Let's See Your Vintage Electronic Testing Equipment

[Mark in Indiana]

Hello GJ Friends:

Growing up in the 1970s, many of us dreamed about a career in electronics when we grew up. Many were hobbyists. However, I haven't seen much discussion about vintage electronic test equipment.
For your review is a Tektronix #465 oscilloscope, with OEM cart (known as a Scope-mobile). Circa 1974. Won at an auction a few weeks ago. I hadn't used an oscilloscope in >43 years. Plenty of good videos on the subject, so it's fun to re-learn about them.
The old testing equipment may not be what's available now, but they're so cool!

So, dust off your electronic test equipment and tell us about them.

 

[Two Sheds]

The 465 was my favorite scope of all time. Though it lacks storage, and is slower than later scopes (and, oh yeah, it has 2 channels and not 4), the control layout is so intuitive that I could almost adjust it wit my eyes closed. The easiest to use scope ever. I only have one Tektronix scope in my garage, but it is a later 2400 series with digital storage. It's about the same size, though.

 

[theoldwizard1]

That's not old ! A 555 is old ! You had to let them warm up for an hour before using them.

The modern 'scopes are amazing ! Digital (of course) 4 channel. 12 bit, 70 MHz, couple hundred dollars.

 

[bonneyman]

You had to let them warm up for an hour before using them.

For a second I thought you were talking about me when I get up in the morning!

I don't do mornings well.

 

[chasinfram]

Here’s my contribution…too spooky to test with.

 

[Mintgrun]

I have a few Allen testers that are similar. I like the spring loaded collapsible handle on top that pops up when you push the button beside it.



Here's what's inside of mine.







They don't make them like that anymore. I found the manuals for a couple of mine on the archive site.


https://archive.org/details/allen-model-e-301-operating-instructions/mode/2up





KALAMAZOO, MICHIGAN.



One of these days I'll have to test these testers, to see if I need to fix them; so I can test the ignition bits, to see if I need to fix them.

One of these days.

 

[chasinfram]

I didn’t look inside out of fear. The exterior cables are totally ruined, insulation cracking off. The case is rusty on the bottom so I imagine the inside is pretty tough too. I also admire the snappy handle, that’s a totally over engineered, super cool apparatus.

 

[CoogarXR]

I just sold my "vintage" (1998) Tektronix TDS-340A last year and downsized to a handheld scopemeter.

When I get some time I'll see what vintage goodies I have in my shop.

 

[d42jeep]

Here is the Allen scope my partner and I used from 1976 to 1982.
I‘m on the right.
-Don

 

[d42jeep]

An early Edelmann timing light in the box.
-Don

 

[cgrutt]

I don't have them anymore but used to like building Heath kits. I built a digital oscilloscope that interfaced with my DOS-based PC and it's green monochrome CRT - high tech lol. Also built a digital frequency counter and a power supply IIRC.

Pic of oscilloscope from internet

 

[Mike'smeatshop]

I don't have them anymore but used to like building Heath kits. I built a digital oscilloscope that interfaced with my DOS-based PC and it's green monochrome CRT - high tech lol. Also built a digital frequency counter and a power supply IIRC.

Pic of oscilloscope from internet

Yea. That was back in my day also. Wrote some programs in REM for running groups for spreadsheets and the Trout Hatchery I worked at for the fish in each raceway. I lifted some small businesses back then.

 

[cgrutt]

Yea. That was back in my day also. Wrote some programs in REM for running groups for spreadsheets and the Trout Hatchery I worked at for the fish in each raceway. I lifted some small businesses back then.

Excel wasn't even a thing LOL. I remember starting out on SuperCalc in college. Then Quatro Pro. Then Lotus 123. Did a lot of macros in Lotus everybody in office thought it was black magic ha ha...

 

[Zebedeewesty]

Not particularly vintage, only 40 or so years old.




I've got my dad's old AVO meter and oscilliscope at my mum's. Haven't got around to picking them up yet.

 

[senlow]

Here is my Snap-on diagnostic cart with meters.

 

[Mark in Indiana]

Here's my Beckman 3010 digital multimeter. Found in a drawer of a tool cabinet that I won at auction
Very much like the Beckman 310 I had in college, in the early 1980s.
These were the industry standard back in the day.

 

[BombShelter]

Gotta keep my boomboxes working!




I used to deliver office supplies to Allen Company, the red-haired ******* the dock was hit or miss, one day I hand unloaded a couple skids of paper while she watched. When I got back to the warehouse she had called and said she needed the paper moved over 30', and this was around 5 O'clock. I'm sure you guys that worked there know exactly whom I'm talking about!

 

[humber2]

Gotta keep my boomboxes working!

This is the most used meter I have.

It puts a modest load on cells being tested in its action.



Edit. The Part # on the rear is PF2086

 

[senlow]

Here's my Beckman 3010 digital multimeter. Found in a drawer of a tool cabinet that I won at auction
Very much like the Beckman 310 I had in college, in the early 1980s.
These were the industry standard back in the day.

It's no fluke.

 

[Provincial]

I picked up these two testers about thirty years apart. The Trouble Shooter came first. It came from an estate sale, and works, except for the missing light bulb for showing leakage from a capacitor. I understand that the missing bulb uses neon, but I have no idea what the specifications are. It needs better lead wires.

The Coilmaster obviously is to test ignition coils. I haven't tested it yet, but it at least looks good.

I found a listing for the Trouble Shooter in a 1937 catalog, so that establishes the vintage, since the Coilmaster seems to be contemporary.

 

[humber2]

A smaller Eveready alongside for most small batteries except hearing aid ones it says is Model #W35

 

[Mintgrun]

I've got a slightly different version of the Trouble Shooter. I found a replacement Neon bulb for it on eBay, for $25. I went to a radio forum and a guy shared the Trouble Shooter's instruction file with me. Then I dropped a C-clamp on the bulb and have not bought another. They are kind of hard to find. The computer with that instruction file passed away, so I don't have that anymore. Playing around with the tester, I learned that it can give you a good jolt!


This setup showedup on FB marketplace on the Seattle side of the sound. It sold pretty quickly for $150.


Unfortunately there was an error in the closeup photo of the gauges. The one on the left is an Acroset Volt/Amp meter, the one next to it is a Trouble-Shooter condenser tester. In the middle there is a Coil Master. Next to that is the Dwell meter / Tachometer and on the far right is a Mixture Master combustion indicator.




The Sun 404 distributor tester led me down this rabbit hole. That's been a very useful piece of equipment. I bought a capacitor kit and that got it up and flashing again.



The Sun Tune-up-Tester set was a CL find that came on a cart I am using under the distributor tester.



The "KING" model F-12 coil and condenser tester is still in working order. I had to replace the leads. The ones for the sun testers are crunchy as well.



Here's what's inside of that one. Notice the little motor with a cam and breaker points.



There's an adjustable gap for the coil's spark to jump.



Testing... one, two, three.

 

[chasinfram]

I don't have them anymore but used to like building Heath kits. I built a digital oscilloscope that interfaced with my DOS-based PC and it's green monochrome CRT - high tech lol. Also built a digital frequency counter and a power supply IIRC.

Pic of oscilloscope from internet

We were (almost) an exclusively Heathkit family. My Dad built radios receivers amps and finally a color television. The TV, upon completion, had to go to a technician who discovered repaired a cold solder joint.

 

[Jerriffic]

A couple oldies from my father's estate. General Electric amp probe and Simpson Volt/Watt meter,
Probably early 60's

 

[d42jeep]

A couple of Peerless tools and a Hawk current indicator.
-Don

 

[Miss the Pontiacs]

Here is the Allen scope my partner and I used from 1976 to 1982.
I‘m on the right.
-Don

So is that like Larry and his brother Greg and his other brother Greg. I thought there were laws against that kind of thing in California.

 

[d42jeep]

We were too cheap to get coveralls for the series of High School kids that did cleanup. They had to wear Greg’s slightly dirty ones. The one in the middle was actually Scott, who ended up working for me years later at the auto parts store. He was a great guy. Here is Rory, another young helper, no doubt wearing Greg’s coveralls as well.
-Don
-

 

[steel 35]

One that may still be used, and one I sure won't.

 

[Ayrhead]

Here’s most of my big stuff…

 

[Ayrhead]

Here’s some of the smaller stuff…

 

[Ayrhead]

Here’s some older test equipment

 

[Ayrhead]

And a couple more…

 

[Ballinator]

AC Delco engine analyzer. This was working 20+ years ago when I got it at a garage sale.
There's little lights on the side of each bar on each meter. When you select a particular test, the appropriate lights light up.
It has a port on the back for leads so you can use it as a regular volt/ohm meter.
At one point I made a custom cable for it, but can't find it..

 

[Ballinator]

Just dusted off this Bell & Howell Nixie tube multimeter.
I suspect this was made back when they owned Devry for some sort of correspondence program.
It was made by Heathkit.
The glow from the tubes is mesmerizing, I think I could watch the digits count up and down all day...

 

[Ballinator]

Some kind of signal generator.
A very small scope, and a very large voltmeter.
I want to get the scope up and running at some point.
The meter has stickers on it indicating it came from Boeing.

 

[Mike'smeatshop]

Just dusted off this Bell & Howell Nixie tube multimeter.
I suspect this was made back when they owned Devry for some sort of correspondence program.
It was made by Heathkit.
The glow from the tubes is mesmerizing, I think I could watch the digits count up and down all day...

Me and my Dad worked on old tv's back in the day and I never heard of the Nixie Tubes. Great info. But one project waiting till I get back on my feet.

 

[Mike'smeatshop]

And I still have few of Dads old equipment.

 

[Beerhippie]

Here is the Allen scope my partner and I used from 1976 to 1982.
I‘m on the right.
-Don

Yep. Hair checks out for late '70s-early '80s!

Here's my only "vintage" meter I have around the shop:





Sperry Instruments "Snap 6" AC Volt, Amp and Ohmmeter. I don't have the leads, which screw into the back. We used this for years for diagnosing pump motors around the brewery, mostly as a clamp-on ammeter. It was superseded by a Fluke 112 and various kit for it.

 

[Copymutt]

Two of my vehicles still benefit from the dwell meter

 

[Mark in Indiana]

A few weeks ago, I won a Biddle megger at an auction.
Output voltage is a little over 500 volts. Shows the correct reading testing a 1 megohm resistor.
Hope to find a copy of an original owners manual.
EDIT: Just found that it was probably manufactured in the late 1970s.