Cordless, cool touch soldering tool

Works somewhat, but creates poor solder joints. Uses solder to complete high current circuit; so it cannot heat the connection first for proper soldering.

Put one in your toolbox right next to that 'magnetic' flashlight that is supposed to light when you shake it!

Luhan

I read an article not too long ago that there are actually *fake* "shake" flashlights that use a small coin cell that apparently provides more than enough energy for the very brief period of time most people ever actually use such a novelty for. Amazing.

A good middle or high school science project might be to characterize how inefficient various human-powered flashlights/radios/etc. are (winding a spring, turning a generator, shaking a light -- in my mind winding the spring is probably the most efficient, although perhaps the mechnanical losses are great enough that turning a generator directly is as good).

---Joel

I believe they are called 'world radios'. You wind them up and the internal generator runs the radio for a while.

Luhan

Behringer makes a "tube" microphone preamp (Mic 2200 Ultragain Pro) that doesn't actually connect the tube. The tube is visible through the front panel, and they just put three yellow LEDs behind the tube to make it "glow." Funny thing is that they ramp up the LED brightness to simulate the tube warming up.

-a

Spam from a public Library:

OrgName: Bucks County Free Library OrgID: BCFL Address: 150 South Pine Street City: Doylestown StateProv: PA PostalCode: 18901 Country: US

NetRange: 207.103.180.0 - 207.103.180.255 CIDR: 207.103.180.0/24 NetName: BUXLIB NetHandle: NET-207-103-180-0-1 Parent: NET-207-103-0-0-1 NetType: Reassigned Comment: RegDate: 1997-02-05 Updated: 1997-02-05

RTechHandle: CAD2-ARIN RTechName: DiCamillo, Carmen A. RTechPhone: +1-215-674-9290 RTechEmail: snipped-for-privacy@voicenet.com

Don't waste your money on this piece of junk. It is almost useless, and certainly not worth the space it takes, even if was given to you for free.

Ed

Andy I think you're wrong here. The 12AX7 is very much connected in the MIC22000 and audio runs through both triodes while the the tube is run at 48V. It's a typical mixed design where solid state and tube circuitries are combined (even look at Avalon mic pre's). What's wrong with having additional LEDs behind a tube - many other companies are using the same visual trick. Look at the SOLITUBE mic form AKG, Ampeg, Matchless, H&K, etc.

I got one of those cold solder irons at Frys for just under $10. Works like crap. I used to keep in in the car for repairing gear on the road, but now just bring a cheap conventional soldering iron and use a power inverter.