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Where To Get Sets and Parts For discussions about swapmeets, rallies, NVCF and BVWS, car boot sales, antique and charity shops, dealers, newspaper adverts, the local tip and just about any other source of equipment (other than eBay). |
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28th Oct 2011, 7:59 pm | #1 |
Octode
Join Date: Jul 2011
Location: Leicester, Leics. UK.
Posts: 1,681
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Scrap parts
I am wondering where/if folk obtain junk kit for parts. I have recently sold off a couple of items, and have been very pleased, as besides realising some badly needed cash the things went to a good home, and are being conserved.
At the same time, I am thinking of constructing things, and shocked stupid at the cost of bits and bobs. Vintage stuff, even unrestored, seems worth far more in terms of scrap, even for the knobs, than the sale price fetches. Eg, osciloscopes and sig gens - I'm repairing a genny at the moment, and have already spent as much as I can get one for. Really, I would say that any valve generation stuff shouldn't be destroyed. I'm wondering about people's attitude to this - do they buy stuff to dismantle, for cases, knobs and dials, variable condensers, valves, etc, and if so, how to draw the line and where to get them from? Tony |
28th Oct 2011, 8:15 pm | #2 |
Dekatron
Join Date: Feb 2005
Location: St.Ippolyts, Hitchin, Hertfordshire QRA IO91UW
Posts: 3,517
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Re: Scrap parts
I tend to buy stuff to get parts, I think we all do.
eBay, amateur radio rallies, auctions, classified ads, on here.... the list goes on. Once it is known you like playing with "old valve rubbish" you will tend to attract donations of unwanted stuff. I wouldnt knowingly destroy a set that is restorable, unless it was very common. Otherwise with scopes and test gear, it really depends on condition - a lot of valve based gear is pretty long in the tooth, or too bulky for the average home workshop - it has to be spotless and not too expensive to repair to make it worthwhile. HTH Sean
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Engineers make things work and have spare bits when finished |
28th Oct 2011, 9:01 pm | #3 |
Retired Dormant Member
Join Date: Nov 2009
Location: Carmarthen, Wales, UK.
Posts: 79
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Re: Scrap parts
I tend to find our local boot markets turn up quite a lot of usefull stuff, eg power supply for a WS19 set week before last, £4.50 with some othe bits included.
I've stripped stuff just for nuts bolts and wire in the past. I won't knowingly break rare stuff if I can avoid it. |
28th Oct 2011, 9:06 pm | #4 |
Nonode
Join Date: May 2007
Location: Preston, Lancashire, UK.
Posts: 2,510
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Re: Scrap parts
My problem is that unless something is already in a bad way, with parts robbed and extra holes drilled, I find it very difficult to scrap anything!
As an example, a few years ago I bought an Admiralty Pulse Generator Type CT395 for next to nothing (although the postage was quite a lot!) as it looked to be full of useful parts - lots of valves, paper block capacitors, transformers etc. It's of no practical use to me, and presumably to anybody else which is why it was so cheap. But it is so beautifully made it is a work of art, so I've not removed anything and probably never will! Andy |
28th Oct 2011, 9:14 pm | #5 |
Hexode
Join Date: Jan 2011
Location: Aberdare, South Wales, UK
Posts: 403
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Re: Scrap parts
Errr, that's me.
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Richard Last edited by Paul Stenning; 29th Oct 2011 at 7:08 pm. Reason: Tidied the quote |
28th Oct 2011, 10:19 pm | #6 |
Octode
Join Date: Jul 2011
Location: Leicester, Leics. UK.
Posts: 1,681
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Re: Scrap parts
Yes, I guess I should try rallies etc - although getting there means you spend a bit before starting! I find local car boots pretty useless. Anything old tends to be on a dealers stall and overpriced. Scrap yards and the tip used to be my staple. And this site of course, pretty good.
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