What pedal / electronics related present did you get for Xmas? :)

[Keppy]

http://store.gama-go.com/Flipper-Guitar-Spatula-p/1941.htm

One of these.

Heh. I have one of those from a few Christmases ago. This year, I finally got a Hakko to replace my RS soldering iron!

[armdnrdy]

I didn't "get" I'm playing Santa and I'm giving.

I'm finishing up an AD-3205 delay with the modulation mod for my friend's son.

Maybe Santa will come to my house next year!

[chromesphere]

usually i buy myself something nice but this year its all about my boy, and like alparent said, i buy myself things whenever i want during the year.

The multimeter was a specified gift.  My in-laws wanted to buy me something (which was very nice of them and i had a budget.  The comment about "having a line of xmas presents under the tree" was sacrasm.  The DMM was all i got Which im quite looking forward to using!  Awesome gift!

Paul

[craigmillard]

I got plasterboard from my wife so i can soundproof the garage into a jam room!!!!!

[R.G.]

Geiger counter kit. It's happily blipping about 3 counts per minute now. Can you hear the ticking? 

[dmc777]

I got a panavise. It's kinda bulky, the model I got, but I can always get a different attachment. I have one of those station with the two adjustable alligator clips and magnifying glass but never could get that thing to work with me so hopefully the panavise will do the job. It'll be used mainly for populating and soldering. Does anyone else use a panavise?

[markeebee]

I got a good bottle of rum.  More useful than most tools when building pedals

[Perrow]

Gave the kids two guitars (sort of)...



The acoustic is a Yamaha Gitalele, six stringed Ukulele, works nice as an acoustic guitar and tuned to AECGDA (I think). The electric is a Washburn/Disney, needs some adjustments to the neck but all in all it seems quite nice. It's a 3/4 scale and just a little on the big side for the six year old. The two and a half year old seems to favor the Yamaha, played "lap steel style" and she sings along.

And for the record, in Sweden we open our gifts on the 24th 

ps. Played the Rocksmith game for about three hours today, tons of fun. Can't remember if I ever practiced that much in a single day before, and I don't think I ever had as much fun doing it either.

[Jdansti]

I got a panavise. It's kinda bulky, the model I got, but I can always get a different attachment. I have one of those station with the two adjustable alligator clips and magnifying glass but never could get that thing to work with me so hopefully the panavise will do the job. It'll be used mainly for populating and soldering. Does anyone else use a panavise?

I had considered the Panavise when I was looking for a vice, but settled on a Dremel model:


I think the Dremel has a wider jaw opening and I like the screw mounting clamp on the bottom. I can quickly attach it to my bench when I need it and then quickly remove it and store it under the bench. 

[Govmnt_Lacky]

Wife got me a PEAK DCA 55 meter  , a HUGE Swiss Army knife, some new blue jeans, and a 3 pound bag of Jelly Belly jelly beans 

Im ready to build ANYHTING now...... and on a sugar rush too! 

[Perrow]

Im ready to build ANYHTING now...... and on a sugar rush too!  

Your avatar shows you on a massive sugar rush?

Ps. Autocompletion first guessed "tush" instead of "rush", hopefully you'll spare us that avatar

[Govmnt_Lacky]

Do the people of Switzerland call them "Swiss" Army knives

OR do they just call them Army knives? 

[Haddock]

Hello,

We call them "swiss army knive" ! A nice tool..

Gretings
Urs

[John Lyons]

Not a thing

+1 

[deadastronaut]

new breadboard, bottle of famous grouse (black). a good combi..

[thelonious]

Got a desktop drill press for enclosure and chassis drilling... and a deep fryer! I'm sure someone here could figure out how to mod it into a wave soldering machine.

[davent]

Got a desktop drill press for enclosure and chassis drilling...

Mine was under the tree a couple years ago and as soon as i used it i kicked myself for not getting one long before then. One of the big three essentials for doing this stuff, you've gotta have the soldering iron and a meter but the drill press is the icing on the cake, so much better then using a hand drill, you just can't imagine until you've tried one. Lucky you...

dave

[Govmnt_Lacky]

With respects to the drill press....

For PCBs - I actually find it MUCH faster to drill a PCB by hand with my Dremel. I have tried with a Dremel drill press and it just takes forever to reposition the boards each and every hole. If it was automated it might be a time saver but, I will just stick to doing it freestyle! 

For enclosures - I have tried enclosure drilling with a press and discovered one undeniable truth. As important, or even MORE important... is the jig that you use to hold the enclosure steady. I say jig because you DO NOT want to use any old press-top vice to hold it as it will definitely marr the enclosure. Holding them with your hand is equally worthless as that makes it just as good as using a hand drill. YOU NEED TO HAVE A GOOD ENCLOSURE JIG!!! I still use my good old hand drill, step bit, and smaller bits for drilling. 

[Perrow]

Lacky, what type drills do you use with your Dremel and/or how do you stabalize your drill so you don't break your drill bits?

[Govmnt_Lacky]

Lacky, what type drills do you use with your Dremel and/or how do you stabalize your drill so you don't break your drill bits?

Quite a while back, I scored on eBay with a 50 pack of carbide drill bits! The only hitch was that they were all re-sharps and they were all #68s (I think)

Anyways, it was the correct size for just about all of the components I use. The holes comfortably fit all of the caps, resistors, ICs, sockets, etc. that I use. To this point, I have only broken 5 of them but, remember that this has been well over 18 months!

When I drill, I put the PCB in a panavice that is designed for PCBs. I then just turn on the Dremel and drill my holes. I stabilize my arms simply by resting my elbows on either side of the panavice and just drop the Dremel where I want to drill the hole.