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Oldest piece of test equipment you have

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Proud Mary

Wed Jan 12 2011, 10:46PM

Registered Member #543 Joined: Tue Feb 20 2007, 04:26PM
Location: UK
Posts: 4992

This is my Electrostatic AC/DC Voltmeter Type 100 0 - 18.5kV.

It's not really an essay in miniaturisation, even by 1968 standards, but it is beautifully made, very accurate, and draws no measurable current.

1294872005 543 FT0 Elecrostatic Voltmeter 1

You can see from the small print on the lower right on the meter face that it has been 'tropicalised' - designed to survive in conditions of high humidity - seals and gaskets to keep out the miasma of malarial swamps with rotting vegetation and leeches.

1294872030 543 FT0 Elecrostatic Voltmeter 2

Nah

Wed Jan 12 2011, 11:23PM

Registered Member #3567 Joined: Mon Jan 03 2011, 10:49PM
Location: USA, 1960s
Posts: 260

Proud Mary wrote ...

Nicko wrote ...

Proud Mary wrote ...

Why do you think it is 'pre-1935' - and not the model E-38P of 1938?

I'm with Stella on this one

Edit: No I'm not - the E-38P has subtle differences!

I noted the subtle differences too, but wondered how much of this was due to post-manufacture tinkering - e.g. the panel cut-out on the right with the triangle of screw heads for example, where there is a switch in the E-38P

I also thought that irrespective of whether or not it is an E-38P, what is the physical evidence to date it as "pre-1935?"

Wel this is a long shot, but the reason I think it is pre 1935 is because RCA invented the octal tube in '35. This has no octal tube settings, so it would seem that this is before 1935, or at least before '36-7. This is a model 467.

Paul

Dr. Drone

Thu Jan 13 2011, 01:00AM

Registered Member #290 Joined: Mon Mar 06 2006, 08:24PM
Location:
Posts: 1673

Killa-X

Thu Jan 13 2011, 03:50AM

Registered Member #1643 Joined: Mon Aug 18 2008, 06:10PM
Location:
Posts: 1039

Well, Since I'm 19, and have no family members that are into electric, the oldest stuff I have, is what I buy. In this case, the oldest test equipment I own is my Tektronix 465B dual channel + dual timer oscilloscope. I have no idea of it's age. I got it on ebay, with a bid war. I won it for $400. This scope had ALL the parts replaced with new ones. It has the origional switches/buttons/metal that was just cleaned up. It was calibrated by an electrical engineer. In all, I basically got a nearly new scope. Works great! I have never opened it up, but I dont feel a need as it runs good.

I have it sit on top of my Digikey/newark/mouser/MPJA/etc catalogs.

One of the nobs by the dual timer control is broken. I had it on the floor one day at night and well, I kinda step on it

It still works, but not near as easy to flip from + to -

Mads Barnkob

Thu Jan 13 2011, 10:11AM

Registered Member #1403 Joined: Tue Mar 18 2008, 06:05PM
Location: Denmark, Odense C
Posts: 1968

Dr. Spark wrote ...

Now this is an old puppy indeed.

I like the long list on front panel of the tubes they had back them.

Rgs,
Dr. Spark

1294866205 290 FT105982 Old Tube Checker

Do not press the shunt button!

hahaha

Zum Beispiel

Thu Jan 13 2011, 11:57AM

Registered Member #514 Joined: Sun Feb 11 2007, 12:27AM
Location: Somewhere in Pirkanmaa, Finland
Posts: 295

Don't have any pictures as I'm away from home, but:

I have a old Philips scope. Single channel 20MHz, I think it's from the early 1970's. It's a POS so I don't actually use it anymore, but it works.

Then I have a bunch of old analog multimeters, some Japanese thing from the 1960's and a few soviet meters from the late 70's and 80's. The soviet ones are nice, they come in metal cases and with hand signed quality control certificates. One even has a capacitance range!

Dr. Drone

Thu Jan 13 2011, 03:22PM

Registered Member #290 Joined: Mon Mar 06 2006, 08:24PM
Location:
Posts: 1673

Wyatt

Fri Jan 14 2011, 02:05AM

Registered Member #3490 Joined: Wed Dec 08 2010, 11:55PM
Location: The Granite State
Posts: 34

Not the most interesting item but the oldest I have.Kind of neat because I bought it on E-bay not knowing it was made in the town next door to me.

Nah

Fri Jan 14 2011, 02:42AM

Registered Member #3567 Joined: Mon Jan 03 2011, 10:49PM
Location: USA, 1960s
Posts: 260

Wyatt is in the lead with 1920

Dr. spark is in the lead with tube testers, mostly likely early 30s, late 20s, but lets hear stella's opinion.

Weston

Fri Jan 14 2011, 04:05AM

Registered Member #1316 Joined: Thu Feb 14 2008, 03:35AM
Location: Cambridge, MA
Posts: 365

Here is my heathkit O-8 oscilloscope. If I recall it is from the 1950's, which should make it the oldest scope on the thread. I bought this off ebay a while back to have a electrostatic CRT to mess with.

1294977881 1316 FT105982 Img 20110113 194440

I envy your tube tester Dr. Spark, as it has a Weston meter in it.

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