as someone who remembers when a good scope could cost $10k or more, I'm very happy with the $500 4 channel Rigol that I bought a few years ago! Also... nice to see Bob Pease's great book mentioned! Tons of wisdom in there!
Scopes! I have used $4K, $6K, $10K and up scopes. In the past they were absolutely necessary in professional environments. Today I have a two channel, Hantek digital that is, if anything, better than any of them. 150 MHz! The best Tektronix I used was only 50 MHz. Triggering: it has over two dozen triggering options. Best I ever had in the past was AC/DC, +/-, and TV H&V. It has a built in function generator. It has a built in spectrum analyzer, perhaps not the world's best, but that was an unreachable dream in all my jobs. Built in metering on both channels, including things like frequency so it is also a frequency counter. I can go on and on. It is a great scope for under $300 with two 200 Mhz probes. That is today's entry level scope and it is great. Other brands do much the same for similar prices - you can shop around for the best deal.
Excellent advice here! I'm pleased to say that, despite being a hobbyist with no formal training, I either have and use most of the stuff on this list, or it's on my list of "I really should get one of those someday" (like an isolation transformer and variac).
He had one thing a lot of good design engineers didn't: he could communicate. Sometimes to do that, he'd act like a clown; but, he wasn't a very good one. And, he didn't thing of himself as one. When the suits he worked for basically betrayed him, and other suits turned him into a clown, for CZcams marketing.. well... I think that's half the reason he drove himself into a tree.
I agree. Years ago I bought a pretty affordable hot air rework station for about $100 from SparkFun and I have used it all the time, and it's still kicking with no issues. It comes in so handy.
On the desoldering stuff, I have to say while it's the most expensive piece of equipment in my electronic lab the Hakko FR301 I got for $250 is easily worth the cost if you do a lot of desoldering. I've spent too much time trying to desolder DIP's with a solder sucker.
I have to agree. My Hakko desoldering tool made me think that I had died and gone to heaven. If you do any repair work at all, you need a vacuum desoldering tool. Solder suckers are just that, they suck in worst since of the word.
A power supply with analogue voltage and current panel meters, they are handy for monitoring changes in current draw. A meter only gives you an absolute reading
When I first started in electronics I didn't even have a multimeter (my brother had one I could borrow occasionally, he didn't live with us so it was pretty rare to have access to it). I would use LEDs, small light bulbs, small DC motors and resistors to measure presence of voltage and current lol. I built an FM transmitter from salvaged parts without even having a multimeter, let alone anything else. All my parts came from salvaging old discarded TVs and radios. Now a days I have like 5 different scopes, 2 spectrum analyzers, probably a dozen of DMMs and a whole bunch of other equipment.
I built and debugged my early hardware with just a logic probe and a voltmeter. Its amazing how much you can deduce from just a couple of flashing LEDs with digital circuits. Back then an oscilloscope was only for the rich guys.
I just came across your channel, I remember when I purchased my very first storage oscilloscope, the tek TDS 210, I still have it, I purchased it like, dunno, 25 years ago?, It was like..... Woow a DSO!! everyone read about it but almost no one can afford one by.then, I was just getting paid a design job (a radio telemetry unit I've spent the entire summer developing) and I put all the money on the scope, I remember because I was nervous as hell i had never ever spent so much money on a single item, I went to the store and say, give me the TDS 210, (how are you gonna pay? The ask) I said cash and I take out all I have, no joke, it was like all the money I had back then, 4 months of tenuous work, but I bought it, and I still have, still love it, nowadays is so cheap and you have so many options!, You can get something like a rigol 1104z which is a fantastic machine for under 1000 dollars! Unbelievable
A good lesson for me while building up my lab was to purchase a lot of repairable test equipment. You get better quality gear at a reasonable price and hopefully learn a little as part of the process.
I think the mechanical tools side is often neglected. It doesn't matter whether it's more about repairs or whether the latest construction should be in a fancy housing. A small cordless drill with some bits and drills and also step drills is a start. A bit of basic sheet metal and plastic processing, etc. is never wrong...
Great summary. I would add a good selection of screwdrivers - obvious really but getting the right size makes life much easier. Also note the proximity of your calculator, much easier than guessing and although many like me don't really like maths, it just has to be done. These days the cheapo component testers are really great to help identify/check an unknown component, mine was a kit less than $/£20, not perfect but good enough.
Yes, I finally got a high quality tool set. Makes a ton of difference. The trick is to return the tool to the caddy when finished, I’m learning that - 😎
Good range of stuff. I would add a "helping hands' with croc clips to hold things in place when soldering. An adjustable circuit board holder and an adjustable vice, Panavise if you can afford one otherwise a cheapo hardware store one.
I appreciate this video, turns out I’ve done an alright job adding to my test bench over the years.. Still have a few things on my list that I’m looking for, Bench Multimeter 5-1/2 digit at least, and I’d like to either get another power supply or get one that has multiple channels, so I can source different voltages if necessary. Thanks for the video!
My lab looks a lot like your lab. You probably also picked up every piece of gear that came your way that you could afford. It is so easy to rationalize the purchases, especially used or broken stuff when the price is right, or getting boat anchors for free at ham swaps. I always get both low-end and high-end gear, from HP to Harbor Freight, because I use my cheapest junk for anything it can be used for in order to protect my expensive gear from me being stupid. My 'luxury access' is borrowing gear from a government lab I do work for. I got my Metcal rework station by repairing 3 dead ones for a friend. You don't even want to ask me about spare parts. I took my van to an electronics surplus store that was going under, and I filled it with boxes of everything, twice. BTW, speaking of test equipment, my partner fixes almost everything, including HP 50 Gig network analyzers, with a Harbor Freight freebie multimeter, an alligator clip jumper, and a couple of screwdrivers. The people who he fixes gear for ask him where all his repair equipment is, and he just points at his head. He's an old Heathkit engineer with a Masters in EE, a Doctorate in physics, and is a licensed PE, (because he thought it might come in handy some day.) He makes me embarrassed to have a room full of test gear.
Great video. One thing not mentioned that has helped me repair thermal problems is a FLIR camera. I bought a cheap one (~$300) helped me find and fix bad components.
I would add that 'it also depends on what you are focussing on'. The book is associated with analogue design, whereas if you were working mainly with micros or mainly on RF / radio then some test equipment requirements may change. Yes, you still need a good set of tools, soldering iron and a DVM for most work.
I would say that prioritizing things will help with the purchasing process. And, if you are just starting out, ask someone with experience to help set those priorities. IMO, you need a multimeter and decent soldering iron, to start. For prioritizing say an assortment of components verses substitution boxes, IMO research what are the typically needed common values of resistors, caps, diodes, etc., buy those and skip the substitution boxes. When you need to test a range of values, grab what you need from stock. Then, set aside the components you used for testing, to test additional things in the future. Why? Because you have already proofed the ones you have used, the pins are already bent to fit into a breadboard and they might have been stressed, while making tests. Meaning, use fresh components for building the final device. Ahh,,,, Breadboards and jumper wires... Those go at the top of the list, too, IMO.
I would add a laptop and maybe a printer and monitor. Handy for looking up spec sheets, accessing videos, forums, suppliers, doing Zooming and on and on.
Name dropping Pease is a good way to get some cred on a video; but Pease and his book (Troubleshooting Analog Circuits) wasn't directed towards people in their basements, 'playing along at home' with CZcams influencers. And before people get bent out of shape, let me say why. Pease was foremost (and foremost thought of himself) as a design engineer: the kind that brings his work home with him... and wants to work at home too. His list, and his book, is directed at that kind of person: the university educated engineer that was hired by a big company that wasn't immediately 'promoted' to the sales department.
Cheers on taking stuff from your high school. With permission of course. I scored a corning hot plate, two 40mhz hitachi CROs, and a frequency counter that has nixie tubes.
I have an analog scope I bought when I was a student in 1978, a power supply (30V/1A) , a sine, square wave generator 0-1Mhz I made myself, a selection of analog and digital multimeter.
I would include breadboards, batteries, ESD wristband, good light, the least amount of switching power supplies to prevent EMI, good quality solder wire and flux, a carbon air filter to suck up the fumes, a collection of different solder tips, and common sense of course...
In regards to soldering irons, I would highly recommend the TS100. I just recently got in to electronics early 2020 and it's the first adjustable iron I ever got and I love it. 12-24v
Hi, I forgot to finish watching this educational video before leaving for vacation, so I'm responding with a delay until today. I have a curve tracer and I use it quite a lot (a copy of Tektronix TR-210), unfortunately, it does not have steps for testing transistors, so I have an old Russian oscilloscope ready in which I want to build it. However, what I missed in the list and I consider it very useful is a signal tracker - I made it myself and I also made atypical probes for it - acoustic - with the help of which I detected more than one faulty bearing, knocking in the engine - for a friend in the car service , etc. - optical - reacts to the presence of light and the sound level of the tracker changes depending on the brightness - I built this when repairing the oscilloscope so that I did not have to watch the screen and could focus on the PCB and measuring instruments. I developed two of those optical probes, one for the tracker and one for direct connection to the oscilloscope, it saves a lot of time, for example, when repairing LED lighting. Oh, and I can also use the signal tracker as an independent amplifier for audio repairs. You make great videos, keep it up 👍 nice day 🙂 Tom
Lots of good advice there, and in the comments, a good course is to join a forum on the web, lot of very nice equipment changes hands very cheaply, like the marconi 2019 i just got for £30, just got to fix it and learn how to drive it!, also get buy the best you can, some of my kit has been by my side since the seventies, also I've found a dremel or similar tool very handy, and yes, I'm a mectal devotee too, sp200.
Now that you've showed us all the requisite tools, show us some of the very niche tools and equipment you have! Be it by trade or hobby, I'd love to see both, the more obscure the better!
I got a LCR-T4 at $ 30ish or open source. A really useful and quick inexpensive tester for those mystery components and the like. I also as a side note got a Standford Research Sytems 720 100KHz LCR Meter. For a good price (still to be determined) 🤔
I started collecting GDOs. They don't take much room in my apartment! I don't have any with actual grids. A Kenwood, Heath, Simpson and MFJ (they still make them!). Very underrated instrument.
First it depends on whether you are designing or repairing then on what industry or type of electronic stuff you are involved with. For instance if designing you may need the lab gear mentioned in this video plus lots of bread boards, hookup wire, that spectrum analyser and ability to make proptotype pcb's so you'd need to be able to design pcb's, make Gerber files, etch pcb's and drill them. When it comes to repair and maintenance, a lot of your time is spent opening up and re-assembling cases, racks, enclosures of one sort or another. Manufacturers often use security screws so having a cordless drill/screwdriver with a full range of bits including security bits is a must. Other useful stuff I have are jewelers screwdrivers, 1/4" socket set, pcb holder, crimp tools, heat shunt, miniature spanner set for electronics, ESR meter, capacitance/inductance meters. I'm left in the stoneage for electronics now, I am retired and use a number of Antex soldering irons and one really cheap temperature controlled soldering station. I remember the days when it was essential to have an isolation transformer, an oscilloscope and an analog meter with a high voltage probe for old CRT TV repair. Nowadays, very few people repair them, most of the TV's are just binned. When I worked in telephone exchanges first as an electromechanical tech, all we had was a test lamp, AVO meter, soldering iron and a tool box with many types of screw drivers, pliers, side cutters, adjusting spanners, feeler gauges, relay tension gauges, tweezers etc. When I moved on to work in electronic digital telephone exchanges our no 1 tool was Fluke bench meter and a logic probe, then came things like anti-static mats and wrist bands. @ralph J below, summed it up in a nutshell 😊
Sorry for all the comments. I have a tube driven labvolt volt meter that has an Ontairio hdyo electric Department lab sticker inventory sticker. It plugs into mains and has a massive analog dial on the front. The iec cable is made of that old clothe and tore in a million places. I don't feel I have the qualifications to open it and I've been trying to find a collector to give it to. I have some handbooks from the 30s as well. I think you can get that metcal for around 500 now. I have a bunch of stations. All knockoffs but one I've used for thousands of hours.
Wise, wise words. Don't be embarrassed by cheap equipment. My first VOM I made from a kit, the same with my 1st oscilloscope and signal generator. Buy cheap, and if it breaking/failing is an issue because you need it. THAT'S where to spend your money. In my 50's I have some (only some) very nice tools, but equally I still have tools I started with as a kid. Thanks for the video
Likewise spoiled by access to high quality test equipment at work, but have slowly been building up the home lab as I get closer to retirement from the day job. Good list. Because of ham radio work at 10 GHz and up, I'm missing a good microwave synthesizer/signal generator that does at least 10 GHz. Keep my eye out every now and again on eBay but haven't pulled the trigger. Will also order a Tiny SA one of these days to complement my HP 8563e.
I had a cheap 15v 2amp psu die on me last night when I made a dual rail supply with my equally cheap psu. It caused something to melt in it. I watched trusted creators on how to do it. I opened up the psu amd found black spots on the transformer so I pulled it out, kept the copper wire for my wife to practice her jewelry making and sent the supply back to amazon
Totally reminds me I have most all the parts for the DIY "SMD Decade Resistance Box" I found on instructables that seems suitable and good enough. Just picked up a $30 variac FB Marketplace find last week and is my first newer design one. Like yours, was thinking originally make more like the "post apocalyptic inventors" rack mount design and am now thinking I like that bench style and will have to think about what case can be used... maybe an old heavy duty computer case even if some cutting and bending and maybe welding? HHHmmm... I guess curve tracer where needs really specific and/or picky matching sets? Primary standards sources definitely can be handy to calibrated/verify the shop equipment and maybe secondary standards. Those 3D printed hangers are nice for cables. Found a $3 Goodwill Store "heat embossing tool" smaller heat gun almost solder station style a few weeks ago. Great overview, affirmation and insight as always. Thanks for sharing!
On the DVM I have 3 hp 3455a in the rack . the bm786 from EEblog has as good a 5 digit for $ 200. the HP other test eq can work well. Rigol 1054z work well for $ 500 . I play with tube amps the high voltage power supply is 1000 volt 500ma supply it weights 65 pounds. a beast with 2 200mm fans on the top.
Great video and great idea to use Bob Pease's book as a reference. I was ticking off his items, one by one, and found that I have almost all of them. I have used curve tracers, but do not presently have one. I want to comment on meters. IMHO, you NEED both analog and digital meters. There is no getting around the precision of digital meters. Analog meters just can't compete. But in over 45 years of work in Electronics, I can count the number of times that I really needed that precision on the fingers of my hands and have some left over. Now, I said "really needed", not just some procedure calling for one. In my two electronic work benches I have both analog and digital meters. My all time favorite, go-to meter is the analog, Simpson 260. That meter was sitting on the bench at almost every job I had and it was there before I was. They just worked. I do have four and five digit, digital meters and love them. I won't go into a long discussion of one vs. the other because you really do need both. PS: For a long time I did not purchase a Flute meter. They are simply overpriced due to a number of factors that don't even relate to their accuracy or accuracy. Government contracts can call out specific makes and models so the maintenance manuals do not need to be rewritten. Anyway, a year or two ago I discovered a low-end Flute that cost under $100. Now I can honestly say I do have a Flute. And I like it.
DVMs are very handy to use and I have couple of them, but sometimes they are a pain in the neck. If you're trying to get something to peak, or looking for a trough the constant jumble of digital number is confusing and some DVMs have a bit of lag or delay. An analogue meter shows you the change in real time and with a smooth action not a jumble. So if you can get your hands on a good analogue meter don't pass it up.
Great video! The algorithm suggested your channel and I’m just starting to check it out. Next stop: checking to see if you did an amateur radio equipment tour as well. I’ve been licensed for a while and putting my base station at my electronics bench could be a nice way to combine hobbies
I would add some obvious qualifier. It Depends! What exactly are you doing. One of the first things I personally acquired was a Heathkit that I built myself. I thought I needed it, as my employer did not have anything similar, or frankly nothing at all for evaluating welding arc noise and filters. I still have it, although last time I tried if it still worked was 2 or 3 years ago. But since those days I have got 3 spectrum analyzers and 2 VNAs. I still keep building my own front end filter boxes for my scopes and DMMs. And there comes another comment. What Bob referred to in his mentioning of High Impedance did not mean DMMs that have a standard 10 megaohms input impedance. As it happens, just within the last year I needed to build two gigaohm front ends to my DVMs. The need came with some 10 or 12 kV differential voltage measurements. Yes, I have a 15 kV scope probe, but it is of course single ended, plus it is only 100 M resistance. So, your requirements probably are very different from mine. That is why It Depends...
@@barrybogart5436 Analog Discovery, it's oscilloscope, function generator, power supply, pattern generator, logic analyzer, spectrum analyzer, bode plotting and more in small, pocket size package. You may also download free demo version. Worth to try. No, I'm not a cyclist :)
I'm 37 yo, just now I bought my first used oscilloscope, chances are that if some one is watching a video about what tools he should buy, this person does not need one yet. A true RMS multimeter, a power supply with current control and a function genarator, of course lots of skill will be really good. (the last 3 items people can get/build really cheap those days)
And just to make my self more clear: this comment is to the hobbyst out there. If you ear money fix or building things, get the tools that will save you most of the time.
I found an Agilent 34401a lately for 300 euros in Finland. The only Keithley 2015 thd meters that I've found are about 800 euros or more and mostly from China. If I find one as cheap as the Agilent, I'll grab it immediately.
wow cant believe anyone has that weller just like the one i bought in 1983. yep its a beast. you forgot a good garbage can. we all save stuff we'll use later only to have it collect dust. once we run out of workbench it starts overflowing to the floor
I should've said. Buy what you need as you need it at a reasonable price then when you really get into the hobby work towards a piece of gear at a time. I have many hobbies so I'm now saving for a guitar even though I could get a scop like our man here with that sweet rigol. I was told to buy as scope by someone who didn't know what they were talking about and I wasted 500 on garbage. I was told it would do logic and decode i2c, uart and such and when I finally started getting into the weeds and digging deeper into theory I came to realize my scope is garbage. This guy has over 130k subs so watch who you listen to. Especially when you're new. People like our man here are amongst the greats for learning. Don't envy gear either. Embrace it and then you can see if it does what you want.
Thanks for the great video it will be helpfull in the forseable future turns out i vould still use a few more thing. Anyways kind of a tip from me if any of you guys attend a electrical engineering school and ever overhear that they are replacing old equipment go and aak the teachers if you can take something i got a scope,0-400V bench psu, 0-50v psu, an old dekade and a few other things that way. They were gonna thrown them out and this way i didn't even have to spend a penny on some of the equipment.
Tools are relatively cheap these days. What seems to be the struggle is knowledge. Schematics are hard to find and everything is super tiny. Plus surface mount stuff fails in weird, hard to find ways.
You’ve probably seen that I’ve been doing a beginners video series, I’m currently making an equipment video series and have just about finished it, I actually recorded 4 videos for it yesterday.
Back in the 70's my "firsts" were a soldering gun and some time later. The cheapest ever (at the time) Archer analog multimeter. But I also spent all my spare time outside of school. Playing with electronics. I owe a lot to Chas Miller (God rest his soul), TV Repair man of Woodseaves, Staffordshire. Looking back now. I was a pain in the arse to that guy and I'm guilty about it. What he gave me was time and knowledge. It does trouble me, I must have cost him so much.
Nick Norton Speaking of the 70 s I still have my Fluke 8000A Digital Multimeter that I bought back in high school, circa 1974. I still works like a charm .
Nice lab and great recommendations. For a DVM I have the Kaiweets 118 which is a great buy for < 40.00. I did notice your hp Rpn calculator maybe a 32S or 42S. I have several hps which have served me well for years. I did notice your IMSAI 8080 do you still have it? A friend of mine had one running cpm. I was in the other camp SWTP 6800 and later 6809.
after all the videos I did, I sold the IMSAI. Rebuilding it twice in a lifetime was enough fun. Time for someone else. I've had every HP calculator ever made. Most are gone now but the 32S 32Sii are some of my favorites. I have a very close friend who worked on that design at HP.
Boss, if i have to choose between a 200Mhz - 2 channel scope and 100Mhz - 4 channel scope....which one do you suggest. I learning electronics as a hobby to begin with...may go commercial later...not sure yet! Thanks
Good job... I fall for in the envious trap... I do like the Nano VNA... I was thinking of Jim Williams...very keen and accomplished...nice to read.like the development of extending back light on computers...his test equipment built while some time at LT.. Your with us now IMASI Guy... Thanks Here is my list of what you don't need: Logic analyzer.....a probe is okay..or use your scope....I suppose if your stuck on the 8086....or a bus speed that is slower than your analyzer...you might find some glitch I mean you go broke trying to find faster equipment....then moore law is going to make it obsolete...in a year... You don't need 2GHz 64 bits to blink an LED... I also liked your HP scope dismemberment...using your vacuum desolder tool...WOW that was fast..I want one of them....meanwhile the spring vacuum syringe-... make do... Use rubber band long nose..to carry heat away...towards the component your trying to keep I like to add Booton RF voltmeter...very light loading....good range...analog meter for peaking....sensitive too...I think works to UHF... Thank gods for the low price test equipment....like the Nano VNA... Envious trap.. some spectrum analyzer....like you say if your doing that type of radio work ...checking emissions... then essential... That is as I look at my broken Tek 496 sitting in the corner.....it has signs sone signs of life... I will look for the offer up...of the wife who tired of her husband's electronics.... Thanks for not recommending the curve tracer.... Move on Fred Get the lab up... 4 projects ....at least need to be done...before you die.. 2 need maybe need some UHF... Maybe con work work to buy a few pieces...3 out of 4 is for that anyway After all somehow the 1992 grew legs and walked away... I feel like there is free education...
Yes how about that...I think Jim being creative and trying to solve real problems with an open mind and working methodically he was effective yet bound by theory Your just as gifted IMSAI Guy... Thanks for making sense of it all...and for covering all sorts of electronics topics...famous popular chips...not getting lost in the forest for the trees Applying yourself and building things can make ourselves the best analog and digital John William we can be... I remember working on a talking digital cruise control in 74 & 4000..1987 a few power amps...it used that 2907... & National Semiconductor came out with their prom holding words constructed into sentence chip set...it morphed into 6 bread boards...just like a side project for our digital class...a little DC motor to emulate an engine...a wheel cut out for slots...photo interuper ..really just a sum of cook book...circuits tried to integrate The speed decision made with 7485...compared a reference set speed...sort of digital feed back...up down counter to bcd out to 4 LED multiplexed rpm display..hours and hours of tinkering In the end it hunted and wasn't stable at some set speeds...luckily the volume could be turned down...lol.. All that could of been boiled down into power amp with velocity feedback... It just showed I couldn't master gain feedback servo theory and didn't know how to apply PID to a bit banger I don't regret hauling it to class for a demo anyway...so worried a bank of red wires might fall off...I think I had just a spool of red solid wire and black... Thanks... How about visiting ..RF class C mosfets in parallel for a induction heater....how to bias and drive gates...now gathering the parts for that...I can handle that... Probably another idea has stumped me...which will I hope explained with minimal babble...sent to a place near bay area called IMSAI Guy...for guidance or a few words...at least in in the form of RFQ... Take care Fred
There’s a lot I like about Dave Jones, he is a fantastic teacher and he seems to really knows his stuff. However, when you know nothing it’s easy to be impressed. In his 'setting up a lab' video it all comes to about £4K which I think is prohibitive to young people starting their specialist education or hobbyist who don’t know how deep they want to get into electronics. To me this video is far better, it looks at the affordable way in whilst still getting value for money.
Thanks! I love your channel - I have learned so much from you - thank you for sharing your knowledge and experience. Between you, w2aew, and MegawattKS, I feel like I’m getting a university education …
@@markgreco1962 Yeah, except that will probably cost you as much as Chinese Salale knock-off! (I think I got my 8-channel unit for between $5 and $10.) But honestly, I don't find it that useful. When I really need a logic analyser, I really need at least 16-32 channels. When I don't need to go that far, I can usually get by ok just using a 4-channel 'scope. (If you're going to get one or the other you definitely want a 'scope first: seeing bad waveforms that a logic analyser would never show has saved me tons of time.)
When I was younger I always got so damn angry about these lists, because it was always 'you MUST have this and this and this', and when counting the prize of those "essentials" it got insane, it might have been more than what I've spent on stuff in total in the last few years, but I've even got a lowish-end SA now. Great vid, I'd love to see some of your homemade stuff mentioned, I've seen many genius homemade solutions and each one brought something new.
Wanna know what was on my list when I was a kid: a 10,000 ohm/vol Japanese import VOM, a Weller soldering gun, and an electric drill. I didn't even get that until I was almost a teenager.
It's high end for the beginners just getting into electronics. It's certainly not expensive, but scopes like Rigol and Siglent make you get a lot for your money in terms of features and capability.
A man who uses prototyping board as a bookmark. First class.
as someone who remembers when a good scope could cost $10k or more, I'm very happy with the $500 4 channel Rigol that I bought a few years ago! Also... nice to see Bob Pease's great book mentioned! Tons of wisdom in there!
Scopes! I have used $4K, $6K, $10K and up scopes. In the past they were absolutely necessary in professional environments. Today I have a two channel, Hantek digital that is, if anything, better than any of them. 150 MHz! The best Tektronix I used was only 50 MHz. Triggering: it has over two dozen triggering options. Best I ever had in the past was AC/DC, +/-, and TV H&V. It has a built in function generator. It has a built in spectrum analyzer, perhaps not the world's best, but that was an unreachable dream in all my jobs. Built in metering on both channels, including things like frequency so it is also a frequency counter. I can go on and on. It is a great scope for under $300 with two 200 Mhz probes. That is today's entry level scope and it is great. Other brands do much the same for similar prices - you can shop around for the best deal.
Attended an Analog conference with Bob Pease, Jim Williams, and Howard Johnson at National Semiconductor.
Excellent advice here! I'm pleased to say that, despite being a hobbyist with no formal training, I either have and use most of the stuff on this list, or it's on my list of "I really should get one of those someday" (like an isolation transformer and variac).
Bob Please was one in a Century.
He had one thing a lot of good design engineers didn't: he could communicate. Sometimes to do that, he'd act like a clown; but, he wasn't a very good one. And, he didn't thing of himself as one. When the suits he worked for basically betrayed him, and other suits turned him into a clown, for CZcams marketing.. well... I think that's half the reason he drove himself into a tree.
Had the pleasure of meeting Bob when he visited us at Honeywell in Scotland many years ago. A fascinating character!
Bob's regular 'Pease Porridge' columns in Electronic Design are well-worth digging out. You can learn a lot from his design wisdom and insight.
The hot air rework station gets used a awful lot on my bench. SMT parts, heat shrink, making cable harnesses, etc.
I agree. Years ago I bought a pretty affordable hot air rework station for about $100 from SparkFun and I have used it all the time, and it's still kicking with no issues. It comes in so handy.
On the desoldering stuff, I have to say while it's the most expensive piece of equipment in my electronic lab the Hakko FR301 I got for $250 is easily worth the cost if you do a lot of desoldering. I've spent too much time trying to desolder DIP's with a solder sucker.
Me too! Really like the Hakko brand. Dropped some coin like you, it works very well.
I have to agree. My Hakko desoldering tool made me think that I had died and gone to heaven. If you do any repair work at all, you need a vacuum desoldering tool. Solder suckers are just that, they suck in worst since of the word.
When I lived in Ft. Worth, I got a chance to meet Bob...that was in the mid 80's. You never knew how he'd dress! What a guy.
A power supply with analogue voltage and current panel meters, they are handy for monitoring changes in current draw. A meter only gives you an absolute reading
I deliberately bought some old VTVM, recently at hamfest Orlando. Oldies but very useful. Needed some work of course🎈
@@JurassicJenkins That sounds like a nice project 🙂
When I first started in electronics I didn't even have a multimeter (my brother had one I could borrow occasionally, he didn't live with us so it was pretty rare to have access to it). I would use LEDs, small light bulbs, small DC motors and resistors to measure presence of voltage and current lol. I built an FM transmitter from salvaged parts without even having a multimeter, let alone anything else. All my parts came from salvaging old discarded TVs and radios. Now a days I have like 5 different scopes, 2 spectrum analyzers, probably a dozen of DMMs and a whole bunch of other equipment.
I built and debugged my early hardware with just a logic probe and a voltmeter. Its amazing how much you can deduce from just a couple of flashing LEDs with digital circuits. Back then an oscilloscope was only for the rich guys.
I just came across your channel, I remember when I purchased my very first storage oscilloscope, the tek TDS 210, I still have it, I purchased it like, dunno, 25 years ago?, It was like..... Woow a DSO!! everyone read about it but almost no one can afford one by.then, I was just getting paid a design job (a radio telemetry unit I've spent the entire summer developing) and I put all the money on the scope, I remember because I was nervous as hell i had never ever spent so much money on a single item, I went to the store and say, give me the TDS 210, (how are you gonna pay? The ask) I said cash and I take out all I have, no joke, it was like all the money I had back then, 4 months of tenuous work, but I bought it, and I still have, still love it, nowadays is so cheap and you have so many options!, You can get something like a rigol 1104z which is a fantastic machine for under 1000 dollars! Unbelievable
A good lesson for me while building up my lab was to purchase a lot of repairable test equipment. You get better quality gear at a reasonable price and hopefully learn a little as part of the process.
I just purchased my first frequency counter a LG FC-7150 1.5Ghz used but legit.
I think the mechanical tools side is often neglected. It doesn't matter whether it's more about repairs or whether the latest construction should be in a fancy housing. A small cordless drill with some bits and drills and also step drills is a start. A bit of basic sheet metal and plastic processing, etc. is never wrong...
Great summary. I would add a good selection of screwdrivers - obvious really but getting the right size makes life much easier. Also note the proximity of your calculator, much easier than guessing and although many like me don't really like maths, it just has to be done. These days the cheapo component testers are really great to help identify/check an unknown component, mine was a kit less than $/£20, not perfect but good enough.
Yes, I finally got a high quality tool set. Makes a ton of difference. The trick is to return the tool to the caddy when finished, I’m learning that - 😎
Good range of stuff. I would add a "helping hands' with croc clips to hold things in place when soldering. An adjustable circuit board holder and an adjustable vice, Panavise if you can afford one otherwise a cheapo hardware store one.
Yes, one of the most overlooked but very functional tools around. Good reco 👍🏻
An LCR is also a good idea. Those little $25 component testers work OK.
I appreciate this video, turns out I’ve done an alright job adding to my test bench over the years.. Still have a few things on my list that I’m looking for, Bench Multimeter 5-1/2 digit at least, and I’d like to either get another power supply or get one that has multiple channels, so I can source different voltages if necessary. Thanks for the video!
My lab looks a lot like your lab. You probably also picked up every piece of gear that came your way that you could afford. It is so easy to rationalize the purchases, especially used or broken stuff when the price is right, or getting boat anchors for free at ham swaps. I always get both low-end and high-end gear, from HP to Harbor Freight, because I use my cheapest junk for anything it can be used for in order to protect my expensive gear from me being stupid.
My 'luxury access' is borrowing gear from a government lab I do work for. I got my Metcal rework station by repairing 3 dead ones for a friend. You don't even want to ask me about spare parts. I took my van to an electronics surplus store that was going under, and I filled it with boxes of everything, twice.
BTW, speaking of test equipment, my partner fixes almost everything, including HP 50 Gig network analyzers, with a Harbor Freight freebie multimeter, an alligator clip jumper, and a couple of screwdrivers. The people who he fixes gear for ask him where all his repair equipment is, and he just points at his head. He's an old Heathkit engineer with a Masters in EE, a Doctorate in physics, and is a licensed PE, (because he thought it might come in handy some day.) He makes me embarrassed to have a room full of test gear.
Great video. One thing not mentioned that has helped me repair thermal problems is a FLIR camera. I bought a cheap one (~$300) helped me find and fix bad components.
Your absolutely right - good reco - those devices are absolutely awesome troubleshooting thermal issues, pair with a freeze spray.
Great call... I've used my Torrey Pines Logic thermal imaging site on a grip and is definitely useful.
Good video. I don't get envious of other people. I'm happy for them. I love new gear so seeing it makes me happy
I didn't know HP made test equipment. Thank You.
I would add that 'it also depends on what you are focussing on'. The book is associated with analogue design, whereas if you were working mainly with micros or mainly on RF / radio then some test equipment requirements may change. Yes, you still need a good set of tools, soldering iron and a DVM for most work.
I would say that prioritizing things will help with the purchasing process. And, if you are just starting out, ask someone with experience to help set those priorities. IMO, you need a multimeter and decent soldering iron, to start. For prioritizing say an assortment of components verses substitution boxes, IMO research what are the typically needed common values of resistors, caps, diodes, etc., buy those and skip the substitution boxes. When you need to test a range of values, grab what you need from stock. Then, set aside the components you used for testing, to test additional things in the future. Why? Because you have already proofed the ones you have used, the pins are already bent to fit into a breadboard and they might have been stressed, while making tests. Meaning, use fresh components for building the final device. Ahh,,,, Breadboards and jumper wires... Those go at the top of the list, too, IMO.
I enjoy looking at your stuff. Thanks
I would add a laptop and maybe a printer and monitor. Handy for looking up spec sheets, accessing videos, forums, suppliers, doing Zooming and on and on.
Workbench organization like Bob used to have stirs the inventive process, LOL!
Kinda new to your channel, thanks for keeping it real and down to earth. 🎈
Name dropping Pease is a good way to get some cred on a video; but Pease and his book (Troubleshooting Analog Circuits) wasn't directed towards people in their basements, 'playing along at home' with CZcams influencers. And before people get bent out of shape, let me say why. Pease was foremost (and foremost thought of himself) as a design engineer: the kind that brings his work home with him... and wants to work at home too. His list, and his book, is directed at that kind of person: the university educated engineer that was hired by a big company that wasn't immediately 'promoted' to the sales department.
Cheers on taking stuff from your high school. With permission of course. I scored a corning hot plate, two 40mhz hitachi CROs, and a frequency counter that has nixie tubes.
I have an analog scope I bought when I was a student in 1978, a power supply (30V/1A) , a sine, square wave generator 0-1Mhz I made myself, a selection of analog and digital multimeter.
I would include breadboards, batteries, ESD wristband, good light, the least amount of switching power supplies to prevent EMI, good quality solder wire and flux, a carbon air filter to suck up the fumes, a collection of different solder tips, and common sense of course...
In regards to soldering irons, I would highly recommend the TS100. I just recently got in to electronics early 2020 and it's the first adjustable iron I ever got and I love it. 12-24v
Hi, I forgot to finish watching this educational video before leaving for vacation, so I'm responding with a delay until today. I have a curve tracer and I use it quite a lot (a copy of Tektronix TR-210), unfortunately, it does not have steps for testing transistors, so I have an old Russian oscilloscope ready in which I want to build it. However, what I missed in the list and I consider it very useful is a signal tracker - I made it myself and I also made atypical probes for it - acoustic - with the help of which I detected more than one faulty bearing, knocking in the engine - for a friend in the car service , etc. - optical - reacts to the presence of light and the sound level of the tracker changes depending on the brightness - I built this when repairing the oscilloscope so that I did not have to watch the screen and could focus on the PCB and measuring instruments. I developed two of those optical probes, one for the tracker and one for direct connection to the oscilloscope, it saves a lot of time, for example, when repairing LED lighting. Oh, and I can also use the signal tracker as an independent amplifier for audio repairs.
You make great videos, keep it up 👍 nice day 🙂 Tom
Lots of good advice there, and in the comments, a good course is to join a forum on the web, lot of very nice equipment changes hands very cheaply, like the marconi 2019 i just got for £30, just got to fix it and learn how to drive it!, also get buy the best you can, some of my kit has been by my side since the seventies, also I've found a dremel or similar tool very handy, and yes, I'm a mectal devotee too, sp200.
Now that you've showed us all the requisite tools, show us some of the very niche tools and equipment you have! Be it by trade or hobby, I'd love to see both, the more obscure the better!
I got a LCR-T4 at $ 30ish or open source. A really useful and quick inexpensive tester for those mystery components and the like. I also as a side note got a Standford Research Sytems 720 100KHz LCR Meter. For a good price (still to be determined) 🤔
I started collecting GDOs. They don't take much room in my apartment! I don't have any with actual grids. A Kenwood, Heath, Simpson and MFJ (they still make them!). Very underrated instrument.
Awesome setup but I don't have any room left
on my bench already haha. Thanks for sharing your lab.🍻🤓👍
Very good...very practical...video!!
First it depends on whether you are designing or repairing then on what industry or type of electronic stuff you are involved with.
For instance if designing you may need the lab gear mentioned in this video plus lots of bread boards, hookup wire, that spectrum analyser and ability to make proptotype pcb's so you'd need to be able to design pcb's, make Gerber files, etch pcb's and drill them.
When it comes to repair and maintenance, a lot of your time is spent opening up and re-assembling cases, racks, enclosures of one sort or another. Manufacturers often use security screws so having a cordless drill/screwdriver with a full range of bits including security bits is a must. Other useful stuff I have are jewelers screwdrivers, 1/4" socket set, pcb holder, crimp tools, heat shunt, miniature spanner set for electronics, ESR meter, capacitance/inductance meters. I'm left in the stoneage for electronics now, I am retired and use a number of Antex soldering irons and one really cheap temperature controlled soldering station.
I remember the days when it was essential to have an isolation transformer, an oscilloscope and an analog meter with a high voltage probe for old CRT TV repair. Nowadays, very few people repair them, most of the TV's are just binned.
When I worked in telephone exchanges first as an electromechanical tech, all we had was a test lamp, AVO meter, soldering iron and a tool box with many types of screw drivers, pliers, side cutters, adjusting spanners, feeler gauges, relay tension gauges, tweezers etc. When I moved on to work in electronic digital telephone exchanges our no 1 tool was Fluke bench meter and a logic probe, then came things like anti-static mats and wrist bands.
@ralph J below, summed it up in a nutshell 😊
Sorry for all the comments. I have a tube driven labvolt volt meter that has an Ontairio hdyo electric Department lab sticker inventory sticker. It plugs into mains and has a massive analog dial on the front. The iec cable is made of that old clothe and tore in a million places. I don't feel I have the qualifications to open it and I've been trying to find a collector to give it to. I have some handbooks from the 30s as well. I think you can get that metcal for around 500 now. I have a bunch of stations. All knockoffs but one I've used for thousands of hours.
And a label printer to identify drawer contents like IMSAI did.
Wise, wise words. Don't be embarrassed by cheap equipment. My first VOM I made from a kit, the same with my 1st oscilloscope and signal generator. Buy cheap, and if it breaking/failing is an issue because you need it. THAT'S where to spend your money. In my 50's I have some (only some) very nice tools, but equally I still have tools I started with as a kid.
Thanks for the video
Likewise spoiled by access to high quality test equipment at work, but have slowly been building up the home lab as I get closer to retirement from the day job.
Good list. Because of ham radio work at 10 GHz and up, I'm missing a good microwave synthesizer/signal generator that does at least 10 GHz. Keep my eye out every now and again on eBay but haven't pulled the trigger.
Will also order a Tiny SA one of these days to complement my HP 8563e.
Great video! I would add a label printer (Brady BMP21 or similar) to the list. I use it all the time, and I see you do too :)
I had a cheap 15v 2amp psu die on me last night when I made a dual rail supply with my equally cheap psu. It caused something to melt in it. I watched trusted creators on how to do it. I opened up the psu amd found black spots on the transformer so I pulled it out, kept the copper wire for my wife to practice her jewelry making and sent the supply back to amazon
Totally reminds me I have most all the parts for the DIY "SMD Decade Resistance Box" I found on instructables that seems suitable and good enough. Just picked up a $30 variac FB Marketplace find last week and is my first newer design one. Like yours, was thinking originally make more like the "post apocalyptic inventors" rack mount design and am now thinking I like that bench style and will have to think about what case can be used... maybe an old heavy duty computer case even if some cutting and bending and maybe welding? HHHmmm... I guess curve tracer where needs really specific and/or picky matching sets? Primary standards sources definitely can be handy to calibrated/verify the shop equipment and maybe secondary standards. Those 3D printed hangers are nice for cables. Found a $3 Goodwill Store "heat embossing tool" smaller heat gun almost solder station style a few weeks ago. Great overview, affirmation and insight as always. Thanks for sharing!
On the DVM I have 3 hp 3455a in the rack . the bm786 from EEblog has as good a 5 digit for $ 200. the HP other test eq can work well. Rigol 1054z work well for $ 500 . I play with tube amps the high voltage power supply is 1000 volt 500ma supply it weights 65 pounds. a beast with 2 200mm fans on the top.
Good to see some amateur radio kit on your bench as well 👍 73
Great video and great idea to use Bob Pease's book as a reference. I was ticking off his items, one by one, and found that I have almost all of them. I have used curve tracers, but do not presently have one.
I want to comment on meters. IMHO, you NEED both analog and digital meters. There is no getting around the precision of digital meters. Analog meters just can't compete. But in over 45 years of work in Electronics, I can count the number of times that I really needed that precision on the fingers of my hands and have some left over. Now, I said "really needed", not just some procedure calling for one.
In my two electronic work benches I have both analog and digital meters. My all time favorite, go-to meter is the analog, Simpson 260. That meter was sitting on the bench at almost every job I had and it was there before I was. They just worked. I do have four and five digit, digital meters and love them. I won't go into a long discussion of one vs. the other because you really do need both.
PS: For a long time I did not purchase a Flute meter. They are simply overpriced due to a number of factors that don't even relate to their accuracy or accuracy. Government contracts can call out specific makes and models so the maintenance manuals do not need to be rewritten. Anyway, a year or two ago I discovered a low-end Flute that cost under $100. Now I can honestly say I do have a Flute. And I like it.
DVMs are very handy to use and I have couple of them, but sometimes they are a pain in the neck. If you're trying to get something to peak, or looking for a trough the constant jumble of digital number is confusing and some DVMs have a bit of lag or delay. An analogue meter shows you the change in real time and with a smooth action not a jumble. So if you can get your hands on a good analogue meter don't pass it up.
Great video! The algorithm suggested your channel and I’m just starting to check it out. Next stop: checking to see if you did an amateur radio equipment tour as well. I’ve been licensed for a while and putting my base station at my electronics bench could be a nice way to combine hobbies
I have not done a rig video.
ICOM 7300 into end fed
FT3DR into J-pole
@N7TWL Presents... Yes, because NORMAL/ABNORMAL is luxurious and must not be missed 😁
@@IMSAIGuy 13:45 Curve tracer . Most Digital scopes have a tracer function. czcams.com/video/aIy5UbxMNug/video.html&ab_channel=MyVanitar
@@Mr_Smith_369 analog scopes have xy mode also.
@@IMSAIGuy Why do you need a curve tracer then ?
Great info thanks.
I would add some obvious qualifier. It Depends! What exactly are you doing. One of the first things I personally acquired was a Heathkit that I built myself. I thought I needed it, as my employer did not have anything similar, or frankly nothing at all for evaluating welding arc noise and filters. I still have it, although last time I tried if it still worked was 2 or 3 years ago. But since those days I have got 3 spectrum analyzers and 2 VNAs. I still keep building my own front end filter boxes for my scopes and DMMs. And there comes another comment. What Bob referred to in his mentioning of High Impedance did not mean DMMs that have a standard 10 megaohms input impedance. As it happens, just within the last year I needed to build two gigaohm front ends to my DVMs. The need came with some 10 or 12 kV differential voltage measurements. Yes, I have a 15 kV scope probe, but it is of course single ended, plus it is only 100 M resistance. So, your requirements probably are very different from mine. That is why It Depends...
I would recommend the analog discovery. I don’t know why, but it’s underappreciated instrument.
Add to it an DMM and you have entire lab.
What is an Analog Discovery? (and are you really a cyclist?)
@@barrybogart5436 Analog Discovery, it's oscilloscope, function generator, power supply, pattern generator, logic analyzer, spectrum analyzer, bode plotting and more in small, pocket size package. You may also download free demo version. Worth to try.
No, I'm not a cyclist :)
I'm 37 yo, just now I bought my first used oscilloscope, chances are that if some one is watching a video about what tools he should buy, this person does not need one yet. A true RMS multimeter, a power supply with current control and a function genarator, of course lots of skill will be really good. (the last 3 items people can get/build really cheap those days)
And just to make my self more clear: this comment is to the hobbyst out there. If you ear money fix or building things, get the tools that will save you most of the time.
I found an Agilent 34401a lately for 300 euros in Finland. The only Keithley 2015 thd meters that I've found are about 800 euros or more and mostly from China. If I find one as cheap as the Agilent, I'll grab it immediately.
I spent $100 on a Nano VNA, and it is the best thing i have ever gotten - and I use it all the time!!
wow cant believe anyone has that weller just like the one i bought in 1983. yep its a beast. you forgot a good garbage can. we all save stuff we'll use later only to have it collect dust. once we run out of workbench it starts overflowing to the floor
Got mine in 1978
Thanks for sharing
Assortment of test probes, banana leads to alligator, clip, etc, bnc to banana adapter, and those crappy little alligator clip wires too.
I should've said. Buy what you need as you need it at a reasonable price then when you really get into the hobby work towards a piece of gear at a time. I have many hobbies so I'm now saving for a guitar even though I could get a scop like our man here with that sweet rigol. I was told to buy as scope by someone who didn't know what they were talking about and I wasted 500 on garbage. I was told it would do logic and decode i2c, uart and such and when I finally started getting into the weeds and digging deeper into theory I came to realize my scope is garbage. This guy has over 130k subs so watch who you listen to. Especially when you're new. People like our man here are amongst the greats for learning. Don't envy gear either. Embrace it and then you can see if it does what you want.
Fun video to watch! I noticed some other test eq on the floor when you showed the tool box behind you, is that stuff you're working on?
some of those have been on videos, some are in need of repair.
Thanks for the great video it will be helpfull in the forseable future turns out i vould still use a few more thing. Anyways kind of a tip from me if any of you guys attend a electrical engineering school and ever overhear that they are replacing old equipment go and aak the teachers if you can take something i got a scope,0-400V bench psu, 0-50v psu, an old dekade and a few other things that way. They were gonna thrown them out and this way i didn't even have to spend a penny on some of the equipment.
I add a good old HP calculator, like the 32s on your bench.
Old analogue CRT scope will teach you much.... and one of those "crappy" hand held scopes isn't THAT bad either.
Merci for this video!
Tools are relatively cheap these days. What seems to be the struggle is knowledge. Schematics are hard to find and everything is super tiny. Plus surface mount stuff fails in weird, hard to find ways.
You’ve probably seen that I’ve been doing a beginners video series, I’m currently making an equipment video series and have just about finished it, I actually recorded 4 videos for it yesterday.
if you want to measure the actual resistance of your wire, or ur pcb, you need a precision measurement.
Back in the 70's my "firsts" were a soldering gun and some time later. The cheapest ever (at the time) Archer analog multimeter.
But I also spent all my spare time outside of school. Playing with electronics.
I owe a lot to Chas Miller (God rest his soul), TV Repair man of Woodseaves, Staffordshire.
Looking back now. I was a pain in the arse to that guy and I'm guilty about it.
What he gave me was time and knowledge. It does trouble me, I must have cost him so much.
Nick Norton Speaking of the 70 s I still have my Fluke 8000A Digital Multimeter that I bought back in high school, circa 1974. I still works like a charm .
Genial video..!!! 😉
Nice lab and great recommendations. For a DVM I have the Kaiweets 118 which is a great buy for < 40.00. I did notice your hp Rpn calculator maybe a 32S or 42S. I have several hps which have served me well for years. I did notice your IMSAI 8080 do you still have it? A friend of mine had one running cpm. I was in the other camp SWTP 6800 and later 6809.
after all the videos I did, I sold the IMSAI. Rebuilding it twice in a lifetime was enough fun. Time for someone else. I've had every HP calculator ever made. Most are gone now but the 32S 32Sii are some of my favorites. I have a very close friend who worked on that design at HP.
68XXX was the best.
Thks, Mr Electronics ;)
Boss, if i have to choose between a 200Mhz - 2 channel scope and 100Mhz - 4 channel scope....which one do you suggest. I learning electronics as a hobby to begin with...may go commercial later...not sure yet! Thanks
4 channel
After a few videos , I get your outro music.
Good job...
I fall for in the envious trap...
I do like the Nano VNA...
I was thinking of Jim Williams...very keen and accomplished...nice to read.like the development of extending back light on computers...his test equipment built while some time at LT..
Your with us now IMASI Guy...
Thanks
Here is my list of what you don't need:
Logic analyzer.....a probe is okay..or use your scope....I suppose if your stuck on the 8086....or a bus speed that is slower than your analyzer...you might find some glitch
I mean you go broke trying to find faster equipment....then moore law is going to make it obsolete...in a year...
You don't need 2GHz 64 bits to blink an LED...
I also liked your HP scope dismemberment...using your vacuum desolder tool...WOW that was fast..I want one of them....meanwhile the spring vacuum syringe-... make do...
Use rubber band long nose..to carry heat away...towards the component your trying to keep
I like to add Booton RF voltmeter...very light loading....good range...analog meter for peaking....sensitive too...I think works to UHF...
Thank gods for the low price test equipment....like the Nano VNA...
Envious trap.. some spectrum analyzer....like you say if your doing that type of radio work ...checking emissions... then essential...
That is as I look at my broken Tek 496 sitting in the corner.....it has signs sone signs of life...
I will look for the offer up...of the wife who tired of her husband's electronics....
Thanks for not recommending the curve tracer....
Move on Fred
Get the lab up...
4 projects ....at least need to be done...before you die..
2 need maybe need some UHF...
Maybe con work work to buy a few pieces...3 out of 4 is for that anyway
After all somehow the 1992 grew legs and walked away...
I feel like there is free education...
Jim had no degree, all self taught
Yes how about that...I think Jim being creative and trying to solve real problems with an open mind and working methodically he was effective yet bound by theory
Your just as gifted IMSAI Guy...
Thanks for making sense of it all...and for covering all sorts of electronics topics...famous popular chips...not getting lost in the forest for the trees
Applying yourself and building things can make ourselves the best analog and digital John William we can be...
I remember working on a talking digital cruise control in 74 & 4000..1987 a few power amps...it used that 2907... & National Semiconductor came out with their prom holding words constructed into sentence chip set...it morphed into 6 bread boards...just like a side project for our digital class...a little DC motor to emulate an engine...a wheel cut out for slots...photo interuper ..really just a sum of cook book...circuits tried to integrate
The speed decision made with 7485...compared a reference set speed...sort of digital feed back...up down counter to bcd out to 4 LED multiplexed rpm display..hours and hours of tinkering
In the end it hunted and wasn't stable at some set speeds...luckily the volume could be turned down...lol..
All that could of been boiled down into power amp with velocity feedback...
It just showed I couldn't master gain feedback servo theory and didn't know how to apply PID to a bit banger
I don't regret hauling it to class for a demo anyway...so worried a bank of red wires might fall off...I think I had just a spool of red solid wire and black...
Thanks...
How about visiting ..RF class C mosfets in parallel for a induction heater....how to bias and drive gates...now gathering the parts for that...I can handle that...
Probably another idea has stumped me...which will I hope explained with minimal babble...sent to a place near bay area called IMSAI Guy...for guidance or a few words...at least in in the form of RFQ...
Take care
Fred
There’s a lot I like about Dave Jones, he is a fantastic teacher and he seems to really knows his stuff. However, when you know nothing it’s easy to be impressed. In his 'setting up a lab' video it all comes to about £4K which I think is prohibitive to young people starting their specialist education or hobbyist who don’t know how deep they want to get into electronics. To me this video is far better, it looks at the affordable way in whilst still getting value for money.
Can you comment on the analog VOM mfg and model? Also the homemade looking power supply just to the right of the cheap one you commented on?
Triplett 630 and HP427: czcams.com/video/VU7nlZ2DAKg/video.html
the homemade one I made many years ago. +5 +/-12 +/-15 and one adjustable
Thanks! I love your channel - I have learned so much from you - thank you for sharing your knowledge and experience. Between you, w2aew, and MegawattKS, I feel like I’m getting a university education …
@@IMSAIGuy Even EEVblog finds the 630 better than the Simpson. Mine is an NS which uses a D and AA cell. I also like the Trip 310 VOM and 850 VTVM.
These days you need a hot plate, hot air gun, tweezers, a battery explode container too.
I see a Tek scope without it's cabinet to the left of your large drawered tool box. Is that a future project? ;-) Is that an HP-32sii on your bench?
the scope is a Kikusui, I have many videos on that one
yes use the HP calc
For an arduino-beggner it would be great to have a cheap logic analyzer like 8 channel Saleale.
Naw. Don't need it. Especially a beginner.
You can make an arduino logic analyzer. Learn from Ben Eater
@@markgreco1962 Yeah, except that will probably cost you as much as Chinese Salale knock-off! (I think I got my 8-channel unit for between $5 and $10.)
But honestly, I don't find it that useful. When I really need a logic analyser, I really need at least 16-32 channels. When I don't need to go that far, I can usually get by ok just using a 4-channel 'scope. (If you're going to get one or the other you definitely want a 'scope first: seeing bad waveforms that a logic analyser would never show has saved me tons of time.)
Yeah! What instrument do you need? How about a frequency analyzer that's still missing on the bench? 🤔
all of them
Interesting.
Nice Picture
When I was younger I always got so damn angry about these lists, because it was always 'you MUST have this and this and this', and when counting the prize of those "essentials" it got insane, it might have been more than what I've spent on stuff in total in the last few years, but I've even got a lowish-end SA now.
Great vid, I'd love to see some of your homemade stuff mentioned, I've seen many genius homemade solutions and each one brought something new.
Wanna know what was on my list when I was a kid: a 10,000 ohm/vol Japanese import VOM, a Weller soldering gun, and an electric drill. I didn't even get that until I was almost a teenager.
What do you think of the Hantek 2D72 as "baby's first oscilloscope"?
while any scope is better than none. I don't think I can endorse that one.
you might watch this: czcams.com/video/PBLssdxZ15c/video.html
@@IMSAIGuy Well, that sucks because I already bought one :/
@@IMSAIGuy Do you have any specific reasoning as to why you don't trust this 'scope?
it will be lacking in speed and features. difficult user interface. small screen.
One of the most valuable tools used in most every video, was scanned over and never mentioned .............. thePanaVise!
But he showed his.
Can you make a replica of an imsai 8080 for collectors and fans of Wargames, same box same lights just no guts!
there already is one: czcams.com/video/_YcnYG_SSnE/video.html
Bench vise like your set up with a fan.
ImsaiGuy approved
👍
I'll start with everything visible in the opening shot. 😋
You sure don't need all that crap in the background! WTF!!! 🤪 lol.
Thanks for the vid.
Crapton of wires, various thicknesses, colours, shielded not shielded...
You've been using your ender 3
Care to build iron man?
Uh, uh, uh🤫👋
So a Rigol oscilloscope is now considered a “High End scope”???????
If you say so… Haha
It's high end for the beginners just getting into electronics. It's certainly not expensive, but scopes like Rigol and Siglent make you get a lot for your money in terms of features and capability.
Don't embarass your oscilloscope!!!! Had it not Mercedes.