Should I "Part Out" Some Old HP Test Equipment?

[mediatechnology]

I've got an old Hewlett-Packard 200CD oscillator and two 400H meters with the big 5" mirrored scales.
I really don't need them.

Seems to me that the meter movements in the 400s are worth more than the entire instrument.
They would make a cool retro stereo metering panel.
The last thing I need is another AC Voltmeter.
But what else should I keep?
Tubes, magnetics, muti-section caps, trim caps, knobs?

The 200CD is another burning question.
That big tuning cap and knob seems like it should be saved.

I also have an old Tascam 112BII that's a broken, cosmetically-challenged dog.
It could never be a mint machine listing in the $500-600 range like a few I've seen.
But the knobs alone are worth about $15 each in parts.

eBay is full of old HP meters and oscillators.
Any suggestions as to what to keep and what to throw away?

[emrr]

Is that HP 200CD one with a nice output transformer?

Meter movements are tricky, the scale has to be desirable, or the part needed for restoration, no matter the 'replacement' value of the part.

I usually keep knobs, tubes, nice ceramic sockets and standoffs, transformers. I'd have to see the pieces in question, I don't know them off the top of my head.

[mediatechnology]

Thanks Doug.

It's been awhile since I looked at it but my impression was that the output transformer was fairly small.
I recall it being cylindrical not much bigger than a can electrolytic.
Not what I expected.
EDIT: Just learned that this oscillator used two different output transformers.
The smaller one is the HF output transformer.
So yes it may have a big output on the bottom.

The 400's meters are the 5" mirrored and look like this one.
The disadvantage of the scale is that dB is the lower sub-dominate one.
I've re-made scales before with pretty good luck using the flip side of the original plate but that wasn't for a mirrored one.



I really liked using the old 400s but with -60 being the most sensitive scale they're not very practical.
I still use my modern 400FL with its -80 dB range and I think I own about two or three of them.

The 200CD I have looks like the one on the right:



I would warn anyone with ancient 200s and 400s to not carry them by the leather handle.
I just noticed the one in the pic looks like its ready to break...

[mediatechnology]

Thanks Roger.

At one time they all worked but I think they might need some work now.
I remember buying the 200CD from the Southwestern Bell outlet store in the 90s' and was amazed that the 200CD lit up and produced tone from the get-go.
I used one of the 400s for years doing bench tape machine alignment.
I'll grab the three pieces and weigh them.
I recall the main problem with all of them was the power switch sticking in the off position.
They'd click but I don't think snapped hard enough to turn on.
Easily fixed.

[mediatechnology]

BTW Each of those HP units weighs in excess of 25 pounds....

Maybe this should be in the entrophy thread.
About a month ago, within a few days and likely a delayed response to the June lightning strikes, I had a microwave fail. (And a monitor and PC PSU within about 3 days.)
The uWave CPU went bonkers thinking it had a stuck "reheat" key. Otherwise it ran.
Naturally I bought a new one for around $125.
Before I put the old one out for bulk pickup I decided to part it out.

I got $25 for the glass turntable plate alone.
The magnetron, turntable motor, HV cap and diode and HV transformer are all now on eBay.
Looks like the parts are worth more than the sum of the parts.

I'm now turning my attention to that old, beat-up, ugly-as-hell Tascam 122MKII as a parts machine.
I hear the knobs alone are worth $15 each.