What did you buy today? Post your latest purchase!

[JoeN]

Some MG Chemicals 413B flux cleaner. Very effective, and despite advertised with plastic corrosive warning, it is compatible with all electronic grade plastic materials I have.
The downside: ether acetate at high concentration smells horribly, so I have to use it not on my work bench, but in a fume hood.

Hey, I bought a can of that stuff about 2 years ago "just in case" and I have never used it.  I use 99.9% isopropyl alcohol for the initial clean with an anti-static toothbrush and then a spray with MG Chemicals 4140.  That works great for me, though sometimes it takes two times thorough to get it perfect (I use Kester 44 which is moderately messy but flows great IMHO).  What does the 413B give you that the 4140 doesn't?  What sort of fluxes or situations do you find yourself using the heavy duty flux remover for?

[JoeN]

BTW, 4140 spray is just drinking alcohol plus IPA, with propellant.

That's fine.  The way I use it is to scrub all the crap off with IPA which obviously leaves some IPA with dissolved crap standing on the PCB afterwards.  A couple of shots of the propellant based stuff sends that crap over the edge and then I dry it up with the compressed blaster can, check it out, and either pass it or do it again.  At least, that's how I do it.

[nctnico]

More silicone insulated wires:

See for example: www.ebay.com/itm/201345474400 but this seller has more Ebay items with many sizes and colors.

Silicone wire is very handy for making test wires or wiring which needs to be bend around tight corners. It is much more flexible than standard PVC insulated wiring. Even the 6AWG (16mm^2) stuff is extremely flexible!

[Bob F.]

Ordered Art of Electronics 3rd edn.  Have given up waiting for an electronic version and fancied treating myself to an early Christmas present...  £41.50 courtesy of ebay seller inc postage.

... and arrived today, nice and safe and well in time for Xmas :-) 

Arriving in the same post from RS: some copper-clad 0.8mm pcb boards,  MAX31855K Thermocouple Amplifier (SPI) and bits and bobs.  Guess that's it until after the Xmas rush...

[ElectricGuy]

Bought last week.... arrived today;
https://www.eevblog.com/forum/chat/the-official-2015-christmas-pressies-thread/msg826709/#msg826709

[mtdoc]

Silicone wire is very handy for making test wires or wiring which needs to be bend around tight corners. It is much more flexible than standard PVC insulated wiring. Even the 6AWG (16mm^2) stuff is extremely flexible!

Yep.

Hobby King also sells this at similar prices.

[miguelvp]

DIP Video Ram for a display buffer between two MCU's one will read and handle the display (PSoC5LP) the other one can be anything.

128 KB with 4 chips, maybe combine them and make a 65,536 16 bit word buffer. I could serialize 4 fifos easily.

23 year old chips, still not as old as the book behind them

[lincoln]

Started out wanting to get Tek AM 502 differential pre-amp for some power supply noise testing and for some home electrophysiology experiments.  Offer accepted yesterday on a decent looking one on eBay.




Next I needed a power chassis for it. The Tek TM 501s and 502s all seemed too pricey on eBay. For some reason the TM 503s are cheaper.  But the world of classic Tek modules is new to me and - if I was going to have a TM 503 - I would have to have some other modules for it....   So I stumbled upon this one.  Seemed like a great deal with 4 modules included and some cables and connectors to boot! Perhaps I'll sell the FG 501 and one of the DD 501s.



I don't really need the function generators and I'm not sure what I'll do with the DD 501s - but if my vintage equipment acquisitions were based on need or logic, my lab would be much emptier....

lol, thats how my tm500 habit started,  the amp works well as long as you keep its band with in mind.  The bi-polar power supply module (ps503a) is also a good one and can be had for 608~80 $ on ebone

[Richard Head]

Just be sure to check/replace all the ancient dried out Sprauge caps in the plug-ins.

[djsb]

A folding Montague Paratrooper Pro mountain bike. The aim is to fit a Bionx D series electric conversion kit so I can commute to work and back. A driver wrote my motorcycle off in November so I'm giving up motorcycles. So many pro's to cycling that I can't ignore the benefits any longer.

[Macbeth]

A folding Montague Paratrooper Pro mountain bike. The aim is to fit a Bionx D series electric conversion kit so I can commute to work and back. A driver wrote my motorcycle off in November so I'm giving up motorcycles. So many pro's to cycling that I can't ignore the benefits any longer.

Interesting, I remember the Brompton was the folding bike of choice for city commuters (I assume you will be commuting in by train so need the folding carry design). I never knew mountain bike versions existed, but why?

Those fat knobbly tyres really drag, you are far better going for narrow slicks than typical mountain bike, and all the full suspension is a waste of energy too, though I think you have a hardtail and front forks so they a good for bumping over pavements when you have to go off road in the city.

[djsb]

Yes I have to experiment with tyres and the steering/seat stem length (6'2" tall). The front suspension has a lock out for pavement use. I live in a 3rd floor flat/apartment so needed a fold up to make it easier to carry up the stairs and easier to store indoors. Going to fit the Bionx as the battery and wheels can also be removed easily so the bike can be carried in stages if needed. My commute is 20 miles each way so the aim is to cut out public transport and save money. Can use the bus though as well if an emergency although it will take some experimentation and I'll have to fit it in a bag.

PS. Here are details of an All Wheel Drive (AWD) electric bike using the Paratrooper Pro on Endless Sphere (Just to keep on topic).

https://endless-sphere.com/forums/viewtopic.php?f=3&t=51612

Hope you find it interesting.

[Deathwish]

A folding Montague Paratrooper Pro mountain bike. The aim is to fit a Bionx D series electric conversion kit so I can commute to work and back. A driver wrote my motorcycle off in November so I'm giving up motorcycles. So many pro's to cycling that I can't ignore the benefits any longer.

Interesting, I remember the Brompton was the folding bike of choice for city commuters (I assume you will be commuting in by train so need the folding carry design). I never knew mountain bike versions existed, but why?

Those fat knobbly tyres really drag, you are far better going for narrow slicks than typical mountain bike, and all the full suspension is a waste of energy too, though I think you have a hardtail and front forks so they a good for bumping over pavements when you have to go off road in the city.

I vote for a folding "Chopper" , have welder and tools, ...... including all the bangs and knocks they came with.

[McBryce]

Bought myself a second hand Sony PRS-T2 ebook reader on ebay to use as a Datasheet databank/reader.

McBryce.

[tautech]

A few bits and pieces, most sold the rest for stock.

[Macbeth]

I vote for a folding "Chopper" , have welder and tools, ...... including all the bangs and knocks they came with.

You know Raleigh re-released the Chopper recently. But Elf'n'Safety had to get in the way and banned the '70s gear shifter because they thought too many kids could get their knackers knackered so the Sturmey Archer handle bar gear shift would have to make do instead.

I preferred the Grifter and Commando as a kid.

[pelule]

Today received my personal xmas present, next gear on my long list of required equipment.
The Maynuo M9712B progr. DC Load (15A/500V/300W) with the M133 isolated USB to RS232/TTL interface.
Received direct from China in just 5 days shipment time. Excellent.
Unpacked, checked and did some test. Great. The latest SW also looks nice and handy.
BR
PeLuLe

[Deathwish]

Both came today, so now I can play for a bit I guess.

[retrolefty]

 Just a well built clone of the Arduino Mega2560 board. This one uses a 16MHz crystal rather then a ceramic resonator used on most all recent official Arduino AVR based boards. This one also uses the Asian usb serial convertor chip and found driver automagically on my Win 10 laptop.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/111758551939?_trksid=p2057872.m2749.l2649&ssPageName=STRK%3AMEBIDX%3AIT

[Radio Tech]

This is not a what I bought but what I wanted to buy while think about fun times. I love old vintage stuff. Yesterday I decided to take a ride to the Habitat for humanity store. This store used to be an ice skating rink many years ago when I was just a teen.  They only originally has the area where to concession stand was but mow have to whole building.  Not being able to go into the old ice rink part of the building I was pleased to see they now had it.

As I browsing around I kept seeing images in my mind of the place in my childhood. I could see the now boarded up and painted over window where you rented your skates, the area where the DJ booth used to be. A bit in a daydream I turned and saw something sitting on a shelf.

I went closer and found a B&K 1540 40MHz dual channel oscilloscope with one original probe. This scope looked brand new. Not a spot or scratch on it. No signs of wear what so ever. The only problem, was the $100 dollar price tag he had on it.

The manager of the store walked up and said, Hey, it works as good as it looks. What you think of the price? Being a lover of old scopes I told him it was way more than I would put into it. He sad he checked ebay and that was the price he came up with. I then offered him $50 bucks for it which was still more than I wanted to put in it. He said check back in 30 days. If not sold he let me have it for that.

[mtdoc]

I went closer and found a B&K 1540 40MHz dual channel oscilloscope with one original probe. This scope looked brand new. Not a spot or scratch on it. No signs of wear what so ever. The only problem, was the $100 dollar price tag he had on it.

The manager of the store walked up and said, Hey, it works as good as it looks. What you think of the price? Being a lover of old scopes I told him it was way more than I would put into it. He sad he checked ebay and that was the price he came up with. I then offered him $50 bucks for it which was still more than I wanted to put in it. He said check back in 30 days. If not sold he let me have it for that.

Wow, that does look brand new.  I'll bet you'll get it for $50.

A couple of years ago my local Goodwill thrift store had a 60MHz BK scope for $9.99.  They apparently were not smart enough to have checked eBay prices.... It's in great shape (not brand new looking but still good) and works perfectly.  They also had a Bel-Merit "all in one" counter, function generator, DMM, power supply with it for sale at $9.99.  It also works fine.  Sometimes you get lucky.

[Radio Tech]

Wow, that does look brand new.  I'll bet you'll get it for $50.

A couple of years ago my local Goodwill thrift store had a 60MHz BK scope for $9.99.  They apparently were not smart enough to have checked eBay prices.... It's in great shape (not brand new looking but still good) and works perfectly.  They also had a Bel-Merit "all in one" counter, function generator, DMM, power supply with it for sale at $9.99.  It also works fine.  Sometimes you get lucky.

Yes, it is a very beautiful piece of test gear. I am just amazed how well it has been kept.

Wow, very nice finds you got.
I found that the thrift store here is way cheaper than the Habitat store is. Like you said I do not think they search for prices. Plus at the good will store everything is given to them while at the H.f.H. store they purchase some items.

Really hope this scope is still there in 30 days.
Thanks for sharing your finds.

[TerraHertz]

The sad thing is in 30 days it will be dirty and/or broken by all the bozos fiddling with it.
Maybe go back in a few days and ask him if he ever sees such a scope sell for $100 on ebay.
Or find some counterexamples of similar scopes listed much cheaper that do sell.

[Radio Tech]

The sad thing is in 30 days it will be dirty and/or broken by all the bozos fiddling with it.
Maybe go back in a few days and ask him if he ever sees such a scope sell for $100 on ebay.
Or find some counterexamples of similar scopes listed much cheaper that do sell.

Agreed. I will be there every Friday to see what is going on with it. Think I will take your advice also and see if I can find any that has sold, print and take with me.

[miguelvp]

This is the last one sold on ebay, they took an undisclosed best offer under $99:
http://www.ebay.com/itm/BK-Precision-1540-40MHz-Oscilloscope-/371323479962

Here is the search for complete transactions:
http://www.ebay.com/sch/i.html?_from=R40&_nkw=B+K+1540+40MHz+oscilloscope&_sacat=0&LH_Complete=1&LH_Sold=1