How can anyone collect tools? /sarc
How can anyone collect tools? /sarc
I have no idea what those people are talking about 🙄
This past weekend I rebuilt the capacitor unit on my Minicam Synchro Junior B-C bulb flash. Opened up the old can (size of a C-cell), cleaned out all the old guts. Got a new 1000uF capacitor (was cheap on Amazon, and Prime, so arrived fast), with a 1K ohm resistor, and a diode to prevent ruining the electrolytic capacitor if I insert the battery backwards. I even found a 25mm round PCB circuit board from Radio Shack which is the perfect fit for the inside of the old capacitor can.
If I had been doing this in my Chicago home, I would have just picked up my old Weller iron and got to it. But, in Arkansas, I don't have my tools with me. So, naturally I had to get a nice Hakko FX888D-23BY Digital Soldering Station, some 63/37 solder (lowest melting point, for electronics), rosin flux, desoldering pump, some new pliers, wire strippers, and a new Digital volt / amp meter.
Hooked everything together, and it works!
Then, the Minicam camera bracket on the flash seems a bit flimsy (stamped and chromed brass). I'll reinforce it with an Arca-Swiss type plate underneath, held together by screws. Had to get new needle files, a 1/4" x 20 tap, and a tap wrench. Yes, there are some crude tap wrenches made in Asia, but the Rolls Royce of tap wrenches is made here in the USA: Starrett 93C T-Handle Tap Wrench, 1/4" - 1/2" Tap Size.
Ghastly expensive, but so beautifully made and machined. Truly a work of art to behold in the hand. So many online reviews of how this holds up to daily use in a machine shop for decades. Starrett is the Leica of tools.
After the positive Minicam experience, I went further and bought a beautiful Heiland Syncron (2 D cell) unit. I estimate that this is from the 1945 to 1950 era. The Minicam was nice, but the Heiland is a gorgous piece of work. I can't stand how people buy these things just to turn them into Star Wars light sabers. After cleaning contacts with 2000 grit sandpaper, and De-oxit, the Heiland works! Even the included HR-17 battery capacitor unit had a good capacitor, 375uF in capacity (checked with my handy DVM, above).
Well, I can't keep wasting good flash bulbs testing these units, so clearly I need a test light bulb. A couple of good 12V Ba15s incandescent bulbs should do the trick.
And on, and on.
However, I can't really see why anyone would want to collect something so utilitarian and functional as tools 😀
