I dunno... I grew up poor, and my mom couldn't afford to get me a lot of frivolous things. I remember the sad look on her face when she had to tell me she just couldn't afford something I wanted. Of course I didn't understand at the time; I was just disappointed. I want him to have things I couldn't. I can't really afford this either, but I'm gonna do it anyways.
![Face Palm :palm:](https://www.eevblog.com/forum/Smileys/default/facepalm.gif)
And you don't know the half of it; last night I took us to the store and bought us journals so we could each write our own PokeDex. I've already got shopping lists and build notes, and game notes from the tournament.
I tell myself it's just because it was an "event"; but I really WANTED to take him to it and do it WITH him.
![Grin ;D](https://www.eevblog.com/forum/Smileys/default/grin.gif)
Yeah, it does add up... but you can add a LOT of bling for the cost of even a FX-888 (NOT T12 compatible), AND buy some genuine Hakko tips for the ones you use all the time. The KSGER's firmware is intuitive and self-explanatory, while the FX-951 (Genuine Hakko T12 station) is downright user-unfriendly. And my KSGER V2.1 has ALREADY lasted longer than my FX-951 did before it died in a fireball of it's own creation.
![Wink ;)](https://www.eevblog.com/forum/Smileys/default/wink.gif)
I'm vacillating over that alloy/carbon vs the stainless. Yeah, the SS costs enough to buy another whole station... but it's still less than half the cost of a decent handle for my MetCal. Half of what makes the MetCal so awesome to work with is that slim contoured grip on the handle; they knew what the furk they were doing when they designed that, what people who use the thing all day need from an iron.
![ThumbsUp :-+](https://www.eevblog.com/forum/Smileys/default/icon_smile_thumbsup.gif)
mnem
Not like THAT...