Category Archives: Electronics

Testing Salvaged CCFLs

Posted on August 26, 2011 by jwk

I scrounged these up a while back and just now decided to test them out as a part of another project I’m starting. They’re CCFL bulbs, cold cathode fluorescent lamps. Each driver powers two lamps; I have 8 connected. Naturally, they’re … Continue reading →

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Dumpster Diving: Samsung 225BW LCD Repair

Posted on August 22, 2011 by jwk

I found a Samsung 225BW LCD sitting on top of my apartment’s dumpster, and figured I’d drag it upstairs. It’s a few year old model but it’s better than the current older Dell LCD that I’ve been using (1680×1050 versus 1440×900). … Continue reading →

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New Project Idea: Oddball Tube Hi-Fi Amplifier

Posted on July 12, 2011 by jwk

I’m looking for a new summer project, and think I’m going to branch off from repairing radios to building some of my own gear. I’m interested in making a tube hi-fi stereo amplifier to go with my old speakers – … Continue reading →

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Found: Sansui SP1500 Speakers

Posted on July 9, 2011 by jwk

It’s been a little while since I’ve gone on my rounds through the salvage and recycling centers nearby. There wasn’t much out there today, but I did find a very good condition pair of Sansui SP1500 speakers. I already own … Continue reading →

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Refurbishing Vintage Sansui SP2500 Speakers (Crossover Repair)

Posted on April 5, 2011 by jwk

I’m always keeping my eyes out for interesting vintage hi-fi speakers from the ’60s-’70s, and found a nice set of Sansui SP2500s on Craigslist. Produced between 1960 and 1974, these beautiful walnut speakers are solid and very heavy – definitely … Continue reading →

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Review of Victor 3165 Frequency Counter

Posted on March 14, 2011 by jwk

A frequency counter is an important part of any electronics service bench where it’s necessary to deal with unknown signals. I used them to verify the operation of my RF signal generator while performing alignments on tube radios, because I’m … Continue reading →

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Project Idea: Digital Vacuum Tube Tester

Posted on February 15, 2011 by jwk

I’m in the early stages of brainstorming another project idea that will combine vacuum tubes with modern microelectronics in a useful and innovative way: a computerized vacuum tube tester. Tube testers themselves aren’t very complicated devices – the simple ones, … Continue reading →

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Refurbishing a Capacitance Tester

Posted on January 20, 2011 by jwk

Parts Express sent me an advertisement for a $45 capacitance meter today. This actually a pretty good deal, and it’s a useful thing to have around if you’re doing electronics work. I’d probably have bought one myself, if I didn’t … Continue reading →

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Meter Clock Roundup

Posted on December 7, 2010 by jwk

Meter clocks are interesting works of geeky art that display the time using analog panel meters driven by a microcontroller. They can be strikingly artistic – and are getting to be very popular. There are a lot of homebrew designs … Continue reading →

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