What did you buy today? Post your latest purchase!

[Vgkid]

Did you ask if they had any more. You can buy new ones for 2-3X that, rather pricy

[mrjoda]

For DER DE 5000 owners :

 I did some conversion to Kelvin probes at mine instruments a few years ago. The best thing I could do to this instrument . It is so much comfortable than that a crocodiles.

[DC1MC]

Contact Paul Daniels http://pldaniels.com, his FlexBV is the best board viewer ever.

 Cheers,
 DC1MC

Popped my cherry on buying laptop schematics/boardviews from what seemed like a dodgy site on the internet. Well I can confirm that laptopserviz.bg is legit, you basically get a link to download the file after you purchase (part of order confirmation so it only took a minute). No affiliation with the seller, it was a bit hard to Google around to see if they're legit, so I hope it helps someone else out there.

Now to fix this HP Spectre X360 that a friend gave me to repair...time to channel my inner Louis Rossmann. 

Ughh this boardview only works with Allegro viewer...it feels like software from the 90s and is so clunky to use, you NEED a multi monitor setup to work semi efficiently because you'll be toggling layers on and off constantly. Ahhh time to play Where's Wally.

[McBryce]

For DER DE 5000 owners :

 I did some conversion to Kelvin probes at mine instruments a few years ago. The best thing I could do to this instrument . It is so much comfortable than that a crocodiles.

I'm currently working on a 3D model to make new plugins for the DER DE 5000. the main purpose is to make decent kelvin probes for it, but I'd like to keep the BNC plugs/sockets so that I can use the probes on other instruments too.

McBryce.

[shakalnokturn]

For DER DE 5000 owners :

 I did some conversion to Kelvin probes at mine instruments a few years ago. The best thing I could do to this instrument . It is so much comfortable than that a crocodiles.

I haven't bought real Kelvin crocodiles with one wire going to each side of the jaw yet, however as I actually wanted to use the TL-21 for something I did lengthen the Kelvin wiring keeping the original crocodiles.
While doing that I noticed that the TL-21 fixture has a small un-wired PCB on the upper portion, I peeled the adhesive that has the "TL-21" marking off out of curiosity and found that it's an option with footprints for measuring SMD's.

[Kilrah]

It's interesting that almost always, when such modules are listed on ebay they are missing the _essential_ APC 3.5 f-f gold plated port-savers, and SMA shorting or 50R caps.

Most likely people who toss these kinds of modules consider them as worthless scrap and don't think anyone would use them again, but the expensive terminations are still usable with their new equipment so they'll keep them as spares. So the scrappers who get their hands on the modules and resell them on ebay etc never see them, and that's why they're unobtainium.

[lukego]

Ersa Nano with miniwave tip.

I feel guilty about this because I already have a Hakko 888D but I've never tried another iron and want to experience the difference for myself. That and I wanted a second iron because it takes a long time to switch tips on the Hakko which often leads me to not using the one that I really want.

So far I love the Ersa. The feel is great, solid but lightweight, and my first attempt at drag soldering small SMD with the miniwave was much more credible than my past attempts with the Hakko CF tips. (But I also used Amtefh tacky flux instead of my Chip Quik no clean flux pen and that might have helped too.)

(I'd been about to buy a cheap second hand JBC but the stories of lousy expensive tips chased me over to Ersa which is also easy to buy here in Europe

[tooki]

For DER DE 5000 owners :

 I did some conversion to Kelvin probes at mine instruments a few years ago. The best thing I could do to this instrument . It is so much comfortable than that a crocodiles.

Nice!

FYI, though, I would rename it to "kelvin clip conversion", because kelvin probes actually do exist, and they're a different thing: they're actual multimeter probes, but with two wires going into each probe tip. For example, the Pomona 6303.

[djos]

Just refunded the little cute laptop I mentioned a page ago. Can't put up with the lies.
I totally understand it's a hard time for anyone in China to ship, but at least just be up front.
They totally told me they would ship on 26th, so I sent my barely hanging other laptop to service that day, expecting to have something else to use in the meantime.
Nope, they said they are going to ship today, which means my weekend working plan is f*ed, but hey, at least I should be covered by Monday, right?
No. They told me to wait for another week.
Making things worse, they always promised to ship before today, and only gave me the truth today.
And the final blow is that they provided me with a fake tracking number on 26th and that number shows waiting for collection for the past 3 days.
So, screw them. Someone else gets my money,

Are they lying tho? I’ve had numerous shipments from China delayed by at least 3 weeks. Several reputable companies that I deal with frequently told me the government has only just allowed them to reopen for business.

[djos]

Are they lying tho? I’ve had numerous shipments from China delayed by at least 3 weeks. Several reputable companies that I deal with frequently told me the government has only just allowed them to reopen for business.

The problem is not that they can't ship, but they told be the could but they really couldn't, and they sent me a fake tracking number.
Just to double confirm, they swiftly accepted my refund request, and there's no way they can do that with goods already shipped.

Ah, fair enough - bullet dodged then.

[BravoV]

Some coppers ... 

Smaller spindle 60 strands x 0.08mm wires, larger one is 80 strands x 0.1mm wires.

[Nominal Animal]

A cheap but seems-to-be-nice fake leather laptop bag, Feru Heritage Business, for toting around two 15" laptops:

[maginnovision]

Datron 1081 user manual. Got hosed at $40 but at least I'll have it.

Edit:

Did a mediocre job of "scanning" it and uploaded here.
https://www.eevblog.com/forum/testgear/datron-1081-users-manual/

[McBryce]

Picked up a mini CRT from an old Camcorder viewfinder with driver board for €8 for a project that I'm considering.

McBryce.

[lukego]

TM240A pick and place machine for $50.

Have to find something to do with it! Just couldn't say no to that price. From a friend whose company is looking to get rid of a lightly used one to free up some space.

[Kjelt]

That is giving it away. Nice.

[McBryce]

Bought some desoldering braid from ebay (Stannol 1.5mm 30M), because my previous supplier (Reichelt) now only sells it in 1.5M lenghts (I call this "Sample size") at 10 times the price.

McBryce.

[tooki]

Bought some desoldering braid from ebay (Stannol 1.5mm 30M), because my previous supplier (Reichelt) now only sells it in 1.5M lenghts (I call this "Sample size") at 10 times the price.

FWIW, Reichelt has Felder desoldering braid in 15 and 30m spools. (They don't seem to have Stannol braid at all.) But good choice, the Stannol braid is excellent. (It and MG Chemicals are my two favorites, as they have far finer stranding than other braids.)

[McBryce]

Bought some desoldering braid from ebay (Stannol 1.5mm 30M), because my previous supplier (Reichelt) now only sells it in 1.5M lenghts (I call this "Sample size") at 10 times the price.

FWIW, Reichelt has Felder desoldering braid in 15 and 30m spools. (They don't seem to have Stannol braid at all.) But good choice, the Stannol braid is excellent. (It and MG Chemicals are my two favorites, as they have far finer stranding than other braids.)

Funny, yesterday I couldn't find, but today I did.

McBryce.

[Moonbase]

Big grin on my face. When I started out in the 1970s, we already used Stannol solder. Even after all these buyouts, they’ll probaby never die and still make good soldering stuff. I still got a roll of 60/40 solder lying around somewhere. For lead-free, I use Felder nowadays.

[tooki]

Bought some desoldering braid from ebay (Stannol 1.5mm 30M), because my previous supplier (Reichelt) now only sells it in 1.5M lenghts (I call this "Sample size") at 10 times the price.

FWIW, Reichelt has Felder desoldering braid in 15 and 30m spools. (They don't seem to have Stannol braid at all.) But good choice, the Stannol braid is excellent. (It and MG Chemicals are my two favorites, as they have far finer stranding than other braids.)

Funny, yesterday I couldn't find, but today I did.

McBryce.

Weird! (But, hopefully, nowhere near as frustrating to you as my experience today with the distrelec website, LOL!)

Anyway, at least you know with the Stannol you're getting a top-notch product.

[McBryce]

Yup. The braid arrived this afternoon. Top notch, but I was happy with the Felder stuff too, although I always suspected that the rosin impregnation isn't evenly distributed throughout the braid, it seems to be in patches.

McBryce.

[maginnovision]

All NOS: Agilent 3499B, bumpers and handles for 34401A(hopefully fit?), 2x HP 44473A 4x4 matrix cards with terminal blocks, 1x Agilent N2262A 8x4 matrix card with terminal blocks.

With any luck it'll all perform as well as the built in Prema scanners. Still need to get another rs232-usb cable.

[TerraHertz]

A very large old spot welder. Water cooled, pneumatic plunger, controlled weld timing. 400V AC supply, which means it runs the single phase weld transformer across 2 phases of 3 phase 415V.

Another restoration project. Surprisingly it actually contains some electronics. 'Solid State' they proudly boast, which gives an idea of the vintage.

It's home now, but I still have to get it off the trailer. Plan involves a large improvised timber tripod and a chain hoist. Tomorrow.
The thing is immensely heavy. I don't even know if my 1000Kg chain hoist will be adequate. Might have to buy a bigger one.

[Vgkid]

Why do you need such a big spot welder, I'm curious.