Picked up some antique and vintage test equipment

[Dangler]

Made another trip to Casper this morning and brought this equipment back for the cost of gas to get there, about $10.00.

Here's what I got:
Supreme 585 Diagnometer. (1938). Looks like brass for the panel. needs cleaned up.
Precision 10-54 Tube tester.
Paco (Precision) C-25 Cap tester. Has a horizontal display similar to an "eye tube" Works.
Weston 662 Oscillator. Nice condition. 1934.
Supreme Instrument Co. Model 7 C.R. Bridge and Signal Tracer.
Knight tube tester. Don't know the model yet.
Triplett 631 VTVM. Going to have to make up a battery pack for the 45V supply.
Knight VTVM. Model unknown yet.
Commercial Trades Institute VTVM. I think this was from a technical school like NRI.

Most of it will be used for display with my other vintage equipment, except for the Paco cap tester and Precision tube tester.

I know it's not worth much, but I just can't pass up vintage equipment.

[snelson903]

I like restoring old test equitment ,or using the nice metal enclosser to build something else ,thats if someone has already lost parts from it.

[DavGoodlin]

That VTVM looks similar to a Heathkit V-4 and an earlier RCA Voltohmyst I have. Maybe a pretty common deisgn. In 1975, built a Heathkit IM-18, also similar.

The Supreme 585 is interesting as most 30's equipment is. i have a Supreme (NYC)model 606 signal gen that is circa 1950s, real simple but works good enough for IF can touch-ups a fter installing a few new caps.

We had those Triplett 630's in HS, but don't rmember the 45v batt.

[Dangler]

The Supreme 585 was something the repairman would take to a customers house to work on a large radio. It is a tube tester, capacitor tester, volt meter, ohm meter, amp meter and a decibel meter and a couple of other functions I haven't figured out yet. There is an 01A tube that I haven't figured out what it's for either. It only lists about 60 tube types for testing.

There is a large cable with adapters to plug into tube sockets on the radio chassis for analyzing different circuits.

It has a lid with a handle for carrying around to different jobs. That's pretty much a workout in itself.

I been going over it checking for anything that looks bad, but found nothing. There are a couple of capacitors that I'm going to replace and then try and test a tube or two.

The face is etched copper that is really tarnished. If anybody has any tips or precautions about how to clean it, let me know.

[bob91343]

I used to have one of those Supreme units. Very nice, with momentary slide switches for various functions. As I recall, it wasn't a tube tester but had a cable you could plug into a tube socket, then put the tube in the tester, so you could measure voltages and currents.

Many useful ranges and functions.

The Triplett 630-NA is a great meter; I have one and it's accurate, with many nice ranges. I don't use mine for a couple of reasons but it's pretty good. I modified mine to use a wall wart in place of the unobtainable 30V battery for the high Ohms ranges.

The other stuff is fun but not terribly useful, in my opinion. I have a few items like these and would be happy to sell them off.

One thing I do have that might evoke some interest is a very old and very accurate digital voltmeter. Five digits, rack mount, .01% specs, Nixie tube readout. I have a picture if anyone cares. It works fine, and has an AC converter so it is both AC and DC up to 1000V and resolution about 100 microvolts on the low range. It's even autoranging! Built about 1962, solid state.

[earlyfilm]

Originally Posted by Dangler

Knight tube tester. Don't know the model yet.

Dangler,

In my opinion, it is a very good emissions tester!

If it was made in the 1950's, it was only known by its name "Knight Tube Tester" and by its catalog part number.

If it was made in the early 1960's, it was the 600, which later became the 600a, the 600b, etc., a probable tribute to Hickok who used the same number.

I've owned mine since 1958 and I am not the original owner, who built it. He decided that he was not cut out for electronics repair and traded it to me in exchange for repairing his ham transmitter.

It was still working when I last used it about 2000. I dug it out this summer and discovered that it now needs recapping.

The circuit is almost the identical to the Heathkit TC 1 & TC 2 which came out a little later and is based on an older Triplet circuit.

It was available in a metal case with no top and an a gray oilcloth covered wooden case with a cover. I think the wood case was replaced with a all metal enclosed one in the later years.

James