who else is joining the arms race against PA4TIM? - Page 1
Forum section: electronics / general

author: sarepairman2
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: August 23, 2015, 05:03:15 pm
content: we go until one of our benches collapses and we get killed by a 60lb VNA falling on our heads

author: TheElectricChicken
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: August 23, 2015, 05:16:09 pm
content: A quick google shows that PA4TIM seems to be a bloke like Dave or something like that, what is it you're up to ? finding other people who don't like PA4TIM ?

author: Balaur
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: August 23, 2015, 05:27:15 pm
content: Quote from: TheElectricChicken on August 23, 2015, 05:16:09 pmhttps://www.eevblog.com/forum/profile/?u=26292Quote from: sarepairman2 on August 23, 2015, 05:03:15 pm

author: TheElectricChicken
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: August 23, 2015, 05:40:47 pm
content: Ahhhh.....thanks, I'm one of those visual learners. I think the picture Sums it all up. Good luck with your arms race, I don't think I have a hope.

author: rolycat
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: August 23, 2015, 05:57:25 pm
content: I don't know if he reads the forum, butcould be a contender:

author: eas
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: August 28, 2015, 08:20:45 am
content: When I find myself thinking "if I just get a couple more pieces of calibration equipment, then I'll be done," I remember PA4TIM's cal rack and it helps me step back from the brink.I appreciate his sacrifice.

author: sarepairman2
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: February 13, 2016, 06:26:08 am
content: I am going to a new style of lab, where I have dedicated benches setup with basic equipment (psu, oscope, etc) and have esoteric equipment on a bookshelf behind the main work area, with extra power plugs, so I can setup experiments properly without having weird stuff like counters, amplifiers, dividers and picoammeters out unless I am using them.There will be alot of free room, but also a lot of outlets and space will be available should the need come about to run a experiment that uses lots of different equipment.This gives also good motivation to stay fit so you can move that 80lb microwave analyzer into place should it be required. I think that this setup makes alot of sense. It also makes for easier cleaning, as you do not have to dust around 50 extension cords.I think it might also have a psychological impact. I took down my wall of equipment to remodel the room and make my work area more ergonomic and usable, and I noticed a immense psychological feeling of relief when I did not have 50 gauges, dials, buttons and knobs looking at me all the time, primed and ready to go. I think the equipment bookshelf might have doors and that the main work bench might have a curtain to cover the equipment when it is not in use (i.e. hide it when doing CAD)....I was under the assumption before that having all the stuff out and ready to go would like, make me think more creatively about solving a problem, but I think in fact it created a "brain fog" of sorts.Granted the opposite is true, not having the equipment there means you might avoid doing some kind of measurement on the basis of not feeling like setting up the equipment. Hopefully I can get a happy medium between these two worlds.I noticed the same thing on a computer desktop, particularly with things like hard drive monitors, network usage, firewalls... if all that information is coming at me all the time (granted this is alot worse then deenergized test equipment) I eventually get a feeling of frustration/anxiety.Furthermore with dedicated positions for equipment you get the problems of things like test leads being long enough to compromise an experiment, and plain old usability problems. I have had silly stuff happen too, like if you are using analog dial equipment with parallax correcting mirrors, and it is off some where to the side, it does not make sense from a ergonomic standpoint.I also plan on modifying all equipment to have sockets so I do not need to deal with fucking extension cords that are built in to shit!I had a few things where I snaked the power cord through cable runs,etc , and when I wanted to move this gear I got severely pissed off after I had to trace/unplug cables without having to move 50 things.If I had a bigger area I would defiantly go for rack mount stuff. I don't see a problem with having things that don't need frequent user input on racks that can be moved around a room. i really like the idea of a giant tie rack or robot arm that brings out the right equipment out of a storageAlso what the fuck does MR.CARLSON do? Shout "go go gadget hands" when he wants to adjust that spectrum analyzer 7 feet above his head? That shit is like combining a stair master and a electronics laboratory. !!!!!I had a maybe 5 x3 foot area filled with gear and it was starting to get retarded. That picture looks like he had some serious relationship argo and he just went fuck it im playing tetris with test equipment in the closet, you can't do nothing about it bitch lalalala.haha i would hang my wife/girlfriend from the ceiling mission impossible style (suspension rope bondage in the work place oh my) and have her adjust shit, or look into training the cat to climbhey felix/wife, adjust the vertical span to 10mV/div and set the scope to one shot if you want that extra kitty/chocolate treat

author: Phoyle
author_rank: Newbie
timestamp: February 19, 2019, 06:37:58 am
content: One look at the rubber chicken (top right of Balaur's picture) and I'm out!

author: Domagoj T
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: February 19, 2019, 07:55:45 am
content: Quote from: Phoyle on February 19, 2019, 06:37:58 amYou don't have a rubber chicken on your workbech?Weirdo.

author: nctnico
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: February 19, 2019, 10:23:41 pm
content: Quote from: sarepairman2 on February 13, 2016, 06:26:08 amSame here. I have equipment I'm not using for any project stored on shelves. I only have the equipment on the bench which is needed for a project. The default is a PSU, bench DMM, oscilloscope and soldering iron.

author: NiHaoMike
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: February 20, 2019, 12:15:32 am
content: The Signal Path is also pretty well equipped.