Transformer heaven

Not far from where I live is a large metal scrapyard. They have a section where motors and transformers go to die, and a lot of what they get is from the local utility + military. Military and utility transformers are highly prized for Tesla coils and other HV experiments, so I really wanted in. My TC really could do with a decent upgrade!

A friendly chat to the workers eventually led me to the owner. This place has a reputation for allowing access to artists (sparks count as "art", surely), so it didn't take long. Access granted! All the blokes there were incredibly friendly and helpful during this.

Of course, my first visit to the place would not have been complete without taking some metal to recycle. So I took some aluminium cans for them, which they particularly appreciated as they'd first have to deal with the beer contained within.

It really is like a toyshop there, except the useful stuff is well hidden. This is what I faced when I went:

I could have spent hours there, but had to be elsewhere so only spent 15 minutes or so. Countless motors there, plus loads of transformers, such as those from microwave ovens, massive utility ones, and a few hefty 3-phase types. But no pole-pig or potential transformers yet (my real desires).

Despite this, I did come away with a beat up old Neon Sign Transformer, which is seen at the bottom of the left photo. And it works it seems! Stay tuned for a quick post on how I tested it "in-heap".

I suspect this will be a regular haunt of mine now, much to the detriment of the girlfriend..

Open Bench Logic Sniffer "case"

The Open Bench Logic Analyser is a cheap ($50) open source logic analyser board, which talks a standard (ie open) protocol to a PC client. Very useful!

As it's just a bare board, lots of people have designed and build their own case for it. Many are built with 3d printers and related methods. I did one too, but instead of going the real high tech route, I just used a slab of 6mm Perspex, cut into 3 pieces and with slots milled for the PCB to slide into.

Check it out:

Tidy those alligator leads!

Like any true electronics geek, I tend to have a decent pile of alligator clip leads (or "Croc clips" as they're known in .au) lying around the bench. They are incredibly useful for quickly hooking up connections without having to warm up the iron. Unfortunately they tend to end up in a pile, and tangle-free but accessible storage is always a challenge.

A few head scratchings didn't give me any real ideas for how to solve the problem. Bags and boxes end up tangled, hanging them off the shelves obscures access, and anything else was just too far to reach - I'm a firm believer that all frequently used bits should be in easy reach.