TV Test/alignment gear on the cheap (and small)

[Findm-Keepm]

Originally Posted by CoogarXR

You can get a free big mirror the first time you scrap a DLP TV! That's where mine came from, lol.

Back in the 70s, not too many DLP sets around.....the unbreakable prison issue one came courtesy of a local DMV that was closed for a while to install handicapped access. The contractor did business with dad, and well......we had an indestructible mirror. One bench mirror came from a hotel furniture sale, and the rest from an auctioneer that had to clear out some broken display cases - the mirrored backs were intact, but broke when removing them. Voila - disjointed mirrors for our 26' long main bench.

I musta carried that unbreakable mirror on 500 service calls. Dad behind the set, me acting as an easel. I could follow his gaze and know just where to aim the mirror.
Dad carried two caddies - one with parts and tubes, and the other with tools and test equipment. One Xcelite P8(Pocket "8" / 1/4" hex nutdriver, not to be confused with Motorola's "Flat 8"..) in his pants pocket and an Xcelite R183 (sans the pocket clip - shock hazard...) in his shirt pocket along with one of those fantastic PTS Gray Diddle sticks. Between the three, 99% of sets could be opened, adjusted, tested for Horiz Drive, or knocked around to find an intermittent...

Not to hijack the thread. OP/Vintage PC: Be sure to check out the mid-60's January and December issues of Radio Electronics. Huge Color TV and general TV focus in those issues, with lots of good info. I prefer to use the search function at ARH ( http://www.americanradiohistory.com/...IDX/search.cgi )to find specifics, as I have most of those issues, courtesy of Dad.

EDIT: Bob Andersen has extensive experience aligning IFs - see his many posts for some insight.