#linuxcnc Logs

Jan 04 2022

01:39 AM Loetmichel_: *giggle* $me: *SNEEEZE* Phone rings: coworker from a level up (concrete building): "BLESS YOU! Anyone hurt down there?" :)
01:47 AM XXCoder: lol
01:49 AM XXCoder: colorcnc?
02:04 AM Deejay: moin
02:13 AM randy: morning
02:13 AM randy: XXCoder: "The project is named "ColorCNC" because it's a firmware driver for Chinese board Colorlight 5A-75B, which was originally intended for control of LED video screens"
02:13 AM randy: i have already 2 of the boards laying around ;)
02:14 AM randy: (fun fact: i have a bunch of led panels as well with an risen lins board, but using a raspi3 since it can also drive the panels)
02:14 AM XXCoder: interesting
02:15 AM randy: https://github.com/q3k/chubby75 - https://github.com/enjoy-digital/colorlite
02:16 AM randy: maybe some day mesaflash can handle the 5A-75B lika a 7i92 board.
02:32 AM XXCoder: cool :)
03:08 AM Loetmichel_: hehe, coworker just told me that he is doing the "smelly stuff" again... he is learning. Had me panicked and searching for the burning electronics last time he used a soldering iron to melt some PVC studs out of a Printer enclosure to make room for shielding. :)
05:11 AM Tom_L: morning
06:25 AM JT-Cave: morning
06:26 AM JT-Cave: 25°F outside Coop Deux 35°F
07:20 AM Tom_L: 35°F
10:04 AM aaroncnc: my W5500 came today time to try remora via ethernet!
10:05 AM aaroncnc: The future of budget and good control options for linux cnc is so exciting to me. With just a 30$ 3dprinter main board and a 8$ W5500 ethernet board any pc can run it no need for it to be limited to the rpi4!
10:18 AM t4nk_freenode: well, I think I may like using the pi though
10:18 AM t4nk_freenode: although I don't like 'wasting' it on the cnc
10:19 AM t4nk_freenode: that's why I'm doing a dual boot type of thing, both grbl and remora, so I can disconnect the pi and use it elsewhere if I want to
10:21 AM t4nk_freenode: although I also have the colorlite.. but I'd like to keep that for different stuff
10:30 AM roycroft: a rpi is so cheap it's almost free
10:31 AM roycroft: i don't understand how buying one for a cnc machine is "wasting" it in any way
10:32 AM roycroft: it costs half what a gecko drive costs
10:33 AM CloudEvil: Is that teh current, or the price two years ago?
10:34 AM CloudEvil: Actually, availability is better than when I lastr checked.
10:35 AM roycroft: i haven't purchased a pi since october or so
10:35 AM roycroft: but the last pi i bought was $60
10:35 AM roycroft: the gecko drives i have (i don't use their high end ones) are $120 each
10:36 AM roycroft: i just don't get how, on a multi-thousand dollar machine, dedicating $60 to a rpi is "wasting" it
10:36 AM roycroft: i mean, even on my $400 3d printer it was easy to justify the cost of a pi as a dedicated octoprint machine
10:37 AM roycroft: i'm honestly trying to understand the point of view that it's "wasted"
10:37 AM roycroft: not disputing it or denying it
10:37 AM roycroft: i just don't get it
10:38 AM * JT-Cave doesn't like the window behavior on debian 11 mint, but I understand their intentions but a bit screwed up
10:51 AM Guest67: I'm trying to map a joypad's start button (input.0.btn-start) to halui.program.run. However it looks like plasmac:program-run is already net'ed to it. In qtplasmac, how can I setup my joypad's start button to run a loaded gcode file?
11:04 AM roycroft: wow
11:04 AM roycroft: the world is certainly changing
11:04 AM roycroft: i need some electrical work done, and am trying to get bids
11:05 AM roycroft: not many companies are interested in bidding, but i just found one who said they could do the work "around june"
11:05 AM roycroft: i asked them when i could get an estimate, and they said they don't work that way
11:05 AM roycroft: they schedule the work, and when the electrician shows up we get an estimate
11:05 AM roycroft: if we agree, they proceed with the work
11:05 AM roycroft: if we don't, they charge a $189 trip charge
11:06 AM roycroft: we won't be using that company
11:24 AM JT-Cave: a roll of 12-2nm is $350 right now
11:25 AM JT-Cave: Guest67, I doubt anyone uses plasmac here best to ask on the forum
11:35 AM roycroft: yes, i know materials prices are up
11:35 AM roycroft: i'm not concerned about that
11:35 AM roycroft: i'm more concerned about how far out things are being scheduled, but even more concerned that nobody wants to do quotes any more
11:36 AM roycroft: everyone just wants to do it on a time and materials basis, with a hefty dispatch charge if we turn them away
11:37 AM roycroft: the rough, over the phone estimates i'm getting are a lot higher than i would expect, too, even given the price of materials
11:38 AM roycroft: i just need a 120v 20a isolated ground circuit pulled from a panel on the main floor of the building down into the basement
11:38 AM roycroft: the total run is maybe 25', at the very most
11:38 AM roycroft: and it can all be surface mount
11:38 AM roycroft: i'm getting "rough estimates" between $1500 and $3500
11:38 AM roycroft: i was expecting more like $750-$1000
11:39 AM roycroft: it costs $75 to pull a permit
11:41 AM Bleepshop: roycroft: There's this trip I've used several times in the past where you run it all, put a plug and socket on the ends and they call it an extension cord. Then later you have an electrician patch it into the panel when they're there for another major run.
11:42 AM roycroft: code does not allow that here
11:42 AM roycroft: meaning it does not allow an extension cord
11:42 AM roycroft: whether the cord is in conduit or not
11:43 AM roycroft: but this is not for my house - it's for a non-profit that i work with
11:43 AM roycroft: i'm not going to do the work myself, and they don't have the expertise to do it either, even if they were so inclined
11:43 AM roycroft: we don't mind paying someone for the job
11:43 AM roycroft: but we want a firm bid, which is what i'm used to being able to get
11:44 AM Bleepshop: Check with Building Trades up at LCC>
11:44 AM roycroft: i'm waiting for a call from the executive director
11:44 AM roycroft: i'll let her decide what to do
11:45 AM roycroft: but it certainly does not work the way it used to
11:45 AM Bleepshop: You might be able to get it done as a class project where they come out for live traiing.
11:45 AM roycroft: the contractors have all the power
11:45 AM Bleepshop: training
11:45 AM Bleepshop: Or do they not do that anymore?
11:45 AM roycroft: i'm not sure
11:45 AM roycroft: they had cut back on a lot of the vocational training stuff
11:46 AM roycroft: but if i'm honest, i don't pay any attention to what they're doing these days
11:46 AM roycroft: i took my machining classes at lcc, and i haven't done anything there since
11:46 AM roycroft: that was over 10 years ago
11:47 AM Bleepshop: Same here except it was 35 years ago. LOL
11:48 AM roycroft: was al hill teaching machining back then?
11:50 AM Bleepshop: John Neely and Roland Meyers. It was great to take their classes
11:50 AM roycroft: oh
11:50 AM roycroft: al was my instructor, and he had been there for quite a while when i took his classes
11:50 AM roycroft: john neely sounds familiar
11:51 AM Bleepshop: Dig out the textbook for the class and look at teh cover. That's why. LOL
11:51 AM roycroft: more than likely i worked with some of the same machines you did
11:54 AM Bleepshop: More than likely there are still people traumatized by my screaming around Eugene on a tadpole trike and the same idiot cops are probably still patrolling downtown.
11:56 AM Bleepshop: Crap. Time to get it together and out the door to fix whatever they manage to break between 8:00 and lunchtime. Commuting sucks...
12:06 PM * roycroft has a commute of about 2m from his bedrom to his office
12:50 PM aaroncnc: roycroft, i am trying to get a new tub put in a bathroom. i cant get a single bid from anyone with a license and insurance but plenty of " handy men" are sure willing im just not willing to take them.
12:50 PM roycroft: and that's illegal in oregon, and probably in most other states
12:54 PM aaroncnc: Yea lots of things are illegal, but never seems to stop or even slow things down. seems people see it as just a random "tax" of doing business now. I see pletny of trucks with numbers for services around here and when i call and ask if they have insurance and license they just hang up or try and lie so when i ask for the number they get mad and hang up.
12:56 PM aaroncnc: or my favorite one is the owner has a license and insurance but the people who show up to the job do not and you never see or meet the person with the license
01:01 PM roycroft: a commercial vehicle in oregon is required to include its license number in the signage on the side of the vehicle
01:02 PM roycroft: but whether you want to use an unlicensed contractor or not is up to you
01:02 PM roycroft: you won't be able to get a permit for the job if the contractor is not licensed
01:02 PM Guest6748: JT-Cave no one here uses plasmac? that's a shame. I managed to fumble my way through it though. Trick was to unlinkp the halui pin and run it through an or2 first
01:03 PM roycroft: and if you ever file an insurance claim down the road, it will almost certainly be denied if you did unpermitted/uninspected work
01:03 PM roycroft: that's what a lot of folks don't realize
01:03 PM Guest6748: roycroft, I remember that nickname from somewhere... were/are you active in the printnc discord?
01:03 PM roycroft: no
01:05 PM Guest6748: where do I know you from then?!... homebrewtalk.com?
01:05 PM roycroft: i've never been on discord
01:05 PM Guest6748: sparkfun irc?
01:05 PM roycroft: maybe from homebrewtalk.com, but i've not been active there for over a decade
01:06 PM roycroft: perhaps ##homebrew?
01:06 PM * roycroft tends to focus his annoying behaviors to irc
01:06 PM Guest6748: haha
01:06 PM Guest6748: oh well, have a good day
01:07 PM roycroft: cheers
01:24 PM Tom_L: trolls
01:46 PM Rab: roycroft, that estimate for that work is insane, but I guess it qualifies as "commercial"?
01:57 PM roycroft: it is commercial work, even though the building is an old house
01:58 PM roycroft: it doesn't require what they call a "full permit"
01:58 PM roycroft: it needs to be permitted, but not inspected
01:58 PM roycroft: as long as the contractor is the one who pulls the permit
01:59 PM roycroft: it should be 4-6 hours of work for a single electrician
03:08 PM aaroncnc: do you guys think a small rotary table would work on a lathe as an automatic tool post vertical oriented? then another set horizontal to hold drill bits?
03:10 PM aaroncnc: or i suppose with just the vertical i could put drill bit and boring bars in that perpendicular to the cutting tools
03:22 PM Rab: aaroncnc, motorized I assume? I think you'd need a way to lock it down in each position.
03:24 PM Rab: If you have air on the machine, maybe a belleville washer clamp with an air cylinder unlock.
03:24 PM roycroft: yes, it's going to be hard to lock a rotary table down
03:25 PM aaroncnc: hmmm, looking at this https://www.shars.com/products/workholding/rotary-machining-tables/4-horizontal-and-vertical-rotary-table
03:26 PM aaroncnc: i would need some way to use the built in locks.
03:29 PM roycroft: they're not going to hold
03:29 PM roycroft: you would need some other mechanism to lock it
03:30 PM aaroncnc: i wonder with a high res encoder could i just use the motor to lock it into position?
03:31 PM roycroft: possibly, if the motor is powerful enough
03:31 PM roycroft: and keep in mind that a rotary table is going to have a significant amount of backlash, and you won't be able to remove all the backlash
03:31 PM roycroft: so be prepared to compensate for that
03:32 PM roycroft: and i think it's safe to say that a shars will have more backlash than a yuasa
03:35 PM Rab: I don't think the worm drive actually confers any benefit. If you have a suitable turret and locking mechanism, you can just turn it with a belt when it's unlocked. Faster, less wear, etc.
03:37 PM aaroncnc: the 72:1 drive ratio would give the motor alot of power the stepper is a nema 34 680oz/4.8nm
03:37 PM Rab: The worm drive won't be rigid enough to lock the table. It's not on a mill.
03:37 PM roycroft: have you ever used a rotary table, aaroncnc?
03:38 PM Rab: I mean to say, it doesn't serve to lock the table in a more typical application on a mill.
03:38 PM aaroncnc: long ago, maybe 7years
03:39 PM roycroft: i have become tired of messing with aligning holes in an assembly as i was trying to do
03:39 PM roycroft: it's just too fiddly
03:40 PM roycroft: fortunately, solidworks handles mixed unit math just fine
03:40 PM roycroft: autocad does not, because it has no concept of units
03:40 PM Rab: Having said that, here's a motorized turret toolpost I found, and it's not too far off concept. But it has some kind of clever locking mechanism that's not obvious. https://www.chicagolathe.com/lathe-tools/33-quick-change-compound-toolpost-0611193227626.html
03:40 PM roycroft: so for me, right now, the fastest way of locating holes is with intersecting construction lines
03:41 PM roycroft: an i can dimension, for example, with a distance of "6mm +7/8in"
03:41 PM roycroft: and solidworks knows what to do
03:41 PM roycroft: i know that's what jt does
03:42 PM roycroft: and i probably should have just done it in the first place, but i guess i was using my autocad thinking, where i'd have to first convert 6mm to 0.2362", and add that to 0.875" to get the dimension value
03:42 PM roycroft: that's too much work
03:42 PM roycroft: but mix and match units is fairly straightforward
03:44 PM Rab: aaroncnc, you could also just buy that thing. The $170 difference is a steal for the motor, toolpost hardware, and time savings.
03:50 PM aaroncnc: i could buy but more than half the fun can be making the thing.
03:51 PM Rab: Nothing wrong with fun!
03:51 PM aaroncnc: I got the idea from the emco pc turn 55 turret. i have been hunting that cnc lathe and just missed one. take a look at the diagram for the turret.
03:51 PM aaroncnc: https://pasteboard.co/ciIaf0i7OEKX.png
03:55 PM aaroncnc: it looks very much like a rotary table with an encoder wheel at the back.
03:58 PM CaptHindsight[m]: Rab: well Chicago is known for it's ingeniuses :)
03:59 PM aaroncnc: if i coult not hold it via the motor perhaps a band brake such as the ones used on 4" centrifugal clutches
03:59 PM CaptHindsight[m]: "It has a 4 position ratcheting and locking turret "
04:00 PM CaptHindsight[m]: so dah ratchet doos dah lockin
04:00 PM aaroncnc: the one i linked is a 4 pos but i do see the small tab at the bottom label 9 looks like it locks against 32
04:01 PM aaroncnc: is a 3 pos.
04:01 PM CaptHindsight[m]: if the stepper motor stops short of the the next latch it drops back to the last position
04:02 PM aaroncnc: a thought on backlash if i only rotate one direction for changing tool position and am only cutting in one direction then there would be no backlash. so the only problem to solve is how to lock the thing.
04:03 PM CaptHindsight[m]: many ways to solve this
04:04 PM CaptHindsight[m]: one is similar to a lock cylinder with pins
04:04 PM solarwind: The sad thing about the Drilldoctor 750x is that it could have been a great machine if they didn't use cheap plastic parts
04:04 PM solarwind: The concept is great but the precision is very poor
04:04 PM solarwind: And it doesn't split the point properly.
04:04 PM CaptHindsight[m]: solarwind: it's made for max profit margin
04:05 PM solarwind: Looks like I'm going to be buying an actual full size tool and cutter grinder
04:05 PM solarwind: Something like a Cincinnati no. 2
04:05 PM CaptHindsight[m]: solarwind: quit complaining and just buy a proper tool
04:05 PM aaroncnc: CaptHindsight[m], thats an idea, if i build the tool holder larger than the table i could put holes in the back side that are locked via a simple pneumatic cylinder and pin.
04:06 PM roycroft: the drilldoctor folks are pretty good, actually
04:06 PM roycroft: very nice, great customer service
04:06 PM solarwind: They're nice people
04:06 PM roycroft: it's not that they're trying to maximise profit
04:06 PM roycroft: they're trying to maximise sales
04:06 PM aaroncnc: that sound leagues better than the idea of a band clamp around the entire thing and way less likley to get chips in it.
04:07 PM roycroft: if they built it out of metal instead of plastic it would cost 4x as much, and they would lose 95% of their sales
04:07 PM roycroft: it's a pro-sumer prouduct, at best
04:07 PM CaptHindsight[m]: aaroncnc: or use a larger stepper for the turret, or higher gear ratio
04:07 PM solarwind: The actual Darex drill sharpeners are good, but for that price, a Cincinnati no. 2 would be way better
04:07 PM roycroft: professionals have other machines for sharpening drills
04:07 PM CaptHindsight[m]: aaroncnc: live tooling would not use a lock
04:08 PM roycroft: i've had a drill doctor for many years, and i'm happy with it
04:08 PM aaroncnc: CaptHindsight[m], my only worry about using the motor may be chatter.
04:08 PM roycroft: i used for small (3/8" and smaller) drills
04:08 PM roycroft: larger ones i sharpen by hand on a grinding wheel
04:09 PM CaptHindsight[m]: aaroncnc: look at how multi-axis lathes or live tools do it, they don't chatter unless you are doing something wrong
04:10 PM CaptHindsight[m]: solarwind: just cobble together a decent tool post grinder on a decent lathe, you need those anyway to be a real machinist
04:11 PM solarwind: Yeah a tool post grinder is on the to do list for my lathe
04:11 PM solarwind: I got CBN wheels for my bench grinder and they're great for sharpening HSS
04:11 PM solarwind: 600 grit CBN wheel eliminates the need for honing on an oil stone
04:11 PM CaptHindsight[m]: stop thinking small time hobby, buckle up and get real tools :)
04:12 PM solarwind: <3
04:12 PM CaptHindsight[m]: solarwind: wipe the poutine gravy off your fingers and get to work
04:13 PM solarwind: LOL
04:13 PM solarwind: We eat that with a fork here
04:13 PM CaptHindsight[m]: oh aren't we special
04:16 PM JT-Shop: https://gnipsel.com/images/chickens/elevated-dust-bath/edb-03.jpg
04:16 PM JT-Shop: https://gnipsel.com/images/chickens/elevated-dust-bath/edb-04.jpg
04:17 PM JT-Shop: spline slots are cut in the center and 0.188" wide... I think I'll make the splines a bit thick and ease up to final thickness on the drum sander
04:17 PM JT-Shop: roycroft, I assume they need a slightly loose fit to make room for the glue?
04:18 PM JT-Shop: oh and the jig finally dried out and returned to the original dry fit
04:19 PM Tom_L: what you makin?
04:20 PM JT-Shop: elevated dust bath, a tubby will fit inside and be sorta flush with the top
04:20 PM CaptHindsight[m]: solarwind: look for an air bearing spindle to play with
04:21 PM JT-Shop: I could do it a much easier way but I want the experience making mitered and splined joints and finger joints
04:21 PM roycroft: it depends on what kind of glue you're using
04:22 PM roycroft: if it's water-based, slightly loose
04:22 PM roycroft: if epoxy, pretty tight
04:22 PM JT-Shop: titebond 3 so water based
04:23 PM roycroft: yeah, so slightly loose
04:23 PM roycroft: just by a few thousandths
04:23 PM JT-Shop: thanks for confirming that
04:23 PM JT-Shop: aye
04:24 PM roycroft: or you can plane them to fit snugly, then stick them in the microwave for a minute before installing
04:26 PM CaptHindsight[m]: solarwind: https://www.ebay.com/itm/133666377498 or similllliar
04:27 PM solarwind: Nice, I'll keep an eye out
04:38 PM CaptHindsight[m]: slitting saw on a SCARA would make quick work of that
04:39 PM CaptHindsight[m]: https://youtu.be/oNWEhR2KhYI?t=79
04:40 PM Tom_L: you've showed that before
04:40 PM Tom_L: still cool
04:42 PM CaptHindsight[m]: saw blades on robot arms just have that unnerving presence about them
05:58 PM JT-Shop: roycroft, what does the microwave do?
06:39 PM roycroft: removes moisture
06:39 PM roycroft: which the glue will be replacing immediately
06:40 PM roycroft: and i'm impressed with our postal service
06:40 PM roycroft: we sent out ballots for the board of directors election in early october
06:41 PM roycroft: i just received a bundle of returned ballot packages all marked "return to sender, unable to forward"
06:41 PM roycroft: it took them less than three months to return them
06:47 PM roycroft: as well, a new membership application was mailed from seattle on 8 december, and that also just arrived
06:47 PM roycroft: i could have walked it here from seattle in that amount of time
06:48 PM XXCoder: think usps is still heavily cut on overtimes
06:49 PM roycroft: yes, and until we have a new postmaster general who actually believes in making the postal service function that will remain the case
06:50 PM XXCoder: its so diffult to oust person from that position
06:50 PM XXCoder: and dont seem like anyones working on kicking him out
06:57 PM roycroft: well the problem is that the president cannot fire the postmaster general - that can only be done by the board of governors
06:58 PM XXCoder: yup thats why i said it wasnt easy at all
06:58 PM roycroft: but there are not enough governors on the board to reach a quorum, so they cannot vote him out
06:58 PM XXCoder: which is good when appointment arent political, but when it was..
06:58 PM roycroft: the president has appointed new governors, but the senate refuse to confirm them
06:58 PM XXCoder: imange the chaos to postal system if it was changed each president
07:00 PM roycroft: oh, actually we did get some new governors last summer
07:00 PM XXCoder: sucks
07:00 PM XXCoder: oh thats good
07:04 PM roycroft: so where it stands now is that up until december of last year, republicans still had a majority on the board of governors, but the terms of two of them expired on 21 december
07:04 PM roycroft: the president has nominated replacements, but they have not been confirmed yet
07:05 PM roycroft: and there is still one vacant seat
07:05 PM XXCoder: what about expired term ones?
07:05 PM XXCoder: they still in till get replacement or are gone?
07:09 PM roycroft: no, the seat is vacant
07:10 PM XXCoder: ok thats good. I know most if not all appointments end the day it expires
07:29 PM roycroft: my connectors just arrived, so i can build the cables for my new hot end
07:29 PM XXCoder: yay
07:29 PM roycroft: yes
07:29 PM roycroft: i could have hacked something up, but i want to be able to reinstall the old one easily, so i want to use the same wiring harnass
07:30 PM roycroft: that was worth waiting a week for some new connectors
07:34 PM XXCoder: yeah
09:29 PM Bleepshop: roycroft: All the shit I ordered from Amazonk over the weekend to redo my control box finally shipped today. I figured the bulk of it would ship Saturday.
10:21 PM roycroft: well that was productive
10:21 PM roycroft: NOT
10:22 PM roycroft: i'm trying to clean my house
10:22 PM roycroft: i had a pile of servers belonging to work that i needed to scrub and prep for sale
10:22 PM Bleepshop: Probably having about as much luck as I am cleaning teh shop. LOL
10:22 PM roycroft: i finally finished that work, and drove down to the office this evenig to get rid of them
10:22 PM roycroft: so yay
10:23 PM roycroft: but my boss left a note telling me to sort through the rest of the stuff from the old datacenter
10:23 PM roycroft: so i did
10:23 PM roycroft: i made a pile in the back to keep
10:23 PM roycroft: a *huge* pile of garbage in front
10:23 PM roycroft: but then i ended up bringing more stuff home than i hauled down there
10:23 PM roycroft: a bunch of routers and switches and managed power outlets, etc.
10:24 PM roycroft: all stuff that i need to scrub to factory settings and clean up so it can be sold
10:24 PM Bleepshop: Yep. LMAO
10:24 PM roycroft: i left him a note telling him that i really need that crap not to be in my house, and therefore not to expect any other work from me until they're scrubbed and back out the door
10:24 PM roycroft: other than system emergencies, of coures
10:25 PM roycroft: it will be ok though
10:25 PM * Bleepshop has a cat following him around demanding to be in the middle of everything.
10:25 PM roycroft: most of the stuff is hardly worth anything
10:25 PM roycroft: and i'm building some file servers for the non-profit at which i volunteer
10:25 PM roycroft: i'll "donate" some of the switches/managed power supplies/etc. out of the pile of stuff i brought home to that cause
10:27 PM roycroft: aah, but there is good news now
10:27 PM Bleepshop: roycroft: The local Make centers are good places to drop excess gear as well.
10:27 PM roycroft: i bought a digital tachometer at the beginning of november for my mill, and it was defective
10:27 PM roycroft: the seller has been stringing me on with promises to replace it ever since
10:28 PM roycroft: i finally got tired of it and filed a claim
10:28 PM roycroft: the claim was denied because i did not file it in time
10:28 PM roycroft: i contacted ebay, and they just now issued me a refund
10:28 PM roycroft: bleepshop: anything we don't sell will go to nextstep recycling center, which is a non-profit that repurposes used gear like that
10:28 PM roycroft: they sell some of it and donate some of it to other non-profits
10:29 PM roycroft: and sell what they can't use at all for scrap
10:29 PM roycroft: the usual scenario for work is we deprovision old, fully depreciated stuff that we bought used in the first place
10:29 PM Bleepshop: Make would qualify. Or at leeast they do here. ALl the gear/space/etc is donated.
10:29 PM roycroft: my boss wants to sell it
10:29 PM roycroft: so i prep it for sale
10:29 PM roycroft: it sits around for six months or a year
10:30 PM roycroft: finally he gets around to listing it on cl or ebay for twice as much as it's worth
10:30 PM roycroft: it doesn't sell
10:30 PM roycroft: it sits around for another year or so
10:30 PM Bleepshop: Nobody buys it bwecause he overprices it of course. LOL
10:30 PM roycroft: then he gets frustrated and tells me to get rid of it
10:30 PM roycroft: so i take it to nextstep
10:30 PM roycroft: later, rinse, repeat with everything
10:30 PM roycroft: the funny thing is
10:31 PM Bleepshop: Anf he gets a tax write-off.
10:31 PM roycroft: when we had our own datacenter, i would buy a lot of the same gear for personal use as i would buy for work
10:31 PM roycroft: but i would retire it sooner, scrub it right away, and sell it right away, usually for at least what i paid for it
10:31 PM roycroft: i cycle through that gear a lot, and almost always come out ahead
10:31 PM roycroft: he "takes" a tax write-ff
10:32 PM roycroft: it's fully depreciated, though, so he cannot legitimately write it off, because he's already written it off
10:32 PM roycroft: but that does not stop him
10:32 PM roycroft: anyway, i'll be sorting through old network gear tomorrow
10:33 PM roycroft: this ebay thing, btw
10:33 PM roycroft: the tachometer - i only paid $17.99 for it
10:33 PM roycroft: it's not a big deal
10:33 PM roycroft: except i've been on ebay for over 20 years
10:34 PM roycroft: and i have never once been screwed over to the point that i did not get my money back
10:34 PM roycroft: i did not want this to be the first time
10:34 PM roycroft: i've probably invested $100 worth of my time fighting this, but to me it's worth it
10:34 PM roycroft: and now that i have my refund, i can leave my second ever negative feedback
10:34 PM roycroft: ebay even encouraged me to do so :)
10:35 PM roycroft: and they are investigating the seller
10:35 PM roycroft: the seller claims to be a us seller, but the seller is actually in china, and does weekly drop shipments of packages to a remailer in florida
10:35 PM roycroft: it's fine to be in china and be a seller
10:36 PM roycroft: it's not fine to be there and claim to be a "us seller"
10:36 PM XXCoder: indeed
10:37 PM roycroft: when we had the discussion the other day about using pejorative terms for people based on nationality
10:37 PM roycroft: the term being used related to a stereotype
10:38 PM roycroft: and while i still stand by my belief that it should not be used, this particular seller fits the stereotype perfectly
10:38 PM roycroft: i do understand how people can form an opinion that lets them feel comfortable using that term
10:39 PM roycroft: but it's still not right :)
10:43 PM Tom_L: details..
10:45 PM roycroft: the only other time i left negative feedback on ebay it turned out great for me, btw
10:45 PM roycroft: it was when we bought autocad, and my boss wanted me to see if i could buy a used copy vs. purchasing it new
10:46 PM roycroft: i found one on ebay for $300, which seemed a really good deal
10:46 PM roycroft: it was autocad 2007, and this was in early 2008, so it was pretty current
10:46 PM roycroft: so i purchased it
10:46 PM roycroft: then i received the counterfeit copy
10:46 PM roycroft: i filed a claim with paypal
10:46 PM roycroft: i reported it to autodesk
10:46 PM roycroft: paypal immediately refunded my money
10:46 PM roycroft: ebay sent the seller a nastygram
10:47 PM roycroft: the seller immediately refunded my money again
10:47 PM roycroft: i made $300
10:47 PM roycroft: and made my boss buy a legitimate copy
10:47 PM roycroft: which was autocad 2008
10:48 PM roycroft: i did not feel guilty about that at all - i had zero communication with the seller after receiving the counterfeit copy, so i did not ask for that particular refund