I bought a proper bench power supply. Dual tracking with a fixed 5 volt third output. It's exactly what I used to use at work. Seller was a liquidation auction seller. Sold it as is, but I saw from the pictures that the meters and LEDs didn't
look wrong, so I took the eBay gamble, and for $70, I got a supply that tests perfectly in every way! Truth is, I have dual tracking supplies on my bench already... It's just the little 400mA peak current limit on my Tek 500 series modular kit is just not enough power. Last month, I hit that current limit four times... It just wasn't enough.
Hot air rework station. Nuf said. How I have lived without this baby is beyond me. I don't even care that it oozes Chinese cheapness...
"Must to keep the handle on the holder, Before to turn on the machine!" That sticker will NEVER come off. It gives me a laugh every time I see it!
The soldering iron option cost me $8 more... I question the value of that $8
The tip is
crooked. Seriously at an angle. I thought it was broken... The heating element is just... not straight.
That said, it works. I'll save that cheap iron for times when I need to abuse an iron, like when I want to melt some plastic things together. Save my REAL Hakko irons for REAL soldering!
I also bought a new printer to replace my old HP from 2006. Now I have a good laser printer that has toner and doesn't streak. I'll give my old printer credit for lasting as long as it did. Still technically works, it's just low on color toner, and streaks sometimes. New printer was cheaper than toner for a printer that might still streak anyway.
Now I can print PC board patterns to transfer to copper clad board (for etching), as well as print meter scales and other stuff like that. Also, apparently these things are great for printing paper documents too! Who'da thunk it!