New toy: Spanking new ultra portable notebook!

Oh yeah! Got a new toy today, an ACER Aspire 1810TZ ultraportable notebook. There're 3 colours to choose from; a boring/usual black, superclean white and a groovy cool RED and I picked RED! ;)

My last notebook was bought more than 5 years ago and it's still serviceable except that by today's standard, it's too 'slow'..

Nice, isn't it?

I have been doing a lot of reading and research before decising on this. This is currently the 'Best value for money' for ultra portables.. Best part; It came with licensed Windows 7 Home Premium! Way to go ACER!

http://www.trustedreviews.com/laptops/review/2009/11/25/Acer-Aspire-Timeline-1810TZ---11-6in-Intel-CULV-Laptop/p1

Click the above link for a review..

Don't know if there would be any DIY projects before the year ends... we'll see.   

Finally, an oscilloscope!

Thats right! After searching around managed to get one, a 20Mz oscilloscope albeit an analogue one. Should suffice to cater my need for the time being and learning how to use one.. Digital would be good but I could not afford one just yet... BTW, its a secondhand unit..found through mudah.com.my
I have forgotten to mentioned that sometime last week,I got myself an audio generator. Also through mudah.com.my hence the need to get an oscilloscope! ;) 

Shown here the oscilloscope connected to the audio generator. Functional test for both units! This is the first time I fire up the audio generator to check for serviceability. Looks good, yes? :D

Close up of my latest 'toy'. It has two channels!

BTW, it did not came with any manuals.. but its easy enough to operate ;)

Deep cleaning the vinyls/LPs.. yes those black thin disc thingy!

I have been reading with interest a thread at audiokarma with regards to the above..
To cut a long reading short, some wood glue is applied over the vinyl surface.Once hardened, the flexi woodglue 'skin' is peeled off the vinyl leaving the surface spanking clean as all the gunks, gooey stuffs and what nots is lifted off by the hardened wood glue!
Over the weekend feeling experimental.. I did exactly that!
First, I head to the nearest and favourite hardware store and found this:

I picked this because it has to be applied manually.. other are tubed and need to use a pressurised applicator.. this is only a 'small job'. The word 'LATEX' somehow should serve the purpose as I did not want a hardened glue that I cannot peel off.. so far so good.. and it's affordable(read cheap!)

Reading the instructions, should served my intents and purposes.. Magic word here is 'WATER SOLUBLE'.. If things do go wrong.. I know its washable and would not damage my treasured vinyls...!
So far so good... 

To be continued... hang on!

More spending spree... on equipments/tools!

I can't simple refuse good bargains especially if it's in my wanted list.. over the weekend I got two items.
A Weller soldering station and a bench power supply with variable voltage and current with digital display!

Looks pretty good isn't it for RM100? Connected to my DMM, my DMM is showing 24.01V, good enough for me!

This was initially offered for RM100 but with together the above PSU, RM180! Thats RM90 each..

Tested, it works like a charm.. What great buy for the week.. !

Ortofon Super OM20 phono cartridge "Editors' Choice, Highly Recommended"

I just got to know the above just now!
Looks like it was a worthwile investment when I bought the Ortofon Super OM10 years ago! Will need to upgrade by just changing the stylus! ;)
Here's the extract that I want to brag:
"A summary of the review of the Ortofon OM20 Super:
According to The Absolute Sound, the Ortofon Super OM20 has an elusive quality of relaxed, easy listenability that makes it among the most appealing of all pickups. The Ortofon Super OM30 is fractionally more transparent, lively, and dynamic... Both are superb trackers and achieve a level of sonic/musical performance quite disproportionate to their bargain-basement price. Highly Recommended.
At the time of its review, the Ortofon Super OM20 was rated in the same performance category as the Shure V15VxMR."
Read all about it here.

New Project : 5687 tube preamplifier from diyparadise.

I have been fascinated by tube amp for a long time. What prohibits me from owning one is the PRICE! Had a chance to own one tubed headphone amplifier(Made In China product). It was 'okay' and I sold it soon afterwards as it runs too bloody HOT, could surely cook and egg (or two!)

A recent 'groupbuy' was initiated in one of the threads in lowyat.net forum and that rekindled the 'burning' fascination for tube amps that I ordered 2 sets of 5687 and 6X4 for the project! I read about a simple 5687 preamplifier awhile back. Link at the end of the page.

This is the 6X4 rectifier tubes made by National. Was on sale for USD9.95 at tubedepot.

The 5687 preamp tube made by Tung Sol, also on sale for USD9.95 from tubedepot.

Now I got to get the rest of the components.. The bulk of it will the the power transformer.. Will be going to Jalan Pasar this saturday to order a custom made tranny, having 350-0-350 and 6.3 secondary voltages...

my other worry would be the chokes which is part of the power supply.. 

Details of the project is here.

More later...

Tools - Pneumatic!

All these while I have been using  tools, either they're manually operated or electrically powered. A (long) while back I bought a used pneumatic compressor (cheap, I think) so that I can use it to power my future pneumatic tools. Looks like that day has finally come!
Yesterday a hardware outlet near my office, started their annual sale. Most stuffs are between 20%-30% off displayed price and seeing a pretty good offer, I grab myself my very first pneumatic tool; a HEAVY DUTY, reversible air drill made by HASAKI!

This is the label at the side of the box.

The hardware in the box, wrapping plastic removed. Beautiful, ain't it? Can't wait to use it..

The chuck capacity dia. is 10mm.. sufficient for my DIY needs.. I hope!

Saw a Hasaki grinder at a 'good' price too.. may be I'll grab it before it's gone...the sale ends this saturday!

BTW, no progress on the CD transport casing.. yet. I need 'something' which I could not figure out for the time being...