Newb Asks: What Make 'em Bigger Apparatus Do You Use?

[Gregski]

so sometimes you find yourself needing to replace a tiny electronic component (capacitor, resistor, diodeor, etc.) that you may have inadvertently damaged and they have such tiny writings on them that your human eyeball can't decipher, so what do you use to make the text bigger, make it readable?

I ask cause my Inspector Gadget magnifying glass sucks

[uhi22]

https://www.ebay.de/itm/295649324815?mk ... media=COPY

for the difficult cases. Or for the more easy things something like this https://www.ebay.de/itm/322985275955?mk ... media=COPY

[Gregski]

https://www.ebay.de/itm/295649324815?mk ... media=COPY

for the difficult cases. Or for the more easy things something like this https://www.ebay.de/itm/322985275955?mk ... media=COPY

Danke, an die Augenlupe des Juweliers habe ich gar nicht gedacht

[Gregski]

Well, good news and bad news:

Good News: The jewelers loop works in terms of allowing me to see the tiny print

Bad News: one of the LEDs does not work on this brand new apparatus, that is very frustrating


JARLINK 30X 60X Illuminated Jewelers Loupe Magnifier, Foldable Jewelry Magnifier with Bright LED Light for Gems, Jewelry, Coins, Stamps, etc

[asavage]

Retired locksmith (one of several careers) here: the quality of loupes varies greatly, with a selection of Chinesium versions I tested being nearly unusable, and the claimed magnification figures being wildly inaccurate -- as usual.

Don't give up on loupes for fine work on the basis of one or two bad experiences, and if your budget can stretch to it, buy a brand-name loupe rather than one whose brand is unpronounceable.

---

When I was an electronics repair tech way back, I liked using my Opti-Visor for work that required fine work for more than a minute. Relatively comfortable, and pretty cheap.

Nowadays, the video monitor/microscope stations, as seen on many YT vids, looks to be the way to go, and I've considered buying one myself, except I do so little fine electronics work these days that it would only sit under a dust sheet 99% of the time, and while I like to buy tools, I have a lot of tools now and I am more thoughtful on "needing" a new tool these days.

What I really want is a local tool lending library, where I can buy a tool, use it when I need it, then make it available to others when I don't. I have boxes and shelves of tools that somebody needs once, eg an Autel TPMS programmer, which I will only use once per five years, and it sits in a drawer doing nobody any good meanwhile

[Gregski]

Nowadays, the video monitor/microscope stations, as seen on many YT vids, looks to be the way to go, and I've considered buying one myself, except I do so little fine electronics work these days that it would only sit under a dust sheet 99% of the time, and while I like to buy tools, I have a lot of tools now and I am more thoughtful on "needing" a new tool these days.

my take away is Al desperately needs our help to justify buying more tools, ha ha, may I suggest one or both of the following projects, and I am willing to pay for your time


I bought a BMW 530e onboard battery charger - now what?

• willing to ship mine to you for FREE if you wouldn't mind playing with it, it appears to be designed by Aliens

Chevy Volt Gen 2 charger 24281923

• honestly not sure if this is ready for prime time it's been a while since I read up on the latest progress, its a PWM thing

[Zieg]

I have an old desk lamp on a long articulated arm, with a magnifying glass at the center of a fluorescent ring light. It's great for bench work because you can position it, illuminate your work and have both hands free to do soldering or whatever else is needed.