Test Equipment Anonymous (TEA) group therapy thread

[bsudbrink]

FUKKIN' A-DIDDY!!!

mnem
That is all.

I done more than enough of this to well know you deserve/earned this:



Why don't I ever have such luck ? 

Trying to understand the course of events here...
1) While attempting to remove (drive?) a screw, the shaft of the screw broke, leaving the piece visible at coordinates (26.4, 2.2) in the work piece?
2) An attempt was made to drill out the shaft, using the drill bit from coordinates (26, 1.3) to (28.2, 1)?  The bit broke off in the attempt?
3) The screw shaft was then worked, using the end cutters that occupy the left side of the picture?
4) The work on the screw shaft resulted in the successful extraction of the shaft with a combination of the vice-grips that occupy the right side of the picture and the Easy-Out at coordinates (26.5, 2.2) to (28.3, 2)?

How did you get the broken end of the drill bit out?  Were you able to replace the broken screw?  Inquiring minds want to know. 

[tautech]

When you remove a broken screw/stud/ bolt whatever without hassle you just go 

When you have trouble like mnem you go     
Real lucky he was.

[xrunner]

Re-tuning a UHF duplexer for a friend for use in the ham bands. 

[bd139]

Neat stuff. I think I need a matching DSA815TG as well 

Actually I want to build some VHF helical filters so I really need an SA. The TF2015 is too wonky for such things.

Edit: plus I want to start reselling repaired ham gear as there’s a market for it.

[mnementh]

Arrrgggh. 

   I can buy the gaskets on AliEx for $5-ish, but 1-2 months before they arrive. Or I can order the complete valve plate kit from Summit (Campbell Hausfeld used this series of compressors a lot too... so did everybody) for $23... and it's supposedly IN STOCK, coming from Arlington just a few hundred miles away, so ETA is Friday or Saturday. I pulled the bottom end down... it looks pretty damned good too. Fuck it... it's only money.

mnem
I REALLY hate making gaskets. 

[0culus]

Got my Probemaster order. I'm very impressed with the quality. The retracting banana plug shields work perfectly with my older voltmeters.

[mnementh]

   FUKKIN' A-DIDDY!!!

mnem
That is all.

I done more than enough of this to well know you deserve/earned this:



Why don't I ever have such luck ? 

Trying to understand the course of events here...
1) While attempting to remove (drive?) a screw, the shaft of the screw broke, leaving the piece visible at coordinates (26.4, 2.2) in the work piece?
2) An attempt was made to drill out the shaft, using the drill bit from coordinates (26, 1.3) to (28.2, 1)?  The bit broke off in the attempt?
3) The screw shaft was then worked, using the end cutters that occupy the left side of the picture?
4) The work on the screw shaft resulted in the successful extraction of the shaft with a combination of the vice-grips that occupy the right side of the picture and the Easy-Out at coordinates (26.5, 2.2) to (28.3, 2)?

How did you get the broken end of the drill bit out?  Were you able to replace the broken screw?  Inquiring minds want to know.

@tautech - Somebody who GETS ME! Thank you! 

I was crowing because not only did I manage to EZ-Out that little fucker; I did so AFTER breaking the drill off flush. I peeled a bit of the screw off with the flush nippers; this let me get a bite on the drill. Broken screw is just a m4 self-tapper; I got oodles in my fans bin. Or I may tap both the holes in this location for m5 machine screws. 

mnem
Yeah... yeah! Take THAT you little bastard!!! I NEVER give up!

[tautech]

@tautech - Somebody who GETS ME! Thank you! 

mnem
Yeah... yeah! Take THAT you little bastard!!! I NEVER give up!

I've had many of those moments. 

When I twas on the toolz I saw the advantages of TIG for removing broken/frozen studs and first chance I had I grabbed a cheapy TIG/Stick unit as a portable and for broken fastener work.
That you can heat a broken stud/bolt to red heat and not the surrounding area always amazed me (still does) but even better when left to cool sometimes unwind the previously frozen little bugger with just your fingers ! 

If you're doing much broken fastener work a TIG is more valuable than its weight in gold ! 

[Kosmic]

The Lady Copper got an appreciation award yesterday from the NYPD for years of service (Over 30 years).   

Congrats to her, quite an accomplishment 

[Kosmic]

I would just like to take this opportunity to say that UK customs are wankers. There I said it. I feel better now.

(package stuck somewhere between Heathrow and Royal Mail with no tracking updates for 10 days now  )

This really puts me off picking up anything from the US that doesn't ship UPS (as they do their own clearing!)

I sold a SA to someone in UK once. The poor chap paid for express shipping, the package was in UK after 3 days. Got stuck at custom for a month! He had to write a letter to custom to get the whole thing sorted.

I tried to do something on my side but since I was not residing in UK it was useless.

Now  I'm understand where Canadian customs got their inspiration from 

[Neomys Sapiens]

As we currently have a round of desoldering techniques and equipment re-appraisals, I would be interested to know if someone here has tried those desoldering syringes (hollow needles), which some chinese sources are pushing on Ebay and elsewhere. They are intended for thru-hole parts and work allegedly by pushing them over the lead through the melted solder, thus separating the lead from the pcb.

On the topic of wick, the stuff sold by Spirig (CH) and the AMASAN brand are of the same quality as Chemtronics.

BTW: are there any died-in-the-wool Edsyn fans around? I have a seemingly working PS540 hot air station laying around for which I did never procure a handpiece. PM if interested.

[xrunner]

As we currently have a round of desoldering techniques and equipment re-appraisals, I would be interested to know if someone here has tried those desoldering syringes (hollow needles), which some chinese sources are pushing on Ebay and elsewhere. They are intended for thru-hole parts and work allegedly by pushing them over the lead

I have them and have used them. They work sometimes if you can get a good fit. I use them for troublesome parts, but I would say that they are good as a part of your total desoldering toolset. They are cheap enough so why not have them handy?

[beanflying]

Arrrgggh. 

   I can buy the gaskets on AliEx for $5-ish, but 1-2 months before they arrive. Or I can order the complete valve plate kit from Summit (Campbell Hausfeld used this series of compressors a lot too... so did everybody) for $23... and it's supposedly IN STOCK, coming from Arlington just a few hundred miles away, so ETA is Friday or Saturday. I pulled the bottom end down... it looks pretty damned good too. Fuck it... it's only money.

mnem
I REALLY hate making gaskets. 

Laser Cutter  Did a few cork ones during the week 

[Neomys Sapiens]

As we currently have a round of desoldering techniques and equipment re-appraisals, I would be interested to know if someone here has tried those desoldering syringes (hollow needles), which some chinese sources are pushing on Ebay and elsewhere. They are intended for thru-hole parts and work allegedly by pushing them over the lead

I have them and have used them. They work sometimes if you can get a good fit. I use them for troublesome parts, but I would say that they are good as a part of your total desoldering toolset. They are cheap enough so why not have them handy?

Basically what I expected. But a single answer from a practicioner could have also placed them in the 'utter crap' category. Will get some and try.

[Kosmic]

For de-soldering, I use that thing



It's working pretty well. Never burned a pad. I use it a minimum (supposed to be 350Deg) and always add new solder. You also need to clean the sucking hole from time to time with the metal tool provided, just to make sure it doesn't jam.

[GregDunn]

For de-soldering, I use that thing

It's working pretty well. Never burned a pad. I use it a minimum (supposed to be 350Deg) and always add new solder. You also need to clean the sucking hole from time to time with the metal tool provided, just to make sure it doesn't jam.

Essentially a clone of my Hakko.  It's a good balance between price and functionality.

[Kosmic]

yep, hakko was a bit too expensive for me. The cheap clone is working fine for my usage.

[Kosmic]

So it had to come to a end, Arrow.com decided to end their free overnight shipping on everything. You now need to spend 50$ for free shipping or pay 15$ flat rate.

Hello digikey, my old friend!

[worsthorse]

So it had to come to a end, Arrow.com decided to end their free overnight shipping on everything. You now need to spend 50$ for free shipping or pay 15$ flat rate.

Hello digikey, my old friend!

Yeah, it was great while it lasted. I can't figure out why they were doing it. They had to know that the customers would disappear when the free deal did, right?

/me wanders off to explore the wonders of winmor, ardop and vara.

[med6753]

And I just bought my last parts from Jameco. Their cheapest shipping rate is now $18.85. 

[GregDunn]

yep, hakko was a bit too expensive for me. The cheap clone is working fine for my usage.

Me too - I wouldn't pay list price for any of their gear, but I was able to find a refurbished one at a hamfest for much less than list price.  Same vendor who sold me the Hakko FX-951 and found tips for my ancient Ungar TC iron; there's a reason I do business with this guy. 

[worsthorse]

For de-soldering, I use that thing

It's working pretty well. Never burned a pad. I use it a minimum (supposed to be 350Deg) and always add new solder. You also need to clean the sucking hole from time to time with the metal tool provided, just to make sure it doesn't jam.

Essentially a clone of my Hakko.  It's a good balance between price and functionality.

I bought the Hakko (which reminds me, i need to order tips). No regrets. I learned my lesson after buying a cheap clone of their soldering stations and hating it.  I am still getting the hang of it and generally reach for the solder sucker and solder wick first.

I have one of the Japanese Engineer solder suckers with the silcone tip. Works okay. I have a box full of solder wick of various sizes. Sometimes I get lucky and find it at hamfests and such.

[worsthorse]

And I just bought my last parts from Jameco. Their cheapest shipping rate is now $18.85. 

I don't get it... giving away shipping doesn't work but making it a profit center, unless you are selling stuff that one can't get anywhere else, is a losing proposition. 

[0culus]

Plus if you ship in any kind of volume, you can definitely get big discounts from the carriers, much better than what I pay for the 3-4 packages I might ship every year.

[mnementh]

@tautech - Somebody who GETS ME! Thank you! 

mnem
Yeah... yeah! Take THAT you little bastard!!! I NEVER give up!

I've had many of those moments.     When I twas on the toolz I saw the advantages of TIG for removing broken/frozen studs and first chance I had I grabbed a cheapy TIG/Stick unit as a portable and for broken fastener work. That you can heat a broken stud/bolt to red heat and not the surrounding area always amazed me (still does) but even better when left to cool sometimes unwind the previously frozen little bugger with just your fingers !  If you're doing much broken fastener work a TIG is more valuable than its weight in gold ! 

Yup.    Another trick old man Belmore taught me was to use a 3/32" or 1/16" nickel rod to plug weld a nut onto a broken stud. The nickel rod is expensive, but it lets you put the arc EXACTLY where you want it without accidental flashover, giving you much better control welding to mild steel. I did it once on the front of a tractor engine block with 2 inches of clearance; bending the stick and welding by the sound and the glow of the nut. Would have cost 6 extra hours teardown/reassembly of the front of the tractor to get to it with a drill. 15 minutes later the alternator was back on and charging, and it was time. 

As we currently have a round of desoldering techniques and equipment re-appraisals, I would be interested to know if someone here has tried those desoldering syringes (hollow needles), which some chinese sources are pushing on Ebay and elsewhere. They are intended for thru-hole parts and work allegedly by pushing them over the lead

I have them and have used them. They work sometimes if you can get a good fit. I use them for troublesome parts, but I would say that they are good as a part of your total desoldering toolset. They are cheap enough so why not have them handy?

Basically what I expected. But a single answer from a practitioner could have also placed them in the 'utter crap' category. Will get some and try.

Hmm.... same here. Another item on my checklist, another weapon for my arsenal. 

Arrrgggh.        I can buy the gaskets on AliEx for $5-ish, but 1-2 months before they arrive. Or I can order the complete valve plate kit from Summit (Campbell Hausfeld used this series of compressors a lot too... so did everybody) for $23... and it's supposedly IN STOCK, coming from Arlington just a few hundred miles away, so ETA is Friday or Saturday. I pulled the bottom end down... it looks pretty damned good too. Fuck it... it's only money.

mnem
I REALLY hate making gaskets. 

Laser Cutter  Did a few cork ones during the week 

I knew you'd be along any minute to pee in my cornflakes, bean.

But truth: I couldn't lay the effing things out in Fusion in $23 worth of time; then I'd still have to buy some 1mm paronite sheet and wait for it to get here or go scour NAPA or somesuch. Here I not only get the gaskets, I get all the wearing valve components, and my compressor SHOULD perform just as new. Considering I bought the 21 gallon/3.3HP and its 8 gallon/2.2HP little brother BOTH for $75 at a Harbor Freight "Sidewalk Sale" 15 years ago, I think it's worth that investment. 

I like the smell (of solder) too. I won’t go near Aoyue. Bad experience with their stuff before. 936 clone. Ugh horrid thing.

LOL... Aoyue is a Chinese "Domestic" industrial manufacturer. Like Weller, they have multiple "grades" of product; stuff made by other people they put their name on and they even have to fight off other manufacturers cloning their stuff. They make a clone of the HAKKO 936 that is well-known to be as good as the original; because they and ATTEN made the originals for HAKKO. But there's a whole tertiary manufacturing industry there, making outright counterfeits of the Aoyue 936 and several other models. If you bought an "Aoyue 936" for less than $30-40, it was a counterfeit.

mnem
*ride the walrus*