What alternative uses have you given some electronics parts? - Page 1
Forum section: electronics / general

author: johnh
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: December 06, 2013, 05:53:06 am
content: I use this diode as a paper weightand this heatsink as bookend

author: steve30
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: December 06, 2013, 08:39:07 am
content: I often use my electronics wire for tying various things up, and I tend to use solder on things that normally wouldn't be soldered.But I don't think I use components much for anything.Actually, I did use a nearly-dead valve regulated lead acid battery as a dumbbell for my shoulder exercises, before I got round to buying real dumbbells.

author: G7PSK
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: December 06, 2013, 08:41:45 am
content: I use solder to measure the bumping distance (cylinder head to piston)on diesel engines.

author: peter.mitchell
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: December 06, 2013, 12:34:43 pm
content: i use lab equiptment as a heater in winter, and often use contact cleaner as a a general purpose cleaner (even for my car windscreen if desperate)

author: HackedFridgeMagnet
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: December 06, 2013, 12:41:38 pm
content: I made my girlfriend some dangly earings out of 1/4watt resistors.Don't think she wore them much. I thought they looked good.

author: all_repair
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: December 06, 2013, 12:42:57 pm
content: Defective Power resistor as door handle, and defective power capacitor as paper weight. And to comply with ISO9000, they have to be properly labeled. :-)

author: kayvee
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: December 06, 2013, 01:18:35 pm
content: For those bored moments in the lab....

author: GreyWoolfe
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: December 06, 2013, 02:45:14 pm
content: SLJ-! Too funny.Tom, NW0LF

author: saturation
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: December 06, 2013, 03:03:53 pm
content: SLJ ... excellent !On a serious side I use the platen on old hard drives as emergency signal mirrors and camping mirrors. They are far better than stainless steel mirrors. I reuse the natural and very power magnetics in them as fridge magnets.

author: ResR
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: December 06, 2013, 03:12:31 pm
content: I use old CFL circuit boards as prototyping boards after peeling off the traces with little heat, I still have 10-15 boards left.

author: SLJ
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: December 06, 2013, 03:55:23 pm
content: Quote from: SLJ on December 06, 2013, 02:12:51 pmCan't take credit for it but it's funny just the same...

author: NiHaoMike
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: December 06, 2013, 08:03:47 pm
content: Quote from: steve30 on December 06, 2013, 08:39:07 amDid the same with a 1kVA transformer out of an old UPS. Nowadays, a 1kVA inverter is way too light to weightlift with...

author: ablacon64
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: December 07, 2013, 12:17:25 am
content: I use old LCD screens lamps (or LED strips) and power boards to light my main workbench.

author: opablo
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: December 07, 2013, 03:22:38 am
content: - Car LED lights that didn't fit on my optics as bench ligthing- Car battery as portable ups (I did a compact wood box that containts car-bat + boat-charger-maintainer + 500w inverter- Old (and I mean OOOOLD) valve oscilloscope as lab heater in winter (Philips PM 3230)- Diodes/Leds whenever I need voltajes lower than 1.2v (my home-made variable supply is quite a piece of shit)- Flush Cutting Pliers to cut my nails... I HATE the standard nail clippers... I can't use them... Why do they even fabricate them !?- power-resistor leads to sting blisters on my feet on summer... yes... disgusting... that's the problem of having them around too muchbut the most elegant (sarcasm) use of an electronic component that I have seen with my own eyes was this...imagine the crappiest hotel... then imagine a crappy bed... and next to it a crappy bedside table... with a drawer (yes... a crappy one)... and what can be used as a drawer pull ?... let your lateral thinking have a wild ride for a second... a lovelly 10K potentiometer(I slept on that bed)

author: Stonent
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: December 07, 2013, 03:24:38 am
content: Quote from: SLJ on December 06, 2013, 03:55:23 pmI think that I posted that one with the caption "And she's riiiiding a square wave to heaven..."