Specmaster]

Well, the car won't be getting a new trim bit today, god has decided that for me by deciding that today he is pressure washing his car or whatever. The heavens opened up and the rain was coming so hard and fast that it was hitting the road and bouncing back up again about 12 inches, the roads have 2 inches of water running down them and I can hear thunder in the distance, so it looks as if Cerebus was the closest with his lightening strike 

[Cerebus]

Bwa-ha-ha-ha !

Witness the power of Cerebus' words!
Stand in awe of his mystical powers!
Tremble at his smell!

Wait, what?

[mnementh]

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

mnem

Hey, you want it back? Seriously, I'm not using it. Let me know. I smell another customs form. 

LOL... no, I was talking aboot the 3rd one I have in the pic; remember how "I always had one; no more and no less" of that speaker... until I had three?  It was finally actually useful here as a Center channel. 

mnem
 

[med6753]

Heathkit V-5 VTVM restoration update.

The chassis has been completly stripped down to a point where it's now workable. The original 2 wire line cord is in good shape so it will remain in place. I debated converting it over to 3 wire grounded but decided against it. I also have a Heath V-7A VTVM which is also 2 wire line cord. In the 1960's Heath did convert their VTVM kits to 3 wire.

I'm going to follow the assembly instructions right from the beginning even though the chassis parts are already mounted. That way I don't miss anything.

[mnementh]

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.

It's not a whole lot better in Sydney.  More than once I've been greeted with "It has to be shipped up from Melbourne" - which is the south-eastern most corner of Australia.

Crazy, isn't it?.
What do you bet whatever you want arrived in Oz through Sydney, & was transported by road to Melbourne in the first place?

It's not like we live in "outback towns"for Pete's sake!
Hell, back in the day, you could buy just about anything in common use in places like Kalgoorlie or Port Pirie.

Even delivery to Wyndham or Derby in WA  which are "outback towns", wouldn't have been 5 days, unless it was "the Wet", with the roads washed out.

Sounds like Canada...

No, we don't have that part in Ottawa.  This is the national capital, which one would think is an important city.
The nearest part is in Vancouver.  That is about as far away at practically possible in Canada, at almost 8000km away.

They have 1232 of them at the NAPA warehouse in Albany, NY (400 miles away) for 1/10 the price. But you'll have to pay UPS $80 (and they will only ship UPS) for the privilege of handling Duty & Customs on a $22 part... and that stage adds a week to the delivery time because... reasons.

mnem
No idea whatcher talkin' aboot...

[mnementh]

Bwa-ha-ha-ha !

Witness the power of Cerebus' words!
Stand in awe of his mystical powers!
Tremble at his smell!

Wait, what?

It's okay buddy... we still love you. *steps in and gives the earthpig a big teddydwagon hug*

mnem
*steps back and nods approvingly at the little tree air freshener now hung around C's neck*  

[Cerebus]

"Jaka! Jaka! Jaka!"

"Yeees, short grey light of my life?"

"Where's my ceremonial disemboweling knife?"

"In the dishwasher."

"In the dishwasher! That's made of New Sepran steel! That is not how one treats a ritual disembowelling knife!"

"But it was all bloody."

"It's supposed to be bloody, stops it rusting, and gets the attention of anyone you need to show it to."

[Wonders off  to the kitchen, muttering to himself.]

[med6753]

"Jaka! Jaka! Jaka!"

"Yeees, short grey light of my life?"

"Where's my ceremonial disemboweling knife?"

"In the dishwasher."

"In the dishwasher! That's made of New Sepran steel! That is not how one treats a ritual disembowelling knife!"

"But it was all bloody."

"It's supposed to be bloody, stops it rusting, and gets the attention of anyone you need to show it to."

[Wonders off  to the kitchen, muttering to himself.]

And I need MY medication checked? 

[Specmaster]

Heathkit V-5 VTVM restoration update.

The chassis has been completed stripped down to a point where it's now workable. The original 2 wire line cord is in good shape so it will remain in place. I debated converting it over to 3 wire grounded but decided against it. I also have a Heath V-7A VTVM which is also 2 wire line cord. In the 1960's Heath did convert their VTVM kits to 3 wire.

I'm going to follow the assembly instructions right from the beginning even though the chassis parts are already mounted. That way I don't miss anything.
<snip>

Wait, what, you're going to reuse the old point to point wiring as well? I'd have taken the opportunity to completely rewire it with modern cables and colours   

[mnementh]

Oooooooh... random grey-eige baggie from the Far East on my workbench... what could it be...?

mnem
No... really... What could it be...? Did somebody say summat aboot Preva-something? That Limitless pill...?

[cyclin_al]

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.

It's not a whole lot better in Sydney.  More than once I've been greeted with "It has to be shipped up from Melbourne" - which is the south-eastern most corner of Australia.

Crazy, isn't it?.
What do you bet whatever you want arrived in Oz through Sydney, & was transported by road to Melbourne in the first place?

It's not like we live in "outback towns"for Pete's sake!
Hell, back in the day, you could buy just about anything in common use in places like Kalgoorlie or Port Pirie.

Even delivery to Wyndham or Derby in WA  which are "outback towns", wouldn't have been 5 days, unless it was "the Wet", with the roads washed out.

Sounds like Canada...

No, we don't have that part in Ottawa.  This is the national capital, which one would think is an important city.
The nearest part is in Vancouver.  That is about as far away at practically possible in Canada, at almost 8000km away.

They have 1232 of them at the NAPA warehouse in Albany, NY (400 miles away) for 1/10 the price. But you'll have to pay UPS $80 (and they will only ship UPS) for the privilege of handling Duty & Customs on a $22 part... and that stage adds a week to the delivery time because... reasons.

mnem
No idea whatcher talkin' aboot...

In cases like that, the old procedure was to order the parts to either the UPS Store or The Corporate Centre in Ogdensburg, NY.
I could drive the 100km or so and cross the border in just over an hour from leaving the office at the end of the day.
On the return, do not lie at Customs.   Both of those pick-up locations are within 50m of the customs office with a clear view from their window.
Even if items were over the daily personal limit for free duty, this was still be best deal going.
Stop at the gas station too to top up on the US side for the same reasons.

[cyclin_al]

Oooooooh... random grey-eige baggie from the Far East on my workbench... what could it be...?

mnem
No... really... What could it be...? Did somebody say summat aboot Preva-something? That Limitless pill...?

But it says on the package it came from someplace at Toronto International Airport...

Edit:  DUH!  Instead of reading the address, which I recognize as being around the corner from where AlliedSignal Aerospace (aka Bendix) used to be, I should have noticed the quite obvious "YYZ" plastered all over!

[med6753]

Wait, what, you're going to reuse the old point to point wiring as well? I'd have taken the opportunity to completely rewire it with modern cables and colours   

Most of the wiring that is left are the leads from the power transformer which can't be snipped out.

As yes, it's going to be built back up exactly as it was in 1951 with point to point wiring.   

[bd139]

Heathkit V-5 VTVM restoration update.

The chassis has been completed stripped down to a point where it's now workable. The original 2 wire line cord is in good shape so it will remain in place. I debated converting it over to 3 wire grounded but decided against it. I also have a Heath V-7A VTVM which is also 2 wire line cord. In the 1960's Heath did convert their VTVM kits to 3 wire.

I'm going to follow the assembly instructions right from the beginning even though the chassis parts are already mounted. That way I don't miss anything.
<snip>

Wait, what, you're going to reuse the old point to point wiring as well? I'd have taken the opportunity to completely rewire it with modern cables and colours   

Nah go full bastard and use grey wire for everything 

[mnementh]

The world has gone crazy......

My little spot welder was purchased 25th June, landed in Oz on 1st July and is slated for delivery on the 5th or 6th July.

That's like 10 DAYS total turnaround.     Completely unheard of in my experience.

It happened.  This afternoon.



Typical.  I thought I would have a couple of weeks or so to sort out power options.

Mine arrived today. Def does not appear to be near as much "welder" as yours; but $12 delivered. Decent 12ga Silly-cone wires, already crimped ends and appear well-crimped. It appears they left the buzzer out as "optional" since some folks complained it couldn't be turned off.

   

They did include a small roll of 10 micron/5 thou nickel bus strip; probably to give you a clue as to what kind you should get to be able to expect this unit to weld it.

Not sure if this is a revised design that includes "the cap mod" or not; I need to do the "deep dive" through all the comments and see what leads where.

mnem
 

[bd139]

In lieu of any suitable gear to play with I have resigned my evening to this wonderful combination 

[Cerebus]

"Jaka! Jaka! Jaka!"

"Yeees, short grey light of my life?"

"Where's my ceremonial disemboweling knife?"

"In the dishwasher."

"In the dishwasher! That's made of New Sepran steel! That is not how one treats a ritual disembowelling knife!"

"But it was all bloody."

"It's supposed to be bloody, stops it rusting, and gets the attention of anyone you need to show it to."

[Wonders off  to the kitchen, muttering to himself.]

And I need MY medication checked? 

It's about one of those English irregular verbs:

I have a rich imagination,
You are a bit excentric,
He is being detained under the Mental Health Act.

[tggzzz]

In lieu of any suitable gear to play with I have resigned my evening to this wonderful combination 

What proportions? I'm surprised nutella dissolves in anything.

[bd139]

In lieu of any suitable gear to play with I have resigned my evening to this wonderful combination 

What proportions? I'm surprised nutella dissolves in anything.

Not at the same time. I’m not that insane 

[Cubdriver]

In lieu of any suitable gear to play with I have resigned my evening to this wonderful combination 

Chocolate-hazelnut vodka?

-Pat

[bd139]

Ok for science I just tried mixing the two together unsuccessfully. Messy and looks and tastes like ass.