To learn electronics in a very different and effective way, and gain access to Mr Carlson's personal designs and inventions, visit the Mr Carlson's Lab Patreon page here: www.patreon.com/MrCarlsonsLab

Rainy days are perfect for bench working. More humid = less static.

Paul, I’m sure you are told this with great regularity - you are an absolute treasure trove of calm, confident professionalism and a wonderful source of electronics and other technical knowledge on a depth and breadth that is most uncommon. Coupled with that, you have the knack of explaining in a perfect manner - you don’t assume or condescend, but also you don’t overwhelm. And you never ever mock *OR USE FOUL LANGUAGE* You need a medal old bean. Incidentally, does your wife come into the workshop and adjust the exposure and white balance for the videos? I know you ask her to use her photographic expertise on some of your stills - everything always looks SO “golden” - sharp, clear, warm and authentic.

As much as i love learning from your videos, i love that they calm me down when i am stressed. Your voice and gentle delivery really sooth me as i am sure it does others too! Thank you for your great content!

Mr Carlson, I am wonderfully impressed with the wealth of knowledge, and experience you have and share. l. I was trained in the U.S. Air Force as an electronic Tech in the late 60's and have forgotten so much that a lot of your videos are part refresher and part new information. We never repaired the testing equipment we used, so these videos are simply great to see the inside of your equipment. What really amazes me about your videos is: WHERE DO YOU FIND THE SCHMATICS for all this old equipment? I have a tough time finding any that's not a small JPG and blurry. I saw one video of yours where you drew the schematic yourself which I can only imagine took a chunk of time. Keep up the amazing videos. Thank you so much!

"I think 5687 is one of the most interesting tubes ever made. It has exceptional high heater power, so in any case the glow picture is beautiful. This heater power has another function as just giving light. It provides incredible high emission, which is the source of tube performance. So it has high gain, low impedance, and linearity, long life time, and high reliability, all at the same time. There are hardly any other tubes like this ever made."

Nowhere nowadays would you get such functionality from just 5 transistors, awesome stuff. These simpler circuits reveal much more about design and creativity and highlight perfectly how valves can be so forgiving of out of tolerance components.

It was really nice to see you test the in circuit leakage of the capacitors. It really helps to see why leakage is really a problem.

These videos have successfully inspired me to take on repairing many antique radios. I have you to thank for my recently discovered fascination. Thank you.

I started learning electronics in the 70's and vacuum tubes were a complete mystery to me, everything I touched back then was already solid state - watching your videos over the past few years has been incredibly instructive and whilst I would say I have learned a lot, I still think you can teach me more! Really looking forward to the restoration of that capacitor tester!

The aroma of old electronics! I love it! I have often opened up old radios, tube testers etc.. from the 30s 40s and 50s and taken a whiff of that wonderful smell inside those cabinets. I know exactly what you mean!

This takes me back, way back. We used similar devices in the Air Force in the RADAR field.

It’s funny how you said the smell of old electronics. I instantly thought of the smell of ozone from working on Postwar Lionel Trains. It’s a certain smell, like your older electronics, that you come to expect, and enjoy. I look forward to your upcoming restorations. They’re so informative, interesting, enjoyable, and most of all, absolutely remarkable!! Great job Paul!!

I feel cheated, it's 2021 and they still haven't invented 'Smell-O-Vision' yet. Hopefully one day we will be able to enjoy Mr Carlson's videos as they were truly meant to be experienced !

What's happenin', prof Carlson? Glad you are well and doing what you do

Mr Carlson's Sir. Awesome Video & Signal Generator Very Very Nice Explain.

Thank you for these videos. I have a diploma in electronics engineering but only worked repairing electronics for 3-4 months before starting working for a cable operator and never returned to the workshop. I mostly work with optical networks today, but the electronics background has given me an edge that has meant a lot to me. I have set up a lab at home where I make, test and repair stuff, mostly optical equipment but also RF devices, WIFI access points and such. This has resulted in a new direction for me in my professional life and I just have to thank you for the inspiration you have given me. I felt that I just needed to write to you and thank you.

I love the smell of vintage equipment and engineering. Your through explanation coupled with your experience is a win win. Another excellent video Paul. 😊 Have a wonderful day.

My favourite channel brings me my favourite Carlson! I love these teardowns ;)

I am loving more frequent Mr Carlson! Great way to learn and wind down in the evening. Didn’t even know computer tubes were a specific thing even though I knew tubes were used in early computers.

Last year I purchased a piece of electronic equipment as eye candy for my electronic music studio. It was a AF and RF signal generator made by PEL (Premier Electronic Labs). I couldn't find much about the company other than they appear to have been based in New York. I think it is from the 1950's, if not earlier. It has chicken head knobs. The scales were what really attracted me to the item. They are alternating red and green on a black background. It is, of course, tube based. The seller said that it still turned on. Because I just wanted it for display I cut off the old power cord which was crumbling and unsafe. I did have to replace the missing glazing over the frequency scales with a piece of plexiglas. I took off the back cover to look inside and found that the entire chassis is inside a solid copper Faraday cage. They don't build them like they used to.

You are the king of audio! Awsome sound quality in your videos!

Nice video! You always show deep knowledge and respect to old electronics!

I admit my level of electronics knowledge is limited, but I always enjoy watching your videos...

It's cool seeing two instruments from a half century apart working side by side.

I really appreciate you showing vintage test equipment and what you need to do to make them work safely and correctly.

Paul: Excellent audio. Many thanks.

It's fascinating to watch you restore these classic devices. But with my limited knowledge of electronics I now understand how my dog must feel when I talk to her. "Blah blah blah TREATS. Blah blah blah blah GO OUTSIDE. Blah blah blah BAD DOG." And with every new video I act like you've been gone for years and just came home. KUTGW.

Perfect timing! Curling up in bed to watch another great repair.

Every time I play your commentary I feel like I’m there with you on that stormy stormy nite 🌊🌊👏🏻

Mr Carlson's Sir Your Every Video Is Just like Gem.

Mr. Carlson, With your vast knowledge of tubes and electronics I'm betting that you could easily design a very high quality stereo tube amp kit that rivals anything ever made. That is, course, if the parts are available. Thank you for all that you do.

You`re amazing Mr Carlson. A head injury ruined my radio electronics studies. I`m getting into solar to try again. Technology has really progressed since I was young.

I used to have the younger brother to this unit. It was all solid state and designed to work on transistor radios.

“…release the aroma…of electronics!…”. That reminds me of this strange piece of rack gear I wanted to see inside of, and yes indeed this ‘Lansing Lock-in Sabalizer’ certainly had a smell like my grandfather’s garage! Now that I know how fun those tuning caps are, it takes some restraint for me to avoid yanking them to give my time machine another shot!! Your light bulb as visual indicators of current consumption is a great little addition to any variac! THANKS FOR SHARING!

Hi, Mr. Carlson! Nothing like a stormy night to watch a video of yours. Love it! I am also from the 60's. :-)

I suspect the one you described as yellow / mouldy is decomposing celluloid, I had a drawing set square do that. It was beyond hope so I took it in the yard and disposed of it by setting it alight (scarily impressive and beware the fumes). I suspect you'll end up replacing the decomposed part with acrylic.

Thanks for posting this!

I have a Lafayette KT-205 Signal Generator & Tracer that looks exactly like yours. The schematic is identical except mine has the additional tube. It is a 5965 dual triode. One half of it is used as the rectifier and the other side is used as the audio oscillator. In the Lafayette the 6350 uses both sides for the Power output. They are in parallel. Interestingly enough mine uses the computer tubes also so the mother company must have had the big supply of spares.

Paul, thank you for posting your recent videos. You explain electronics so well.

Saturday morning wake and bake with Mr Carlson 👍

It is so amazing how well we remember certain odors over many years. Just a few days ago I opened up a (warmed up) 1940s Hickok tube tester with low hours. The oh so familiar (pleasant) smell of vintage electronics just blew me back 45 years to when I was a newbie. I barely could get my head out of the casing: Mmh, nice :-)

Well, how fascinating and lovely vintage equipment as usual. I love the idea of a capacitor tester with bad capacitors inside. 👍

In the 4 tube version, they had a 5965 tube, one half was the rectifier and the other half was the audio oscillator. Very simple design.

What great fun to watch. Thanks for sharing!

Excellent video Paul!

Just got my first 60's piece: A Hansen FN Multimeter, in mint condition. I love the look and quality of this kind of gear. Nice vid again Mr.Carlson, love the quality of your vids :)

Old computers had so many tubes that one computer could require an entire production lot!

Very explanatory! Thanks.

I have never seen one like that. Thanks for sharing Paul. Interesting. I have a Solar cap tester in a metal case. Cannot remember the model number. Looking forward to the restorations.

Love your videos.

Awaiting the restoration video. I have an EICO 324 which I am restoring to align some Hallicrafter S-38's that I am also restoring. I learned tube electronics as a teen in the late 50's and went through the whole tube > transistor > IC > VLSIC > microprocessor stages. I still teach computer science at the local community college and my students can't believe how "crude" our technology was.

Hello Mr Carlson, I miss seeing your Tek DSA602, it made me not feel so bad for letting one heat my own lab. Keep up the great work!

I’ve already got zapped by 240VAC on multiple occasions in my life and I found it mildly unsettling that you held the case while poking near the line cord with your other hand. Not that I wouldnt do that, I just would do it with one hand behind my back 😂

Thank you Paul!

I always kind of liked that old electronics smell (probably made by gases known to the state of California to cause cancer and void in Rhode Island). My dad used to work for Bell Systems (and later AT&T) and when I was a kid he'd occasionally bring home some old test equipment or phone systems stuff for us kids to explore and tinker with. It always had that smell of old electronics. I never understood how it worked but I sure had fun taking it apart and occasionally building something. I once built some big project with that stuff, but damned if I can remember what it was. I still have some of those pieces and plenty of the screws and washers I got from it all, 35-40 years later!

That is very nicely built and in great condition.

Thanks for the insight into old test gear. I have a Solar test so it would be great to follow along with you and restore it to working condition 😀.

Dejavu I have that exact same model sitting on my shelf. Mine is awaiting a rebuild by me on my KZfaq channel. Interesting to see you have the same model. Thanks for sharing.

The start of the video with your voice and telling what is going on. was just the best. hope one day that you read from a book on your channel 😃

Cool stuff!

A great overview as always, though the ''exposed' variac / isolation / dim bulb tester surprised me, especially when you appeared to hold the powered-on signal gen / tracer just above the terminals on the isolation transformer.

For those familiar with the science-fiction television show "Fringe" (2008-13), Dr. Bishop (played by John Noble) built an electronic window for viewing the parallel universe, and the prop master used a Solar capacitor tester like the one at the end of this episode as the window's control panel. They occasionally show up on the big auction site, but almost always in very rough (and very modified) condition.

that capacitor tester at the end works great, never seen one before. very interesting

You're my first Patreon. Sounds like a heck of a deal!

Very enjoyable video.

I have the same Solar capacitor tester! It is the model CB-160. Mine needs calibration. Can't wait to watch you calibrate yours! I love watching the eye tube during testing. Thanks for the video. Take care Tom

Wow, that's in nice shape. And then you opened it. So clean! I've worked on stuff from 2019 in worse shape.

That was a very interesting piece of test equipment

0:57 and so I did. While you got your screwdriver I got my own screwdriver of vodka and orange juice.

You must spend a lot of time at 'yard sales' to round up so much old equipment Paul. Is that right? we call them garage sales. Thanks for the interesting tour.

I have no idea if vintage electronics didn't have any circuit board, instead they used jumpwires here and there. I'm your new fan hehe.

Hello Paul C!! Yet another great video on that signal generator / tracer!! And guess what, I have that same model Solar Capacitor analyzer!!! I installed all new resistors and caps in the solar with precision replacements so that a little more accuracy could be achieved given its age!! The case is almost as nice as your unit shown ! and I do use it and it works quite well, again for its age and simplicity! I can't wait to see what you think of it and what you will do with it as far as explanations and method of restoring and checking out the unit!! I always love to see your videos! 73's from KC2UVN John A Bellas

Thanks you! excellent!

Mr. Carlson you certainly have a lot of neat stuff, thanks for preserving what is obsolete to industry but so elegant It's too bad we can't talk to the original designers. The Restoration and review of the circuit help me understand the circuit but also insight into the engineering.

It's beautiful!

I like the scopemeter!

fairly simple inside compared to a modern solid state device. Very interesting. Thank you.

Nice! I have one similar.

Hi Paul, I have one of those Solar Capacitor Testers, so I’m really looking forward to the restoration video.

I used to love the aroma of tv/radio shops, when TV's were still using valves etc. Sort of Paxolin, PVC and various other smells. Ahhhh......

I see an air-core coil (inductor) there near the range switch, but there’s no air-core coil on the schematic, and all the other inductors/transformers are accounted for. In any case, it’s interesting that they combined a sig-gen and a signal tracer in the same instrument. This would make some hobbyist a nice addition to their bench, back in the day! That, and a nice VTVM, and you’d pretty much be set up to test/repair AA5 tube radios. 😉

I have the Lafayette version of this .. doing a recap/BNC conversion/restore .. I’d really like to see the sequel to this!

Had two of those Solar Cap. Analyzers.Should have kept them. They are neat looking with the eye tube. Looking forward to seeing you restore them to see how good they are.

i have many of these acient electronics in my lab, my oscilloscope is dumont 208b old but very sensitive, sweeper jackson tvg2, vtvm triplett, the same factory oscillator triplett 3432 a very reliable one, grid dip meter i think the best of all brands Millen 90651, rc brigde PACO C20 an signal tracer Z80, the big signal tracer is the crown a RCA Chanalyst beatiful peace of vintage, i have other vintage instruments too, all them in perfect condition and restored by myself. i love them. thaks for your video

I tell ya ,,I work a landfill and this old stuff allways finds it's way up the hill..I take some of it home and sell it work on it and use it. ..Glad to come across your channel .I'd be happy to donate things to you if I run across anymore old stuff?

Another Hit, out of the ball park!

Dark and stormy night here as well. Can hear thunder in the distance.

new and clean

The unit spent years sitting upright on a concrete floor. That rusted the screws on the bottom.

EXCELLENT :D

nice

Is that one near the end of the video a new version of the capacitor tester? I never seen this version with the dual color scale! Is there a video about it or it is only for patreon users?

Your audio is impeccable on these videos - I should think so too! Do you have some type of vintage limiter or compressor in the path? It might be my imagination but it seems to have a classic radio broadcast sound 👍

Somehow I expected stuff to blow up. But then I realized I wasn't watching an Electro Boom video. 😅

Just a point of interest. Accurate manufactured this unit for Lafayette Electronics as the KT-208.

A lot of this stuff is way above me. but it is a good learning curve.

"...if I short the line cord..." - WHAT??!?!?! - oh yeah - This IS Mr. Carlson's Lab - the "protections" he puts in place for testing is superior.....duh....

What kind of education do you have that gives you the confidence to delve into servicing these complicated equipment, Mr. Carlson?

I also have 2 of those, but I havent repaired them yet, one is the 3 tube and the other is the 4 tube.