Test Equipment Anonymous (TEA) group therapy thread

[mnementh]

CR-6SE Update number FUCK YOU mnem:

Here is the link: https://www.creality.com/blog-detail/creality-cr-6-se-3d-printer-shipment-update-20

🚀So far, 4090 Units Creality CR-6 SE 3D Printer With Add-ons Have Been Shipped!

⭐Besides, there are two batches left that have not been delivered yet. If everything runs smoothly, We expect to ship all the shipments within the 25th of September.

If your tracking number has not been updated for a long time, please don’t worry, it is currently onboard or customs clearance, and will be delivered to you immediately after the goods arrive at the port and received by UPS/FedEx Courier express company. (It will take about 50 days for it to be delivered to you)

Meanwhile... people have been able to buy retail for weeks now, and already have them in hand (because they actually got the Express Shipping they paid for) and are bitching about shit falling off and catching fire. 

Oh, and still no idea whatsoever when our add-ons will ship, much less be delivered. 

mnem
They're coming... they're coming... Yeah, so's Christmas.

[Specmaster]

They wouldn't be allowed over here without additional signal lighting as they protrude too far beyond the rear of the vehicle. A trailer and tarp would be easier for us.......and more useful. 

The primary value of the thing is just how much of a PITA it isn't.  It lets me get things I normally would want my pickup for, but stays neatly away in the corner of the garage taking up only a few inches of real estate against the back wall. Hooking it up takes 90 seconds; and most of that is fiddling with the lock on the pin.

Also... I can leave the damn thing on there if I need to use it a couple days in a row, and my wife will still drive it without bugging me to take it off 6 times a day. 

I HAD a nice 5' x 8' trailer... I got rid of it when we moved and bought this thing. Absolutely ZERO regrets. 

mnem
 

TBH, I can see the appeal of it but I don't think I have ever seen one before, are they only designed for use on 4x4 and SUV's with a wheel at each corner to prevent having too much overhang from the pivot point of the axel?. Taking my car as an example, I have approx 1036mm overhang at each end of the car and would think that such a device  could lead to my car bottoming out on some of our roads, especially those with the sleeping police speed kerbing devices installed. Extra lighting would indeed be required to indicate the actual end of the vehicle overall if such a project from the bumper is 1metre or above.

I like the snow blower, I did originally think it was another mower

[mnementh]

I'd say that definitely is a case-by-case thing... we have the sleeping Policemen up here too, and not a problem; tho there are also some steep driveways where just the hitch bottoms out sometimes.   

It all boils down to the vehicle and the loading; my Eldos I could put 800 lbs tongue weight on the hitch and it would just pump up the airbags to compensate. I've also seen Ford escorts with a huge Jazzy scooter on the back, which is pretty much the same thing as my fanny pack, only more weight. The fanny pack itself weighs about 60lbs, with an advertised capacity of 500lbs.

I'd say in most cases, you should be able to carry as much on this thing as two adults in the back seat, no matter what. Just not necessarily both at the same time; it may require some help like air bags or HD struts. 

   https://www.amazon.ca/PEAKTOW-PTL0431-Submersible-Including-Grommets/dp/B078SJXS4Q/

Lights are easy... IIRC, those metal inserts are for these oval grommet-mount tail lights, which are pretty close to plug & play. Pop in the grommets, pop 'em the grommets, then add/connect a 4-wire ribbon cable and done.

mnem
 

[SilverSolder]

NOT on the bench tonight: Craftsman 24" Snowblower

      

YALBOA: I was looking for a fixer-upper in this size range; found mostly smaller ones ready to use but showing wear going around $350-$400. This guy bit on a $450 offer, so I scooted on down to see if it really was as good as it looked in pictures. It had all the features I wanted; wide-track tires so I could drive it across the backyard from the shed, electric start, slightly oversize engine for the auger width (nowadays they try to push a 27in machine with the same 6.5HP OHV engine in this one), vario drive and dash-mounted chute control.  So I made a crazy low offer and he took it!

When I got there it really was better than advertised; aside from a little wear on the skags and a scuff or two on the paint, it looked like it just came off the floor at Sears. Green paint tells me it was prior to the collapse; everything they sell now is MTD red.  I felt the block; it was stone-cold when he started it on the first pull. We tested the electric start, auger and vario in FW/Rev, and everything smooth and remarkably quiet with that huge muffler.

So now that's one less concern; I can finish the lawnwork and building my 2nd shed without having to worry that the snow season is just around the corner and WTF AM I GONNA DO?!?

That peace of mind is def worth ~US$340 to me... glad I was able to shop it now instead of a month from now, when you won't be able to touch anything that runs for less than a grand.

mnem
"Ouchies, Mister Sqweek..."

I bought a wrecked 1980 Toro a couple of years ago,  it is a 21", and fitted with a crisp new 6.5hp Harbor Freight engine (upgraded from the original 3.5hp, LOL).  It looks nice and crisp in red, and it can really throw wet snow all the way across the road!

[Kosmic]

I gave in to an attack of lunacy last night and ordered this:
(Attachment Link)

It's due in a few days; not sure what I've gotten myself into with this Tek model, as I've never seen one in the flesh.

-Pat

Nice sampling scope. Even has a touch screen 

[Specmaster]

Yep, but my car along with most over here, do not have airbags that can be pumped up and depending on what is placed in the extension, would certainly make the very back of unit closer to the ground than the same weight in my boot (trunk) would for instance, because of the extra leverage gained, whereas on something the Rav4  with a short overhang in the first instance, would fair far better in that respect and by your own admission yours would just pump up the rear suspension to compensate. My car does not self levelling suspension, but it does have self levelling headlights 

[mnementh]

Well, remember that part of the value of the thing is more than weight capacity; it is also the ability to handle large unwieldy objects. Like 2 tables and 2 6-foot bookshelves and 2 chairs all at the same time.  Also, the low liftover height is a blessing where applicable.

mnem
*toddles off to ded*

[VK5RC]

They wouldn't be allowed over here without additional signal lighting as they protrude too far beyond the rear of the vehicle. A trailer and tarp would be easier for us.......and more useful. 

The primary value of the thing is just how much of a PITA it isn't.  It lets me get things I normally would want my pickup for, but stays neatly away in the corner of the garage taking up only a few inches of real estate against the back wall. Hooking it up takes 90 seconds; and most of that is fiddling with the lock on the pin.

Also... I can leave the damn thing on there if I need to use it a couple days in a row, and my wife will still drive it without bugging me to take it off 6 times a day. 

I HAD a nice 5' x 8' trailer... I got rid of it when we moved and bought this thing. Absolutely ZERO regrets. 

mnem
 

I like the look of that rear car 'shelf' but like tautech, the police here (sth Aus) are car crazy, God forbid if you drive more than 5km/hr over the speed limit and you are up to just short of a 200AUD fine + demerit points such that you can only do it 4 times in a 3yr period. Even the number plates have to be government made or else! Bike racks that obscure the number plate have to have a second plate with an illumination light even if you only use it during the day.

[dan46n2]

I have a 6.5 Fluke DMM but I really want, not need, a Keithley DMM6500.  Why?  Why do I want it so much    The struggle 

[tautech]

They wouldn't be allowed over here without additional signal lighting as they protrude too far beyond the rear of the vehicle. A trailer and tarp would be easier for us.......and more useful. 

The primary value of the thing is just how much of a PITA it isn't.  It lets me get things I normally would want my pickup for, but stays neatly away in the corner of the garage taking up only a few inches of real estate against the back wall. Hooking it up takes 90 seconds; and most of that is fiddling with the lock on the pin.

Also... I can leave the damn thing on there if I need to use it a couple days in a row, and my wife will still drive it without bugging me to take it off 6 times a day. 

I HAD a nice 5' x 8' trailer... I got rid of it when we moved and bought this thing. Absolutely ZERO regrets. 

mnem
 

I like the look of that rear car 'shelf' but like tautech, the police here (sth Aus) are car crazy, God forbid if you drive more than 5km/hr over the speed limit and you are up to just short of a 200AUD fine + demerit points such that you can only do it 4 times in a 3yr period. Even the number plates have to be government made or else! Bike racks that obscure the number plate have to have a second plate with an illumination light even if you only use it during the day.

Oh yeah that too, it's also an offence here.

[cyclin_al]

I'd say that definitely is a case-by-case thing... we have the sleeping Policemen up here too, and not a problem; tho there are also some steep driveways where just the hitch bottoms out sometimes.   

It all boils down to the vehicle and the loading; my Eldos I could put 800 lbs tongue weight on the hitch and it would just pump up the airbags to compensate. I've also seen Ford escorts with a huge Jazzy scooter on the back, which is pretty much the same thing as my fanny pack, only more weight. The fanny pack itself weighs about 60lbs, with an advertised capacity of 500lbs.

I'd say in most cases, you should be able to carry as much on this thing as two adults in the back seat, no matter what. Just not necessarily both at the same time; it may require some help like air bags or HD struts. 

   https://www.amazon.ca/PEAKTOW-PTL0431-Submersible-Including-Grommets/dp/B078SJXS4Q/

Lights are easy... IIRC, those metal inserts are for these oval grommet-mount tail lights, which are pretty close to plug & play. Pop in the grommets, pop 'em the grommets, then add/connect a 4-wire ribbon cable and done.

mnem
 

Here in Canada, lights may be required if your cargo obscures the stock lights of the car.
For a extra long load extending over 24", you do need a red flag or other marker; your reflective tape is better than most people do.
I doubt the cops will give you any trouble.  They will probably be more concerned about automated tolls that use photos of your rear license plate to send out the invoice.

By the way, here is a much better deal on lights, and supports local business:
https://www.princessauto.com/en/detail/7-in-led-universal-stop-turn-tail-cargo-carrier-lights/A-p8726911e;jsessionid=OHH+A8cgdBXRr+ZEHSA0rTf4.pal-prod-com3

Those carriers do not work on all vehicles.  There is no chance at all that my Impreza could handle a carrier.   If I need a bit bigger, I will borrow SWMBO's SUV (grocery getter), and hope she does not damage the Impreza in the meantime.  If I need something like a snowblower, then it is time to start up the truck, or add a trailer as needed (10, 20 or 29 feet long options).

I hope your carrier fits a 2" or 2.5" hitch receiver.  I would never trust anything that heavy on a 1-1/4" receiver...

By the way, is all the bruising gone on your toe?  If the bone has set, the bruising should be all gone by now and you should be walking, albeit with a slight bit of pain.  If it is still bruised, get yourself to a doctor to get the bone properly set.  How do I know?  I did battle with the sheet metal side of my new used above ground pool in a wind storm about a month ago; the wind won and my toe lost.

It is a bit uncanny how we find ourselves in similar situations.

My lawnmower is still not rebuilt; missing a 13-1/2" wheel and even the evil bay is out of stock.  I tried new old stock last year, but the plastic of those wheels was so aged and brittle that the wheels are broken again...

[cyclin_al]

...Getting back on topic, there is a TDS3024B on auction with 15 hours remaining for those in Canada:   
https://www.gcsurplus.ca/mn-eng.cfm?snc=wfsav&sc=enc-bid&scn=370290&lcn=518820&lct=L&srchtype=&lci=&str=1&lotnf=1&frmsr=1&sf=ferm-clos

It would be an upgrade on my bandwidth, but funds are short since someone crunched the front bumper of the car while parked at the grocery store.  Maybe the resident dwagon would be interested?  Maybe Kosmic as well, but the shipping distance might make it expensive. 
[EDIT: who is our TEA member in the vicinity of Montreal?  All I found searching back was @mnem's Montreal Steak seasoning and now for some reason I am hungry at midnight!]
My past purchases from this source have all been good units, but there is no guarantee of that.

Yeah...  its up over $400 now with 8 hours to go. As Kosmic has said, Tektronix on there usually goes considerably higher than fleaBay and then there's a bunch of fees on top of the sale price.

Closing gavel $$$ will probably be scary...

mnem
*crawls back into bed*

Other than taxes there is no fees. Shipping is normally expensive with them though (They only ship small items). It's better to fetch the item yourself.

Well, I enjoyed reading all the road-trip stories that came out of this post.
When I found that scope, the bidding was at $257 CDN and would have been worth it including the cost of the road trip, depending on distance.  For some reason, after I posted it here, the bidding shot up to $551.  In the end, the auction closed at $890, which is way out of my league craziness 

As for road trips, I once drove from Ottawa, ON to Telemark, WI in winter for a cross-country ski race.  That was a 2 day drive, with a sleep in the truck with a good winter sleeping bag.  The night before the race was a less warm sleeping bag on a school gymnasium floor.  After the race, it was a sleep in the truck in Telemark and then 2 days driving back.  Next big road trip was just as long, but smarter to do it in autumn instead of winter.  I flew to Winnipeg, MB to bring home a car on closing an estate.  That time it took 1.5 days to drive home without the car catching on fire.  The car was checked out by the dealer before I left Winterpeg, but I found the enormous mouse nest on the engine head a week after arriving home...

[cyclin_al]

Yep, but my car along with most over here, do not have airbags that can be pumped up and depending on what is placed in the extension, would certainly make the very back of unit closer to the ground than the same weight in my boot (trunk) would for instance, because of the extra leverage gained, whereas on something the Rav4  with a short overhang in the first instance, would fair far better in that respect and by your own admission yours would just pump up the rear suspension to compensate. My car does not self levelling suspension, but it does have self levelling headlights 

It is rare to have airbag suspension over here as well.  The OEM packages are stoopid money    For example, the airbag suspension package for my truck comes with free heated seats for the low low price of $10,000 CDN extra.  (according to SWMBO, it is heated seats packaged with free airbag suspension on the side).  No way at that price.  You can get after-market airbags for approximately $300 plus installation by an independent mechanic or by yourself, that you adjust the pressure manually using a bicycle tire pump.

[cyclin_al]

CAD$179:   https://www.kijiji.ca/v-view-details.html?adId=1522100956

mnem
 

From the address, it looks like that scope is being sold by Electronic Surplus Industries on Sheffield St.  Have you check out that place? 

I used to work in the area 18 years ago and it's been rapidly gentrifying (read: condos) so I don't know how long the remaining businesses like that are going to be able to hold on for.  It was a much different area, the whole Caledonia and Castlefield are, when I started a job at a small factory around the corner back in 2002 before it became "Design District" and condo developers moved in.

I never knew about that place .... I worked just west of there (just on the other side of Hwy 401) in the 90s.  All the workplaces moved out to Mississauga/Oakville as that area gentrified.  I left the GTA 17 years ago since it was getting way too congested.

Edit:  Oh, and I joined those workplaces when they were Canadian companies and left when they were American companies... but not for that reason.

[cyclin_al]

(sore after a 7m long tumble off my mountain bike down a 30degree slope and 5 sutures to my lower lip - where the f****g bike hit me)

I hope the injuries were minor and that you bounce back quickly.  Get back on the bike as soon as you can!!!
(I did a similar thing once; the handlebar snapped due to metal fatigue on a steep descent)

[AVGresponding]

I have a 6.5 Fluke DMM but I really want, not need, a Keithley DMM6500.  Why?  Why do I want it so much    The struggle 

The Myriad Maxims to Maximally Master TEAcquisition

1. Test equipment (TE) will expand to fill all space available. And then some.
2. It's never "just a blown fuse."
3. That bodge will come back to bite you in the ass.
4. The availability of service documentation varies inversely with your current level of diagnostic frustration.
5. There's always more to fix than you first think.
6. Thou shalt use a probe prophylactic.
7. There is no substitute for exhaustive burn-in testing.
8. The TE you have on hand is never the TE you need to fix the TE you want.
9. Capacitors are Murphy's footsoldiers.
10. The adhesive used to apply a label is always stronger than the label itself.
11. Masochism is endemic, perhaps even mandatory.
12. To get the best deals, you have to be prepared to walk away.
43. Never buy the cheapest chinesium, unless it is for explosion investigation purposes.
99. Want > Have > Need

Welcome to the forums!

[capt bullshot]

@capt bullshot: A LT calculator? sales gift from bygone times or did you make that up?

Swag from embedded world fair a few years ago.

[McBryce]

I also think that would be illegal here as well for the same reason and also might be way to much overhang from the back of the vehicle to comply with British law?

In the EU anything that has the potential to block the rear lights of the car has to have it's own lights, so that US device definitely wouldn't be legal here. It's not depth dependent. It also probably makes them much more expensive here.

McBryce.

[bd139]

We just rent a van here 

[med6753]

We just rent a van here 

 

[bd139]

Now then now then lets not be like that 

[Robert763]

[

OK the BBC fake news channel article said they didn't want to be identified, but they must have been happy to tell the story to a grotty tabloid paper (Sun), apparently the second-hand TV was a 16" Bush flat-screen model, so not that old. I guess anything made over 6 months ago is old to those overpaid BBC morning news presenters.
Why they told the paper they disposed of it in a builder's skip I don't know (if that is the truth), clearly neither the owner or journalist are bothered that it hasn't been sent for proper disposal under the WEEE regs.  Maybe the WEEE police will send them a nice fine. 
Also we will never know if it was faulty or missing interference filtering components.

David

Nailed it.

If it's the turd I think it is, it probably wasn't even the TV that was wonky. There is a standard 19V power brick for them which was probably made by the lowest bidder.
[/quote]

LOL... I KNOW. That's why the WEG.

I figured THAT too. Which is why I pegged it as SMPS noise, NOT SHINE.

mnem
As a matter of fact, I DO know shit from SHINE-ola.
[/quote]

SHINE is a ADSL susceptibilty, it can be caused by lots of different emitters including SMPS but they are more likely to cause REIN.
 

[VK5RC]

(sore after a 7m long tumble off my mountain bike down a 30degree slope and 5 sutures to my lower lip - where the f****g bike hit me)

I hope the injuries were minor and that you bounce back quickly.  Get back on the bike as soon as you can!!!
(I did a similar thing once; the handlebar snapped due to metal fatigue on a steep descent)

That sounds like a cartoon plot! But not funny if you are the one sitting on the bike seat!
I am back riding again - I think it actually helps some of the milder bruises. Stitches out - he did a good job 👍
I had a friend whose ex bike mechanic forgot to tighten the stem attachment to the front forks, during a descent the handlebars lifted off in his hands, fortunately the brake cables were not effected, and he was able to lean-steer until he could stop.

[Ice-Tea]

Just in case: if i'm bidding against someone with PP, might wanna shoot me a PM.

[BU508A]

Just in case: if i'm bidding against someone with PP, might wanna shoot me a PM.

I'm not bidding with Powerpoint on ebay.