What did you buy today? Post your latest purchase!

[BravoV]

Mean Well HLG-185H series with CC/CV capability and adjustable, 185 watt rated at (36V/5.2A), used and working fine, both for about US$15. 

[TerraHertz]

That is marginal even for the ultra-low cost.

For reference - I got 4" vises recently, they were over $1,000 USD each. Very good quality.
The ripoff version from China is about $250 through US distribution. Quality is marginal.

http://www.shars.com/products/toolholding-workholding/vise/4-440v-cnc-milling-machine-vise-0-0004-1

Coincidence, everyone buying machinist vices? I need one too. Something like this:
  https://www.aliexpress.com/item/QM100-4-Accu-lock-machine-vice-with-swivel-base-table-vise-machine-vice/32731773536.html
Hoping to find something second hand that will do.

[PartialDischarge]

Is everything CNC related all THIS expensive?

Good quality stuff is. Brands like Sandvik Coromant or Seco make the best tools. And when you see the work it takes to make end-mills for example, from steel manufacture to thermal hardening, you'll realize that it is not that expensive.

This is a nice catalogue of everything cnc related, although you'll only need the smallish stuff for your cnc, they are well known in Europe not sure if they deliver in the US.

https://www.hoffmann-group.com/GB/en/houk/assortment/Main_K48_GB

[Gary350z]

Taking a reference from YouTubes Voltlog.

This the thread that will touch both your passion for electronics and your bank account at the same time.    Both and 

[ChrisLX200]

That is marginal even for the ultra-low cost.

For reference - I got 4" vises recently, they were over $1,000 USD each. Very good quality.
The ripoff version from China is about $250 through US distribution. Quality is marginal.

http://www.shars.com/products/toolholding-workholding/vise/4-440v-cnc-milling-machine-vise-0-0004-1

Coincidence, everyone buying machinist vices? I need one too. Something like this:
  https://www.aliexpress.com/item/QM100-4-Accu-lock-machine-vice-with-swivel-base-table-vise-machine-vice/32731773536.html
Hoping to find something second hand that will do.

I've had many machine vices and I would suggest buying one with the moveable jaw on a (adjustable) dovetail slide. The blue one pictured is a 6" jaw width vice made by Bison. The smaller 4" is a no-name vice that always suffered from jaw 'lift' - you tighten it up and the moveable jaw lifts a few thou (that is what you want to avoid).

The type of vice to avoid is anything that looks like the green one on the second image - horrible thing that wouldn't grip anything. Looked OK and was well made, but the design is just poo.

[ChrisLX200]

Received today - a decade capacitance box to match the resistance box I scored a few weeks ago

[nctnico]

That is marginal even for the ultra-low cost.

For reference - I got 4" vises recently, they were over $1,000 USD each. Very good quality.
The ripoff version from China is about $250 through US distribution. Quality is marginal.

http://www.shars.com/products/toolholding-workholding/vise/4-440v-cnc-milling-machine-vise-0-0004-1

Coincidence, everyone buying machinist vices? I need one too. Something like this:
  https://www.aliexpress.com/item/QM100-4-Accu-lock-machine-vice-with-swivel-base-table-vise-machine-vice/32731773536.html
Hoping to find something second hand that will do.

I'm still looking for an extra machinist vice as well but the good ones are horribly expensive.

[3db]

I bought a Brymen 869S via Amazon.co.uk
The meter came with a padded soft case,thermocouple and test leads that look like the ones Dave supplies with his BM235.
I have no idea if this is the norm when you buy a BM896S.
The actual supplier was Welectron in Germany.
I get the impression that Welectron are a pretty good supplier.
3DB

[ChrisLX200]

I bought a Brymen 869S via Amazon.co.uk
The meter came with a padded soft case,thermocouple and test leads that look like the ones Dave supplies with his BM235.
I have no idea if this is the norm when you buy a BM896S.
The actual supplier was Welectron in Germany.
I get the impression that Welectron are a pretty good supplier.
3DB

A good meter from what I've read!

[HighVoltage]

Received today - a decade capacitance box to match the resistance box I scored a few weeks ago

They are really nice.
I have of of them and in addition the same size box for low resistance.

[paulca]

Went on Banggood while drunk last night. 

[Cubdriver]

Went on Banggood while drunk last night. 

Your signature line fits nicely with this post.   

-Pat

[paulca]

Went on Banggood while drunk last night. 

Your signature line fits nicely with this post.   

-Pat

Well, asides looking at the paypal notifications on the phone this morning and groaning, it didn't go that badly.

I bought a DPH5005 boost/buck PSU and case for £50.  It started when I decided I could run my bench on solar power, but my only DC input PSU is a buck coverter and won't produce 12V from a 12V input.  The beer got to thinking and... we'll see what it's like and how much smoke it releases in a few weeks.

[ChrisLX200]

Went on Banggood while drunk last night. 

Your signature line fits nicely with this post.   

-Pat

Well, asides looking at the paypal notifications on the phone this morning and groaning, it didn't go that badly.

I bought a DPH5005 boost/buck PSU and case for £50.  It started when I decided I could run my bench on solar power, but my only DC input PSU is a buck coverter and won't produce 12V from a 12V input.  The beer got to thinking and... we'll see what it's like and how much smoke it releases in a few weeks.

I bought the DPS5015 with comms, then realised I need a higher rated input for it so bought one of these: http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/192325585960  -but there's no way it's going to supply 800w for longer than a millisecond before it turns to glowing slag...

[paulca]

I bought the DPS5015 with comms, then realised I need a higher rated input for it so bought one of these: http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/192325585960  -but there's no way it's going to supply 800w for longer than a millisecond before it turns to glowing slag...

Video the load test.

My take on this is a bit "belt and braces".  I don't need a 50V power supply.  I might need 24V tops.  But if I buy a cheap 24V power supply I might need to run it at 100% rating and be disappointed when it doesn't meet it's specs or go kapoof in a white cloud trying. 

So I buy a larger supply than I need, so it runs gently.

I have the DPS5020.  I have not attempted to pull 1000W through it and nor do I intend to, EVER.  I have pulled 20A through it for a few minutes, but got a bit scared and backed it off.  Scared for the PSU and the LiPo it was charging.  4C charge is a bit too dodgy for me, though a lot of people do it in the field.

I went for a 48V 10A LED lighting brick for the DPS.  If you can live with lower voltage LCD Monitors and TVs are now going "external" DC bricks with some impressive ratings.  My monitor has a 24V 8A brick for example.  Gotta be some on the second hand market already.

[BU508A]

Bought today some Wiha screwdrivers (Picofinish set) for slotted screws, vice-grip wrenches and a 6mm flat-spanner from WGB.

[Cubdriver]

Bought today some Wiha screwdrivers (Picofinish set) for slotted screws, vice-grip wrenches and a 6mm flat-spanner from WGB.

Awww..  Those baby vise grips are sooo cute!  If you feed them, will the get bigger?   

Seriously, I don't think I've EVER seen them that small!  Very cool.

-Pat

[Specmaster]

I got this rather lovely microscope delivered this morning. I'd been looking at getting another to replace my first foray into microscope which was an Andonstar A1 which was reasonable but suffered from too much free play and a breeze would blow of focal point, so I started to think about the Andonstar V160 which featured a more robust design of up stand pillar to help remove the free play. Then I watched a review by TheDefpom



 

[ChrisLX200]

I got this rather lovely microscope delivered this morning. I'd been looking at getting another to replace my first foray into microscope which was an Andonstar A1 which was reasonable but suffered from too much free play and a breeze would blow of focal point, so I started to think about the Andonstar V160 which featured a more robust design of up stand pillar to help remove the free play. Then I watched a review by TheDefpom...

That looks cool - from Banggood? I ordered one a few weeks ago and rather expected delivery by now. China post can be so frustrating sometimes!

You should post some captured images in full res (if the filesize makes this possible).

[Specmaster]

I got this rather lovely microscope delivered this morning. I'd been looking at getting another to replace my first foray into microscope which was an Andonstar A1 which was reasonable but suffered from too much free play and a breeze would blow of focal point, so I started to think about the Andonstar V160 which featured a more robust design of up stand pillar to help remove the free play. Then I watched a review by TheDefpom...

That looks cool - from Banggood? I ordered one a few weeks ago and rather expected delivery by now. China post can be so frustrating sometimes!

You should post some captured images in full res (if the filesize makes this possible).

No, I got mine from AliExpress, it will take stills VGA, 2M and 5M but the 5M on the microscope itself takes an absolute age to process and save but that might be a function of the SD card, I'll have get a class 10 and try it. You can also plug it into the computer and with some suitable software via the live image on the monitor. The software (not supplied) will take snapshots, the following are taken on the computer with the lens about 9cm away from the PCB.

Tomorrow I'll take some snaps on the SD card and compare /post them here.

[nctnico]

I got this rather lovely microscope delivered this morning.

That seems very interesting and for around $60 delivered it seems quite cheap too.

[Cubdriver]

I bought a new project for my 'spare' time from the antique radio museum where I volunteer.





It's an RCA Model 143, introduced in 1934.  The cabinet is a bit rough (understatement of the year there..), and it will need to be recapped, but I think it's a pretty cool looking Art Deco-ish piece, and has some nice potential.  All I need to do is learn to veneer, and fabricate the missing cabinet trim bits.   

Lab Cat, of course, was keen to get going on it immediately.


And wasted no time before beginning his examination of the chassis.


-Pat

[mtdoc]

I would say for $120, I'm totally not impressed. I expect to see proper chamfered edges and thick anodized aluminum or tool grade steel. Colorless type III would be acceptable, but thin type II is not.

No, not impressive for that price.

I have to say, I was impressed with my recent purchase of this 2 1/2 " precision toolmakers vise. They can be had for $60 on eBay.  Appears to be good quality tool grade steel and square. Smooth with no significant slop or backlash.   Not high end for sure but for the money 

[neo]

I bought a new project for my 'spare' time from the antique radio museum where I volunteer.



-snip-

-Pat

Pat, that radio is beautiful as is, can't wait to see it nice and fixed up.

[Specmaster]

Now for some shots taken from the microscope screen direct to SD card in 2M size.


2N2222 transistor at 130mm away.



Same transistor at 30mm away



Small thermister at 130mm away



Same thermistor at 35mm away



Same thermistor at 30mm away

Pretty impressive piece of kit, its weakness is the lighting, needs a ring light to take advantage of its abilities with out suffering from reflected light entering the lens and spoiling the image.

Anyone know of a ring LED light that will fit onto a 33mm dia barrel?