Because they are so cheap, I don’t hesitate giving them away when the need arises. But given how cheap they were, I don’t mind strapping them semi-permanently onto a project as needed. Very basic, and perhaps of dubious quality. I gang these from time to time to take high-current measurements (like an LED illuminator that I was testing that needed 80A). Five 11-function multimeters from HFT, one of which I usually use for the toaster oven.Before the 121GW, these were my “precision” units. The Bluetooth feature has been handy a few times. A little noisy for low-current work and slow for continuity checks. An EEVBlog 121GW 4-4/5 digit DMM which I like for the high-voltage diode measurement, which is great for LED strings.It makes it easy to pick up and drop off SMD components from the tape to the board. ezPick manual pick-and-place tool – really speeds up manual builds of prototypes, especially if I am doing multiple boards at once.Seek Thermal Compact XR thermal imager – great for seeing things heating up.Convenient for when I need only moderate magnification. Head-mounted swappable-lens magnifiers.The scope is essential for working with small parts and tiny solder joints. Amscope stereo microscope 7X-90X with ring-light.A toaster oven picked up at the Salvation Army store for under $10, paired with a thermocouple and multimeter that I picked up from Harbor Freight Tools for $20. ![]() If you do manage to clog it up, you can carefully heat the chamber entry stem with a hot-air tool and salvage it. Clean the tool frequently - it’s prone to jamming if you aren’t careful or get sloppy with the cleaning. I eventually had to replace the heater cartridge as it started to intermittently stop working. One of many generic Hakko copies, acquired somewhere around 2005 as I started to transition to SMD work. It was a big investment at the time for a college student, but I really wanted a nice iron.
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