I got my motorcycle out and rode it to work this morning.
Now I am torn. I had convinced myself that I would sell the ninja to help pay off my keyboard. Also, there are things I just don't like about the ninja.
This morning's ride reminded me how much I enjoy riding. It's going to be hard to convince myself to go ahead and sell the ninja.
Tuesday, April 19, 2011
Monday, March 7, 2011
Repairing the vibrato in my Hammond A100
Recently and suddenly, the quality of the vibrato and chorus on my Hammond A100 went bad.
I posted questions at the Hammond Zone yahoo group and Keyboard magazine forums and got some great advice.
Using this advice, I tested the wires that connect the scanner to the vibrato filter box and the switches. These all tested good.
There appears to be evidence that someone has (poorly) resoldered these wires in the past:
Here is an image of the scanner in the A100. It is the round thing on the left:
Googling the issue led me to learn about zinc dendrites that tend to grow in some of the electronics in these old organs.
I used a continuity tester to see if there was a connection between any of the brass screw connectors on the scanner and the scanner case (which is grounded). As you can see in the video below, there indeed was a connection on one of them.
Since the connections proved to be sound, my options were to either open the scanner up to clean or try the "zap" method to fry the zinc dendrites that tend to grow in these old organs.
On the Web there seem to be two lines of thought: zapping is too risky and zapping is fine (with proper precautions).
I really didn't want to open the scanner up, since there are fragile parts such as the oiling wicks and the axle.
After reading about the zapping method, and learning more about how the scanner works and what connections it has, I decided I was comfortable trying it.
The idea is that you apply a voltage across the dendrite, effectively turning it into a fuse which you "blow". In my case, I used a pair of 9 volt batteries in series to achieve an 18 volt source.
I used an alligator clip to connect the positive post of the battery to the scanner body:
With a wire connected to the negative post of the battery, I touched the brass screw on the scanner that allowed current through when previously tested with the continuity tester. There was no spark or pop etc. Continuity test failed after this, proving the dendrite was no longer conducting electricity.
After disconnecting the battery, I turned the organ on and the vibrato was back to its old self!
Here's a video I shot of the sound and testing for the dendrite:
And here are the photos I took during the operation:
https://picasaweb.google.com/davyyd/FixedA100Vibrato#
I posted questions at the Hammond Zone yahoo group and Keyboard magazine forums and got some great advice.
Using this advice, I tested the wires that connect the scanner to the vibrato filter box and the switches. These all tested good.
There appears to be evidence that someone has (poorly) resoldered these wires in the past:
Here is an image of the scanner in the A100. It is the round thing on the left:
Googling the issue led me to learn about zinc dendrites that tend to grow in some of the electronics in these old organs.
I used a continuity tester to see if there was a connection between any of the brass screw connectors on the scanner and the scanner case (which is grounded). As you can see in the video below, there indeed was a connection on one of them.
Since the connections proved to be sound, my options were to either open the scanner up to clean or try the "zap" method to fry the zinc dendrites that tend to grow in these old organs.
On the Web there seem to be two lines of thought: zapping is too risky and zapping is fine (with proper precautions).
I really didn't want to open the scanner up, since there are fragile parts such as the oiling wicks and the axle.
After reading about the zapping method, and learning more about how the scanner works and what connections it has, I decided I was comfortable trying it.
The idea is that you apply a voltage across the dendrite, effectively turning it into a fuse which you "blow". In my case, I used a pair of 9 volt batteries in series to achieve an 18 volt source.
I used an alligator clip to connect the positive post of the battery to the scanner body:
With a wire connected to the negative post of the battery, I touched the brass screw on the scanner that allowed current through when previously tested with the continuity tester. There was no spark or pop etc. Continuity test failed after this, proving the dendrite was no longer conducting electricity.
After disconnecting the battery, I turned the organ on and the vibrato was back to its old self!
Here's a video I shot of the sound and testing for the dendrite:
And here are the photos I took during the operation:
https://picasaweb.google.com/davyyd/FixedA100Vibrato#
Thursday, December 23, 2010
Hammond A100 connected to Leslie 3300
Long time no post.
Using a very slightly modified version of the circuit you can find here, and information about the 11-pin connector here, I built a box to connect my Hammond A100 to my Leslie 3300. Here are some images:
The red button is connected to Leslie pins 5 & 6 so that I can turn the Leslie on and off from the box.
The toggle switch is my Main-Echo-Ensemble switch, though since it is a DPDT Toggle switch it is just an M-E for now. I will consider putting in a proper switch to allow a mix option between the internal and external speakers, but for now I am happy being able to easily switch between the two.
For the most part, I am quite happy with the results. I do need to hide the wires (where do people run the half-moon switch wires on an A100?).
Since I no longer have reverb when using the Leslie (since I tapped into the preamp and not the main & reverb amp outputs), I've been hearing reverb in Hammond recordings lately. I think it would be easy to put an insert into the circuit that would let me put a reverb foot pedal in; but that is down the road.
The 3300 is a fabulous Leslie, especially after replacing the factory 12AX7 with a 12AT7 (thanks Jim Alfredson!). A new concern though, is that with the higher fidelity of the 3300 compared to the A100s internal amps and speakers, is that pops, clicks, and crackling noises are much more noticeable now. My next step is to order some de-oxit and clean all of the tube sockets in the A100 - I hope that resolves the noises.
Thanks to Jeff Dairiki and Harvey Olsen for the original circuit schematic.
Using a very slightly modified version of the circuit you can find here, and information about the 11-pin connector here, I built a box to connect my Hammond A100 to my Leslie 3300. Here are some images:
The red button is connected to Leslie pins 5 & 6 so that I can turn the Leslie on and off from the box.
The toggle switch is my Main-Echo-Ensemble switch, though since it is a DPDT Toggle switch it is just an M-E for now. I will consider putting in a proper switch to allow a mix option between the internal and external speakers, but for now I am happy being able to easily switch between the two.
For the most part, I am quite happy with the results. I do need to hide the wires (where do people run the half-moon switch wires on an A100?).
Since I no longer have reverb when using the Leslie (since I tapped into the preamp and not the main & reverb amp outputs), I've been hearing reverb in Hammond recordings lately. I think it would be easy to put an insert into the circuit that would let me put a reverb foot pedal in; but that is down the road.
The 3300 is a fabulous Leslie, especially after replacing the factory 12AX7 with a 12AT7 (thanks Jim Alfredson!). A new concern though, is that with the higher fidelity of the 3300 compared to the A100s internal amps and speakers, is that pops, clicks, and crackling noises are much more noticeable now. My next step is to order some de-oxit and clean all of the tube sockets in the A100 - I hope that resolves the noises.
Thanks to Jeff Dairiki and Harvey Olsen for the original circuit schematic.
Tuesday, January 27, 2009
Jan 2009 update
After waiting all summer to get new tires, I decided I did not want or need two bikes. I put both the shadow and the ninja up for sale, and the shadow is the one someone was willing to pay for. I think it went to a good home, but I wish that the ninja would have been the one to go.
Shortly after that, I finally got new tires on the ninja. Just before winter, the coolant sprung a leak. It's been in my garage since because I just have not wanted to work on it. I'm disappointed that it has had as many problems as it has in its short life span. I won't buy another ex500, and maybe not another kawasaki.
My other major hobby is music. In the last year, I joined a classic rock band. The band went through some major changes, including a full-on mutiny! It tries my patience at times, but I stick with it because I appreciate the chances to play and use the skills I learned as a music major. The other members are good people.
I also bought a hammond XK3-c (have always loved the hammond) and started a jazz organ combo. That has been very fun and educational. It is my first experience leading a group, and I often don't know what to do. I think everyone is enjoying it though.
It has been a long and snowy winter. My sleep schedule is really messed up - I am very tired all afternoon and early evening, but at bedtime I am wide awake. In the morning I have a difficult time getting up. I want to get up at 6 to practice piano, but lately it is all I can do to get up at 7:30 and rush off to work. Maybe now that I have written it down I will have more ambition in the morning and be able to get up.
I've been missing my family lately. They all live in the same area 9 hours away from us. I think it would be nice to be able to join them for get-togethers like birthdays or just for an occasional boardgame. At the same time, I don't want to leave the comfort of my stable job, familiar mortgage, etc.
Shortly after that, I finally got new tires on the ninja. Just before winter, the coolant sprung a leak. It's been in my garage since because I just have not wanted to work on it. I'm disappointed that it has had as many problems as it has in its short life span. I won't buy another ex500, and maybe not another kawasaki.
My other major hobby is music. In the last year, I joined a classic rock band. The band went through some major changes, including a full-on mutiny! It tries my patience at times, but I stick with it because I appreciate the chances to play and use the skills I learned as a music major. The other members are good people.
I also bought a hammond XK3-c (have always loved the hammond) and started a jazz organ combo. That has been very fun and educational. It is my first experience leading a group, and I often don't know what to do. I think everyone is enjoying it though.
It has been a long and snowy winter. My sleep schedule is really messed up - I am very tired all afternoon and early evening, but at bedtime I am wide awake. In the morning I have a difficult time getting up. I want to get up at 6 to practice piano, but lately it is all I can do to get up at 7:30 and rush off to work. Maybe now that I have written it down I will have more ambition in the morning and be able to get up.
I've been missing my family lately. They all live in the same area 9 hours away from us. I think it would be nice to be able to join them for get-togethers like birthdays or just for an occasional boardgame. At the same time, I don't want to leave the comfort of my stable job, familiar mortgage, etc.
Friday, June 29, 2007
July 2007 ride
Google Maps lets you save custom maps now.
I will be riding my ninja (with my new tribags from cortech) along this route to my parent's house.
My brother Alan, who just got a Honda Nighthawk 650, will be meeting me part way.
I will be riding my ninja (with my new tribags from cortech) along this route to my parent's house.
My brother Alan, who just got a Honda Nighthawk 650, will be meeting me part way.
Friday, May 11, 2007
Water in my oil
Several weeks ago I noticed droplets of water condensed onto the inside of the oil level viewer on my ninja. I changed the oil shortly after, but the droplets remained. Not too long after the water in the viewer was replaced by a white foam. In order to prevent problems with the foam interfering with oil flow throughout the engine, I removed the crank case cover to clean the engine out.
Here's what I found:
That is a thick and sticky foam, I believe caused by water mixing with the oil.
I was able to clean it all out, and I let the crankcase drain and dry for a few weeks while waiting for the replacement casket. The bike is back together and has been running for two weeks with no sign of water in the oil level window. Hopefully no permanent damage was done.
I don't know how water could have got into the engine - I suspect it was just from riding so much during the wet winter.
Here's what I found:
That is a thick and sticky foam, I believe caused by water mixing with the oil.
I was able to clean it all out, and I let the crankcase drain and dry for a few weeks while waiting for the replacement casket. The bike is back together and has been running for two weeks with no sign of water in the oil level window. Hopefully no permanent damage was done.
I don't know how water could have got into the engine - I suspect it was just from riding so much during the wet winter.
Saturday, October 14, 2006
Leaf Peep 2006
October 14 2006
Riders in New England, and I'm sure elsewhere, go on a "leaf peep" ride in the fall to view the changing foliage. I decided to go on my own leaf peep today.
Here is the photo album.
I rode down to Kendrick, then to Orofino, through Kamiah and Kooskia, up onto the Camas Prairie at Grangeville, and now I'm sitting in a dinner called the Cadillac Ranch.
I stopped to take a picture of the Cadillac, complete with bull horns on the grill, hoisted atop a thick pole. A combination truck stop / cafe, this is as good of a place as any to step inside to stretch my legs and use the restroom.
Above the toilet was a sign stating that if I wasn't a customer I don't get to use their johns. The claim was that 15 to 20 people use their toilets each day without buying anything. Well, too late to stop now... I picked up a candy bar to purchase so I wouldn't make any enemies.
Another sign at the cash register warned of a minimum $5.00 purchase for all debit and credit cards. I added some fries, a peanut butter shake, and some crackers to just get over the minimum purchase requirement. No worries if it would have been just under $5; to-go orders are an extra twenty cents. The grub is good, but I wasn't hungry. Maybe I'll use the bathroom one more time before I leave to get my money's worth..
I hope they don't charge for the entertainment. As I've been sitting here under a dead bear's head, I've been watching the local colors do their shopping. A boy of about 10 grabs a box of Q-tips off of the shelve and shows his enormous mother. Acting exasperated, she growls that she had already bought Q-tips. He puts them away with a look on his face that he's tired of trying.
I just ate a fried dirt clod that somehow got mixed in with my freshly cut fries. Perhaps the gas station attendant / short order cook forgot to rinse off the russet before slicing it in their stainless-steel french (or perhaps freedom) fry machine.
Near my table is a glass case full of knives and belt buckles. Next to a two foot long knife with an antler for a handle is a belt buckle that says "Wichita Kansas - 1985". Where else but Craigmont, Idaho can I get a Kansas belt buckle for five bucks? Maybe I should have sprung for that instead of the treats.
A pickup pulls up next to the window at my table with a dead elk in the bed. It's tongue is hanging out of it's stiff mouth as if it's dying wish was a glass of water. The driver and his son enter the store to purchase sodas. They are congratulated on their prize by the owner of the shop.
As I leave the diner, there's a 5 year old girl playing in the landscaping with what looks like an eight foot rattlesnake. A better look reveals the snake is just a toy, but looks real enough.
I love to ride. I read books and Internet message boards about other rider's adventures around the world through interesting places like Mongolia and Africa. I hope to someday soon take on those adventures and experience the people of the World. Today's ride reminds me that there are interesting, if not a bit bizarre, experiences to be had not far from home.
Riders in New England, and I'm sure elsewhere, go on a "leaf peep" ride in the fall to view the changing foliage. I decided to go on my own leaf peep today.
Here is the photo album.
I rode down to Kendrick, then to Orofino, through Kamiah and Kooskia, up onto the Camas Prairie at Grangeville, and now I'm sitting in a dinner called the Cadillac Ranch.
I stopped to take a picture of the Cadillac, complete with bull horns on the grill, hoisted atop a thick pole. A combination truck stop / cafe, this is as good of a place as any to step inside to stretch my legs and use the restroom.
Above the toilet was a sign stating that if I wasn't a customer I don't get to use their johns. The claim was that 15 to 20 people use their toilets each day without buying anything. Well, too late to stop now... I picked up a candy bar to purchase so I wouldn't make any enemies.
Another sign at the cash register warned of a minimum $5.00 purchase for all debit and credit cards. I added some fries, a peanut butter shake, and some crackers to just get over the minimum purchase requirement. No worries if it would have been just under $5; to-go orders are an extra twenty cents. The grub is good, but I wasn't hungry. Maybe I'll use the bathroom one more time before I leave to get my money's worth..
I hope they don't charge for the entertainment. As I've been sitting here under a dead bear's head, I've been watching the local colors do their shopping. A boy of about 10 grabs a box of Q-tips off of the shelve and shows his enormous mother. Acting exasperated, she growls that she had already bought Q-tips. He puts them away with a look on his face that he's tired of trying.
I just ate a fried dirt clod that somehow got mixed in with my freshly cut fries. Perhaps the gas station attendant / short order cook forgot to rinse off the russet before slicing it in their stainless-steel french (or perhaps freedom) fry machine.
Near my table is a glass case full of knives and belt buckles. Next to a two foot long knife with an antler for a handle is a belt buckle that says "Wichita Kansas - 1985". Where else but Craigmont, Idaho can I get a Kansas belt buckle for five bucks? Maybe I should have sprung for that instead of the treats.
A pickup pulls up next to the window at my table with a dead elk in the bed. It's tongue is hanging out of it's stiff mouth as if it's dying wish was a glass of water. The driver and his son enter the store to purchase sodas. They are congratulated on their prize by the owner of the shop.
As I leave the diner, there's a 5 year old girl playing in the landscaping with what looks like an eight foot rattlesnake. A better look reveals the snake is just a toy, but looks real enough.
I love to ride. I read books and Internet message boards about other rider's adventures around the world through interesting places like Mongolia and Africa. I hope to someday soon take on those adventures and experience the people of the World. Today's ride reminds me that there are interesting, if not a bit bizarre, experiences to be had not far from home.
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