400 comes home, FULL CIRCLE......................

I have a "new" switch coming thru the generosity of another AK'er. I'm constantly amazed at the selfless generosity of the AK community.
Didn't do anything to the 400 today. Wife is now, after 3 weks in hospital, in a local nursing home/rehab facility due to a combination of things that affected her sense of balance and ability to get around. So she's there until she can get around un-assisted without falling, or her blood pressure bottoming out on her, and regaining muscle strength in legs. It's a PITA, but she wanted to go there. So I'm at home batching it, and with the dog's separation anxiety (seems everyone is falling apart but me at the time!!) I feel like I've got 4 more legs and a tail attached to my backside. I have to keep my mouth open so Lucy(the mutt) can see where she's going. Honestly, I really do feel like a siamese twin from the hip down (with 4 legs). The only time I have to myself is when I'm in the car and that ain't enough!

Reading all the posts in the threads keeps me from going INSANE, even tho there are guys on here that would swear I was nutz already! I'd agree with them but then I'd be paranoid. Just because there are guys in white jackets and restraints out there, doesn't mean they are there to get you. But the bets are they are just waiting for you to screw up. (They're coming to take me away, HA HA....To the Funny Farm, where the grass is green and life is wonderful) my apologies to the writer of the song for butchering his lyrics.....LOL! Time for some more Prozac and Downers....Take the REDS, MAN!! (Sorry Cheech.)

And the FUN NEVER STOPS!
 
Hang in there Larry
You have your fellow audio nuts to keep you sane

Always good to have a project and this pretty 400 is perfect
 
Larry, I hope your wife is feeling better soon!

...in the meantime, take care of the mutt... and keep working your magic on that Fisher gear!
 
Thanks Tom. She's getting better, I can hear it in the bitch sessions on the phone. It's nice and quiet now, (except for the Fisher going in the background) Peaceful! But when she gets home, The Tazmanian Devil ain't got nothin on her when she's got her back up.

MUTT is exactly what she is. Jack Russell, Beagle, probably some pit-bull in there somewhere. Just what I need at 62, a high energy dog! She's good for keeping my legs warm at night tho. Curls up against the back of my legs (bent) all night. Separation anxiety? Probably.
 
It's a good thing you're feeling better Don. IT shows in your posts. Keep up the good work.
Larry
 
The switch showed up in the mail from the land of many of the Queen's subjects up north. I can't spill Kanader:confused:. Oh Well we all know they are up there and they know were down here holding them up from slipping down and raising water levels an average of 25ft.:biggrin: I'll try to get to the 400 this weekend, but between the mrs in rehab, and me trying to get rid of 35 years of junk:mad:, working on both cars:rant:(whats all this plastic crap on top of the motor for??:thumbsdown:), the mowers(why does Honda overengineer their push mowers so you need a ASE Certification and a PHd in quantum Mechanics to remove the damned belt?) , chasing the dog around the backyard :eek:(Dammit Lucy that's my LAST PAIR OF SHOES!), it gets a bit busy.
 
New tubes also arrived, 6AU6's, 6AH6's, and 6BL8's all old stock. For the life of me I can't remember what the 6BL8 were for. Oh well, one of these day's I'll remember. All the Fisher branded IF Strip tubes got replaced with the Sylvies and put away. Now I remember, the 6BL8's are for the MPX-100's which I have to dig out and bring to the bench for some maintenance.
 
larryderouin said:
The switch showed up in the mail from the land of many of the Queen's subjects up north. I can't spill Kanader:confused:. Oh Well we all know they are up there and they know were down here holding them up from slipping down and raising water levels an average of 25ft.:biggrin: I'll try to get to the 400 this weekend, but between the mrs in rehab, and me trying to get rid of 35 years of junk:mad:, working on both cars:rant:(whats all this plastic crap on top of the motor for??:thumbsdown:), the mowers(why does Honda overengineer their push mowers so you need a ASE Certification and a PHd in quantum Mechanics to remove the damned belt?) , chasing the dog around the backyard :eek:(Dammit Lucy that's my LAST PAIR OF SHOES!), it gets a bit busy.
Click to expand...
I know what you mean, it takes me most of the day to just keep the dust off all my Fisher's. :biggrin:
 
6BL8, mixer/oscillator in a tunermaybe? I think HH Scott used them as the voltage amp / phase inverter in some things.
 
I ran thru all my tube gears manuals and the only thing that has 6BL8's is the late model (40001-49999) is the MPX 100 and the MPX section of the 1000A.
 
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Tried to do some more work on the Bias wiring, but the dog's separation anxiety is going in overdrive this weekend with the Rain and thunderstorms. She either tries to crawl up my a** or down my throat. So I put the harness on her and wrapped her in a copper fit back brace, around the chest, then leashed her so that she could run around next to me without being able to climb in my chair. Then the phone rings, wife wants me to bring some earrings down to the nursing home along with some French sewer water. "Have you got a boyfriend you aren't telling me about"?? "NO, It's for Church!" So I ran errands for her for 3 hours today and got absolutely NOTHING DONE! I'll be glad when she gets home, the dog will cling to her, and I don't have to drive all over the county looking for stuff she doesn't need but wants, and has at home. Plus I can go out in the shed and work, during the spring and summer. No PHONE, but I do have a bitch box (growler) and a handset for Sound powered phones that has a mate in the kitchen. Ring the Growler and talk into the handset. EMP Proof. No tubes, no electronics, just a switch box with a growler in it.
 
And when this one is done, Maybe work on a TA-600 for a good friend. When that is done, I'm gonna strip the KM-60 down and rebuild it. The wiring leaves a lot to be desired. The guy actually did good in following the instructions to the letter except for the part about securing the ends of the wire on the terminals, and took the drawings too literally with regard on how they show the wiring going into the individual terminals, but not looping around and mechanically securing to the terminal THEN soldering. I plan on getting a 50' roll of 20ga of each color of solid core wire then re-wire each wire in the KM-60 and doing the mechanical loop, crimp, then solder. I'm constantly chasing gremlins which end up being poor solder joints and lack of mechanically wrapped joints on the terminal strips. The wire pulls out of the solder joint and makes an intermittent. The factory done wiring (what little there is of it) is done nicely. It's just the kit joints are done poorly. He dressed the wiring nicely, but there is no slack to make the joints on both ends and have the wire dressed as required. See how the wiring goes in to terminal "A" on ST-12? straight thru, no loop back or crimping the loop. He did it that way on EVERYTHING. Just laid it in there and soldered it all in. It's a wonder it lasted 50+ years and works.

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I figure that should keep me busy on Saturday's and Sundays for the next 6 months or longer if SWMBO wants something.
 
The 400 is still sitting where I left off last installment. The trailer needs rebuilding so I had to rip off all the old wood, procure new stuff and drill all new holes in the frame for the new wood (what a PITA!) Between the rain and SWMBO calling wanting something else, and Dr. Appt's I havne't had time to eat much less work on the 400. It'll be sitting there when I get time and energy.
 
Finally got the trailer done. Now my 85 year old Dad is having trouble with initial onset Alzheimers, and mom had 2 blown aneurysm's 15 years ago and she's in her own little time / space continuum. I've been going to lower Delaware (2.5 hr's one way) weekly and getting stuff done around the house before winter. Dr's are juggling his cardiac meds to keep him going, but I've come to terms with him dying, they told Mom 2 years max, but told me about 6 months if that, he's that bad. It's frustrating watching him wanting to do something but his body won't do it. Even walking from his recliner to the car (about 30 ft takes about 10 minutes due to the stairs into the garage. Dad's brain is saying GO-GO-GO, but his body is going NO WAY IN HELL JOSE!!!!! Extremely frustrating as he still has that "OLD NAVY CHIEF" mentality where he can do anything. But his body is giving up the game, and he's having a hard time with it. I've got the duty all next week, so I have to be ready to go on a moments notice. Wed and thursday are Dr.'s appt's, so I'll have to stay overnight. Find a cheap motel and give them the number. I did give him my '56 Webcor Chorale Record Player and he plays his Glen Miller records on it. He's happiest when it's playing and he remembers things that are triggered by the music.

Wife is doing better but not driving yet. Now both the S-10 and the Jimmy have blown motor mounts (bad design!!!) The Jimmy is 22 years old and on the originals, while the Quadcab is on the 7th set since 2010. I'd rather drop the 4L60E with the 232transfer case on my chest than have to change those damned motor mounts AGAIN! The Jimmy I'll put stock mounts on, but the quadcab is getting JTR custom replacements that use the 2.8L bottom 1/2 and a solid upper that's custom made for the 4.3L. It's a better setup and I can eventually get a solid bottom 1/2 and really twist the frame. Also strapping the engine down with chains on both sides.

The 400 is still sitting there waiting for a a couple hours where I can sit down with absolutely no interruptions and finish it up. One of these days.
 
Sorry to hear about your folks. I understand though. My grandmom is also sort of in another universe these days and still doesn't believe that she can't walk without falling down. She hates the chair and refused to use the cane but pretty much every time she decided to go on a trek without she'd black out and end up on the floor. At 95, that is not exactly a good thing.

Also understand the S10 motor mounts. At least the aftermarket ones have the ears bent out a little more so you can access the bolts. It is a pretty weenie mount though. I replaced mine thinking it was the cause of a banging noise when starting the engine, but it turned out to be loose torque converter bolts. Luckily it didn't bust them off, that would have been inconvenient.
 
Totally understand how hard it is to watch otherwise mentally sound folks be restrained due to their physical condition. That's what happened to my dad in his final years to the point that he basically just gave up. His bags were packed and he was just waiting to go at any time. It's just a tough situation for all involved. Prayers for you as you work through these events Larry........

Dave
 
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