Test Equipment Anonymous (TEA) group therapy thread

[Specmaster]

Thanks everyone. Papa Smurf doing a happy dance.

In day or so my Son is going to bring back the new tire mounted and he's going to swap it with the temporary spare. He looked at the spiked tire and it can't be saved. He knows because he works as a collision specialist at a major vehicle collision firm. But to get at the duff tire he had to remove the Type 547. Now he is my height but built stouter. He lifted that 547 like it was a plug-in.  It's currently in the garage and when he returns he'll bring it up here. 

It's so good to be able to read your missives again Papa Smurf, just make sure you take it easy and do as you're told by the medics, no doing it the Smurf way. Perhaps this was a warning to you to lay off the boat anchors and keep to the more manageable and cute smaller devices, like bench meters 

Seriously please keep us all updated with your progress, you have been sorely missed and its good to that cute little Papa Smurf avatar reappearing again on our screens 

[tggzzz]

And if we're doing the "post the HP kit that matches the page number" (shut up tggzzz!) thing:

I like it when people are ahead of me - it saves my effort

[xrunner]

If you so desire - hp wallpaper for your indulgence, example shown.

http://hparchive.com/wallpaper

[beanflying]

Tried Hairspray and a few Gluestick options. When needed Bostick Gluestick for PETG and where possible just very very clean Glass for PLA works really well without adhesive for a lot of prints.

Random thoughts about how you said you couldn't break the brim away. What you might actually have there is a RAFT. Printing with a Raft was the default setting for the Demo print from memory and if that was the case likely your slicer still has it enabled as a default until check off?

I blew up a bit of your picture from a few pages ago and the very bottom section looks a bit odd. Rafts are designed to be peeled away from the print when finished and are typically only used on really oddball use cases now but were fairly common in the past.

Yes, it was set on raft, and no, it won't peel off (I haven't trimmed the top section yet, the raft is as firmly attached as any part of it!). The apparent deep raft you saw was just some meltage from when I trimmed it with the fretsaw.

Ok well stop that Rafting NOW  Depending on the rest of the settings Rafts could be several layers thick and can be a major PITA to remove. I have had to reprint several prints because of to much cosmetic damage with removal of them. The BRIM setting I mentioned earlier is typically just a single layer around the outer perimeter (not under) and helps keep the print stuck to the bed because of increased surface area and then breaks away and trimmed with the deburring tool.

Side wall and finish looks good too btw 

[Specmaster]

eBay auction: #193997883829 looks very suspicious, right?

He is a bit aggressive in his conditions, and he has no feedback, so it could a bit dodgy. But if you get it cheap enough, might be worth a punt because you still have the eBay guarantee to protect you against it being fraudulent. 

[mnementh]

Surely the time not wasted with this obvious plonker is worth something...?

mnem
 

[beanflying]

So from cheap 3458A - possibly mythical  To this one overpriced one. eBay auction: #303933567293

Calibrated and guaranteed to meet or exceed manufacture specification.

What is the price ADDER of 'seller testing & calibration' and extraneous miscellaneous I can likely land one if I wanted from the USA for about 1/2 of this one and no option to put in an offer. Time for me to start importing maybe 

[Kosmic]

So from cheap 3458A - possibly mythical  To this one overpriced one. eBay auction: #303933567293

Calibrated and guaranteed to meet or exceed manufacture specification.

What is the price ADDER of 'seller testing & calibration' and extraneous miscellaneous I can likely land one if I wanted from the USA for about 1/2 of this one and no option to put in an offer. Time for me to start importing maybe 

For  extra reliability I installed large external battery to power Dallas  NVRAM which stores calibration parameters.

What!

There's no picture of that bodge. I'm not sure if it really increase reliability or he is recuperating dead Dallas chip and bodging a battery outside. He probably secure the whole thing with hot glue

[Kosmic]

Wouah ... things are getting expensive in UK.

https://www.ebay.com/itm/Rigol-DS1054Z-4-Channel-50MHz-Digital-Storage-Oscilloscope/143260735421

Anybody want a nice Rigol DS1054Z at 1000$US 

[beanflying]

So from cheap 3458A - possibly mythical  To this one overpriced one. eBay auction: #303933567293

Calibrated and guaranteed to meet or exceed manufacture specification.

What is the price ADDER of 'seller testing & calibration' and extraneous miscellaneous I can likely land one if I wanted from the USA for about 1/2 of this one and no option to put in an offer. Time for me to start importing maybe 

For  extra reliability I installed large external battery to power Dallas  NVRAM which stores calibration parameters.

What!

There's no picture of that bodge. I'm not sure if it really increase reliability or he is recuperating dead Dallas chip and bodging a battery outside. He probably secure the whole thing with hot glue

I am sure it is a 'Calibrated' repair to increase perceived Value 

This on the other hand looks like a nice thing with issues and a 'reasonable and responsible description'    Free plug for any Aussies interested eBay auction: #193996825549

[cyclin_al]

Wouah ... things are getting expensive in UK.

https://www.ebay.com/itm/Rigol-DS1054Z-4-Channel-50MHz-Digital-Storage-Oscilloscope/143260735421

Anybody want a nice Rigol DS1054Z at 1000$US 

Sounds as bad as lumber prices in the GWN.  I need to replace a deck where the wood is rotting.  I am guessing the pre-COVID price was $1500.  Last year hit $3500 with people staying home and making improvements, driving up the demand just as the supply chain suffered.  I mistakenly held off assuming everyone else would be done their decks last year.  Current price is $5000.
Instead I think I found a local guy with cedar and a portable sawmill.  Hopefully I can save some money dealing with him.  SWMBO will probably get jealous at how much time I will spend with the surface planer this year...

[beanflying]

Side issue @Pat speaking of old connectors any luck or decision on the 740B replacements? I haven't really found a 1kV rated plug and socket I like as an alternate yet 

There is half a rocking horse turd on ePay France at the moment if it's any use, maybe worth asking if they have the other to go with it.

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/284233477471



David

The $325 AUD freight bill along with the $135 buy price is a little OTT Unfortunately the input box while it shares the same unobtanium connector shell as the output one it contains less pins so they cant be modded easily into the other side box/cable Not aware of anyone needing one having a quick search here and in my 740B thread.

[Kosmic]

Wouah ... things are getting expensive in UK.

https://www.ebay.com/itm/Rigol-DS1054Z-4-Channel-50MHz-Digital-Storage-Oscilloscope/143260735421

Anybody want a nice Rigol DS1054Z at 1000$US 

Sounds as bad as lumber prices in the GWN.  I need to replace a deck where the wood is rotting.  I am guessing the pre-COVID price was $1500.  Last year hit $3500 with people staying home and making improvements, driving up the demand just as the supply chain suffered.  I mistakenly held off assuming everyone else would be done their decks last year.  Current price is $5000.
Instead I think I found a local guy with cedar and a portable sawmill.  Hopefully I can save some money dealing with him.  SWMBO will probably get jealous at how much time I will spend with the surface planer this year...

I did that once. I had a lot of lumber and called a guy with a portable sawmill. The problem is how you dry the wood without a commercial dryer. Took the whole summer to dry everything. Result was ok but it's a lot of work. Back then, I decided to never do that again and buy what I need at the lumber yard 

[Cubdriver]

Side issue @Pat speaking of old connectors any luck or decision on the 740B replacements? I haven't really found a 1kV rated plug and socket I like as an alternate yet 

There is half a rocking horse turd on ePay France at the moment if it's any use, maybe worth asking if they have the other to go with it.

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/284233477471



David

The $325 AUD freight bill along with the $135 buy price is a little OTT Unfortunately the input box while it shares the same unobtanium connector shell as the output one it contains less pins so they cant be modded easily into the other side box/cable Not aware of anyone needing one having a quick search here and in my 740B thread.

325 Aussie Pesos to ship it?!?     It weighs 8 oz (225g) and I can literally hold one in my hand!  That's insane!  I'd think you should be able to ship the whole damned 740B for that kind of money!



-Pat

[mansaxel]

I did that once. I had a lot of lumber and called a guy with a portable sawmill. The problem is how you dry the wood without a commercial dryer. Took the whole summer to dry everything. Result was ok but it's a lot of work. Back then, I decided to never do that again and buy what I need at the lumber yard 

It is obvious that when you do it the olde way, you do it the olde pace too. Year 1: Fell. Year 2: Saw. Year 3: Build 

I was used to having to paint wood infrastructure  immediately, being raised in a coastal climate. Here around, people build, wait one year, then paint.

[med6753]

Wouah ... things are getting expensive in UK.

https://www.ebay.com/itm/Rigol-DS1054Z-4-Channel-50MHz-Digital-Storage-Oscilloscope/143260735421

Anybody want a nice Rigol DS1054Z at 1000$US 

Sounds as bad as lumber prices in the GWN.  I need to replace a deck where the wood is rotting.  I am guessing the pre-COVID price was $1500.  Last year hit $3500 with people staying home and making improvements, driving up the demand just as the supply chain suffered.  I mistakenly held off assuming everyone else would be done their decks last year.  Current price is $5000.
Instead I think I found a local guy with cedar and a portable sawmill.  Hopefully I can save some money dealing with him.  SWMBO will probably get jealous at how much time I will spend with the surface planer this year...

Even my lumber of choice.....twisted, warped, knotty #2 one inch pine boards have gone nuts in price. 

[Cubdriver]

Wouah ... things are getting expensive in UK.

https://www.ebay.com/itm/Rigol-DS1054Z-4-Channel-50MHz-Digital-Storage-Oscilloscope/143260735421

Anybody want a nice Rigol DS1054Z at 1000$US 

Sounds as bad as lumber prices in the GWN.  I need to replace a deck where the wood is rotting.  I am guessing the pre-COVID price was $1500.  Last year hit $3500 with people staying home and making improvements, driving up the demand just as the supply chain suffered.  I mistakenly held off assuming everyone else would be done their decks last year.  Current price is $5000.
Instead I think I found a local guy with cedar and a portable sawmill.  Hopefully I can save some money dealing with him.  SWMBO will probably get jealous at how much time I will spend with the surface planer this year...

Even my lumber of choice.....twisted, warped, knotty #2 one inch pine boards have gone nuts in price. 

I was in the Home Despot the other day and noticed that 4 x 8' sheets of OSB floor underlayment were priced at about $50/ea.  That's nuts!

-Pat

[beanflying]

Help a fellow Pommie out you lot in case you dont see it  https://www.eevblog.com/forum/buysellwanted/fs-(uk)-hptekmisc-home-lab-clear-out/?topicseen

Playing with newish features on Fusion 360 Embossed Text and Knurls on Round Tapering surfaces using the Non needed knob just because it filled the learning and playing I wanted to do. Scotch bottle mental recovery commencing.....

[bd139]

Wouah ... things are getting expensive in UK.

https://www.ebay.com/itm/Rigol-DS1054Z-4-Channel-50MHz-Digital-Storage-Oscilloscope/143260735421

Anybody want a nice Rigol DS1054Z at 1000$US 

Hahaha. You can buy them new from official disty for $500 US here  .  That includes 20% sales tax and delivery.

[Robert763]

Nice box
I have a HP16058A fixture that was modified by it's previous owner, with some of the inserts. Back from when I did not know that the K2636 had Keithley-specific toleranced triaxial jacks, so that only the plugs you buy on their cables fit and dreamed of making my own triax connection cables.
When I bought the fixture on "offer a price" it was good, at least taking into account the additional triaxial jacks mounted to the modification. Little did I know...
Edit: looking at epay, the prices for these seem to have gone up. Feel a little better now having bought mine ~4 years ago
Just to rub it in, I could not even begin to think of using this until now...

Good day,

yes, these Triaxial leads and connectors are surely nice and they have their advantages in low-current-sensing and RF-sensitive applications.
But they are just a pain for those who do not need these benefits... Even the adapters are truly expensive.

Cheers,

THDplusN_bad

Is this one of the Triaxial BNC's that the matching leads are really expensive, or something easier to obtain?
It's on the back of the only item of Keithley TEA I have a 455 picoammeter, it went into storage yesterday along with the pair of Solartron voltmeters I haven't got leads for yet.




David

I may have such a connector in stock

I'm in no rush for one*, but would be interested in a connector to fit it. 
And I did find the connector I had, which was no use as it's another different looking version of what is fitted.


*my available TEA time will be severely restricted once I'm back at work on the 1st of April, when shielding ends.

David

I have a single hole panel mount 3 lug triax socket  available. do you have the matching plug?

[Robert763]

Wouah ... things are getting expensive in UK.

https://www.ebay.com/itm/Rigol-DS1054Z-4-Channel-50MHz-Digital-Storage-Oscilloscope/143260735421

Anybody want a nice Rigol DS1054Z at 1000$US 

They are listing Farnell and RS componens parts at 100% to 400% markup. The have no stock. It amazes me that there are people who actually use them. They are not the only ones doing this. Some even use the pictures out of the farnell catalogue.

I actually did a test purchase on them a couple of years ago. T was a small part thet came in a pack of two and their ripped description reflected this but the title didn't. Of course only one turned up. I complained and got a full refund.

[Saskia]

Wouah ... things are getting expensive in UK.

https://www.ebay.com/itm/Rigol-DS1054Z-4-Channel-50MHz-Digital-Storage-Oscilloscope/143260735421

Anybody want a nice Rigol DS1054Z at 1000$US 

Hahaha. You can buy them new from official disty for $500 US here  .  That includes 20% sales tax and delivery.

Paid 100 brussels pesos for mine from distributor. Nib.

[tonyalbus]

China fun. These were only dispatched on Monday which was quite impressive. So £7.62 including delivery from https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/254721451632

Much like the previous Bliley ones I ordered, the band saw is cheaper than desoldering them. I love how they blasted straight through the unfortunate ICs at the bottom.



Will desolder and test later. Fingers crossed!

Edit: minor rant. Stuff from China is taking 4-6 days at the moment. Stuff from EU, 2-3 weeks and 50% of it doesn't turn up 

    Yes that is good fun!
great test for the de-solder too.

If you need some specs on the connections ... i did that a few months ago and collected information and created some sheets, in the description for download.
it was a while back so the video and audio not that good, but the downloads are there..

[AVGresponding]

Ok well stop that Rafting NOW  Depending on the rest of the settings Rafts could be several layers thick and can be a major PITA to remove. I have had to reprint several prints because of to much cosmetic damage with removal of them. The BRIM setting I mentioned earlier is typically just a single layer around the outer perimeter (not under) and helps keep the print stuck to the bed because of increased surface area and then breaks away and trimmed with the deburring tool.

Side wall and finish looks good too btw 

Not too worried about cosmetic appearance; if you've seen any of my sparse teardown posts you'll realise that as long as it functions as intended and isn't horribly contaminated I really don't care.

I'm about to start a print of some HP feet, and obviously these need to be dimensionally very accurate, so I can't tolerate any lifting like happened with the AAA battery store, which didn't affect its function.
There seemed to be an issue with the slices though, the nozzle was catching on some features at the very end of the print. The extra infill made the spacers much stronger btw.

The glass bed doesn't want to clean completely, and I don't want to scrape it as that'll presumably damage the surface. Hopefully it's clean enough from the 70% IPA.

The bed height offset seems even more important, spent an hour or so last night buggering about after perhaps foolishly re-levelling it. My original by-eye worked perfectly...   

[beanflying]

Yep bed height is important. Bed cleaning on mine is a hot wash with detergent and sponge (never scrape). Rinse well. Pure IPA as 70% has stuff that will make it not stick well at all. Most 70% has smelly oils and other such crap if it is Chemist sourced. So 99-100% only.

Run a 10mm Brim on the feet and 5C higher for the first 1-3 layers if your slicer allows helps the initial stick.