Doz' Blog: A sad end ... and a new beginning.

Monday 15 December 2014

A sad end ... and a new beginning.

Ladies and gentlemen, please. A moment of silence for the workshop's Weller TCP soldering iron.

Since 1995, it has provided many hours of soldering. Repaired countless electronic circuits. Outlasted two marriages. Been a loyal friend. Last month saw the need for a new tip. But, alas, the old one had seized into the element's housing. After a liberal soaking in Plus-gas (other penetrating oils are available), freezing & heating, the element failed to recover from the procedure.

Thankfully, a new element was just a day away (Here eBay is not your friend. Elements on eBay were very expensive. I got mine from RS Components)

The iron-y (ouch!) is that you need a soldering iron to fit it. Anyway, I have several irons, but none so good as the venerable Weller!

Here's to the next 19 years of service!!

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Disclaimer.

Many pages on this blog describe working with high voltages, and vintage equipment. Sadly in this day of litigation, and common sense being absent, I must publish a disclaimer.

WARNING. Do NOT try these things at home. Most of the equipment I deal with in these pages uses high voltage, it will floor you or kill you if you come into contact with it. It will not warn you, blow a fuse, nor pull your safety trip. It may not give you a second chance. RESPECT IT'S AUTHORITY.

Many pages describe working with mains, or dealing with mains powered equipment which may have exposed mains connections inside the enclosure. Pull the plug and isolate before removing covers! Some equipment, in particular valve (tube) amplifiers, television sets and switched mode power supplies, can store high voltages for a considerable period of time after the power has been removed, especially if a fault condition exists. Always check and safely discharge capacitors. Safety is paramount.

There is risk of exposure to chemicals and physical debris. Precautions I take include, but are not limited to, use of rubber gloves, fume extraction and safety glasses.

All material on these pages is provided 'as is' without warranty of any kind, either expressed or implied. I will not, under any circumstances, accept liability should you injure, or kill yourself repeating any of the content of this website.

Always seek professional advice if in ANY doubt.

By entering and using this website, you agree to the above disclaimer. Play safely. I need all the readers I can get ;)

All of the delightful prose, imagery and video are copyright © 2014-2024 by A.G.Doswell unless otherwise stated, and may not be copied, reprinted or used elsewhere without the express written permission of A.G.Doswell. Just ask!

Not a business.

I repeatedly get requests, via messaging etc, asking me to fix their kit for them. This is just a hobby for me. I don't take on repairs on a commercial basis. The idea is to give my readers an insight into what's involved, and enable them to fix their own gear, (within the realms of safety of course), and I'll always help if I can. It's really for my own enjoyment and entertainment. It all started out with a simple website to actually document what I was doing, rather than making copious notes on paper, which I'd been doing since the late 80's. It was a friend that suggested I should make it all public, so I did. I never dreamed anyone else would find it interesting, and yet, I get around 200 people visiting everyday, which astounds me even to this day. So, sadly I can't fix your gear for you. Take it to a local firm. There are still a few TV repair places dotted about, a good few repair cafe's operate up and down the country, and see if you can find a tame radio ham who may share some of their knowledge and experience. There are a few "Makerspaces" dotted around the country, and they may be willing to help. I currently work as an engineer in the broadcast industry, and, until that changes, this will just remain a hobby. Thanks. Doz.

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Monday 15 December 2014

A sad end ... and a new beginning.

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