Regarding sidecutters:
A side cutter is a precision tool that requires good care, no matter how good quality, or how expensive it is.
It should only be used on "soft" materials, like copper, tinned copper and the like. It also shouldn't be used on wires above a certain thickness.
The aforementioned Plato 170 has a 1mm diameter limit.
I personally have 2 or 3 of those Plato cutters for cutting and stripping thin wires, but I also have some el-cheapo Chinese cutters for all other uses.
I was using Xcelite 170M for a long time. It was nice, because I always had a fresh tool. That cutter has a 0.8 mm limit. So the moron co-workers of mine (not just the EEs) were always taking it, and cutting I dont know, 0 AWG wires and sheet metal or trees or whatever with it. After the third time I just did not care anymore. Whenever the tool was not on my bench, I just went to the ERP system, scrapped the old one and ordered a new one from Farnell. I think they went through 7 or 8 of them over the few years. It literally went like this, with the ones, who bothered asking:
"Can I borrow this tool? "
"Sure. Let me order a new one, so when you return it, there is still one left which is working."
I gave up on the 'electronics' side cutters decades ago. The edges are way too fragile and many components have iron-ish leads. I have a bunch of knipex side cutters in various sizes and I use the 125mm one for electronics only but after 25 years it is starting to show signs of wear even though it will still cuts wires not much thicker than a hair.
I must be the only one here that does not like soldering stations. I have 2 of them collecting dust while I use cheap irons from Harbor Freight - less than $4 each. Not only that, you can make custom tips out of pieces of 6 ga copper buss wire for them. Just file it down the the profile you want, cut to length and install in the iron. They won't last terribly long without a surface plating, but who cares when you can make another one in a minute.
Best regards, Jacko
I must be the only one here that does not like soldering stations. I have 2 of them collecting dust while I use cheap irons from Harbor Freight - less than $4 each. Not only that, you can make custom tips out of pieces of 6 ga copper buss wire for them. Just file it down the the profile you want, cut to length and install in the iron. They won't last terribly long without a surface plating, but who cares when you can make another one in a minute.
Best regards, Jacko
You know a lot of us here are professionals, right? MacGyver stuff gets old real quick.
The kind of lab PSU depicted in the video... evokes bad memories!
I had two looking very closely like that. Probably many different chinese manufacturers share the kind of look, like often... anyway.
Now I am known as sensitive to olfactory irritants. But those things were really beyond smelly.
They gave me instant head ache that would only stop when I hauled them in the basement.
There, I let them run on 50% power output (halogen lamps are handy
) for
two weeks non stop, in hopes they'd lose some of the nasty stuff when warm.
Still, they stunk just as bad and still gave me head ache, so I sold those suckers again - recommending it to be used in a well ventilated garage only...
I am one of those who, once I got a soldering station, wondered why the hell I didn't get one YEARS before. ANd I wasn't using exactly el-cheapo Harbor Freight level irons.
I've said it before, but for whatever reason I rarely see Xytronics stations mentioned on here. Are they not readily available outside the US? I've had mine for nearly 10 years now, still on the original tip, and the basic model like mine is about $50USD and there is a wire variety of tip sizes and shapes available for it, as well as repalcement aprts at a reasonable price.
I am one of those who, once I got a soldering station, wondered why the hell I didn't get one YEARS before. ANd I wasn't using exactly el-cheapo Harbor Freight level irons.
I've said it before, but for whatever reason I rarely see Xytronics stations mentioned on here. Are they not readily available outside the US? I've had mine for nearly 10 years now, still on the original tip, and the basic model like mine is about $50USD and there is a wire variety of tip sizes and shapes available for it, as well as repalcement aprts at a reasonable price.
+1 I got by with a $60 Jaycar iron for years, upgrading to a temp controlled Soldering Station has been a revelation for me, and it was just a relatively cheap one too ($300 aud for combined 60w soldering station plus thru-hole desoldering tool). I cant imagine going back to the all-in one iron!
I gave up on the 'electronics' side cutters decades ago. The edges are way too fragile and many components have iron-ish leads.
You might want to consider buying a pair that either adds WC (Tungsten Carbide) to the steel, or uses Tungsten Carbide inserts in the jaws instead.
Both Erem and Schmitz make them, and
Schmitz* can't be beaten on price AFAIK for new. Not sure how often they'd come up vie eBay, but quality used pairs can be had if you're patient IME. And so long as you don't get crazy (try to cut wire that's way over the rated capacity), you won't have any nicks in the blades from tin plated steel leads.
*Direct link to the Tungsten Carbide cutters they offer through their web-store. FWIW, they also sell through Amazon.de.
If you have fairly big hands, and cut through reasonably thick wires upto 2.5mm diameter, then I would recommend the TRR-58-CHP, these are flush cutters on steroids, you can cut through 4 way 0.1" headers in one go, and trim those chunky PCB mount spade terminals.
I use them for production trimming as you can usually trim two leads at a time, and it's much less effort due to better leverage. And because of the extra leverage, you can cut plastic (e.g. enclosure boxes) in a controlled fashion without shattering.
I got mine ages ago from FArnell/Element14 when on special, but here's an amazon link, they are pretty common.
https://www.amazon.com/Hakko-TRR-58-G-Hardened-Construction-21-Degree/dp/B00FZPL6NUThese are made by CHP tools in Italy (I guess they got bought out by Hakko?)
Thanks to this thread I found out you can buy tungsten-steel nail-clippers.
http://www.ebay.com/itm/272035068660Three clippers, some side cutters, some scissors, a knife, a file, some tweezers, a thing that looks like it would strip wire really well, a bunch of prodding/scraping tools ... all for $7?
Bargain!
Edit: You can actually get them
for $5 I wonder how good the "tungsten steel" is? For $5 I might find out...
BigClive has the best info on low-end soldering stations yet, it's good to watch a smooth technique, and this guy's the real deal.
**At 12:00 he starts a total internal/external review of the low cost 936 soldering stations **
Personal defense dept: When traveling, I bet he sleeps with a soldering iron under his pillow..
Bigclive would never use a pillow.
3DB
Right 3db, Who knew it was just a rolled-up ESD mat!
I gave up on the 'electronics' side cutters decades ago. The edges are way too fragile and many components have iron-ish leads.
You might want to consider buying a pair that either adds WC (Tungsten Carbide) to the steel, or uses Tungsten Carbide inserts in the jaws instead.
Both Erem and Schmitz make them, and Schmitz* can't be beaten on price AFAIK for new.
Interesting. I'm just wondering how easy it is to remove the springs which open the jaw. I hate that on cutters and pliers.
I gave up on the 'electronics' side cutters decades ago. The edges are way too fragile and many components have iron-ish leads.
You might want to consider buying a pair that either adds WC (Tungsten Carbide) to the steel, or uses Tungsten Carbide inserts in the jaws instead.
Both Erem and Schmitz make them, and Schmitz* can't be beaten on price AFAIK for new.
Interesting. I'm just wondering how easy it is to remove the springs which open the jaw. I hate that on cutters and pliers.
You'd have to unscrew the joint on the Erems, assuming it's possible.
On the Schmitz, it uses metal tabs on the inside of each handle/grip, so you can cut those off or even bend them enough until metal fatigue causes them to break off.
Thanks to this thread I found out you can buy tungsten-steel nail-clippers.
http://www.ebay.com/itm/272035068660
...
From the description:
"The stainless Tungsten clippers are perfect for cutting the lowest of nails with ease..."
The lowest of nails?
Test leads.
I love a good test lead. I have several sets of lovely multimeter probes that are so pointy I bleed almost every time I use them and at least one set with gorgeous flexy HV insulation that leaves me wanting more of the... ahem.
What I have completely failed to find though, is some nice Spring Hook to Banana Plug test leads (as used in many a Dave video) at a reasonable price via the Usual Overseas Suspects. The megadollar Fluke kits are out there, but I'm hoping for a Good Enough off-brand one to make my PSU to CRO to DVM to Circuit Under Test a lot nicer than my current tangled web of dodgy crocodile clips.
Links or less robust suggestions will be greatly appreciated.
--
MC
What I have completely failed to find though, is some nice Spring Hook to Banana Plug test leads (as used in many a Dave video) at a reasonable price via the Usual Overseas Suspects. The megadollar Fluke kits are out there, but I'm hoping for a Good Enough off-brand one to make my PSU to CRO to DVM to Circuit Under Test a lot nicer than my current tangled web of dodgy crocodile clips.
Links or less robust suggestions will be greatly appreciated.
Franky sells them on
his eBay store. Good quality. I just recently purchased more.
Thanks, but the ones I can see at that link are the little fragile ones. I'm after the larger and more robust ones like you often see in Dave's videos.
--
MC
Thanks, but the ones I can see at that link are the little fragile ones. I'm after the larger and more robust ones like you often see in Dave's videos.
--
MC
They looked ok to me, I just bought a bunch of them and banana cables from him.
I can vouch for them. I have quite a few and am more than happy.
Test leads.
I love a good test lead. I have several sets of lovely multimeter probes that are so pointy I bleed almost every time I use them and at least one set with gorgeous flexy HV insulation that leaves me wanting more of the... ahem.
What I have completely failed to find though, is some nice Spring Hook to Banana Plug test leads (as used in many a Dave video) at a reasonable price via the Usual Overseas Suspects. The megadollar Fluke kits are out there, but I'm hoping for a Good Enough off-brand one to make my PSU to CRO to DVM to Circuit Under Test a lot nicer than my current tangled web of dodgy crocodile clips.
Links or less robust suggestions will be greatly appreciated.
--
MC
Probemaster may be worth investigating (i.e. 9000 series for what you're after), particularly if you need/want more than one set of test leads (they're located in the US, but ship internationally). FWIW, the tips on these are sharp enough to make you bleed as well (their Spring Loaded Tips in particular).
For leads from a lab grade PSU to DUT, I've come across some banana to crocodile/alligator test leads (silicone wire) that might be of interest (
here).
^$5 each?
I bought some off franky last week. Think i just need the grabber to grabber or croc myself.
^$5 each?
I bought some off franky last week. Think i just need the grabber to grabber or croc myself.
Close. They sell them for 6.75USD (length = 12in, but longer is possible at a nominal fee).