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Post by gato on Jan 15, 2021 9:32:27 GMT -5
Here's a term we see all the time in advertising: "military grade." This conjures up images of super tough materials and laser-like attention to detail in manufacturing. Other adjacent images: tough, bullet proof, superior, resistant to rust, weather ...
Well, in 1968 I was in the military, and what I learned on Day One in my new status as a soldier was that "military grade" was not what I had imagined. For me, MG (military grade) came to mean clothing that never quite fit. Paint that was thin and low quality. Blankets? Scratchy. Batteries? Drained quickly. Mess hall food? Don't get me started.
No complaints about weaponry. My issued M-16 never failed me, even after being submerged in swamp water. My 1911 sidearm... worked, but rattled like a bunch of marbles in a tin can. But what most folks don't realize is that the bulk of military equipment is stuff other than weapons. Egg beaters, toilet seats, wastebaskets ... not every military grade object is a razor honed combat knife clutched in the fist of Rambo.
Anyway, my point is that advertisers capitalize on Military Grade as being something superior, when in the real world, it pretty much can be summed up as "meets specs and is interchangeable with similar parts". Other than that, low bid gets the contract, and we all know where low bid equipment is made, right? That includes the bulk of US military equipment. Even equipment "Made in the USA," depends on raw materials shipped in from overseas.
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Post by Mike the marksman on Jan 15, 2021 11:35:33 GMT -5
There used to be a ton of infomercials for "miltary spec" flashlights that "are only available to the U.S. Military- Until Now!" which I thought was funny. When I was in the Army we were issued off-the-shelf commercial flashlights like Surefire and Pelican, the same ones you can buy at Cabelas or Academy, not some special top-secret military only things..
I think the military has been getting away from contracting out the more mundane items in recent years, preferring to just pay market price for commercial stuff. Every unit has a government credit card and commanders buy whatever the unit needs. As long as it has an NSN (and sometimes even if it doesn't) it's fair game.
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Post by roly on Jan 15, 2021 15:54:58 GMT -5
Good topic.
I bought 50 JAN GE 12AT7s (NOS), out of the 20 I have used, 3 have failed.
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Post by LTB on Jan 16, 2021 2:18:11 GMT -5
Good topic. I bought 50 JAN GE 12AT7s (NOS), out of the 20 I have used, 3 have failed. Maybe I am wrong but I always looked at JAN Tubes as having industrial strength tubes but not best for guitar audio.
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Post by rickyguitar on Jan 16, 2021 5:58:16 GMT -5
I used to have a military grade les paul. Had to sell it to pay the rent. Sigh.
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Post by modbus on Jan 18, 2021 8:39:30 GMT -5
Mil-spec electronic components generally tend to have wider operating temperature ranges, which is nice. Every manufacturer is different, by a kinda-sorta general rule of thumb is: Commercial: 0 ° to 70 °C Industrial: −40 ° to 85 °C Military: −55 ° to 125 °C So just be sure to not use a commercial rated component if it's going to go into something that gets used outside.
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GmanNJ
Wholenote
somewhere deep in the swamps of Joisey
Posts: 315
Formerly Known As: Your Friendly Neighborhood Gman
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Post by GmanNJ on Jan 21, 2021 9:50:07 GMT -5
^ side note: -55C is -67f I know that there is a Gov lab in Alaska that has a deep freezer to test things there per MIL-810. Only affordable place the ambient temp is low enough to get the delta a freezer brings.
MIL-810 covers temp, shock, vibe, salt and water ingress (plus a couple more) If these things are indeed to MIL SPEC per MIL-810 or other real spec then its a good thing. Meeting the RFP spec for purchased items that are Commercial Off the Shelf (COTS) means meets basic requirements and is low bidder
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Post by funkykikuchiyo on Jan 21, 2021 9:59:35 GMT -5
Meh. I don't pay attention. But, put "Tonka Tough" on something, and I'm throwing down my credit card!
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Post by LTB on Jan 21, 2021 18:36:29 GMT -5
Meh. I don't pay attention. But, put "Tonka Tough" on something, and I'm throwing down my credit card! Hilarious funky! 😂
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