Topcat's Dream Service Bench Reborn!

[Topcat]

Re: Topcat's Dream Service Bench Reborn!

Just a bump to let anyone that gives a hoot I'm still plugging away at this....



I used to tease old geezer techs that used these.....but I won't anymore, as my aging eyes have come to appreciate it these days! It's a Luxo circa 1960's, all metal with a glass lens. They're around, but most of the knotheads on ebay think they're worth $100 + ridiculous shipping....I found this at a local junk shop for $19. Base was missing, but it was easy to fabricate. Anyone can get the cheap plastic ones......but I'll pass.







If anyone remembers the CM2220 from earlier....well I found a CM2250 on ebay for $10, not working.....



I figured I'd take my broken CM2220 and this one and make one working unit.... Well, the fix for this one was simple....so I've still got a broken but intact CM2220. This one came with all the adapters, cables, and the colorometer as well....I'll have to tinker with that feature.



The other CM2220 that I found along the way. Even today, I find these quite useful. Great for dialing in & burning in older analog stuff, and even useful for modern stuff.



THis is the next to go, big tool box full of mechanics tools.....I've been making a spot for it out in the garage..... I'll fill in the space it consumes with something else I'm pondering...



That's all for now......

[sam_sam_sam]

Re: Topcat's Dream Service Bench Reborn!

TopCat

You are a very busy person do you have time for anything

[Topcat]

Re: Topcat's Dream Service Bench Reborn!

TopCat

You are a very busy person do you have time for anything

Sometimes I wish I had a "mini me"...or two.....but I'm not easily entertained, so I don't watch TV or sit around and do nothing....I always find constructive things to do....albeit some might argue what I consider to be 'constructive'....

....but for what it's worth....

Center island roll-around table. I built 2 of these tables 15 years ago (cut a 4x8 sheet of 3/4" plywood in half to make the tops, the rest is pretty self explanatory). I've used it in this room on occasion as needed, but most the time it was used in the garage. I modified the outer edges with some 1x6 I cut down to create a 'track' to lay carpet in, so I can use it in this room.....but if I need it out in the garage for something gunky, the carpet will lift right out....but at this time, its going to be more useful in this room.





...and the toolbox moved out to the garage... I have an idea of what will occupy this space....I just have to build it.

[Topcat]

Re: Topcat's Dream Service Bench Reborn!

.....and its probes & leads are still hiding somewhere.

I was in the attic looking for something completely unrelated....when lo&behold the pair of original Sencore sc3100 probes turned up!! woohoo!

[Topcat]

Re: Topcat's Dream Service Bench Reborn!

Boring slow Monday....so I figured I'd play around with my vectorscope. I never had a complete understanding of how this thing worked, it came in a lot I bought from a defunct TV shop back in the 90's..... Shortly after I got it, an 'old world' TV tech walked me through using it, but that's long gone from my brain. He said it was more for setting up IF's and video signals on old analog TV & video equipment with manual adjustments, where more modern stuff is set by IC's/processors (not adjustable). He demonstrated on an old projection screen TV, fascinating to watch him, but I never completely grasped what he was doing. ...What the hell, lets see if I can make it do anything....

The basic setup was a junk DVD player someone gave me, o-scope, vectorscope, and a TV to monitor the output.









Trying to remember what he told me over 25 years ago, using a non-static signal (something that changes such as CATV, MATV, or in this case a DVD), its pretty meaningless. However when using a static signal from a generator (not shown in my pics but I did do), that's what you use to dial things in...explaining the correlations of what's showing on both scopes and what's showing on the screen....and you would adjust the IF's accordingly....of course this is moot on modern stuff....but what could be more fun on a cold/boring Monday.

[Topcat]

Re: Topcat's Dream Service Bench Reborn!

A $5 flea market score, nice addition to the front bench....if nothing else, its good for quick checks of PSU's and CMOS batteries.... It is a Heathkit IS-1202 with a nixie tube display. It was made in 1972.

In good physical condition and after being cleaned & serviced.





After replacing a fuse and 2 bad lytics, its working fine....but was way out of calibration...DC was reading a good +4v off on any range, AC would drift (I blamed the bad caps for that, recapping it seems to have fixed that), and the meter wouldn't zero out, it would sit +0.7v on any voltage type or range. Finding the procedure was a searching feat, but I found it...

Back in tune!!





The 200 range...





Calibrated!



Nifty piece for 5 bucks!

[Topcat]

Re: Topcat's Dream Service Bench Reborn!

Another Nixie tube wonder, $20 ebay score..... It's a Hickok DMS 3200 Mainframe. I was confused about this until it got here, I only bought it because anything that lights up and has Nixie tubes in it is worth $20... This was made to accept 'modules' for different types of uses that would display on the nixie tube display. The module that happen to come with it was a capacitor tester (ironic?)... After researching, there is a DC volt module, resistance module, frequency counter, event timer....and probably others that I haven't seen. Finding these modules will probably be nothing short of a miracle.....but I'll certainly keep my eyes peeled.

Anyway....powered up, and zeroes out.



Testing using a 150uF cap....



Verifying with my LC102:



Now an 820uF cap.....lucky me, 777!!



Sencore verified...ok, that range is a little off. I'll have to see if I can find a calibration procedure for this....this machine has got to be 50+ years old (research says it's circa 1966).



Mainframe cover off:







ID plate:



Now for the module....I wanted to see what was in it....







Reassembled.





The female part....





All back together:



This is more of a display piece than really having a practical use on my main bench.....but fun to tinker with all the same and maybe find additional modules for it....