The new baby's arrived

[arjoll]

Arrived this morning....

I know its not much compared to you guys who have your TSR-8s, MSR-16s and other fancy gear, but at least its mine and I can finally play back those recordings I made 10 years ago 1/2 track at 15ips!

 

[arjoll]

...and the back...

 

[arjoll]

It came from a broadcaster and has been modified for a +4 balanced output. I haven't looked at what the other mods are yet, but I suspect that fader start will be one of them. They've supplied the service manual and details of the mods.

 

[arjoll]

Here it is sitting beside its new flatmate in the workshop

I'm hoping that while I'm away in Rarotonga later this month they'll breed

 

[arjoll]

And finally, here's a dead Ferrograph. Had to throw that in there

 

[monty]

That looks like a clean work bench. You don't really exist, do you..!?

 

[arjoll]

That looks like a clean work bench. You don't really exist, do you..!?

It's an L shape. The photo of the Ferrograph doesn't show the other 2m or show to the right.... I did put a heap of tools away to make space for the 32 though...

 

[Seeker of Rock]

SWEEEEEET, man. Congratulations on your new bundle of joy!!

 

[cjacek]

Nice setup you got there Andrew! Tho I feel sad for the "dead Ferrograph".

 

[Dr ZEE]

Andrew, first of all congrats on 32

second thing. Ferrograph. what do you mean by 'dead'? do you mean to say that you sort of gave up on it?
if so.... Just don't trash it. Do your best on cosmetics - it will do great as 'display gear' Or you can convert it into something for fun.... something simple.... like install a simple am/fm radio into it, use internal speakers, make VU metter work with radio audio signal, make those super-knobs to control tuning, volume or what have you... make sure all possible existings lights do come on as you turn it on ... or add some for effect

/respects

 

[Mikey likes it!]

So, if I let you borrow my Teac 16 track, do I get the pick of the 4-track cassette recorders?

 

[arjoll]

second thing. Ferrograph. what do you mean by 'dead'? do you mean to say that you sort of gave up on it?

This is one I bought on a local auction site (trademe.co.nz) for parts - but it arrived in cosmetically better condition than the one I was working on, so thought I'd go as far as the other as I can (it has a dead hold-in solenoid) and then see what the deal is with this one. So far I appear to have HT in some parts of the circuit and not others, no playback amp but record metering, etc.

Working on these things is kind of outside my comfort zone. The 300 volts DC running those valves is, well, not the kind of thing I like being around too much.

My intention at the moment is to check the solenoid, and do a transplant if its ok.

BTW sorry about the late reply, arrived back from 12 days in Rarotonga, Cook Islands today!

 

[robin watson]

Working on these things is kind of outside my comfort zone. The 300 volts DC running those valves is, well, not the kind of thing I like being around too much.

Awe, a bit of low-current DC won't hurt ya!

 

[Muckelroy]

All it takes is 40 mV to stop your heart.

 

[arjoll]

Ferrograph

I checked the solenoid over the weekend - it looks like it might be ok, so I should be able to make one good Ferrograph from this one (with unknown fault) and this one which works find except for the dead solenoid.

 

[robin watson]

All it takes is 40 mV to stop your heart.

....and a whole world more current than a signal tube ever deals with.

Dr. Muckelroy, 20,000V will merely tickle you if the current is miniscule enough. You need the other half of the equation to fulfill your electrical engineering aspirations.