[Metrology] Brown & Sharpe 599-990 Amplifier

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I recently purchased a older Brown & Sharpe Amplifier and probe to add to my collection of metrology equipment. Didn't give much for the ancient equipment but always wanted something that would read down to 50 millionths of an inch other than gage blocks, which I have too.
Anyways, as usual with stuff like this it arrived DOA. Both pieces were not bought together, so I have two items I have to trouble shoot, the probe and the amplifier.
I am looking for anyone that has worked on these in their past that can help me trouble shoot and repair. And also looking for any schematics that someone may have rat hole for a rainy day. So far, I have not found anything useful on the internet. I appreciate any help I can get, Ken

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Nice find!

I have the Starrett version of that, but that won't help much I'm afraid. I like it because of the remote read capability as much or more than the resolution.
 
Went out to the shop this morning and turned on the amplifier just to see what would happen. Well it's working now. After about 10 minutes of warm up, working pretty good. An hour later, working fantastic. Boy it is sensitive and accurate! A whole new learning curve on measuring. My half worn out gage blocks are not accurate enough for this unit! I'll have to get my good set out and try them. These ancient analog electronics just don't work until they warm up and all of them capacitors get good and charged.
 
Might want to open it up and glance at the electrolytic caps. If they are board mounted, the tops will be scored with stress relief grooves. If they are going bad, they will swell up and it will be noticeable. If you have the instruments, all the electrolytic caps might need to be checked for value, leakage, and ESR. Not that other caps can't go bad, but it's usually the electrolytics that give the most problems. (or tantalums....POW)
 
Tony, I did open it up to replace the cord connector with a newer one I stole off of a power supply we were not using. All the capacitors are of the newer style one's and looked good from what I could tell visually. It's been on most of the day today, haven't smelled any of them funny fumes from a blown capacitor. Did find a handwritten date of 1976 in the unit. The B & S catalog I have is about 1975, so I kind of have an idea how old it is. Thanks, Ken
 
You're probably in great shape then. All you need is a 68°/50% room now lol.
 
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