TOOL REVIEWS

[calpolyengineer]

yeahm i really liked Aenima 

Lateralus is better! 

-Joe

[nordine]

yeahm i really liked Aenima 

Lateralus is better! 

-Joe

define "better" 

(sorry guys, lets get back on topic)

[davent]

A 20c (or more likely free!) 'tool' I'd hate to be without: chunk of foam.
Put the components in the board.. put the foam chunk on top of the board.. invert.. now the legs are poking up & none of the components can fall out.
OK, for a few hundred bucks you can buy a commercial version, with rails that hold a bunch of PCBs in at the same time.
But, I prefer my single chunk of foam.

I keep a few pieces of styrofoam around to use in mocking up  pcb's & eyelet boards to check component spacings  and the overall look of the finished project. Do the layouts in two dimensions in the computer then check all three dimensions with a mockup/model.

[demonstar]

I keep a few pieces of styrofoam around to use in mocking up  pcb's & eyelet boards to check component spacings  and the overall look of the finished project. Do the layouts in two dimensions in the computer then check all three dimensions with a mockup/model.

That is a really good idea!

[John Lyons]

Watch out for static sensitive parts (mosfets and some ICs) with that method though.
Gotta use the anti static foamf for those 

john

[davent]

Watch out for static sensitive parts (mosfets and some ICs) with that method though.
Gotta use the anti static foamf for those 

john

Thanks John, I'll keep that in mind!  I do have a bit of that pink anti-static foam but no piece near big enough to use in this way. I've always used sockets in builds for IC's and transistors (unless it's getting a heatsink) so I just stick a socket in the mockup. The sensitive bits stay packed away (where I can find them) until time to fire the thing up, if i didn't fry them first with static electricity, they would probably have gone missing in the confusion of the bench top. 

Take care
dave

[John Lyons]

I received a 6 pound box of various diodes and some caps.
I used some of that white styrofoam to sort those.
Just wrote the part number on it and poked the parts in the foam in their respective groups/values.

[kurtlives]

I received a 6 pound box of various diodes and some caps.
I used some of that white styrofoam to sort those.
Just wrote the part number on it and poked the parts in the foam in their respective groups/values.

Where do you get a box that big full of elec???

[Paul Perry (Frostwave)]

I don't know whether a big sheet of glass counts as a tool, but I found this on another electronics forum & it strikes me as useful:

"I use a loose pane of tempered glass on top of my desk as a work surface, and I have found it to be extremely useful. I cut on it, solder on it, and seal plastic bags on it with a soldering iron. I mix up extremely small amounts of epoxy right on it with a razor blade, then scrape the minimal leftovers (if any) off before it completely hardens.. or after it hardens, cuz it just doesn't matter. I stick excess packing tape to it during a project, then scrape clean when done. And.. I print up schematics and place them under the glass when necessary. And I jot down hand-written notes right on the glass, with a fine-tip Sharpie. Writing comes out as clear as on paper, and it wipes right off."

I think that bit about putting the paperwork UNDER the glass is sheer genius.
(but I don't think much of sealing plastic bags with a soldering iron - in my experience, if you have a plated tip on your iron & it touches PVC, it does something AWFUL to the surface of the iron.)

[Nasse]

Nice tip that glass sheet table. One use for this could be using it for sanding something as flat as possible, put a sheet of sandpaper on glass sheet. 

http://nostalgiapelit.servut.us/pajatso.html Been kickin me in ass since I could have few thick glass sheets from these when they junked those mechanical ones

[frank_p]

I don't know whether a big sheet of glass counts as a tool, but I found this on another electronics forum & it strikes me as useful:

I think that bit about putting the paperwork UNDER the glass is sheer genius.
(but I don't think much of sealing plastic bags with a soldering iron - in my experience, if you have a plated tip on your iron & it touches PVC, it does something AWFUL to the surface of the iron.)

I use a marble top on my wooden desk.  I found it in the trash.  I must admit it is pretty useful and have a less "cold feeling" than glass.
I used glass before, But a white surface is also better for seeing all those tiny parts.

For the PVC and iron, it is quite normal, this polymer is full of chlorine.  It's like when you store an open container of chlorine (for the pool) in your shed and you put your bicycle there also.  A good way of ruining metallic finishes... 

PVC is a problem when a living place gets on fire.  You get some very toxic chlorine gas.  That is why things used in buildings that are made of PVC are full of fire and fumes retardants, and sometimes also a fire proof coating...

[Bart_PL]

My collection of tools

http://koltun.ovh.org/narzedzia.html

[frank_p]

Bart, you play guitar with gloves, just like David Bowie ! 

[Bart_PL]

Bart, you play guitar with gloves, just like David Bowie ! 

No. I use it only for carrying cases and coiling cables.

[PerroGrande]

I bought one of these kits a couple of weeks ago...

http://www.eastwoodco.com/shopping/product/detailmain.jsp?itemID=5572&itemType=PRODUCT&iMainCat=459&iSubCat=460&iProductID=5572

My first attempt at powder coating with this unit was less than successful.  I also learned how hard this stuff is to remove even when the finish isn't as good as hoped.  Subsequent attempts, however, have been much better.

[John Lyons]

Hey John, long time no see.
Any pics of boxes with your new powder system?
I've though of trying this out but the colors available (mostly) are so different than what I do usually.
john

[petemoore]

  Weller WCL-100
  I'm pointing out that I was mistakenly calling the HE's...'Tips', the tips last really well, it's the heating elements that are problematic.
  I give it a 4 on scale of 1 to 10, because when it works it solders really well [1], and looks cool[1], and the base/dial makes nice lamp dimmer [2], and one more point because I'm angry at myself for ordering a buncha shipping and two 1/16th tips I don't really need.
  RS sells irons with no shipping charges, buy 3 and they are much >3x as reliable, 5x less expensive, this is a reasonable account I believe:
  Buy 3 RS irons [they were 8 buxx apiece] and guaranteed you can solder reliably for a very, very long time.
  Buy a Weller WCL-100 and 5 x HE-40 [heating elements 40Watt], and get better results more easily when soldering, but with higher maintenance, downtimes, and cost.
  The deal with these things is the tips last and work great, the heating elements don't last.
  I just recieved the components I [stupid] ordered from:
  http://www.tubesandmore.com/
  I wish I could find the page that actually lists them now, a vague depiction of component, IIRC.
  And still have the not so old, recently replaced, HE-40 w/Chunx'o ceramic missing, HE-40 [needs replaced...again...after not very much light to moderate use...and they are
  18 buxx a pop, a little hard to change, plus shipping.
  Unless I can find a better price point for the HE-40's. 6 buxx [@tubesandmore] is for the Tips which last, not the heating element which  would  need many of.
  Time to cut the huge losses encountered with Weller, and return to RS ~quality and great reliability.
  The only thing that beats the RS deal that I've found is the garage sale irons, I swear some must be from the 60's and still solder like no sweat.
  I'm not spending hundreds again to find out what hundreds gets ya in a soldering set up, cheap wins in my view...YMMV, and, I hope it does !

[petemoore]

  About the WCL-100.
  It is a competitive product, I'm sure the R&D is great, I just went through a couple tips quickly, and don't always order the right stuff, part of my dissatisfaction was self induced. RS iron is a no-brainer.
  + I'm sure they're making WCL-100's now, I don't know that I would really want be responsible for changing the flow at Weller, the guy I talked to on the phone was actually really cool.
  The 'ol HE-40' is hangin' in there and the 1/16th tip works great !
   Let the tool reviews go on !
 

[rnfr]

just got this at the ol' ace hardware down the street.

attach it to your drill and it works awesome for roughing up corroded copper on stripboard.  haven't tried it for making pcb's yet, but i'm sure it'd work great. no more little green shavings from those plastic scrubbers!  i think it was about 2.50 and worth every penny.
5/5,5/5.

[Evad Nomenclature]

Bart, you play guitar with gloves, just like David Bowie ! 

That's pretty freaky Bowie...