Test Equipment Anonymous (TEA) group therapy thread

[bd139]

This thread is making me itchy for a new soldering iron now.

After I touched a Metcal I can't use anything else.... 

Thats just rubbish, good they may be but to say you can't use anything else, come on., does it do the soldering for you? What would you do if Metcal stopped trading then, cease soldering would you???

I've been wearing the same design shoes for the last 15 years (Berghaus Explorer). If they discontinue them I'm going to get a wheelchair. My feet are done.

Is the Metcal PS-900 any good? That's actually affordable (£216 from RS inc VAT)

Edit: cheaper on Rapid at £201 inc VAT

I don't personally own it but, it has smart heat the big reason to want metcal. Besides that it is metcal so if your buying it new you almost can't go wrong.

Cool, or rather hot. Annoyingly it's a lot cheaper than my Weller TCP station was (£250-ish). That has a lifetime of about 20 years though, based on it replacing a TCP that was bought in 1991, so...

[Zucca]

Is the Metcal PS-900 any good? That's actually affordable (£216 from RS inc VAT)

Get used MX stuff. Ebay is your friend, be patient and collect everything you can find...

eBay auction: #352221216694
eBay auction: #162785916755

you must act like a bee with flowers...take your time and that honey will be so sweet at the end.

Thats just rubbish, good they may be but to say you can't use anything else, come on., does it do the soldering for you? What would you do if Metcal stopped trading then, cease soldering would you???

It is like driving a FIAT Panda after you own a BMW 320d for a year (done that). You can drive but in your head there is just one thing, this:  .

PS: BTW I baked the EEVBlog DMM, second batch. I watched the Video, but I was not able to finish it I had already the credit card out of my pocket. TEA again.

[bd139]

Good idea.

There's some reasonably priced MX parts in the UK. Second hand power supply and new handpiece will cost me about ~£100. Grab a couple of tips from RS/Farnell and a stand.

[Specmaster]

Baked or bagged a EEVblog DMM?, good as it is, I can't justify that kinda money, at the end of the day it's just another meter and a lesser meter will suffice, just need to be bit careful in checking that the right function and sockets are selected for the job in hand, we managed before it came along and will do when its gone. I'd use that money to really further my TEA and get more test gear that would extend my capabilities rather than duplicate for the most part, what I already can do, its like that BMW and Fiat, they will both will get you from point A to point B

[GreyWoolfe]

It is not the brand name i love it is the technology, i do things with my metcal i would otherwise need a 300 watt gun for.

EDIT: I heartily approve of the concept of god using metcal, though i believe he exists. Call it a character flaw or superstition if you like.

I also believe in God and I believe he has a Metcal with all tips and the tweezers with all the tips for that also.  Plus the desoldering tool with shop air.  I KNOW my character is flawed but God and my wife love me anyway.

[mnementh]

This thread is making me itchy for a new soldering iron now.

I love my Weller. It's near perfect but those Hakko 951's look nice (as much as I want one, I can't justify a Metcal iron)

Why not?

If you shop carefully, you can get into a working MX500 dual output (okay, single switched output) for ~$150-200. I bought a used guaranteed MX-500 (Model MX-500P-11 which is 110VAC; for 220V you want MX500P-21) power station (ugly as hell, but to me pretty is as pretty does) for $75 delivered, and a used handle/2mm tip for $50 $25 that turned into a DIY fixit project.  Made my own "Sleep" base using a ceramic magnet out of an old speaker.

But even if you don't want to DIY, you can buy new Oki or Thermaltronics handles for ~$80-100, and cartridges for ~$15-35 any day of the week on fleaBay.

How can you NOT be able to justify that?

The MetCal ALSO has the absolute best solder sucker there is; it uses a venturi and compressed air, so actuates in milliseconds as opposed to more traditional models which have to build vacuum from an internal pump. But, you DO need to invest in an air compressor for your bench... which you really need anyways.

I have or have had them all, and now even a Hakko 951/T12 compatible station I built myself from pieces for ~$25. The T12 Station is the one I use most often because the clone tips were cheap and I got a 10 piece assortment for $25; however the MetCal is still magical by comparison, at least for the tips I can compare side x side.

I have an Aoyue 2702 3-in-1 Rework station I converted to T12 cartridges years ago when my HAKKO station caught fire inside; I "upgraded" to an FX-951 so I could keep using my cartridges, but I sent it back a week later because it was such a complete PITA to use it had me literally fuming. The FX-951 is intended for a production environment; the firmware is utterly anti-intuitive to use, and the damned lockout key is right in your way whenever you want to change handles. F*** that noise.

I have a WTCPN that's been on my bench since I was a teenager; I converted it to TRIAC, then MOSFET switching decades ago. Those magneto-mechanical thermostat cartridges last forever when the contacts are only switching a few ma.

Under my bench I still keep a Weller GT7 Temp-controlled 150W soldering gun and Ungar Heat-Shrink gun in quick-draw holsters so I'm never tempted to NOT use them when I know I should. 

Is the Metcal PS-900 any good? That's actually affordable (£216 from RS inc VAT)

Get used MX stuff. Ebay is your friend, be patient and collect everything you can find...

eBay auction: #352221216694
eBay auction: #162785916755

you must act like a bee with flowers...take your time and that honey will be so sweet at the end.

Thats just rubbish, good they may be but to say you can't use anything else, come on., does it do the soldering for you? What would you do if Metcal stopped trading then, cease soldering would you???

It is like driving a FIAT Panda after you own a BMW 320d for a year (done that). You can drive but in your head there is just one thing, this:  .

PS: BTW I baked the EEVBlog DMM, second batch. I watched the Video, but I was not able to finish it I had already the credit card out of my pocket. TEA again.

Daaaang... those are going CHEAP so far. Should close out around $150-200 for the complete station and $75-100 for the handle/tips. If they shipped to the US for a reasonable rate, I'd put a snipe in on 'em.

GIXEN.COM is your friend.


Cheers,


mnem
What about the MLink S4 and the Atten/RS Soldering Stations? *WIP*

[bd139]

Baked or bagged a EEVblog DMM?, good as it is, I can't justify that kinda money, at the end of the day it's just another meter and a lesser meter will suffice, just need to be bit careful in checking that the right function and sockets are selected for the job in hand, we managed before it came along and will do when its gone. I'd use that money to really further my TEA and get more test gear that would extend my capabilities rather than duplicate for the most part, what I already can do, its like that BMW and Fiat, they will both will get you from point A to point B

New 121GW is going to come up more like £210 by the time you get screwed by VAT, duty and RM handling. Not only that it's sourced from outside the EU so there's no enforceable warranty. It's sourced from outside the UK so forget Consumer Rights Act as well. If it's faulty, you incur all sorts of fees sorting it i.e. shipping etc.

Noble goal but local reseller network and support network is needed.

If I had to choose between it and the Keysight U1241C I just nabbed, it'd have to be the Keysight even though it worked out about £75 more. We're not just paying for features.

Edit: incidentally, the U1241C just talks SCPI over Prolific 2303 / RS232. No drivers or open source software needed! Also only IP41 ingress protection on the 121GW (versus IP67 - total immersion up to 1M), no drop testing (guaranteed to 3M), only 5 reads/second (compared to 40), frequency up to 1MHz (compared to 10MHz), no low impedance available (U1242C). AC bandwidth is good though - thumbs up there but I'm going to use a bench meter for that which does relative dB / reference impedance dBm measurement (GW GDM-8341).

121GW is a good bit of kit but there are scary good commercially backed bits of kit for not much more money.

[bd139]

Why not?

... snipped rest - processing later ...


Good question. Reading through everything now.

[Specmaster]

It is not the brand name i love it is the technology, i do things with my metcal i would otherwise need a 300 watt gun for.

EDIT: I heartily approve of the concept of god using metcal, though i believe he exists. Call it a character flaw or superstition if you like.

Then what's wrong with getting a 300w iron out on the odd occasion that need one is needed, it has to better than overdriving something to do the same job of work and also considerable less expensive to boot, thus if you could afford an expensive station then thats taking up cash that could be used to enhance the TEA affliction with yet more goodies to renovate and grow the collection. I use a cheap old Hakko 956D clone (£29) from Ebay and thats is a good little iron and if I need something with a bit more thermal capacity, I can either change the tip for more substantial one, or dig out one of my other mains driven irons / heat gun.

[neo]

  We could argue soldering iron till the cows come home.  I will note i had a chinese one and all it seemed to do was piss me off in a new and creative way each time.

[bd139]

Former Aoyue 936 and 937 owner. Yes. Mine fell to bits in my hands at least once a day. Oh and the control loop on the 936 was just stupid. And you need a soldering iron to fix it every time the element or thermostat goes wonky. Shudder. Never again.

[mnementh]

It is not the brand name i love it is the technology, i do things with my metcal i would otherwise need a 300 watt gun for.

EDIT: I heartily approve of the concept of god using metcal, though i believe he exists. Call it a character flaw or superstition if you like.

Then what's wrong with getting a 300w iron out on the odd occasion that need one is needed, it has to better than overdriving something to do the same job of work and also considerable less expensive to boot, thus if you could afford an expensive station then thats taking up cash that could be used to enhance the TEA affliction with yet more goodies to renovate and grow the collection. I use a cheap old Hakko 956D clone (£29) from Ebay and thats is a good little iron and if I need something with a bit more thermal capacity, I can either change the tip for more substantial one, or dig out one of my other mains driven irons / heat gun.

The difference... you have to use it to understand. The SmartHeat system really does work better; it simply gets MORE heat to the business end of the tip faster and keeps it hot, so you can do fine work even when you're fighting the heat-sink action of multiple-layer boards with high copper content. You can actually do rework with it you can't do with other systems, because it can reliably deliver more heat to a smaller tip.

This translates to making regular everyday soldering a joy rather than a chore.

The T12 unitized cartridge system is a quantum level better than the usual lump-of-iron-in-a-sleeve stations like the old Hakko 937 etc; and the MetCal is another quantum level beyond that. I don't know any simpler way to put it.


mnem
SPOOON!

[Specmaster]

Former Aoyue 936 and 937 owner. Yes. Mine fell to bits in my hands at least once a day. Oh and the control loop on the 936 was just stupid. And you need a soldering iron to fix it every time the element or thermostat goes wonky. Shudder. Never again.

Had mine a year and it's not missed a beat so I really can't fault it.

Sent from my SM-J510FN using Tapatalk

[Specmaster]

Ok then, soldering irons done and dusted?

Back on track , has anyone ever come across anything quite this at all?

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/DAETRON-MULTIMETER-4IN1-DIGITAL-MULTI-METER-C-W-5-CABLES-AND-CASE/232397279179

EDIT;
Photo added

[djos]

This thread is making me itchy for a new soldering iron now.

I love my Weller. It's near perfect but those Hakko 951's look nice (as much as I want one, I can't justify a Metcal iron)

I can't imagine going from a Weller to a Hakko, those things have rubbish UI's and are painted like a fisher price toy. If I ever do upgrade my hobby gear to something higher end, I'd likely get a Weller or Metcal.

[Mr. Scram]

After having a huge fight with the Aoyue a few times and diverting too much project time to fixing it, I finally got myself a nice Weller. It has one of those stands that turn off the power when you put the iron back too. It's used, but in very good condition, especially considering soldering stations tend to get grimy more quickly than other tools. I've only tested it briefly, but it seems to have no trouble with even large metal parts like full size USB sockets. It doesn't need to strain to do so either.

[neo]

What's a heathkit id-22 worth?

[beanflying]

Not sure if I am qualified to join TEA yet as I hate the muck. Coffee Rules 

You 'need' two soldering stations. Aoyue is good as is the Hanba clone. Tweezers Desoldering Soldering and Rework within reach and a button flick. My 30 year old Weller WCTP is in semi retirement when the going gets tough.

[HalFET]

I'll make myself unpopular with this one, but screw metcat! I found my love for soldering irons in ERSA. The displays might be crap, sure, and don't even think about getting the low range iCON stations. But oh boy these things can solder, very fine handle, good quality tips, huge power output (80W and 160W peak), and very good thermostat that helps you not melt components to a crisp. Really helps for fine delicate work (e.g. soldering on plastic).

You don't often see them in a hobbyist setting due to the price I guess, but they can easily go head to head with hakko or metcal.

[Cubdriver]

After leaving it turned on for a few days once too often, I finally decided to add the power indicator that my WD-1 should have had from the factory.  It lives on the upper shelf of my bench and thus the LCD is not easily seen and it can be on and not obviously so.  I had an old push-in neon panel indicator that came from Rat Shack probably 30 or more years ago, so I opened the base unit up, drilled a hole just above the power switch and put the indicator in there after splicing longer leads onto it and crimping on a pair of stacking faston terminals.  They go to the transformer primary, and the primary leads now go to the piggyback blades on the new terminals.

Now I have no excuse for not seeing that it's on, and I'm pleased that it doesn't look terribly kluged.







As an aside, does anyone else get incredibly frustrated trying to edit posts on an iPod, like to the point where you find yourself yelling at it and come close to flinging it into a wall like a frisbee because if you want to select the text it will offer to do anything but that; if you want to place the cursor it wants to replace a nearby word (for instance, trying to add a line break after an image tag), etc., etc., etc?  I wish they'd add some bloody arrow keys to move the frigging cursor!!

-Pat

[tautech]

Baked or bagged a EEVblog DMM?, good as it is, I can't justify that kinda money, at the end of the day it's just another meter and a lesser meter will suffice, just need to be bit careful in checking that the right function and sockets are selected for the job in hand, we managed before it came along and will do when its gone. I'd use that money to really further my TEA and get more test gear that would extend my capabilities rather than duplicate for the most part, what I already can do, its like that BMW and Fiat, they will both will get you from point A to point B

New 121GW is going to come up more like £210 by the time you get screwed by VAT, duty and RM handling. Not only that it's sourced from outside the EU so there's no enforceable warranty. It's sourced from outside the UK so forget Consumer Rights Act as well. If it's faulty, you incur all sorts of fees sorting it i.e. shipping etc.

Noble goal but local reseller network and support network is needed.

There's every likelihood that our ever watching moderator Simon might stock and sell them just like he did for Daves uCurrent. Maybe we should send him a PM to find out.

[beanflying]

There's every likelihood that our ever watching moderator Simon might stock and sell them just like he did for Daves uCurrent. Maybe we should send him a PM to find out.

So far so good in Oz, we have a $1000 AUD import limit before the GST and Duty kicks in. Used to be $250 and very high duties 20 years ago. I did score a $13k import straight to my door from Germany a few years ago but don't tell anyone 

[tautech]

There's every likelihood that our ever watching moderator Simon might stock and sell them just like he did for Daves uCurrent. Maybe we should send him a PM to find out.

So far so good in Oz, we have a $1000 AUD import limit before the GST and Duty kicks in. Used to be $250 and very high duties 20 years ago. I did score a $13k import straight to my door from Germany a few years ago but don't tell anyone 

Lucky buggers, ours is only $400 NZ. <Sigh>
Some personal stuff slips through but when running a business you're screwed.

[beanflying]

It is possible that $13k was for business (better be careful Brandis and ASIO may be watching). 4% duty 10% gst thank you 

[bd139]

What's a heathkit id-22 worth?

Not much. £10-15 in the U.K.  they have 12AU7+12AX7 tubes in which are worth more individually if they are from one of the “magic audio tube” manufacturers (Mullard etc). I had one and it had a Brimar tubes in it.