Smart Tweezers
erco
Posts: 20,256
http://www.smarttweezers.com/?gclid=CP29uoqA3qkCFWc0QgodIUNjVg
Just saw this clever gadget, tweezers with a built-in multimeter. Good for the SMT crowd with younger eyes than mine...
Quite a bargain at just $544!
Just saw this clever gadget, tweezers with a built-in multimeter. Good for the SMT crowd with younger eyes than mine...
Quite a bargain at just $544!
Comments
I'm glad my eyes can't handle SMT!!!
http://www.pomonaelectronics.com/pdf/d5678_1_01.pdf
http://www.mouser.com/ProductDetail/Pomona-Electronics/5678-K-48/?qs=sGAEpiMZZMv6%252bcPOPPXvusMYykmWXdCR4saq6iLzWeA%3d
By the way, an LCR meter is not exactly the same as a multimeter. They usually don't measure voltage and current. They are specifically made to measure properties of inductors, capacitors, and resistors. For example, they can typically measure properties of a capacitor beyond just capacitance. I don't have one myself and they are probably beyond the needs of most hobbyists.
http://cgi.ebay.com/R-C-D-Auto-Scan-Tweezers-Digital-Multimeter-Meter-SMD-/230438287686?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item35a7313946
Ebay China wins again. Holly, your course of action is clear...
Peter
That Auto Scan tool from China, on the other hand, is right in my price range.
So I clicked through and ordered one of those. It's hard to resist whenever something that costs less than the duty/VAT limit (currently about $36 in my country), and without ~$40 shipping pops up. Must.Buy.Now.
-Tor
http://cgi.ebay.com/SMD-Test-Clip-Meter-Probe-Multimeter-Tweezer-Capacitor-/250526125905?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item3a54854f51
Items like these may be something that Parallax may want to consider selling. With their educational courses it may make sense to carry some test equipment, etc.
Robert
I'm positively surprised. I thought it would be a flimsy affair, but it's made of solid-looking plastic, it looks real good. It came with a very nice pouch with a belt strap. It even came with a set of spare batteries (in addition to the two installed). I haven't done much measurements yet, but so far I like what I see. The only thing I can't yet verify is if the bendable 'tweezers' parts will hold up with use. If it's anything like the quality of the other plastic parts I guess it will. Time will show. (BTW the picture in the ebay listing doesn't show[1] that the thing comes with a cover that snap over the tweezers in a very reassuring way. Looks good too!)
Even the cardbox it came in is good quality and will do fine as a place to store the instrument in its pouch when not in use.
[1] (EDIT: Actually there's a picture far down on that web page that shows all the parts.)
If all my $34 deals were as well-spent as this.. :-)
-Tor
Edit2: Reworded - of course the China Ebay tweezers aren't "smart" as the expensive instrument in the OP: No AC signal injection. They're just auto-ranging, but many multimeters are auto-ranging too. It's still a bargain for the price though.
The $34 item is quite a good deal, although the specs do not mention measurement of inductance, which the originally posted unit does measure.
I purchased one of those two-ish of years ago when they first came out, at a cost of several ($300 ??) dollars. It has been a useful device to measure resistance, inductance and capacitance while the component remains soldered to the (unpowered) circuit board. Also digital voltage measurement and a basic graphical voltage LCD trace are also included.
The unit is rather different from most conventional muti-meters, as its internal processor generates a low voltage current limited AC signal that is applied to the contacts, and the parameters of the load are then simultaneously measured.
Quite clever, acltually.
Cheers,
Peter (pjv)
-Tor
and on ebay with free ship from us right now on sale 35.99 http://www.ebay.com/itm/New-Mastech-MS8910-SMD-RC-Resistance-Capacitance-Meter-tester-auto-scan-1-yr-war-/220861683292?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item336c61d65c#ht_2993wt_952
and multimeter warehouse is trying to sell them for 49.99 lol the say list is 99.99 RFLOL
specs are quite as good as smart tweezers, but good, quality is decent as well .. I ordered this one two weeks ago .. and I like them .. comes with spare tips and this one ships from US, if your in US but is made in china 37.99 and 5 dollar ship , its sold under many brand names I have found several names same model # mastech, sinometer, and others .. these are not as good as the smart tweezers either .. but still functional for most.
But thanx to the fine folks at Openschemes you can add voltage-measurement mode to your Resistor/Capacitor/Diode with one submini DPDT switch. http://projects.openschemes.com/SmartTweezer/
Of course Id love to buy the original smart tweezers but the price keeps me away
Saw this, priced this, ran from this.... I like living, but for home hobby use? See how far that one goes over with the controller........
I'll stick with my 2.5X surgical loupes.......
Actually, if I could find a set of tweezers with isolated tips I could attach a set of meter leads to, I would be set as my Amprobe meter does it all. Including inductance. Could have used a wider range of cap tester, but no one else had inductance in the same price range.
FF
Thanks,
FF
From post #9
http://www.ebay.com/itm/SMD-Test-Clip-Meter-Probe-Multimeter-Tweezer-Capacitor-/130569383037?_trksid=p2047675.m1850&_trkparms=aid%3D222002%26algo%3DSIC.FIT%26ao%3D1%26asc%3D11%26meid%3D6322289387014895727%26pid%3D100011%26prg%3D1005%26rk%3D1%26sd%3D250526125905%26