Scope on a rope Re: [sdiy] I have seen the light (litteraly)

[Scott Gravenhorst]

Glad you explained that.  I have particular passion against the "Fonze"
methodology because I once worked with a guy who did this.  I observed him
doing it at a user's desk with the user right there.  I complained about it to
our manager, but his response was "John is an alcoholic, he does those things
when he's been drinking".  I figured, "fire the guy", but the manager said
only "we can't do that.  This company doesn't fire drunks, we attempt to
rehabilitate them."  He would arrive drunk, drink at lunch and had 2 bottles
of Vodka in his desk drawer.  Nothing ever changed, he was there another 4
years and continued to Fonze things.  It was my job to follow up after his
"repairs", which goes to my sensitivity.

"anthony" <aankrom at bluemarble.net> wrote:
>
>----- Original Message ----- 
>From: "Scott Gravenhorst" <music.maker at gte.net>
>
>
>> "anthony" <aankrom at bluemarble.net> wrote:
>>>I'm glad this thread started, it made me get really sad that my scope was
>>>broken. But then it seems to have fixed itself. I did give it "The Fonze".
>>>That helps a lot. I also refer to that as "percussive maintenence".
>>
>> A word to the wise:  While I saw my father do this and "fix" an ailing TV, 
>> it
>> is not considered a proper or good technique, should not be praised and is
>> highly discouraged.  If smacking the equipment "fixes" it, it is almost a
>> guarantee that the problem will return at a random time, probably a time 
>> most
>
>Good points and I agree. And while I did these things and joke about them, I 
>did not actually see it make an improvement. I said "that helps a lot" which 
>was an off-hand remark, which I suppose I should have qualified by saying
>"It didn't do a dem thing".
>
>The nature in which my scope came back to life was gradual. When I first 
>fired it up several days ago after leaving it sit for a long time one of the 
>time-bases seemed to be malfunctioning. Over time as I played with it (after 
>a few days of losing hope and almost giving up) it seemed to start working. 
>I messed with it for hours last night and it just seemed to get better and 
>better as I messed with it. This morning it's almost like it's even better. 
>But I am still a little worried in spite of being glad that it works, 
>because I do not know what was actually wrong with it. I did give it a very 
>close visual inspection inside. I was not able to look at the pots and 
>switches (which is where I assumed the problem was). Everything that I could 
>see looked fine. I couldn't say I know exactly everything I should have 
>looked for, but there were no loose wires, no cracked things, no patches of 
>corrosion (which is what I was afraid I'd find).
>
>One theory I have is that a thin film of gunk settled down inside the pots 
>and switches and messing with them a bunch wiped it away. When I first was 
>trying to get it to work everytime I moved a switch or pot the display would 
>show tons of noise. Now it does this very little.
>
>I don't really consider that to be a satifactory theory. I mean as far as 
>wanting that to be the problem because I have no way of knowing if it really 
>fixed itself or is just appearing that way for now. My experience has been 
>that once switches and pots get noisy they usually stay that way. But maybe 
>that's if it is only from wear.
>
>This is a scope that saw rigorous service at NWSC Crane and was retired from 
>duty. For whatever that's worth. I figure it means it's still good for audio 
>but not much else. That's my hopeful worst case scenario anyway.
>
>I stopped really using "The Fonze" technique when I had a guitar amp that 
>acted up. Those things can shock your ass off through a guitar and no joke! 
>I don't think I have (m)any lives left so I exercise caution at every 
>adventure.
>
>I use it as a facetious term akin to "waving a dead chicken bone over it".
>
>
>

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-- Scott Gravenhorst | LegoManiac / Lego Trains / RIS 1.5
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