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Amp techs, what's on your bench?

#101
And here's some of the instrumentation. On the cart, top left is a BK 2 channel scope, 15Mhz I think. Next to it is the HP200CD sig gen, fully recapped of course. To the right of the HP is a bench meter, I forget the brand

Second shelf on the left is a Chinese frequency counter. To the right of that is an Eico 324 RF sig gen, again fully recapped. To the right of the Eico is a sig gen (made from kit from Parts Express) for square-triangle-sine waves. To the right of that, barely visible, is a homemade 1/4 instrument cable tester, tests for shorts as well as continuity with LED annunciators.

Bottom shelf of the cart is the case for the Fluke 179 DMM, next to that is a Triplett (I think) DMM and next to that, the blue box, is a Creative Labs ESR meter. Behind that, barely visible is a DC power supply.

Visible low in the background right is an old HP scope. All of 500 kcps, but 2-channel. Look carefully in the background is a pair of Mach One's with a Technics SA404 on top and a guitar body project on top of the Technics.
 

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#104
gurensan said:
What I really want / need is a cheaper analog scope. .
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Buying a used scope over the internet is difficult. You never know what you are getting till you check it out. You see some great deals on ebay though. As was mentioned, a local hamfest or local craigslist is your best bet.

Other than the CRT, I would avoid an older scope with tubes. They can be difficult and costly to maintain. Make sure that the CRT is bright and can focus to a well defined trace.
 
#106
beans-on-toast said:
Buying a used scope over the internet is difficult. You never know what you are getting till you check it out. You see some great deals on ebay though. As was mentioned, a local hamfest or local craigslist is your best bet.

Other than the CRT, I would avoid an older scope with tubes. They can be difficult and costly to maintain. Make sure that the CRT is bright and can focus to a well defined trace.
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Will do.

Will see if I can find a hamfest or the like somewhere nearby sometime soon. I don't have room to store things atm so I'm not chomping at the bit, but I will be come this fall.
 
#108
Interceptor said:
BTW, 80 Meters is a ham band.
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Well, that's embarrassing. :scowl:

In my defense, my communications courses are in the fall and spring of this coming school year. And my instructor is a big ham guy. I have only had a few discussions with he and a few of the local hams who come by to see him. I'll be more clear on all that stuff soon enough. :D
 
#111
Surprised no one mentioned a powered vacuum desoldering gun (unless I missed it). If you are going to desolder through hole, you'll be amazed at how much easier it is with one. I recommend the Hakko 808. A good soldering station really helps especially when using lead free solder (K100LD and AIM SN100C are the good stuff). I have a JBC AD 2950 and it's the best soldering station I've used so far. Get a Fluke DMM. Cheap DMMs tend to Invalid Link Removed when subjected to really high voltages.
 
#112
two fingers said:
I wonder what the upside down pill bottles on Jess' bench are for.
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Leo had planter's peanut tins to store stuff in. Jess had the plastic cups.

Interestingly, if you look on Leo's bench on the right, all those rectangular assemblies are pickups in holders with jacks on them. He went through a lot of comparison testing and tweaking when developing them.
 
#113
WingKL said:
Surprised no one mentioned a powered vacuum desoldering gun...
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Some sort of suction is a must. Those type of desoldering stations are nice to have.

An old trick is to use a strong blast of compressed air. It blows away melted solder leaving the area clean. The problem is, you have to be very careful where the solder blows. In a pinch, under the right conditions, it works well. Even a small solder whisker in the wrong place though can cause a short where you don't want it and causing a problem that can drive you nuts.

The video of the DDM self destructing should have the Mission Impossible theme song playing in the background.
 
#114
A compressor can be useful for blowing dust and gunk out of amps. Years ago, people drenched circuits in wash solutions. Things have changed due to environmental concerns and more eco friendly products are on the market. I use a product called Invalid Link Removed with Q-tips and pipe cleaners. It is a blend of ethyl alcohol, isopropanol and ethyl acetate. You want it strong enough to clean but you don't want to dissolve lettering and color codes from components.

For coating the plates on rusted transformers, I use a transformer varnish called Red Insulating Varnish or Super Corona Dope. They are both oil based varnishes similar to the type that manufacturers coat their transformers in. I've also used rust inhibitor paints like Rustoleum. Dabbing on a small amount of the paint stabilizes the rust and seals it.

Shaving brushes are great for cleaning. They can get into small areas inside the chassis without causing any damage or moving wires. They work well on studio equipment and rack gear as well. They clean the dust and won't change knob or switch settings.


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For cleaning chrome and polishing metal, I use a product called Autosol. It reacts with rust, cleans it away, and leaves a wax protective coating. Other cream polishes are available from automotive stores and places like Walmart. You have to be careful though when using these products as they will remove lettering on the chassis.

Deoxit is the best product that I've found for removing oxidization from metal to metal contacts, such as jacks and tube pins and sockets, as well as cleaning and lubricating scratchy pots. I prefer to use the 100% concentrate liquid, Invalid Link Removed. It's expensive stuff, and I find that the needle applicator allows you to apply it exactly where you want it without wasting the product.


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On tube sockets I use interdental brushes that I buy from a drugstore to scrub the metal.


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Another handy tool is a tube pin straightener.



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One of the more useful tools is probably the least expensive. Wooden dowels for chop sticking.
 
#116
They list one at Invalid Link Removed but are currently sold out. Might help to send them an email and ask if they can scrounge one up for you. I probably bought mine there but it was years ago.

Ebay is worth a try. So are www.surplussales.com and Invalid Link Removed.

Some tube testers had pin straighteners. I've bought some tubes that came with a metal straightener installed on the pins to protect them.
 
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#119
That's a good video with common sense recommendations. Used equipment can be found at a bargain which is more than good enough for amp work. Sometime you have to be patient but you will find deals. I started off with just a soldering iron and a voltmeter, then added equipment as the years passed. I've bought good scopes, signal generators, and the like at hamfests for under $25 so it doesn't have to cost a lot to set up. At the same time, you can buy new equipment with good specs like scopes, signal generators, and meters for very affordable prices.

Just watch out for GAS. This guy has a bad case of it. :p

 

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