It just struck me how sad it is, when I look at the pictures, some of you guys sit on tonnes of old transformers and stuff you would probably never get around to using in this life... while there are those of us, who have to scrounge sometimes to even just get a polyester cap.
I would suggest if you find yourself guilty of this that you go and find one nice thing in your stack (like a small tranny etc) and offer it to someone less fortunate!!!
You'd have one less piece of junk, and one more life long friend.
I would suggest if you find yourself guilty of this that you go and find one nice thing in your stack (like a small tranny etc) and offer it to someone less fortunate!!!
You'd have one less piece of junk, and one more life long friend.
Most people in places where you dont have to scrounge unfortunetly can have a hard time finding a friend who couldnt care less. Its all Ipods and the flavour of the week, everything is disposable. 
My basement is getting clogged with stuff that would otherwise be sent to the landfill, or scrapyard at best.
My basement is getting clogged with stuff that would otherwise be sent to the landfill, or scrapyard at best.
Just put it out there... I bet some 15 year old, future Nelson Pass, who just burns to do his first electronic project could come along...
Not everyone is priviledged, not even every american.
Can I get an idication from some more members if they will support a "Junkpile donations and requests" thread, maybe under trading post?
Common we have over 400 post here bragging about how much **** we have...
Not everyone is priviledged, not even every american.
Can I get an idication from some more members if they will support a "Junkpile donations and requests" thread, maybe under trading post?
Common we have over 400 post here bragging about how much **** we have...
Maybe a forum for swapping components?
Not quite the same thing as you are talking about, but I have many times thought about the possibility of people swapping components with each other. Suppose we had a forum for posting components we need and components we can offer. Just as an example, say that I need a few JFETs of a particular type, which I would have to order from abroad with a lot of extra handling and shipping costs etc. Perhaps somebody else can buy these easily, or simply has a surplus stock of them, but this person needs, or could at least make use of, some other component that I can buy easily, or happen to have a lot of, say a particular op amp. We could then try to agree to swap mabye ten JFETs for three op amps, or whatever. Then we simply trust each other and mail these to each other.
I don't know how well, or even if, it would work. One obvious problem is that we would have to trust each other, but I hope that would not turn out a big problem. Anyway, you would only swap with people you decide to trust. Another problem might be that some people would tend to always be the ones offering components, and some would be the ones always asking for components. But that is self regulating, I think. If you have a lot of components and don't need anything else, you have no need to participate unless you simply want to help other people out of kindness. If you ask for components, you must have something to offer. Some people live where there is a constant difficulty to buy most components, so how can they use the system? Well, they could occasionally buy a "stock" of components they know other people will ask for once in a while, and use these components to trade for others.
So what's the point if you are one of those people who will have to stock up components to participate? Well, you often don't need in advance exactly what components you will need. You will once in a while find yourself in the situation where you need just e few of a particular transistor, or perhaps a few resistors with unusual values or whatever, or mix of some components. You could place an order, but that can quickly turn out costly. There is shipping and handling, and maybe customs fees. Some companies also have minimum orders and if you need several things, you may not even be able to buy them from the same dealer. In the end it can turn out very costly for just a handful of transistors, or whatever.
This idea is primarliy intended for small amounts of things that can be easily mailed as letters, although if people want to start sending transformers and stuff to each other, then thats possible too. There is of course already a forum for people selling components, but they don't have everything and the main point would be to get rid of the moneyhandling entirely, by exchanging components for components. Yes, it is old fashioned and the tax authorities wouldn't approve of it if happening on a large scale, but things like this is coming back in local communities in many countries, so why not in an internet community?
What do you think?
Not quite the same thing as you are talking about, but I have many times thought about the possibility of people swapping components with each other. Suppose we had a forum for posting components we need and components we can offer. Just as an example, say that I need a few JFETs of a particular type, which I would have to order from abroad with a lot of extra handling and shipping costs etc. Perhaps somebody else can buy these easily, or simply has a surplus stock of them, but this person needs, or could at least make use of, some other component that I can buy easily, or happen to have a lot of, say a particular op amp. We could then try to agree to swap mabye ten JFETs for three op amps, or whatever. Then we simply trust each other and mail these to each other.
I don't know how well, or even if, it would work. One obvious problem is that we would have to trust each other, but I hope that would not turn out a big problem. Anyway, you would only swap with people you decide to trust. Another problem might be that some people would tend to always be the ones offering components, and some would be the ones always asking for components. But that is self regulating, I think. If you have a lot of components and don't need anything else, you have no need to participate unless you simply want to help other people out of kindness. If you ask for components, you must have something to offer. Some people live where there is a constant difficulty to buy most components, so how can they use the system? Well, they could occasionally buy a "stock" of components they know other people will ask for once in a while, and use these components to trade for others.
So what's the point if you are one of those people who will have to stock up components to participate? Well, you often don't need in advance exactly what components you will need. You will once in a while find yourself in the situation where you need just e few of a particular transistor, or perhaps a few resistors with unusual values or whatever, or mix of some components. You could place an order, but that can quickly turn out costly. There is shipping and handling, and maybe customs fees. Some companies also have minimum orders and if you need several things, you may not even be able to buy them from the same dealer. In the end it can turn out very costly for just a handful of transistors, or whatever.
This idea is primarliy intended for small amounts of things that can be easily mailed as letters, although if people want to start sending transformers and stuff to each other, then thats possible too. There is of course already a forum for people selling components, but they don't have everything and the main point would be to get rid of the moneyhandling entirely, by exchanging components for components. Yes, it is old fashioned and the tax authorities wouldn't approve of it if happening on a large scale, but things like this is coming back in local communities in many countries, so why not in an internet community?
What do you think?
I like the idea a lot and as long as people maintain the idea of simplicity in their minds it would work. They have to turn off the calculator in their heads. Remember why money was invented?
Also, on a more technical matter, its no likely that a new forum will be created at the moment but using the trading post with the prefix ‘Swap’ or ‘Free’ in the header of the thread would probably work for the time being.
Why not start a new thread on this matter. I’ll happily move these posts if enough interest.
/Hugo
Also, on a more technical matter, its no likely that a new forum will be created at the moment but using the trading post with the prefix ‘Swap’ or ‘Free’ in the header of the thread would probably work for the time being.
Why not start a new thread on this matter. I’ll happily move these posts if enough interest.
/Hugo
pinkmouse said:A very good idea, and one I thought of a while ago!. We are waiting on our new software and server before we make any changes to the forum though. Dan, our dedicated software/systems/engineering guy has pushed this software about as far as it can go!!!
I thought of it long long ago, but don't think I have ever suggested it before.
No new software should be needed, unless you are thinking of luxuries like a database of component supply and demand.
Netlist said:
Of course, we have to stop thinking about every cent. The idea is to save a lot in both ease and money compared to ordering abroad for just a handful of stuff, so what's a few dollars or euros in the end?
Yes, please start a new thread. I should maybe have done that, but didn't feel like starting a new thread for something that perhaps wouldn't get any takers.
OK, let me get the ball rolling so we can see what is involved. I've choosen these because i have a lot of them, they are light (so post won't be onnerous) and easy to pack....
These are heavily flared elliptical ports from Monsoon woofers. There are actually 2 sizes but all the small ones are still captive in their boxes (hopefully the combination of MDF and the rainy winters in Victoria will cause them to fall apart).
And if someone figures out an equivalency to a more pedestrian port, i may be able to use some myself.
If i can't give these away, or find a use for them, they become raw material for a local company that makes plastic framing lumber & park benches.
You pay shipping + a small amount for handling (ie pay for packing tape). A small donation to the board would also make me feel better about packing them up.
dave
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These are heavily flared elliptical ports from Monsoon woofers. There are actually 2 sizes but all the small ones are still captive in their boxes (hopefully the combination of MDF and the rainy winters in Victoria will cause them to fall apart).
And if someone figures out an equivalency to a more pedestrian port, i may be able to use some myself.
If i can't give these away, or find a use for them, they become raw material for a local company that makes plastic framing lumber & park benches.
You pay shipping + a small amount for handling (ie pay for packing tape). A small donation to the board would also make me feel better about packing them up.
dave
picture
Attachments
Hello!
Me too have many things at home that cannot find a use. I would happily donate such things (please, Italy only, postage will be excessive!). Like these:
- RCF 40W PA mono amp... he's oscillating now, when I'll get my scope I'll take a look. It has even 300ohm output with an output transformer!
- Philips thing to hear music throught telephone line (don't know the english word, for us it's filodiffusione).
- Power transformer: multiple primaries (for all the voltages), 40V no CT secondary, 7.5V secondary. Salvaged from an old amp (you can guess the quasi-complementary design by noting that it hasn't a center tap )
- HP 60MHz scope probes: I have a few exceeding...
And many other things...
Me too have many things at home that cannot find a use. I would happily donate such things (please, Italy only, postage will be excessive!). Like these:
- RCF 40W
PA mono amp... he's oscillating now, when I'll get my scope I'll take a look. It has even 300ohm output with an output transformer!- Philips thing to hear music throught telephone line (don't know the english word, for us it's filodiffusione).
- Power transformer: multiple primaries (for all the voltages), 40V no CT secondary, 7.5V secondary. Salvaged from an old amp (you can guess the quasi-complementary design by noting that it hasn't a center tap
)- HP 60MHz scope probes: I have a few exceeding...
And many other things...
Personally I don't think we need another forum, just post it for Free or free surplus in the trading post as is done now. Just be prepared for covering the packing and shipping yourself as I suspect that some of those transactions won't be completed unless the money is sent up front.
Hey Dave, do we get everything behind the port also?
planet10 said:
Hey Dave, do we get everything behind the port also?
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