Tech Advice for all, and for all subjects

gyre · Post by **gyre** » Thu Oct 16, 2008 3:19 am

I can't tell size from those pictures.
Wattage and recovery time is important if you are doing large enough pieces or enough quantity at one time.
It is recommended to stick to american brands like Weller or Ungar, last I checked.
Some have interchangeable elements and many available tips.
Iron plated is best and we always plated with tin.
The monitored temperature tips are interesting.
I have no experience with them because when I needed a heavier iron, they still weren't making anything good enough.
I am told that has changed.

I use a 200 watt pencil type for stained glass with a diamond or chisel tip.
If I can find it, I have one I can let you use.
The weight makes them very stable for temperature.
I use a standard dimmer attached to a bulb as an indicator.
Works so I never made it any fancier.

The ones you heat in flame still work and some prefer them.
Heat is heat.

For cosmetic work, you probably want to pay special attention to your solder and flux.
There are many specialty solders out there.
Some do the same job as silver solder at lower heat.

For wiring you want 60% tin and non-corrosive solder.
I use 50/50 for stained glass usually.
There are many stains that can be used for solder and other metalwork.

I use irons from 15 watts and 45 watts up.
I use butane when needed but electric is easier.

Then there are torches too.

The main purpose of the pistol type is speed.
Usually little or no tip choice and heat control can be tricky.

Teo del Fuego · Post by **Teo del Fuego** » Thu Oct 16, 2008 8:32 am

Dork wrote:It depends on what type of soldering you plan on doing. If you're just soldering the occasional bit of EL-wire or installing a car stereo, any cheapo Weller and some thick flux core solder will do. You can get them at hardware stores or Radio Shack. If you're doing m

I dont think flux core is what you want for soldering wires like el-wire, car stereos, etc. I've been soldering this stuff for years with plain old solder For joining copper pipes, etc. yeah flux core we be good

gyre · Post by **gyre** » Thu Oct 16, 2008 3:37 pm

Do you mean rosin core?
I use multi-core rosin flux for electronics, 60/40 tin/lead.
I like oleic acid for stained glass.
I have used stronger acids in some cases, especially on old metal.

fciron · Post by **fciron** » Thu Oct 16, 2008 10:21 pm

Hey Fishy,

The projects your pics look like they used stained glass stuff: Foil tape around the edges of the glass, brush on a liquid solder (I like Stay-Clean.), lead-free solid wire solder (Stay-Bright or plumber's), and then apply with a mid-sized soldering iron with a wedge-tip.

I don't recall the ratings on soldering irons at the moment but try to find one with a tip that's a bit bigger than 1/4". A Weller iron from the hardware store or Home Despot is just dandy, you can probably get the biggest one they carry.

Post some pictures when you finish.

theCryptofishist · Post by **theCryptofishist** » Thu Oct 16, 2008 10:41 pm

That's right. Okay, that's some advice I can use.

el wire just scares me.

gyre · Post by **gyre** » Fri Oct 17, 2008 12:03 am

Liquid flux?
What's the advantage?
I've never used that particular mix.
http://www.chess.cornell.edu/safety/man ... clqsfx.htm

If these are small pieces and clean, I think oleic would work better.
Are you repairing, assembling or making from raw copper/ brass, etc?
Give us details.
Someone on here will have done anything you can think of with metal.

theCryptofishist · Post by **theCryptofishist** » Fri Oct 17, 2008 10:10 am

I have some pieces of copper and brass that look like etching plates, that I will work with...somehow.
Mostly, it's the glass slides business. Soldering them together, soldering jump rings on them, when I get good I have some ideas about altoids tins. So, small scale, non electronics, not repairing jewelry, but possibly using broken jewelry as pieces. Assemblage it what I'm yearnng towards right now.

gyre · Post by **gyre** » Fri Oct 17, 2008 6:53 pm

You shouldn't need a lot of wattage.
If you don't use a temp controlled iron, I suggest a dimmer or on/off switch to plug into.
You may find a good deal on craigslist or maybe a hamfest?
Practice and see how it goes.

If you want to tin your tips, you'll need tin or something to coat it and a strong flux.

If you decide to go with some of the more exotic solders, there are many to choose from,
I have found a slew in Hemmings for the car market.
Probably many more made for jewelry.

If you can't set up a dimmer, I'll make up a kit and send it to you.

I would think 45 to 60 watts would be adequate for an iron.
Usually bigger doesn't hurt, if tip size is appropriate.
15 watts would probably work for joints.

Toolmaker · Post by **Toolmaker** » Sat Oct 18, 2008 7:45 am

I forgot to mention.. I use a ColdHeat for small stuff. They can be bought almost anywhere these daysfor about 20 bucks.

fciron · Post by **fciron** » Sun Oct 19, 2008 3:41 pm

I like liquid flux because it is easy to brush on and can be easily rinsed off. When I use paste flux it seems like the piece is always greasy feeling afterwards. Paste flux works nice for copper pipes though.

gyre · Post by **gyre** » Mon Oct 20, 2008 12:01 pm

I have no idea what you're talking about when you say "ask".

Bill Gates
deposition

gyre · Post by **gyre** » Tue Oct 21, 2008 3:51 am

Rollable screen.
http://www.polymervision.com/
http://www.readius.com/

DVD Burner · Post by **DVD Burner** » Sat Nov 01, 2008 9:05 pm

Motorola Moving to Android, Windows Mobile for Smartphones

http://tech.slashdot.org/tech/08/10/31/2320258.shtml

nerdyH writes "Motorola will ditch its MotoMAGX Linux stack and UIQ Symbian stack in favor of Google's Android Linux/Java stack and Windows Mobile 6.5 and 7, it announced today. The news comes after five years selling millions of Linux phones in Asia, and after a year during which many of Motorola's top US phones used the homegrown Linux stack. Motorola's current Linux phones in the US include the RAZR2 v8, E8, EM30, U9, ZN4, and ZN5." This also comes alongside news that Motorola's financial hardships are causing them to cut 3,000 jobs. It also puts into perspective their recent plans to hire hundreds of Android developers.

ruphus13 writes "Google's Android is starting to see more industry support. Motorola recently announced plans, despite hardships within the company, to hire 300 Android developers. Quoting: 'A quick search of Motorola's job openings suggests that, indeed, Android is set to become a permanent fixture at Motorola, which has long built Linux-based phones but hitherto used MontaVista's Mobilinux. The goal? Move from an internal development pool of 50 Android-savvy developers to 350. Motorola, recognizing that most developers won't have deep experience with Google Android, is looking for a somewhat general skillset ... Java and Google Android programming experience is listed as 'highly desirable,' but not required.'" T-Mobile has already made plans to use Android as well. Xconomy has a related interview with a member of the MIT team that won a $275,000 prize in the Android Developer Challenge by creating an application to automatically modify a phone's settings depending on its location, which they say "wouldn't even be possible on an iPhone." We've previously discussed the Challenge itself and some of the other winning apps.

gyre · Post by **gyre** » Tue Nov 04, 2008 9:27 am

ATT to use internet caps in Reno.
Many places have them and don't tell you.
http://www.myfoxmemphis.com/myfox/pages ... geId=3.9.1

Post by **Elderberry** » Tue Nov 04, 2008 10:22 am

gyre wrote:ATT to use internet caps in Reno.
Many places have them and don't tell you.
http://www.myfoxmemphis.com/myfox/pages ... geId=3.9.1

Knew this would be coming. There are lots of those "secret" caps and limits when it comes to online services. Most if not all of those low budget/cheap/free hosting services that offer seemingly unlimited bandwidth and storage will cancel your account if you use the space for non-hosting (such as backing up or storing files) use, or if you use too much of the server's resources. You have to look real hard in the fine print of the TOS to find this out--or just wait until your account is suddenly suspended for violations of the TOS.

JK

Post by **mdmf007** » Tue Nov 04, 2008 5:02 pm

Ok - another backup question fer ya's

Anyone know how I can clone an exact copy of a drive so all i have to do is insert install the other drive into a like computer so its a clone? I wan to take my computer from home with me to a jobsite so I have 2 computers set up the same.

Im rolling vista and have 2 identical computers here and at work.

thx

DVD Burner · Post by **DVD Burner** » Tue Nov 04, 2008 5:38 pm

mdmf007 wrote:Ok - another backup question fer ya's

Anyone know how I can clone an exact copy of a drive so all i have to do is insert install the other drive into a like computer so its a clone? I wan to take my computer from home with me to a jobsite so I have 2 computers set up the same.

Im rolling vista and have 2 identical computers here and at work.

thx

Any disk manager will clone drives. For example if you are cloning with western digital drives there is "Data Lifeguard Tools". Most new drives come with a disk manager which is similar that does the same thing, or you can just got to their website and download them for free.
There is also partition magic. I have not used that in several years but I believe it still does it also.
One thing, usually when you put the drive into the new computer the drive wont come up right away. this is because usually the new computer has newer components that te old computer does not have. If you are doing xp just put the install disk in and choose "r" for repair once you get to the "which drive do you want windows installed to" screen.
I also believe you can skip this whole disk manager process in Vista. at the beginning of the Vista install there is an option to clone the old drive. but you need to have both drives in the new system for that to work and you have to also make sure your jumpers on the drives are correct.

Hope that helps.

Dork · Post by **Dork** » Fri Nov 07, 2008 6:52 pm

I used to use Drive Image to do what you're talking about but a problem started with XP - when you boot up on the second computer the OS recognizes it's on a different computer. It then tries to authenticate the copy. You can only authenticate a few times before it stops working.

With Windows 2000 or below it will work just fine. There may be some workaround but it may be cludgy. You'll also run into other problems if there are differences in hardware you aren't aware of - the specs and model number might be exact matches but if they were built in seperate batches there could be architecture differences which might cause really slow booting after a switch or instability.

How much stuff you do you need to be able to transfer between the computers? A USB drive and sync software might get you most of what you're looking for without disabling one machine if you forget to bring the drive with you.

wedeliver · Post by **wedeliver** » Fri Nov 07, 2008 7:26 pm

mdmf007 wrote:Ok - another backup question fer ya's

Anyone know how I can clone an exact copy of a drive so all i have to do is insert install the other drive into a like computer so its a clone? I wan to take my computer from home with me to a jobsite so I have 2 computers set up the same.

Im rolling vista and have 2 identical computers here and at work.

thx

Here is a link lots on info on cloning Vista

http://www.multibooters.co.uk/cloning.html

wedeliver · Post by **wedeliver** » Fri Nov 07, 2008 7:42 pm

I wanted to add before you go and try and clone a vista machine are they OEM machines? You might fry the hd by messing up the tattoo. Also it is probably aginst the EULA with Microsoft to clone the OS. Perhaps you should consider sync for the machines that way all your licenses are good and only data is shared.

Humm, posted the above and then thought to edit with the comment. Cloning the machines only creates the same machine for the short period until they are booted after the clone. the same events will not take place, the same data will not be entered in the same way. So from microsofts view (and OEM manufactures) you should sync the two machines. You allready said that the two computers are identical. So install the same software on the two computers, sync them up daily, and you will have true data sharing.

gyre · Post by **gyre** » Mon Nov 10, 2008 6:00 pm

Anybody like big screens?

Cracks me up when people call a three foot screen big.
Biggest I can find is 36 by 216.
And that's not a projected screen, it's physical.
I forget the pixel count, but it's high.

Post by **mdmf007** » Mon Nov 10, 2008 6:50 pm

The machines are identical in every way - and I have licenses for both, but even if I did not the EULA agreement, and Microsoft can get bent.

My Ipod is also full of pilfered music and I once got one of them boiler plate lawsuits from the Music industry attorneys.

I merely wish to make a clone copy of a drive to another, so either one will boot up a machine.

Captain Goddammit · Post by **Captain Goddammit** » Sun Nov 16, 2008 6:04 pm

Woohoo! I'm all excited 'cuz I finally got my Mac and Windows computers to transfer files directly.
Fuck I hate Windows.

wedeliver · Post by **wedeliver** » Sun Nov 16, 2008 8:38 pm

mdmf007 wrote:The machines are identical in every way - and I have licenses for both, but even if I did not the EULA agreement, and Microsoft can get bent.

My Ipod is also full of pilfered music and I once got one of them boiler plate lawsuits from the Music industry attorneys.

I merely wish to make a clone copy of a drive to another, so either one will boot up a machine.

If the machines are not OEM then just go ahead and make the clones. If they are for instance hp/compaq there is a chance that the hard drives have a "tattoo". If you have experience with cloning Windows NT os you should know what to do. What software do you use to make your clone?

Toolmaker · Post by **Toolmaker** » Mon Nov 17, 2008 11:07 am

gyre wrote:Anybody like big screens?

Cracks me up when people call a three foot screen big.
Biggest I can find is 36 by 216.
And that's not a projected screen, it's physical.
I forget the pixel count, but it's high.

Best to make your own these days.. projected of course using high res LCD.

www.lumenlab.com

gyre · Post by **gyre** » Mon Nov 17, 2008 11:30 am

Interesting.
I wonder how it would compare to a used high end projector?

I like front projection myself.
When you get large enough, it seems projectors can't compare to the brightness of LED screens though.

I remember when U2 first did their video setups with screens you could see against arc lamps.
I think they did it using multiple projectors to get the brightness.
That still works, but is pretty obsolete as an approach now.

I have heard of a type of theatrical projector that used high power lights and many change these out with cheaper lamps now.

Toolmaker · Post by **Toolmaker** » Mon Nov 17, 2008 12:01 pm

gyre wrote:Interesting.
I wonder how it would compare to a used high end projector?

Higher quality and brighter. The replacement bulbs are alot cheaper too, by making your own you can use more fans and keep the unit cooler allowing for longer run times without burning out the bulb. I've been making these 300-400 dollar projectors for about a year now and I sell em at 1000 which is 1/2 - 2/3 off retail.

Ugly Dougly · Post by **Ugly Dougly** » Mon Nov 17, 2008 3:00 pm

Why do photosensor sockets only work with incandescent bulbs?

Toolmaker · Post by **Toolmaker** » Mon Nov 17, 2008 7:59 pm

Ugly Dougly wrote:Why do photosensor sockets only work with incandescent bulbs?

Why can't Mr Fork and Mrs Electrical socket get along?

All I know is that CFLs don't work so good in dimmers unless designed to. We tried CFLs in one ceiling fan on a dimmer switch and the thing was flikerin somethin awful.

When I RTFM I usually do what it says.. most of the time.

gyre · Post by **gyre** » Mon Nov 17, 2008 8:17 pm

Ugly Dougly wrote:Why do photosensor sockets only work with incandescent bulbs?

What?
Are you talking about PIRs or photosensors?
I've run all sorts of things off of these.