Test Equipment Anonymous (TEA) group therapy thread

[Cubdriver]

It looks brand new because it is... Someone bought it in 76 used it for 2 years then had it ride a shelf for the past 40 years.

So nice! Thanks for all the pics, neo. I can enjoy it vicariously, at least a little bit (while kicking myself for letting it go ).

Yeah, right?  Me too!!   

-Pat

[Cubdriver]

The TO-6 is a handy thing to have, especially if you have any inclination towards electron flow control devices made from evacuated glass rather than the more pedestrian sand-filled variety so common today.  Things like capacitors can be more sieve-like than desired at the higher electrical pressures such devices operate at, and it's nice to be able to hit them with said pressures to ensure their integrity.   

Yep, and I've got that BK 177 and HP 200CD as the first candidates.

As for the handle, leathercraft may not be necessary unless you're striving for originality rather than simply utility.  If a handle is all you need, flat webbing is an option - I have an old HP VTVM lurking about here somewhere where the dear departed leather strap was replaced by a loop of webbing that was doubled over and, IIRC, pop riveted.

If you'd like I'll hunt for it and post a pic.

That'd be great. Thanks, Pat. The original handle's design used ears that keep the handle from slipping out of its holders, which doesn't inspire confidence. I'd rather have it slip through and riveted like that used for luggage. Another option might be to braid a handle with leather lacing, though that can be quite time consuming.

Handle peeksures.  It's nylon webbing that was looped through three times, then lapped at the end and pop riveted as I remembered.  The sheet metal retainer used on the TO-6 might be a bit more cut-y than the round bar used on the HP, but knowing how hard that stuff is to cut when you want to, I doubt it would be a problem unless you're planning to carry the Sprague with you everywhere you go...







  Should have cleaned my fingernails!  A hand model I'll never be!   

-Pat

[beanflying]

Cough Couch Cough Tea / Beer Break 

edit: it's ok I am using safety gas 

[bitseeker]

Handle peeksures.  It's nylon webbing that was looped through three times, then lapped at the end and pop riveted as I remembered.  The sheet metal retainer used on the TO-6 might be a bit more cut-y than the round bar used on the HP, but knowing how hard that stuff is to cut when you want to, I doubt it would be a problem unless you're planning to carry the Sprague with you everywhere you go...

Thanks, Pat. The olive color sure goes well with that enclosure. Regarding the sharpness of the TO-6's retainers, I could always slip some rubber hose onto it to protect the webbing.

[Specmaster]

On a side note to keep this relevant, all of my meters agree to the second to least significant digit.

Some days I calibrate my Keithley 197 so that it keeps digit perfect step with my Vishay 1-99,999 ohm resistance standard just because I can. There's no practical point in it, but I get a very satisfying feeling from dialling in any random 5 digits and watching them magically appear on the display. Of course it drifts off within a day, but just for a few hours the world does exactly what I tell it to - metrological bliss!

Yeah i bet, the real laugh here with my multimeter is, at least for DCV, they all agree. Which is funny because it started with a 5 dollar Fluke 8000A which i used to calibrate a Fairchild 3.5 digit nixie tube meter.

All others i didn't touch and they ALL agree to the second least significant digit to my 3456A, some to the least significant digit.

All mine agree to the last digit of their capability whatever that might be. My HP3466A has the most digits (Fluke8505A) is all parcelled up for shipping still. In all cases it was the last digit that needed to be tweaked by 1 so all agree up to the 3rd dp which is good enough for most application's.

[neo]

On a side note to keep this relevant, all of my meters agree to the second to least significant digit.

Some days I calibrate my Keithley 197 so that it keeps digit perfect step with my Vishay 1-99,999 ohm resistance standard just because I can. There's no practical point in it, but I get a very satisfying feeling from dialling in any random 5 digits and watching them magically appear on the display. Of course it drifts off within a day, but just for a few hours the world does exactly what I tell it to - metrological bliss!

Yeah i bet, the real laugh here with my multimeter is, at least for DCV, they all agree. Which is funny because it started with a 5 dollar Fluke 8000A which i used to calibrate a Fairchild 3.5 digit nixie tube meter.

All others i didn't touch and they ALL agree to the second least significant digit to my 3456A, some to the least significant digit.

All mine agree to the last digit of their capability whatever that might be. My HP3466A has the most digits (Fluke8505A) is all parcelled up for shipping still. In all cases it was the last digit that needed to be tweaked by 1 so all agree up to the 3rd dp which is good enough for most application's.

Did you know that for less than price of buying that one multimeter from england, your 8505A, i managed to buy two? Those two being my 3456A and 8300A. 

[bd139]

Everything is more expensive here. Annoys the hell out of me.

[neo]

Everything is more expensive here. Annoys the hell out of me.

You can blame it on shipping and customs. 

[beanflying]

104 results for (oscilloscope, cro)  Used in Australia Only - includes probes accessories manual and about 60 Oscilloscopes total. Most of which are beyond salvation or overpriced to the 

Over 5000 in the USA evilbay by example. Cheaper to pay stupid amounts of freight to get a good price and range.

[bd139]

Everything is more expensive here. Annoys the hell out of me.

You can blame it on shipping and customs. 

Yes that tends to be the case.

Case in point, better specified locally manufactured Thurlby power supplies are cheap here. HP ones are stupid expensive. Tektronix has a good presence because they had a factory here.

If you’re in Australia with no major test gear manufacturing base however it’s a little more difficult.

[beanflying]

We had BWD and a few others back in the 70's but they failed to go forward from analogue scopes and basic lab supplies. Smaller niche manufacturing was a very hard call against imported products when exporting and being found was harder. We also suffered from imported must be better than local and still do.

[Specmaster]

On a side note to keep this relevant, all of my meters agree to the second to least significant digit.

Some days I calibrate my Keithley 197 so that it keeps digit perfect step with my Vishay 1-99,999 ohm resistance standard just because I can. There's no practical point in it, but I get a very satisfying feeling from dialling in any random 5 digits and watching them magically appear on the display. Of course it drifts off within a day, but just for a few hours the world does exactly what I tell it to - metrological bliss!

Yeah i bet, the real laugh here with my multimeter is, at least for DCV, they all agree. Which is funny because it started with a 5 dollar Fluke 8000A which i used to calibrate a Fairchild 3.5 digit nixie tube meter.

All others i didn't touch and they ALL agree to the second least significant digit to my 3456A, some to the least significant digit.

All mine agree to the last digit of their capability whatever that might be. My HP3466A has the most digits (Fluke8505A) is all parcelled up for shipping still. In all cases it was the last digit that needed to be tweaked by 1 so all agree up to the 3rd dp which is good enough for most application's.

Did you know that for less than price of buying that one multimeter from england, your 8505A, i managed to buy two? Those two being my 3456A and 8300A. 

Yep, always cheaper buying locally than internationally.

[bd139]

Yep, always cheaper buying locally than internationally.

Apart from China!

[tggzzz]

I spent the day calibrating all of my multimeters against a known voltage reference, now all of them agree with each other, thats all 15 of them, pretty easy really., so I can pick any one of them and know thats spot on 

That's the easy bit. Your next task is to get somebody else's meter to read the same

You may need to get your wallet out.

Thats easy if they are like mine, all adjustable via trim pots 

You're the kind of person that should be frisked when entering premises

[tggzzz]

All others i didn't touch and they ALL agree to the second least significant digit to my 3456A, some to the least significant digit.

Ah. Someone in need of more digits.

[tggzzz]

On a side note to keep this relevant, all of my meters agree to the second to least significant digit.

Some days I calibrate my Keithley 197 so that it keeps digit perfect step with my Vishay 1-99,999 ohm resistance standard just because I can. There's no practical point in it, but I get a very satisfying feeling from dialling in any random 5 digits and watching them magically appear on the display. Of course it drifts off within a day, but just for a few hours the world does exactly what I tell it to - metrological bliss!

Dammit. You're making me want to get out my Solartron 7081 and Julie Research 7-digit KVD - and I've got other things I need to do.

[bd139]

Such is the lure of TEA.

I could have finished my commercial project by now if it wasn't for this thread 

Alas it's at software monkey stage so I'm losing interest now.

[Specmaster]

I spent the day calibrating all of my multimeters against a known voltage reference, now all of them agree with each other, thats all 15 of them, pretty easy really., so I can pick any one of them and know thats spot on 

That's the easy bit. Your next task is to get somebody else's meter to read the same

You may need to get your wallet out.

Thats easy if they are like mine, all adjustable via trim pots 

You're the kind of person that should be frisked when entering premises

As opposed to leaving premises with loads of bounty 🤣🤣🤣

[Specmaster]

On a side note to keep this relevant, all of my meters agree to the second to least significant digit.

Some days I calibrate my Keithley 197 so that it keeps digit perfect step with my Vishay 1-99,999 ohm resistance standard just because I can. There's no practical point in it, but I get a very satisfying feeling from dialling in any random 5 digits and watching them magically appear on the display. Of course it drifts off within a day, but just for a few hours the world does exactly what I tell it to - metrological bliss!

Dammit. You're making me want to get out my Solartron 7081 and Julie Research 7-digit KVD - and I've got other things I need to do.

Let's all go back to 3.5 digits and stop all this one up manship  nonsense.[emoji54]

[Specmaster]

Such is the lure of TEA.

I could have finished my commercial project by now if it wasn't for this thread 

Alas it's at software monkey stage so I'm losing interest now.

To much like the daytime job to maintain interest then?

[bd139]

Let's all go back to 3.5 digits and stop all this one up manship  nonsense.[emoji54]

Even better than that

Such is the lure of TEA.

I could have finished my commercial project by now if it wasn't for this thread 

Alas it's at software monkey stage so I'm losing interest now.

To much like the daytime job to maintain interest then?

Bad week so far - puts you off writing software. Just need more red bull and coffee I think

[Specmaster]

Let's all go back to 3.5 digits and stop all this one up manship  nonsense.[emoji54]

Even better than that

Such is the lure of TEA.

I could have finished my commercial project by now if it wasn't for this thread 

Alas it's at software monkey stage so I'm losing interest now.

To much like the daytime job to maintain interest then?

Bad week so far - puts you off writing software. Just need more red bull and coffee I think

Got my delivery email from RS everything progressing OK. Can't till tomorrow to see what comes.

[neo]

Anyone else here move something 10 times in a day trying to get it JUST
right?   

Triggered by attempting a coarse correct of one seemingly simple problematic location of something in this instance.

[neo]

All others i didn't touch and they ALL agree to the second least significant digit to my 3456A, some to the least significant digit.

Ah. Someone in need of more digits.

I got a grand total combined of 40.5 digits...

My best is a HP 3456A 6.5 digit, and if you insist i need better than that then i am afraid i will need some small details from you. Don't worry, nothing major just financial details valid enough for an 8.5 digit meter 

[BU508A]

Don't worry, nothing major just financial details valid enough for an 8.5 digit meter 

I can recommend something like this: