Tech Tips (was) roland 180 keyboard OT

[KA4HJH]

>Thanks for the swell tips. I'll post 'em up in my shop for my techs if I can
>find
>someone to translate 'em into whatever the hell language they babble 
>in all day
>long...

If your tips start to swell dunk 'em in kerosene. Let your techs fend 
for themselves. Make 'em put those two year Associate Degrees to work.


>A favorite of mine is to open the back of the cabinet, and cover the circuit
>boards
>completely with melted wax. Just like the japanese used to do on those
>transistor
>radios they sent us... the ones that used to work for a whole WEEK... shit I
>loved those
>things... peeple being 'em in for repair... I charge 'em $20, buy a 
>new one for
>$5, pocket the $15 ...  and tell 'em "It'll be ready in a week ... 
>if I can get
>the parts" Heheheh !!!

Down in hurricane country they fill cable TV line extender housings 
with red clay. How do you melt red clay without hardening it?


>But you can do the same to your Mini. Just get some old wax... candles are
>good... crayons are good too. Just take 'em from the kids. They'll 
>get over it.
>Cryin' good for them. Builds character !  Just melt down the wax, 
>open the back
>of the unit, and pour
>it in. DON'T use one of those sissy "double boilers" to melt the wax.

Good heavens no! If it doesn't get hot enough to catch fire it 
doesn't take properly. Might as well be using solder with no flux... 
And it has to be old wax. That stuff they make these days is 
worthless. Doesn't even come in the right colors for crayons anymore. 
I wouldn't let my kids use those pantywaist colors. Pukier looking 
than the "Web 216".

If you run out of wax you can always use colored plastic, like the 
kind they make banana jacks out of. You'll need a carbon arc to get 
the right melting temperature. Hold the metal socket between your 
thumb and forefinger while waving the torch with your left hand. The 
plastic should drip off into the aluminum can (empty all the beer 
from the can first) from a height of about three feet. This gives it 
time to form a tacky blob. The aluminum will sink a lot of the heat 
so make sure you have the laser turned up to at least 10 Watts, 
otherwise it'll just stick to the can when you try to swipe it out 
with your finger.

It's not as good as real wax but it'll do in a pinch.



>Can't get
>it hot enough that way. Ain't hot enough until white smoke come off the top of
>the pot. I
>like a nice open flame....

White smoke, blue flame. That's good stuff.


>BTW if you want YOUR Mini repaired I'm your man... I'm not cheap but I'm
>easy....

I heard on "the Internet" that the "mini" was coming back in style. 
But people might talk if I wore one in public.


Your Pal Barney