Test Equipment Anonymous (TEA) group therapy thread

[bd139]

Scuppered here anyway because my oven is knackered 

First your boiler, now your oven. Don't you think your household maintenance is suffering because of your TEA? You're going to need a gas manometer, water pressure gauge, pipe pressure testing rig, Megger insulation tester, earth loop impedance tester...

Ah it’s inherited appliances here. Last owner left them and they are lowest bidder shit. Element has popped.

[Specmaster]

Scuppered here anyway because my oven is knackered 

First your boiler, now your oven. Don't you think your household maintenance is suffering because of your TEA? You're going to need a gas manometer, water pressure gauge, pipe pressure testing rig, Megger insulation tester, earth loop impedance tester...

Ah it’s inherited appliances here. Last owner left them and they are lowest bidder shit. Element has popped.

Modified my ashtray iron holder's by drilling a hole in the tube at the narrow part, horizontal and central, put a m4 screw and nut in the hole then the iron tip is positioned under the screw, job done [emoji16]

From mobile device so predictive text might have struck again [emoji83]

[Specmaster]

After studying the modifications that Djos made to his iron stand to make it work better with the T12-9501 handle I hit upon this idea of drilling a hole in the stem behind the front plate and fitting a screw and nut through it so the T12 tip can enter below the screw and then it sits in the handle correctly. The added bonus is that if at some point in the future I need the added reach offered by the standard supplied handle of 907A handle, I only need to remove the screw and then that handle will fit as well.

[Ero-Shan]

Guess what, I fixed a cold solder point on the PCB of my WECP-20 with my other WECP-20.      

Been there, done that. Not just once. They can make solder stations, but they seem to not know how to use them properly. 

[Rolo]

Not quite TEA but I'm super happy with hakko 611 dual solder reel the wife and kids "bought" me for my birthday, dunno how I lived without one before!

I see that you seem to be using the same iron stands I am but somehow you managed to get your 9501 handle to sit correctly in it whereas mine in sits in but is completely horizontal, bd139 has precisely the same problem so we can learn from you please?

Basically I customised the crap out of it. 

Nice tip holder! I made this for my Hakko T18 tips, from stuff I had laying around.

[bd139]

Customisation looking good on those. I’m going to attempt to do something similar at the weekend.

Interestingly had an argument with SWMBO about TEA spending over the last three days, one reason my answers are short as hell. She is questioning my spending after I cut up my card, which is still stored in PayPal, RS, Farnell, CPC and Aliexpress.

She clocked up £3130 since November (!). Comedy spreadsheet came out. I have spent offsetting all  sales which were paid directly to the card, a total of £206 in the last three years including all fees paid 

Now I’m never going to be talked to again 

Win win lol.

[Cerebus]

Now I’m never going to be talked to again 

Win win lol.

You do pick evenings for your financial discussions with SWMBO when the night-time temperature in the kennel is going to be particularly cold, don't you? Were you an Eskimo in a former life? 

[Specmaster]

Customisation looking good on those. I’m going to attempt to do something similar at the weekend.

Interestingly had an argument with SWMBO about TEA spending over the last three days, one reason my answers are short as hell. She is questioning my spending after I cut up my card, which is still stored in PayPal, RS, Farnell, CPC and Aliexpress.

She clocked up £3130 since November (!). Comedy spreadsheet came out. I have spent including sales a total of £206 in the last three years including all fees paid 

Now I’m never going to be talked to again 

Win win lol.

Yep, I'm quite pleased with the screw method because its reversible if needed, I already had done the same mod as djos with regard to storing the tips on the back part of the stand although I have since stopped using  that as it is easy to break the slip-ring contacts on the tips when using this idea.

I doubt SWMBO believed your spreadsheet, things its a cheat sheet instead, but never mind if she ain't speaking to you for a while, we'll always chat with you on here and comfort you and tell tales about our spending, cos you can't since you cut your card up 

Just bagged myself what appears to be a mint Avo 1001 in a case and also I had spend a lot more on a 1TB hard drive for my NAS which has all of my photos and music on it. 4 discs arranged as RAID 5 so I needed another 1TB one in order to rebuild the library from the others.

When it comes tomorrow, I'll rebuild the array again, then transfer the files to my PC, whip out the 1TB drives and replace them with 500GB ones that I have removed from Sky + boxes (cheaper as these are given away free on freecycle  ), then I'll use the 1TB's as back up external drives I think until I can afford to get proper drives designed for NAS use,

[Specmaster]

Now I’m never going to be talked to again 

Win win lol.

You do pick evenings for your financial discussions with SWMBO when the night-time temperature in the kennel is going to be particularly cold, don't you? Were you an Eskimo in a former life? 

Well if he wasn't he's rapidly becoming one I think 

[djos]

I to have drilled the holes out larger and cut pieces of foam-ax to fit in the base with some holes drilled in to support the tips.

How did you attach the keyhole plate to the holder may I ask?

Good old fashioned super glue. 

The key hole is left over from an Ikea shelf, i bored it out with a drill.

[djos]

After studying the modifications that Djos made to his iron stand to make it work better with the T12-9501 handle I hit upon this idea of drilling a hole in the stem behind the front plate and fitting a screw and nut through it so the T12 tip can enter below the screw and then it sits in the handle correctly. The added bonus is that if at some point in the future I need the added reach offered by the standard supplied handle of 907A handle, I only need to remove the screw and then that handle will fit as well.

Nice! I like your mod better than mine. 

[Specmaster]

I to have drilled the holes out larger and cut pieces of foam-ax to fit in the base with some holes drilled in to support the tips.

How did you attach the keyhole plate to the holder may I ask?

Good old fashioned super glue. 

The key hole is left over from an Ikea shelf, i bored it out with a drill.

I guessed correctly on both then, I elected not to go that route though, too permanent for my needs.

Edit. You had something else stuffed in the front opening as well I noticed.

[djos]

Yep, I'm quite pleased with the screw method because its reversible if needed, I already had done the same mod as djos with regard to storing the tips on the back part of the stand although I have since stopped using  that as it is easy to break the slip-ring contacts on the tips when using this idea.

Yeah I'm going to get one of those round plastic storage units for mine as I've been clumsy and broken several tips already.

I've also got a blue and yellow hakko clone stand on the way as I'm just not a fan of the ash tray style holder.

[Zucca]

Amazing this thread is still bouncing on the top every day... we are all addicted to TEA. So cool.

[djos]

I to have drilled the holes out larger and cut pieces of foam-ax to fit in the base with some holes drilled in to support the tips.

How did you attach the keyhole plate to the holder may I ask?

Good old fashioned super glue. 

The key hole is left over from an Ikea shelf, i bored it out with a drill.

I guessed correctly on both then, I elected not to go that route though, too permanent for my needs.

Edit. You had something else stuffed in the front opening as well I noticed.

The super glue is reversible if I choose to remove it.

Yep, the thing stuffed in the front is a plastic holder from a Weller style iron holder I got from jaycar many years ago.

[Specmaster]

Yep, I'm quite pleased with the screw method because its reversible if needed, I already had done the same mod as djos with regard to storing the tips on the back part of the stand although I have since stopped using  that as it is easy to break the slip-ring contacts on the tips when using this idea.

Yeah I'm going to get one of those round plastic storage units for mine as I've been clumsy and broken several tips already.

I've also got a blue and yellow hakko clone stand on the way as I'm just not a fan of the ash tray style holder.

Be careful, many people have gotten those Hakko clone stands only to find the same issues with the 9501 handle as it would seem that not all of the clones of the 9501 are equal in their diameters and then it becomes far easier and neater to modify the ashtray types. Incidentally I put silicon feet on the bottom of mine to stop them from moving, works really well.

[neo]

Amazing this thread is still bouncing on the top every day... we are all addicted to TEA. So cool.

Of course we are all addicted to TEA, it's like the hotel California. You may check out but you can never leave!

On a side note i vote that song to be the official one of TEA, it's very fitting.

[djos]

Yep, I'm quite pleased with the screw method because its reversible if needed, I already had done the same mod as djos with regard to storing the tips on the back part of the stand although I have since stopped using  that as it is easy to break the slip-ring contacts on the tips when using this idea.

Yeah I'm going to get one of those round plastic storage units for mine as I've been clumsy and broken several tips already.

I've also got a blue and yellow hakko clone stand on the way as I'm just not a fan of the ash tray style holder.

Be careful, many people have gotten those Hakko clone stands only to find the same issues with the 9501 handle as it would seem that not all of the clones of the 9501 are equal in their diameters and then it becomes far easier and neater to modify the ashtray types. Incidentally I put silicon feet on the bottom of mine to stop them from moving, works really well.

I've had a close look at them before buying and I suspect the pics show the wire installed around the wrong way for the 9501 handle - I think if I install it from the rear of the yellow holder it should work well. I guess I'll find out when it arrives if my theory is BS. 

Good idea with the feet, I intend to do the same. 

[Specmaster]

Yep, I'm quite pleased with the screw method because its reversible if needed, I already had done the same mod as djos with regard to storing the tips on the back part of the stand although I have since stopped using  that as it is easy to break the slip-ring contacts on the tips when using this idea.

Yeah I'm going to get one of those round plastic storage units for mine as I've been clumsy and broken several tips already.

I've also got a blue and yellow hakko clone stand on the way as I'm just not a fan of the ash tray style holder.

Be careful, many people have gotten those Hakko clone stands only to find the same issues with the 9501 handle as it would seem that not all of the clones of the 9501 are equal in their diameters and then it becomes far easier and neater to modify the ashtray types. Incidentally I put silicon feet on the bottom of mine to stop them from moving, works really well.

I've had a close look at them before buying and I suspect the pics show the wire installed around the wrong way for the 9501 handle - I think if I install it from the rear of the yellow holder it should work well. I guess I'll find out when it arrives if my theory is BS. 

Good idea with the feet, I intend to do the same. 

No I think it is to do with the diameter of the finger stop itself, mnementh has done some extensive research and found out that there are some pretty big differences between handles and although he has a Hakko stand with his outfit, he has also purchased some new 9501 handles from BangGood and Aliexpress sellers and has discovered to his horror that they don't fit the stand. He reckons that he'll have to take a Dremmel to his stand to enable the handles to fit.

[tautech]

Amazing this thread is still bouncing on the top every day... we are all addicted to TEA. So cool.

Of course we are all addicted to TEA, it's like the hotel California. You may check out but you can never leave!

On a side note i vote that song to be the official one of TEA, it's very fitting.

I remember it being spoken of earlier in this thread IIRC and I had to use it when I tried to move this thread from the Supporters Lounge when doing a tour of the forum:
https://www.eevblog.com/forum/blog/what's-this-move-topic-icon-all-about/msg1449924/#msg1449924

Moderator Simon had to come to the rescue. 

[bitseeker]

Amazing this thread is still bouncing on the top every day... we are all addicted to TEA. So cool.

I suppose if you had to be addicted to something, this is one of the better ones.

[Specmaster]

Amazing this thread is still bouncing on the top every day... we are all addicted to TEA. So cool.

I suppose if you had to be addicted to something, this is one of the better ones.

I second that.

[bd139]

Certainly more productive than crack or booze

[URI]

Guess what, I fixed a cold solder point on the PCB of my WECP-20 with my other WECP-20.      

Been there, done that. Not just once. They can make solder stations, but they seem to not know how to use them properly. 

Same here. It's not the first time I've been fixing a cold solder joint of one of my Weller soldering stations.
One advantage after all is knowing what failure you are facing in combination with knowing how to fix it quickly.      

[Cubdriver]

Certainly more productive than crack or booze

...though not necessarily less expensive...

-Pat