What did you buy today? Post your latest purchase!

[DiTBho]

Brand new Campagnolo C-Record/8SP hubs for a new typology of self-assembled wheels: class retro vintage!

• classic premium hubs
• modern rims, modern aluminium alloy but not aero style, height < 30 mm

The first and second generation of C-Record hubs are the best ever made! Sure, they came with cones and balls require periodic inspection (every 5000Km) and grease changes (every 10000Km), they suffers terribly in case of rain, and if you leave the house and it starts to rain cats and dogs, as soon as you get home they absolutely need to be dried (with a hairdryer set to minimum) and lubricated, and there is also an "oil port"  as well as there is a "out hole" on both dust cover crowns to let out, thanks to centrifugal force, any water that accidentally enters, so you also have to worry about it, also the front hub is equipped with a pair of "dust cones" (aka "dustcaps"), which require a special (very expensive) "dustcap puller tool" extractor.

Modern hubs are compleatly different, since 1998 they are sold with sealed bearings, which are more robust against dust and water but less efficient on lateral friction when the wheel is not perpendicular to the ground but has an angle, typical of the trajectory when cornering.

My bike is hybrid: it uses classic (1983-1994) hubs for the wheels, and modern (1999-2005) sealed bearings for the bottom bracket.

NOS, in great condition, ready to use, they normally cost around 250-300 euros.

I was lucky enough to find a pair that had been sitting for over 30 years in storage for less than 120 euro.

Unfortunately, they are completely seized and don't turn at all. It's the fault of the fat that has aged badly. They must be completely disassembled, degreased, cleaned, regreased, and then the must be adjusted.

[jonovid]

quick release bike axles are a bit of a joke.
when sold on bikes with caliper brakes also with fat tires or tires protruding outside the rims.
no time is saved in a wheel change.

[balun]

Back to the roots 

[wkb]

Schön!   Kleinanzeigenfund?

[balun]

Schön!   Kleinanzeigenfund?

Yep

[armandine2]

yep - I got one first time around and can upload a picture well under 2000 kilobytes, schon

[ed]
and the right way up LOL

[DiTBho]

fat tires or tires protruding outside the rims.

the tire? 28",23mm what else

[DiTBho]

A pair of super rare Campagnolo Lambda rims, "V" profile (24mm), A6082-T6, polished!!!
(50 euro each, NOS, I couldn't resist!)

my bicycle starts to look like the Delorian car from the third episode of the "Back To The Future" movie, where you see parts from different time periods 

hubs from 1985, rims from 1989, bb from 2005, brakes from 2010, crank from 1975, seatpod from 2023, seat from 2010, and the computer bicycle from 2026 (from the future, as I haven't yet finished it, but it's already virtually there)

[u666sa]

Me bought this microscope! Me like it very much!

Really good complictation. No need for double boom arm or to drill my work bench, couple of cheap clamps from hardware store do the job. I've printed some eyepiece spacers, makes work much much nicer, you just stick your head into eyepieces and it's compfortable. 






Eyepiece spacers https://www.thingiverse.com/thing:4995024
Auxilary light adapter https://www.thingiverse.com/thing:5124819

[armandine2]

From Cromwell Tools, for some upcoming heat sinking - transistors - I went for Dowsil 340 compound (seems popular and was in stock)

[gamalot]

A few connectors from DigiKey.

[ledtester]

A bunch of impulse items from Aliexpress.

Somewhat recently Aliexpress introduced "Choice" which gives you free shipping + a 14-day delivery time. I discovered that using the phone app that you seem to get additional offers in the form of $2, $3 and $4 deals. The catch is that your cart needs to have between 3 and 10 items and you can only buy qty 1 of the specially discounted items. However, you can place multiple orders.

Below is a montage of the stuff I bought.

If you're interested in the macro pad you should check out:

https://github.com/kriomant/ch57x-keyboard-tool

for alternative programming software (includes macos and linux support).

[exor]

Some lightning protection.

[paulca]

I have a shelved project not started to build a silent audio device power supply.  My initial KiCads where laying out the batteries.

Then AliExpress offered me one already made for £11.  Don't mind if I do. 

It's a ~30V LifePO4 battery pack with balancing leads and possibly multi-taps on DIM connectors.  Plus the main 30V output rail with I think a 5Amp fuse.

[RAPo]

A Remax 20000mah power bank .

[armandine2]

this came promptly from Cooksongold 

new to me the 3/32 collet size means a few drills to purchase - went for a couple of Busch 0.5mm to 1.6mm 12 piece drill bit sets

[MegaVolt]

Then AliExpress offered me one already made for £11.  Don't mind if I do. 

Can you provide a link to Ali?

[paulca]

https://www.aliexpress.com/item/4000648797509.html

[Neepa]

Purchased an Eico 250 VTVM on a flea market for 10 bucks.

Very very minty condition. Almost no scratches aside from tow on the large coil meter front. No rust, only dust inside. Even the tubes in it look very new. Gotta change some original axial capacitors though before I even dream of plugging the mains into it.

Might make for a very nice Analog Amperemeter should I bundle it more permanently with a shunt resistor. Would free up my Keithley 2000 from such tasks.

[VEGETA]

I have purchased these:

ZD-915 desoldering vacuum station: https://www.amazon.co.uk/ZD-915-Desoldering-Rework-Station-Circuit/dp/B07GQ6BCJ6
Velleman DESOLDER4 Desoldering Braid: https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B076YXJJWT?psc=1&ref=ppx_yo2ov_dt_b_product_details
DURATOOL D03170 PCB Holder: https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B072BCZCXP?psc=1&ref=ppx_yo2ov_dt_b_product_details

and the book

Professional Electronic Design Best Practices: https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B0C1J56V97?psc=1&ref=ppx_yo2ov_dt_b_product_details

My review is:

Desoldering station: fantastic! best tool I bought, it helped me do stuff easily which previously were very hard.
Solder wick: also nice. all previous wicks I got were Chinese which never worked! like not even with flux or 480 degrees iron. these are the real deal.
book: looks unique but still to be read... it is on the tips and tricks side of things rather than traditional textbook.
pcb holder: kinda ok, since the board sometimes slips. very nice for the price.

[porter]

I recently purchased "Electromagnetics Explained" by Rob Schmitt

I spent a few weeks here and there reading this book so I thought I would post a couple passages of interest.

Here is an example of a circuit layout problem (there is plenty of practical info in this book). Following that is the explanation part. After reading this, I decided to like what I know.

[geb]

I decided to add to my pile of cheap DMMs by getting a Zotek ZT-702S. USD55 before tax, and with free shipping.

Buying an oscilloscope-and-DMM also lets me delay buying a decent 100+ MHz scope. Since most of my purchases are of moddable and/or hackable cheap products, I'll undoubtedly get a scope where I can, um, "unlock" its frequency limits. I've seen a few models on the forums that qualify.

Last month I bought a Schneider 78005 soldering station at my local Harbor Freight store with a USD10 discount. Its tip and element seem identical to the USD15 irons with built-in temperature control that I get from Aliexpress. So, I found it amusing that Popular Mechanics said it was the best overall soldering station of 2023. https://www.popularmechanics.com/home/tools/a41977866/best-soldering-iron/

[armandine2]

I recently purchased "Electromagnetics Explained" by Rob Schmitt

I spent a few weeks here and there reading this book so I thought I would post a couple passages of interest.

Here is an example of a circuit layout problem (there is plenty of practical info in this book). Following that is the explanation part. After reading this, I decided to like what I know.

multiple indecipherable  not least Rob aka Ron

[paulca]

Oops.  I started out with an SBC for a fileserver.  Then it spiralled.  "I should use M.2 for fast storage, it's cheap.... but I need a board with at least 2 slots.... that means it needs to be a modern B550 board....  £600.

[beanflying]

Oops.  I started out with an SBC for a fileserver.  Then it spiralled.  "I should use M.2 for fast storage, it's cheap.... but I need a board with at least 2 slots.... that means it needs to be a modern B550 board....  £600.
(Attachment Link)

There are NVMe options depending on your SBC of choice    PCIe3.0x4 not as fast as a full blown board but this SBC stock also runs dual 2.5Gbps LAN.