Test Equipment Anonymous (TEA) group therapy thread

[bd139]

Yeah I need to get within 5% really. If it’s a double tuned circuit I can trim the rest out with a trimcap.

Fingers crossed for your delivery. I’ve got a frustrating one on the way from Tayda in Thailand at the moment.

Will book calmet probably next month. Need to blow some cash on some other stuff first. May end up with another transceiver.

[Specmaster]

Came across this on Ebay for you nixie fans, looks like a novel idea. https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Cronixie-S-6-stelliger-Bausatz-inkl-Cronios-LED-Uhr-Steuerung-Nixie-Design/282574693169?hash=item41cac3a331:g:jLUAAOSwbIRZbIjo

and this

[Specmaster]

Yeah I need to get within 5% really. If it’s a double tuned circuit I can trim the rest out with a trimcap.

Fingers crossed for your delivery. I’ve got a frustrating one on the way from Tayda in Thailand at the moment.

Will book calmet probably next month. Need to blow some cash on some other stuff first. May end up with another transceiver.

A backup unit or for a different reason?

[bd139]

More VHF power

[Specmaster]

In Clarkson language More Power!

[GerryBags]

I just heard from the seller of the 2465B I won, telling me that it's been dispatched and that he hopes it is in better condition than I'm expecting, as he likes to "talk his items down" That would be a first, so I'll reserve judgement until I have wiggling traces. Anybody else had a pleasant surprise like that?

The auction was a nail-biter. I set an upper limit on it before anybody else even bid, laying a starting bid then increasing the maximum, and swore I wouldn't chase it. It kept climbing and climbing in the last 2 hours and finished with me the winner at exactly my maximum bid. Call it kismet, call it serendipity, but hearing Mr. E-bags saying it's better than the listing.... well, I can't help hoping I have a... what is the Antipodean's say?...... Bobby-Dazzler! It'd even out the lemon that I fear the 465B may prove to be.

[bd139]

I’ve had a few real stinkers and they seem to clean up well. Typical example: https://www.eevblog.com/forum/repair/tektronix-475-repair-assistance/

You simply never know!

[GerryBags]

Typical example: https://www.eevblog.com/forum/repair/tektronix-475-repair-assistance/

Nice job!  The before & after pics are striking, a real save from the scrapheap. I'll enjoy having a read through that thread in detail tonight as motivation. My 465B doesn't look as bad as your 475 did to begin with.... barring that impact on the rear frame on mine.

[bd139]

I did a 465B too (I’ve had waaay too many scopes). They clean up well usually. Easier than the older ones.

https://www.eevblog.com/forum/repair/tektronix-465b-repair-97327/

[GerryBags]

Easier than the older ones.

That's what I was hoping. Thanks for the link. 

[mnementh]

Wow... no idea how I missed that one, even after several searches on here.  I'll have to do a deep dive, but maybe it'll be fruitful. 

Hope you're good at holding your breath.  'Deep' is being diplomatic.

We'll see... *Makes mental note to top off his scuba tanks*

This is where we English speakers get bogged down: I see German, I see mention of Danish, Portuguese... While I can cope with German at the "Bitte, noch ein bier!" level, I'm lost once it gets too technical, and as for Danish and Portuguese ...

https://www.mikrocontroller.net/articles/AVR_Transistortester

Multi language sections

But I can see the language barrier issue plus mikrocontroller.net is not exactly what I would call having a good UI. Finding stuff on there is hard - even for native Germans.

*Clicks linky*

Oh, fu** me with a shovel...

*Scratch scuba tanks; makes mental note to call his old Fire Dept buddy about a Draeger pack*

Yeah I need to get within 5% really. If it’s a double tuned circuit I can trim the rest out with a trimcap.

Fingers crossed for your delivery. I’ve got a frustrating one on the way from Tayda in Thailand at the moment.

Will book calmet probably next month. Need to blow some cash on some other stuff first. May end up with another transceiver.

Sounds like the DE-5000 might be just what you need. I'm really edging towards saving my shekels for one, now that I have a little more understanding of the difference between them and the various Mega328 testers. I've read a half-dozen documentation pages at mikrocontroller.net and already getting bloodeye. 

Still may get one of LCR-T1 color testers though, just so I can reality-check it. 


mnem
The moose is loose... Uhh, tighten 'im up a little, willya?

[mnementh]

Ah, decisions decisions.

Should I

• go out and get yet another Tek 2456 2465, presuming it hasn't been sold, or
• stay in to try to claim reply 10000, and almost certainly miss

How dare you post these choices in here ... go grab it .... NOW ! 

It is a long way away, and fortunately it is too late for today. Unfortunately there is tomorrow.

Since you already snagged the 10K, you NEED to go for the 2465. You have no choice, really. 

And that, if proof were needed, is a conclusive demonstration of what passes for "helpful" therapy in this thread.

*In best sing-songy voice* "You're WEL-L-COM-M-ME!" 


mnem
But I AM helping... helping you get the 2465 you desperately NEED.(to help me take over the world) 

[med6753]

Ah, decisions decisions.

Should I

• go out and get yet another Tek 2456 2465, presuming it hasn't been sold, or
• stay in to try to claim reply 10000, and almost certainly miss

How dare you post these choices in here ... go grab it .... NOW ! 

It is a long way away, and fortunately it is too late for today. Unfortunately there is tomorrow.

Since you already snagged the 10K, you NEED to go for the 2465. You have no choice, really. 

And so my army grows... 

Maybe I'll take over the East End BEFORE I take over the Tri-State Area!!! 


mnem

I have the same dilemma. This 2465B has been on our local Craigs List for almost a month now and so far I have resisted. But I've been very tempted to throw him a “lowball” offer of say $50 USD and see what he says. That's the same selling site where I recently snagged the military Tek 7603N and 465. They were also out there for well over 2 months and I decided to throw the guy a low offer and he accepted. But as far as this 2465B is concerned my practical side and TEA side are in constant conflict. It goes something like this.....

Practical Side                                                                       TEA Side

You are happy with your current 2465.                                        No you're not.

The switcher supply in the 2465B can be a                                  Wimp. You re-capped the switcher in
real PITA to fix.                                                                         your 2465. So what if it took 2 days.

The 2465B has the dreaded SMT A5 board                                  Challenge accepted.
with the leaking tants and damaged traces.

You already have 4 analog scopes.                                              5 is a prime number.

You have no room.                                                                    Lame. Make room.

You need the funds for other uses.                                             Sell your soul to the TEA gods. You'll
                                                                                               have plenty of cash.

You already have multiple projects.                                           Put it in que at the head of the line.

You really want this scope.                                                       You really want this scope.

You never know. By tomorrow it may be on my bench. But as I write this it is not and it's killing me.

[mnementh]

Ok did lots of research. The AVR based LC meters using oscillation are total shit. The oscillation speed is too fast for the counter to count all pulses properly in the sub 500pF range. PIC ones don’t suffer from this because the counter architecture is different.

Which ones are they?

Ones derived from the AADE meters but CPU replaced with AVR. Also some transistor tester clones by the looks.

LOL... when I researched the AADE meter just now, I came across the original AADE unit; I remember looking at this when I bought my Atlas ESR70. Immediately after that, I found YOUR thread... where you were looking for a suitable substitute for the AADE L/C meter.  You must be suffering some pretty chronic burnout on this subject by now... 

I wonder if this mythical unicorn "STM32 version XJW01 LCR/Transistor Tester" works right... if it has indeed ever manifested in our plane of existence.     


mnem
*Starting to feel a little test-y* (Shut up, you pervs)

[tautech]

Wow... no idea how I missed that one, even after several searches on here.  I'll have to do a deep dive, but maybe it'll be fruitful. 

Hope you're good at holding your breath.  'Deep' is being diplomatic.

We'll see... *Makes mental note to top off his scuba tanks*

This is where we English speakers get bogged down: I see German, I see mention of Danish, Portuguese... While I can cope with German at the "Bitte, noch ein bier!" level, I'm lost once it gets too technical, and as for Danish and Portuguese ...

https://www.mikrocontroller.net/articles/AVR_Transistortester

Multi language sections

But I can see the language barrier issue plus mikrocontroller.net is not exactly what I would call having a good UI. Finding stuff on there is hard - even for native Germans.

*Clicks linky*

Oh, fu** me with a shovel...

*Scratch scuba tanks; makes mental note to call his old Fire Dept buddy about a Draeger pack*

Yeah I need to get within 5% really. If it’s a double tuned circuit I can trim the rest out with a trimcap.

Fingers crossed for your delivery. I’ve got a frustrating one on the way from Tayda in Thailand at the moment.

Will book calmet probably next month. Need to blow some cash on some other stuff first. May end up with another transceiver.

Sounds like the DE-5000 might be just what you need. I'm really edging towards saving my shekels for one, now that I have a little more understanding of the difference between them and the various Mega328 testers. I've read a half-dozen documentation pages at mikrocontroller.net and already getting bloodeye. 

Still may get one of LCR-T1 color testers though, just so I can reality-check it. 


mnem
The moose is loose... Uhh, tighten 'im up a little, willya?

While 'the moose is loose' seriously consider these:
https://www.ebay.com/itm/Smart-Tweezers-Colibri-LCR-ESR-Multimeter-Capacitor-Tester-Simplified-Economical/322191163501?hash=item4b0417006d:g:KvAAAOSwYSlXhnqS

Years back I borrowed an LCR nulling bridge from a buddy and took an awful long time measuring and labeling all the choke/inductors that I'd 'saved' from the days when I was too tight to buy much. Dozens of the buggers.
Not long after when starting to do some SMD repair I got a pair of Advance Devices ST3 LCR tweezers and never looked back. Use them for much faulty component identification and they're heaps faster than a DMM for this.
Auto mode measure uF and ESR just as quick as any DE-5 something (seen on many vids) and IMHO you've got a more versatile tool. The ST3 does a bit more than the Colibri but if you want/can afford/need the ducks nuts then the ST5S Pro is the one to go for.
So you might say what can you do with just a pair of tweezers.....well big axial caps with short leads are about the only thing that tests them physically but everyone has a soldering iron....don't they ?

Anything that might happen to my ST3 would result in instant replacement with their updated model:
https://www.ebay.com/itm/Smart-Tweezers-ST5S-PRO-LCR-ESR-Multimeter-Capacitor-Tester-ST-5S-FULL-VERSION/322252843089?hash=item4b07c42851:g:W58AAOSwoudW3AmC

*not scared of spending a $ on good gear !*

[mnementh]

Typical example: https://www.eevblog.com/forum/repair/tektronix-475-repair-assistance/

Nice job!  The before & after pics are striking, a real save from the scrapheap. I'll enjoy having a read through that thread in detail tonight as motivation. My 465B doesn't look as bad as your 475 did to begin with.... barring that impact on the rear frame on mine.

I just heard from the seller of the 2465B I won, telling me that it's been dispatched and that he hopes it is in better condition than I'm expecting, as he likes to "talk his items down" That would be a first, so I'll reserve judgement until I have wiggling traces. Anybody else had a pleasant surprise like that?

The auction was a nail-biter. I set an upper limit on it before anybody else even bid, laying a starting bid then increasing the maximum, and swore I wouldn't chase it. It kept climbing and climbing in the last 2 hours and finished with me the winner at exactly my maximum bid. Call it kismet, call it serendipity, but hearing Mr. E-bags saying it's better than the listing.... well, I can't help hoping I have a... what is the Antipodean's say?...... Bobby-Dazzler! It'd even out the lemon that I fear the 465B may prove to be.

The 2465s clean up remarkably well; the membrane plastic seems to just let go of any kind of dirt with a little scrubbing and some mild detergent. Sharpie marks though... pretty hard to completely remove even with alcohol; they leave a faint ghost image forever. However, that plastic does seem to be sensitive to UV; it yellows and cracks out around LEDs and button holes if your particular unit spent much of its life close to a window. I have one unit that is an extreme example of such UV-induced skin cancer.

Best of luck!


mnem
And so it begins... 

[GerryBags]

I have one unit that is an extreme example of such UV-induced skin cancer.

UV is cruel to most things, and the damage is usually irreversible. I used to live on a big old wooden boat and you could almost watch the wood/varnish/paint/plastic deteriorate in summer with sunlight bouncing around everywhere.There's a guy in France who has a couple of sets of the plastic parts for 2465, this set has less bits, but is in better condition. He has been known to accept 75% offers near the end of the month 

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/SET-TEKTRONIX-FRONT-AND-REAR-FACE-FOR-2465-OSCILLOSCOPE-G5/292494136142?hash=item441a02534e:g:HCcAAOSw2gxY22P~

Mind you, what am I thinking? I'm in Euro-tek-nut mode, you could probably get a complete parts 'scope for the same money where you are. D'oh!

[mnementh]

I have the same dilemma. This 2465B has been on our local Craigs List for almost a month now and so far I have resisted. But I've been very tempted to throw him a “lowball” offer of say $50 USD and see what he says. That's the same selling site where I recently snagged the military Tek 7603N and 465. They were also out there for well over 2 months and I decided to throw the guy a low offer and he accepted. But as far as this 2465B is concerned my practical side and TEA side are in constant conflict. It goes something like this.....

Practical Side                                                                       TEA Side

You are happy with your current 2465.                                        No you're not.

The switcher supply in the 2465B can be a                                  Wimp. You re-capped the switcher in
real PITA to fix.                                                                         your 2465. So what if it took 2 days.

The 2465B has the dreaded SMT A5 board                                  Challenge accepted.
with the leaking tants and damaged traces.

You already have 4 analog scopes.                                              5 is a prime number.

You have no room.                                                                    Lame. Make room.

You need the funds for other uses.                                             Sell your soul to the TEA gods. You'll
                                                                                               have plenty of cash.

You already have multiple projects.                                           Put it in que at the head of the line.

You really want this scope.                                                       You really want this scope.

You never know. By tomorrow it may be on my bench. But as I write this it is not and it's killing me.

Sounds to me like you're forgetting a couple things... Like NSA and POS,  both of which this unit has in abundance. You're WEL-L-LCOM-M-ME!!! 

Also... if I weren't trying to get my mess of an office in order to move, I'd buy it for asking price just to keep as a parts donor. U800 is made of pure unobtanium, and the A5 alone is worth that if the unit even posts. But it's not a B; they're a 400MHz scope and this one sez 300MHz.


mnem
Can I get a trifecta?!? 

[bitseeker]

Came across this on Ebay for you nixie fans, looks like a novel idea. https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Cronixie-S-6-stelliger-Bausatz-inkl-Cronios-LED-Uhr-Steuerung-Nixie-Design/282574693169?hash=item41cac3a331:g:jLUAAOSwbIRZbIjo

and this

Yeah, just watched that one yesterday. Neat idea. I wonder if someone has made a Lixie tube with LED filaments.

[med6753]

I have the same dilemma. This 2465B has been on our local Craigs List for almost a month now and so far I have resisted. But I've been very tempted to throw him a “lowball” offer of say $50 USD and see what he says. That's the same selling site where I recently snagged the military Tek 7603N and 465. They were also out there for well over 2 months and I decided to throw the guy a low offer and he accepted. But as far as this 2465B is concerned my practical side and TEA side are in constant conflict. It goes something like this.....

Practical Side                                                                       TEA Side

You are happy with your current 2465.                                        No you're not.

The switcher supply in the 2465B can be a                                  Wimp. You re-capped the switcher in
real PITA to fix.                                                                         your 2465. So what if it took 2 days.

The 2465B has the dreaded SMT A5 board                                  Challenge accepted.
with the leaking tants and damaged traces.

You already have 4 analog scopes.                                              5 is a prime number.

You have no room.                                                                    Lame. Make room.

You need the funds for other uses.                                             Sell your soul to the TEA gods. You'll
                                                                                               have plenty of cash.

You already have multiple projects.                                           Put it in que at the head of the line.

You really want this scope.                                                       You really want this scope.

You never know. By tomorrow it may be on my bench. But as I write this it is not and it's killing me.

Sounds to me like you're forgetting a couple things... Like NSA and POS,  both of which this unit has in abundance. You're WEL-L-LCOM-M-ME!!! 

Also... if I weren't trying to get my mess of an office in order to move, I'd buy it for asking price just to keep as a parts donor. U800 is made of pure unobtanium, and the A5 alone is worth that if the unit even posts. But it's not a B; they're a 400MHz scope and this one sez 300MHz.


mnem
Can I get a trifecta?!? 

Holy shit! You made me look at that ad again and I realized something. That's not a 2465B. It's not even an 'A'. It's a first gen 2465, just like mine! No SMT A5 board! This is my practical side trying to deceive my TEA side. It blinded me. But the truth is out.

OK, here's what I'm gonna do. I am going to let it sit for another week or so then I'm going to low ball him with an offer of $50 USD. Of course I'm taking a chance that someone in the meantime could snag it up. But the longer it sits unsold the more willing the seller will be willing to deal.

[mnementh]

(SNIP)
Still may get one of LCR-T1 color testers though, just so I can reality-check it. 


mnem
The moose is loose... Uhh, tighten 'im up a little, willya?

While 'the moose is loose' seriously consider these:
https://www.ebay.com/itm/Smart-Tweezers-Colibri-LCR-ESR-Multimeter-Capacitor-Tester-Simplified-Economical/322191163501?hash=item4b0417006d:g:KvAAAOSwYSlXhnqS

Years back I borrowed an LCR nulling bridge from a buddy and took an awful long time measuring and labeling all the choke/inductors that I'd 'saved' from the days when I was too tight to buy much. Dozens of the buggers.
Not long after when starting to do some SMD repair I got a pair of Advance Devices ST3 LCR tweezers and never looked back. Use them for much faulty component identification and they're heaps faster than a DMM for this.
Auto mode measure uF and ESR just as quick as any DE-5 something (seen on many vids) and IMHO you've got a more versatile tool. The ST3 does a bit more than the Colibri but if you want/can afford/need the ducks nuts then the ST5S Pro is the one to go for.
So you might say what can you do with just a pair of tweezers.....well big axial caps with short leads are about the only thing that tests them physically but everyone has a soldering iron....don't they ?

Anything that might happen to my ST3 would result in instant replacement with their updated model:
https://www.ebay.com/itm/Smart-Tweezers-ST5S-PRO-LCR-ESR-Multimeter-Capacitor-Tester-ST-5S-FULL-VERSION/322252843089?hash=item4b07c42851:g:W58AAOSwoudW3AmC

*not scared of spending a $ on good gear !*

I actually have one of the Mastech LCR tweezers; while it is similar in accuracy to the Mega328 (meaning hobbyist quality, no more or less) I did find that it confirmed my prior experience with a pair of LCR-Pro tweezers in a friend's lab: Smart tweezers are a part-losing PITA (at least in my tired old mechanic hands) and horribly subject to intermittent connection inaccuracy.

Plus, I keep accidentally stabbing myself with the pointy little fu**ers.    I much prefer the SMD pads on my original Mega328 for sorting parts.



There does appear to be an economical contender in the Smart Tweezer arms race; the Global Specialties LCR-58 at 1-3% advertised accuracy DOR. TEquipment has it for $86 right now.


Cheers,


mnem
Oww, oww, oww dammit OWWW!!!

[mnementh]

(SNIP)

Sounds to me like you're forgetting a couple things... Like NSA and POS,  both of which this unit has in abundance. You're WEL-L-LCOM-M-ME!!! 

Also... if I weren't trying to get my mess of an office in order to move, I'd buy it for asking price just to keep as a parts donor. U800 is made of pure unobtanium, and the A5 alone is worth that if the unit even posts. But it's not a B; they're a 400MHz scope and this one sez 300MHz.


mnem
Can I get a trifecta?!? 

Holy shit! You made me look at that ad again and I realized something. That's not a 2465B. It's not even an 'A'. It's a first gen 2465, just like mine! No SMT A5 board! This is my practical side trying to deceive my TEA side. It blinded me. But the truth is out.

OK, here's what I'm gonna do. I am going to let it sit for another week or so then I'm going to low ball him with an offer of $50 USD. Of course I'm taking a chance that someone in the meantime could snag it up. But the longer it sits unsold the more willing the seller will be willing to deal.

Umm, yeah... I think I pointed that out. You're WEL-L-LCOM-M-ME! 

You're also a DAMNED FOOL. Now that you know it's the model you really want, Murphy will certainly kick you when you're down if you hesitate a minute longer than you absolutely must. I'm the original cheap bastahd, and I'd happily pay his asking price for a parts unit. Skip a couple lunches out and pay the guy.

Don't be fooled because I passed on my chance at that free 2465B from Rohde & Schwarz a few weeks ago; it's not that I didn't want, lust and ACHE for it viscerally; it's just that it is THAT important to me to get myself and my family the eff out of this toxic waste dump of a city.

Plus, putting it in someone else's hands just grows my 2465 army!


Cheers,


mnem
moo?

[med6753]

Umm, yeah... I think I pointed that out. You're WEL-L-LCOM-M-ME! 

You're also a DAMNED FOOL. Now that you know it's the model you really want, Murphy will certainly kick you when you're down if you hesitate a minute longer than you absolutely must. I'm the original cheap bastahd, and I'd happily pay his asking price for a parts unit. Skip a couple lunches out and pay the guy.

Don't be fooled because I passed on my chance at that free 2465B from Rohde & Schwarz a few weeks ago; it's not that I didn't want, lust and ACHE for it viscerally; it's just that it is THAT important to me to get myself and my family the eff out of this toxic waste dump of a city.

Plus, putting it in someone else's hands just grows my 2465 army!


Cheers,


mnem
moo?

Nope, going to wait it out. If I lose you can call me a fool. If I win you owe me a beer.

[mnementh]

(SNIP)
Practical Side                                                                       TEA Side

(SNIP)
You need the funds for other uses.                                             Sell your soul to the TEA gods. You'll
                                                                                               have plenty of cash.

You already have multiple projects.                                           Put it in que at the head of the line.

You really want this scope.                                                       You really want this scope.

You never know. By tomorrow it may be on my bench. But as I write this it is not and it's killing me.

I think you've already made the most salient argument; much more poignantly than I could.  I'd never let $25 stand between me and something anyone I care about really wants, even myself. That's what money is for; to spend making those you care about happy. You're worth it.


mnem
ESPECIALLY yourself.

[tautech]

(SNIP)
Still may get one of LCR-T1 color testers though, just so I can reality-check it. 


mnem
The moose is loose... Uhh, tighten 'im up a little, willya?

While 'the moose is loose' seriously consider these:
https://www.ebay.com/itm/Smart-Tweezers-Colibri-LCR-ESR-Multimeter-Capacitor-Tester-Simplified-Economical/322191163501?hash=item4b0417006d:g:KvAAAOSwYSlXhnqS

Years back I borrowed an LCR nulling bridge from a buddy and took an awful long time measuring and labeling all the choke/inductors that I'd 'saved' from the days when I was too tight to buy much. Dozens of the buggers.
Not long after when starting to do some SMD repair I got a pair of Advance Devices ST3 LCR tweezers and never looked back. Use them for much faulty component identification and they're heaps faster than a DMM for this.
Auto mode measure uF and ESR just as quick as any DE-5 something (seen on many vids) and IMHO you've got a more versatile tool. The ST3 does a bit more than the Colibri but if you want/can afford/need the ducks nuts then the ST5S Pro is the one to go for.
So you might say what can you do with just a pair of tweezers.....well big axial caps with short leads are about the only thing that tests them physically but everyone has a soldering iron....don't they ?

Anything that might happen to my ST3 would result in instant replacement with their updated model:
https://www.ebay.com/itm/Smart-Tweezers-ST5S-PRO-LCR-ESR-Multimeter-Capacitor-Tester-ST-5S-FULL-VERSION/322252843089?hash=item4b07c42851:g:W58AAOSwoudW3AmC

*not scared of spending a $ on good gear !*

I actually have one of the Mastech LCR tweezers; while it is similar in accuracy to the Mega328 (meaning hobbyist quality, no more or less) I did find that it confirmed my prior experience with a pair of LCR-Pro tweezers in a friend's lab: Smart tweezers are a part-losing PITA (at least in my tired old mechanic hands) and horribly subject to intermittent connection inaccuracy.

Plus, I keep accidentally stabbing myself with the pointy little fu**ers.    I much prefer the SMD pads on my original Mega328 for sorting parts.



There does appear to be an economical contender in the Smart Tweezer arms race; the Global Specialties LCR-58 at 1-3% advertised accuracy DOR. TEquipment has it for $86 right now.


Cheers,


mnem
Oww, oww, oww dammit OWWW!!!

I've mentioned the AD tweezers a good few times on the forum to date and a few have taken on the challenge and got a set. I don't know any that have been disappointed.
I don't use them for SMD population instead using a much finer set of stainless tweezers, so you wouldn't want to tangle with the points on those ! 
I use these ST3's for everything after the preliminary checks/measurements with a DMM.
Used to their capabilities they will change how you fault find a PCB......all PCB's, SMD, TH, in fact everything.

Sometime after I got mine I also grabbed a Mastec set for curiosity but there's a massive difference in capability and quality compared to even the old ST3. Gave them away as I don't need 2 pairs of SMD tweezers and especially a pair I don't have faith in.
In short, on my bench they are a highly valued piece of TE and not just something I use on SMD or for tweezer needs as there's better tweezers for that.
Probably only an Atlas or $20 transistor tester is needed now to complement what I have already for faster matching of Hfe's or part identification.