What did you buy today? Post your latest purchase!

[Cubdriver]

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.

Yeah, I thought it was pretty cool looking, so I made a donation and it followed me home.  Have no fear though - its place in line is somewhere BEHIND the long suffering HP 5340A.   

-Pat

[Technobabble_]

I bought one of these for my backpack:

I've been brainstorming my own EE travel kit, and this may be where I store everything...

[ChrisLX200]

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

[...]



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?

Produces clear images, and I think you're right about the lighting being an issue - more because of reflections than anything else. I've already decided to add a polarising filter to the end of mine, I've got a 38mm dia one lying around somewhere to try. With that fitted it should be possible to knock down the worst of the blown highlights which are inevitable with a bright light source and shiny pins etc.

[Specmaster]

Seems like an idea, keep us posted on the results?

[BU508A]

Hello Pat,

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.

I've bought them at Hornbach (building centre in Germany https://www.hornbach.de/ ) for EUR 2,50 each incl. VAT
This is the vice grip: https://www.hornbach.de/shop/Mini-Gripzange-110-mm/8397016/artikel.html and the quality
convinced me nearly immediatly (heavy and solid construction) so I bought three of them.

[BU508A]

I bought one of these for my backpack:

I've been brainstorming my own EE travel kit, and this may be where I store everything...

Nice. What is the name of this thing and where can it be bought?

Thanks.

[Richard Crowley]

I bought one of these for my backpack:
I've been brainstorming my own EE travel kit, and this may be where I store everything...

Nice. What is the name of this thing and where can it be bought?
Thanks.

I found it on Amazon at a sensible price in half a dozen designer colors.

https://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_noss_1?url=search-alias%3Daps&field-keywords=grid-it

[Technobabble_]

Yep, picked them up on Amazon as well. Also found them on their own website:
https://www.cocooninnovations.com/cat_info.php?cat_id=61

[Inverted18650]

Another eBay gamble. This time from "jollyg00d" (i believe those are zero's not O's). Seller was super friendly and gave me what I think was a great deal. Powers up and looks promising. Can't wait to open it up. I'll post the teardown and attempted repair/ adjustment to my YT channel. I've been reading too many XDev's posts, getting addicted 

[amspire]

I doubt that Fluke 335A is that much of a gamble. I think you have already won with that 7 digit Fluke resistive divider.

Even if it has been damaged, the important bits will probably be fine.

20 ppm absolute accuracy and 2ppm/C maximum temperature coefficient - it is just stunning what Fluke was able to do in the 1960's.

[Inverted18650]

Thanks mate, I hope you're right. I spent my down time this weekend binge watching YT repair videos and I went for it. I am sure it will be a great project as long as, like you say, the important bits are there.

[Cubdriver]

Another eBay gamble. This time from "jollyg00d" (i believe those are zero's not O's). Seller was super friendly and gave me what I think was a great deal. Powers up and looks promising. Can't wait to open it up. I'll post the teardown and attempted repair adjustment to my YT channel. I've been reading tooo many XDev's posts, getting addicted 

Nice piece of kit!!  Congrats.

-Pat

[Inverted18650]

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

I have an entire bin of miscellaneous medium and small LED's and will try to find a couple suitable parts for you tomorrow. Not sure Ill have a 33mm ring, but I know I have some small strip lights that use double-sided -3M tape. I think they are 65x25x5mm and would stick to the frame on each side of the light. Each strip holds 3- 5.5mm LED's and use 12VDC.

(How do I get this stuff: There is an Amazon return "rummage" store in town and I visit it once every couple weeks and grab all the high power LEDs and various projects. I am amazed at what I find there. Anyway, an entire basket of goodies is $5, so if I find anything that will work for you, you may have it).

[bitseeker]

Another eBay gamble. This time from "jollyg00d" (i believe those are zero's not O's). Seller was super friendly and gave me what I think was a great deal. Powers up and looks promising. Can't wait to open it up.

That's a sweet find. Congrats!

I'll post the teardown and attempted repair/ adjustment to my YT channel.

Channel link?

[Vgkid]

Another eBay gamble.

Nice purchase , you removed another item from my saved items list.

[FrankBuss]

I couldn't resist. The first time I saw the Tagarno Dave was using, I wanted one. And today I got one, a FHD Trend. Live view on a TFT display, and at the same time streaming over an USB3 connection to my Linux system, works without problems, maybe just sometimes it freezes for a short time over USB, but not on the TFT. Need a better computer now, or experimenting with other recording software or settings. First test recording with VLC:



Looks like it wasn't a good idea to use a 0603 resistor for 0805 pads

[Kjelt]

I couldn't resist. The first time I saw the Tagarno Dave was using, I wanted one. And today I got one, a FHD Trend. Live view on a TFT display, and at the same time streaming over an USB3 connection to my Linux system, works without problems, maybe just sometimes it freezes for a short time over USB, but not on the TFT. Need a better computer now, or experimenting with other recording software or settings. First test recording with VLC:



Looks like it wasn't a good idea to use a 0603 resistor for 0805 pads

Nice  which lens option did you choose and how much did it cost aprox. ?

[FrankBuss]

I ordered it with the standard +4 lens. The FHD Trend was EUR 4032 and the control box again EUR 614. Worth the money for the microscope, it is very stable, heavy metal construction, and you don't get the 24 cm working distance between the camera and the surface with cheap microscopes and with this quality. Dave would say it oozes quality.

Not sure about the control box. Sure, it looks and feels nice, but I think it is overpriced for just a few knobs. But the design in combination with the software is well thought out, it is easy to use, selecting presets, zooming etc., fun to use. Well, I guess if you want a Mercedes, you have to pay for a Mercedes.

[lukier]

The FHD Trend was EUR 4032 and the control box again EUR 614.

Ouch! That's is massive amounts of money for what looks like a Visual Presenter on steroids (a bit better sensor, more zoom and USB 3.0 instead of 2.0). Something like that:
https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/272852889973

[ChrisLX200]

Not in the same league but my microscope also arrived today - an Adonstar ADSM302

[Kjelt]

I ordered it with the standard +4 lens. The FHD Trend was EUR 4032 and the control box again EUR 614. Worth the money for the microscope, it is very stable, heavy metal construction, and you don't get the 24 cm working distance between the camera and the surface with cheap microscopes and with this quality. Dave would say it oozes quality.

Not sure about the control box. Sure, it looks and feels nice, but I think it is overpriced for just a few knobs. But the design in combination with the software is well thought out, it is easy to use, selecting presets, zooming etc., fun to use. Well, I guess if you want a Mercedes, you have to pay for a Mercedes.

Ok a bit (3x) over my budget I must say. I did in the past buy a stereo Leica microscope for electronics that was around EUR2500 which for a Leica I think is pretty good. That this apparatus is more expensive surprises me. Then when I wanted another start zoom option (5x was too much) and had to buy two small lenses and had to pay EUR 500 for those two lenses I also had a bit of uhhhhhhhhhh. I guess the same with your control box, but in the end it all comes down to the user experience and I have no doubt that you will enjoy it very much. 

[Specmaster]

I ordered it with the standard +4 lens. The FHD Trend was EUR 4032 and the control box again EUR 614. Worth the money for the microscope, it is very stable, heavy metal construction, and you don't get the 24 cm working distance between the camera and the surface with cheap microscopes and with this quality. Dave would say it oozes quality.

Not sure about the control box. Sure, it looks and feels nice, but I think it is overpriced for just a few knobs. But the design in combination with the software is well thought out, it is easy to use, selecting presets, zooming etc., fun to use. Well, I guess if you want a Mercedes, you have to pay for a Mercedes.

If I win the lottery.....

[FrankBuss]

Yeah, I guess you pay a lot for the name, but Tagarno is simply the best. Still images are even better than video:

[Specmaster]

Not in the same league but my microscope also arrived today - an Adonstar ADSM302

Nice, looks like yours and mine share some common parts and maybe some hidden under the skin as well?

[paulca]

Yeah, I guess you pay a lot for the name, but Tagarno is simply the best. Still images are even better than video:

You know they sell cases for the PI?