New guy

[curtis cutter]

What kind of electronics do you get into Tom?
I have two sons who are robotic and mechatronic field instructors.

Mostly play with simple smd electronics, along with some analog. The eyes and fingers have been making playing with 0402 resistors challenging.

I can relate to the eye thing. At my last drivers test I was told this would be the last time I would pass without glasses...

[Bill Shields]

I passed that point in my life 45 years ago.

My current concern is how long they will allow me to continue to drive without a brain...but then there seems to be an unending supply of those already in the road

[TLutman]

Welcome:
"Foundry Pump....."?
I had a Smithy Granite XT 1324 for awhile also.
Scotty

I used a 35gal well pressure tank lined with commercial refractory cement and hardface. I went with a waste oil burner, since I had access to loads of diesel oil.
I used an old torpedo heater that used a pump setup and sent kerosene to a jet. For a blower, I used an old turbo from my truck and simply put a small motor on it. I thought I was doing good, easy to get up and going (igniter from the heater), didn’t smoke much at startup, and by adjusting the pressure regulator could adjust the heat.
I played around with some brass and aluminum with the intent to work up to iron once I had everything in order. I figured I’d see just how hot it would get, so I put some iron in and turned up the pressure. I got impatient after 10 or 15 min and turned the pressure up more. It was too much for the motor to handle and it burned it up. Now I’m searching for a suitable motor to mount the pump to.

[ChipsAhoy]

Ahh, fuel pump. Makes perfect sense. Iron, we thought about it for awhile, but for our rare needs decided to let that pass... good luck tho.
Scotty

[Steggy]

What kind of electronics do you get into Tom?

Mostly play with simple smd electronics, along with some analog. The eyes and fingers have been making playing with 0402 resistors challenging.

My eyes and fingers have plenty of trouble playing with SOIC and SOJ packages. Forget those dinky resistors! http://sbc.bcstechnology.net

[Bill Shields]

Resistors that size make it very difficult to read the color bands

[TLutman]

I didn’t abandon the site. Lightning struck the telephone pole next to my house that brings my dsl internet to the house 5 minutes after my last post. Roasted my router and wire. That meant no internet, tv, or cell service for me until I drove into town.

I also was looking at a surface grinder on Craigslist. Thankfully no one had inquired before I got ahold of him today. Looks like I’m the proud new owner of a Reid 618P. I’m looking at picking it up this weekend.

[TLutman]

Resistors that size make it very difficult to read the color bands

Colors? I have problems seeing those on 1/4watt through hole resistors. Instead of the “what color is that?”, I just grab the dmm and see what it is. With the smd resistors it’s a number on them, which I have a microscope for. They come on paper reels, and I only pull enough of the film holding them on to get what I need. If it just disappears, I don’t put much effort into finding it. They are only a couple cents each.

[Bill Shields]

just looking to see how many people actually REMEMBER color coded resisters....

[TLutman]

I just wish the violet didn’t look like brown, which looks a lot like black. Forget the yellow.

[neanderman]

What kind of electronics do you get into Tom?

Mostly play with simple smd electronics, along with some analog. The eyes and fingers have been making playing with 0402 resistors challenging.

I'm getting (back) into analog and have been wondering -- is there a site similar to Home Machinist for dabblers in electronics? To date, I've mostly built simple power supplies, but have a notion to build some audio amps -- solid state and maybe tube.

Welcome aboard!!!

(Oh, and I'm a closeted train guy...)

[TLutman]

Try allaboutcircuits forum. I tend to look at many different blogs for mostly refreshing my memory. Tubes are what I originally learned, with only a dabbling in digital back in the 90’s. Theory on them was interesting, but I haven’t dealt with them since then and have lost most of my knowledge on them. Another group that might be helpful are ham radio clubs.