Test equipment for sale - Page 1
Forum section: electronics / general

author: Alan standing
author_rank: Newbie
timestamp: April 26, 2021, 11:16:34 am
content: Hi new to the group. Hoping there may be a member in Adelaide that could help me out. My uncle spent his life working with electronics in radio and tv transmission. He recently passed away and has left behind a lot of equipment gathered over the years. My Aunty doesn’t know what to do with it so I’m trying to find homes for it. These pics are some stuff in his shed. There is more in his workshop along with boxes full of parts and manuals. Hoping someone may be interested.

author: strawberry
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: April 27, 2021, 05:34:53 am
content: what is in that box ''resistors'' ?

author: coromonadalix
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: April 27, 2021, 07:46:50 am
content: Old equipment at first view, empty frames / chassis ....your best chance would be to see or know someone who could do a check to see if some of them are worth selling / giving ?? at least do some kind of inventory

author: Alan standing
author_rank: Newbie
timestamp: April 27, 2021, 10:18:11 am
content: Not sure. Haven’t looked through everything

author: PaulAm
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: April 27, 2021, 02:39:49 pm
content: Saw a couple plugins for a HP 141t spectrum analyzer. Old, but still useful on the hobby market. Not worth a lot, but better than landfill.If you can't get someone knowledgeable to come look it over, post a listing of Manufacturers and model numbers and you'll get some better feedback.Despite costing tens of thousands of dollars when new, except for a few items, test equipment doesn't hold a lot of value when it's more then 20 or 40 years old. The stuff is still useful, but modern instrumentation has better capabilities (and is supported), so old stuff depreciates to pennies on the dollar.

author: Bicurico
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: April 27, 2021, 06:34:09 pm
content: From the pictures it just looks like junk, unfortunately.The only value I see in it is if someone happens to need a component for his vintage gear.You could try to monetize this on eBay, but consider:- you need to describe everything on its own with pictures- pack and ship it for the winner with the highest bid- dealing with post sale complaints and cheaters- eBay might consider you a professional seller due to the amount of stuff- you and/or your aunt would overcome any sentimental issues going through all this stuffIf I was in your situation, I would do this:Separate all devices that are complete and in good shape, without missing buttons, etc. Keep those for now - your pictures don't show any device in this condition, so it will be few.Call a scrapyard and negotiate them picking up the rest. Just get rid of it and spare yourself the trouble.Yes, one box says YIGs and there are YIGs on sale at eBay for 3 figure numbers, but I wonder if they are really bought by someone and they need to be tested.Also, some test equipment contain toxic components like BeO or Yttrium. Don't mess with that unless you know what you are doing.Regards,Vitor

author: strawberry
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: April 28, 2021, 06:43:45 am
content: I see box with parts for HP3580Ahttps://www.ebay.com/itm/HP-Hewlett-Packard-3580A-1415A04246-Spectrum-Analyzer-5Hz-50kHz-/383791840508YIG oscillator is some spectrum analyser partfront panelhttps://www.ebay.com/sch/i.html?_from=R40&_trksid=p2047675.m570.l1313&_nkw=hp+front+panel&_sacat=0other stuff might be plugin modules for oscilloscope or RF spectrum analyser (seems no rust or damage)black module seems hand made

author: beanflying
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: April 28, 2021, 07:39:44 am
content: Drophttps://www.eevblog.com/forum/profile/?u=89036a PM. He may know of an upcoming HAM meet where you could setup a stall or might even be able to point you in a better local direction for someone to help out with pricing or a path to sell the bits.

author: woodchips
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: April 29, 2021, 09:25:58 am
content: Your best bet is to dismantle it all and recover the gold connectors and similar and sell on to a gold recycle specialist.Yes, I know it is all interesting and useful stuff, but no one wants it, and after moving it around a couple of times to dig out what people want photos of and then never hear back will really piss you off.Anything made 30+ years ago by HP and Tek is valuable. Weigh it, about 40% will be PCBs and I get about £5/kg for gold, about 40% will be aluminium which if 98% clean I get £650 tonne for, the rest is either transformers about £1 kg for or irony aluminium about £200 tonne.I am in the same position. I collected Tek scopes thinking that they would always be valuable, nope, scrap. I am just about to start scrapping the last of the pile, I no longer seem to do anything electronic so never use my 7000 scopes. Breaks my heart, but it just takes up so much room, and the weight!!!!!For example the HP scope timebases in the photos will have tunnel diodes in them, five per dual timebase. These could be valuable, I seem to have collected over 100, test them and sell them individually for £5-10 each. Anything with Nixie tubes or Panaplex displays or the filament 3015F displays are worth lots, far more than you will get by selling the whole unit to someone.The gold plated RF connectors, SMA and similar, are worth about £80 kg. Don't bother pulling gold pins out of BNC connectors, they are worth more as scrap brass, £2.50 kg, similarly N and most other connectors. Not modern RF connectors, they are zinc, little value.From the photos you have enough to make a reasonable return. At an auction I would pay £1 kg for test equipment and make a reasonable, worthwhile, return on it. But make sure the scrap dealers give you a good deal, prices of all this are easily available.

author: med6753
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: April 29, 2021, 11:40:36 am
content: Quote from: woodchips on April 29, 2021, 09:25:58 am

author: Robert763
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: April 29, 2021, 11:54:34 am
content: Quote from: woodchips on April 29, 2021, 09:25:58 amApart from other obvious issues with your suggestion, if the OP does not know what the kit is how the hell do you think he could tell a nixie from a tunnel diode?

author: xrunner
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: April 29, 2021, 12:26:13 pm
content: Quote from: woodchips on April 29, 2021, 09:25:58 amWe call that a "sweeping generalization".

author: factory
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: April 29, 2021, 09:02:26 pm
content: Quote from: woodchips on April 29, 2021, 09:25:58 amYes they are clearly worthless.Seriously actually try selling this stuff rather than destroying it.David

author: Bicurico
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: April 29, 2021, 09:19:59 pm
content: From what we know:1) Pictures show parts, uncomplete devices, broken devices, device cases, labeled cardbox which contain parts. Seems that the hobby consisted in dismantling these devices and keep their parts.2) Everything shown is old.3) Nothing seems to work.4) OP doesn't care about the stuff and it does not seem to be his hobby.5) The problem is how much space this stuff occupies and the sheer amount of it.As I already said and I am not alone on this:This stuff is worthless as it is, except for its scrap value.To make it valuable, an inventory would have to be made, the parts would need to be tested, pictured and described. This is WORK. I doubt that at a regular hour rate, it is a profitable job.Apart from selling it to scrap, it could be sold/donated to someone into this hobby or to a group. But because this stuff is heavy and there is a lot of it, good luck to find someone willing to drive by, pick EVERYTHING up and on top of it pay something for it.Selling it on ebay might render some money, but you would still sit on all that junk, plus you would spend a whole lot of time doing the few sales.Finally, @factory: all your ebay picture show nice condition devices which are in working state. OP did not included a single picture of a working unit.Regards,Vitor

author: factory
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: April 29, 2021, 09:22:50 pm
content: Quote from: Bicurico on April 29, 2021, 09:19:59 pmThat reply was about the Tek scopes in post #8 not the OP, the £200 one isnotshown powered up and has broken knobs on one vertical module.David

author: Bicurico
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: April 29, 2021, 09:23:45 pm
content: Oh, sorry.

author: Robert763
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: April 30, 2021, 06:40:44 am
content: Quote from: Bicurico on April 29, 2021, 09:19:59 pmRead the original post "These pics are some stuff in his shed. There is more in his workshop"If that's some of whats in the shed I think the workshop would be worth a look. Unfortunatly I'm on the otherside of he world.

author: woodchips
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: April 30, 2021, 08:56:13 am
content: This is my opinion, nothing else. I was offering my experience of selling old test gear, and what alternatives there are, scrapping for example.If people want to pay 450 Euros for a 7613with one 7A18 and a 7B53 then the seller was very lucky, that is all I can say.Lets just say I have been here and done it, for years, and I am trying to pass my scars on to others, if they want to test it all out, take photos, sell it, pack and posr itpack it, then be sure they know how much money they want to get for all this effort.

author: beanflying
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: April 30, 2021, 08:59:03 am
content: Quote from: woodchips on April 30, 2021, 08:56:13 amOffering butchery and dismemberment from the other sider of the planet shows you have ZERO concern for the OP or the memory of his Uncles hobby.

author: Bicurico
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: April 30, 2021, 09:51:00 am
content: Quote from: beanflying on April 30, 2021, 08:59:03 amQuite the opposite. I have been there and I can tell you that getting rid of the possesions of a late family member (in my case, my dear dad), is anything but "in memory of".It is quite difficult to deal with the possesions and handling every single item brings back memories. This may seem "nice", but it is not. It is a constant reminder that the loved one is gone forever. It is a pertinent reminder that life is finite and "in the end, it doesn't even matter".I had nightmares for months, where my dad would ask me why I sold his cars, why I got rid of his stuff.At the end, when I finally was mentally prepared to sell his house (which had no chances of becoming my/our home), I made a deal with the purchaser, where he accepted that I could just leave everything that I did not want to keep and he would get rid of it (or do whatever he wanted).I did not do that out of disrespect, but on the contrary: it would damage me too much having to deal with this myself.So coming back to the OP, and with due respect, he has by now understood, that there are three paths:1) Document and sell item by item: much work, stress and eventually trauma2) Try to sell the whole lot: very difficult to find a buyer, since he must be from close within3) Just get rid of it: easy and painless, but no money involvedAssuming that the posted pictures show the BEST that is available (wouldn't make sense that OP posts pictures of the worst stuff available), I don't see any value in it. Dave's dumpster findings are better by several orders of magnitude and I guess that if I would actively start dumpster searching in industrial areas, I would probably find better items.Again, I mean no disrespect to OP's uncle. But let's face it: his collection is an array of spare parts, chassis and whatnot with everything being just plain old and outdated.Regards,Vitor

author: beanflying
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: April 30, 2021, 10:00:13 am
content: Without having someone with an idea look at it in the flesh which is why I suggested VK5RC as it is in his backyard. Far better handled in private than armchair speculators no where near the gear in question and as in the OP's original posting partial and incomplete information.If the decision reached is to junk some of it and sell some then great it is done with knowledge and consideration. If the message is trash it without that knowledge for $ as a cash grab then it is disrespectful and may in fact result in even a few hidden gems going for scrap.

author: Bicurico
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: April 30, 2021, 10:10:56 am
content: It is not an "armchair speculation", but a speculation based on photografic evidence.OP only needs to evaluate if he wants a better evaluation and if so, he can follow your suggestion or post further pictures.But I stand with my assessment based on what is shown in the pictures: what I see is mainly junk and to make good use of what MIGHT be in the boxes, there is a considerable time and work involved.Regards,Vitor

author: beanflying
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: April 30, 2021, 10:25:31 am
content: Quote from: Alan standing on April 26, 2021, 11:16:34 amRead the OP it is PARTIAL information that is why it is deserving of a look over in person. Given the trashy responses of 'junk it' I doubt the OP would feel comfortable adding more content for the vultures to pick over. In the same situation I certainly wouldn't want a family members possessions treated in this way.Your 'assessment' shows you to be along with woodchips to both have no concern for a family you do not know in the slightest, think of how his Aunt might feel when her husbands gear is being treated with contempt and disregard IN PUBLIC before typing again!

author: med6753
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: April 30, 2021, 12:15:52 pm
content: I loathe individuals who are driven by the almighty dollar and see vintage equipment as nothing more than scrap to be sent to China and come back as useless I-crap. Same for the audiophools who rape Bugle Boy 6DJ8's tubes from equipment and scrap the rest.I put them in the same category as copper thieves who occasionally get a good dose of Karma that bites then hard in the arse.

author: factory
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: April 30, 2021, 06:03:56 pm
content: The first picture has a couple of AM/FM signal generators, these may be of interest to people repairing vintage radios, can't tell if they are complete from the picture, if not of interest here try perhaps posting on a vintage/antique radio forum.The second picture has a couple of earlier HP spectrum analyzer plug-ins of the left, the 8553L & 8552B are those, the 8552B IF has a extra 1kHz option for the video filter switch.On the right is another later 8553B and one that isn't seen as often the 8556A low frequency plug-in. Apart from a missing & replacement control knob on the 8553B these may actually be complete?Third picture has a local to Australia BWD oscilloscope, some controls & covers missing.Below that are two sets of 1801A vertical & 1821A timebase plug-ins, the top one is earlier. Middle is a 1806A differential vertical & 1820C timebase.Last picture has some incomplete oscilloscopes, at least one is a Tektronix, even in this state people would find it a useful source of spares, particularly for the control knobs. The small oscilloscope on the right maybe complete but I don't recognise it.If this is just the storage shed then the workshop would have the equipment he was using. If you want to post some pictures we can try and identify it.I'm mainly interested in older test equipment myself, I only have a couple of items that are a little newer (scope & couple of DMM's) to help with repairing the vintage equipment.David

author: Kosmic
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: May 01, 2021, 10:10:20 pm
content: Found a video of woodchips at work.

author: xrunner
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: May 01, 2021, 11:10:15 pm
content: All my gold plated not going to him!

author: artag
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: May 02, 2021, 11:42:55 pm
content: Quote from: factory on April 30, 2021, 06:03:56 pmGood point on the knobs. Easy to remove, small to store and post, yet you see bunches of them on ebay being offered for silly prices. Not sure if they get what they ask, but I'm certainly willing to pay the going rate for the specialist knobs to complete a bit of gear if I can ever find them.

author: bdunham7
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: May 03, 2021, 12:06:40 am
content: Unless you have a lot of time and patience, you need to find someone willing to take the lot for one price, which may be $0.00. I actually do some of that, parting out/scrapping/fixing/selling, and if this were in my neck of the woods, I might be persuaded to come and take a look, but there's a good chance I'd just walk away. There isn't much there, although I would like to see what is in the boxes marked "YIGS".