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Questions and answers

What tools are covered in this rubric?

It includes reviews of power tools and hand tools such as drills, saws, routers, tweezers, and oscillating-tool attachments.

Are there reviews of soldering equipment?

Yes. The rubric covers soldering irons, soldering stations, and controllers, as well as components and kits for building them.

What measuring instruments are featured?

Topics include a micrometer, a digital angle gauge, and a device for locating hidden utilities.




A Pair of Cheap Tweezers with Ceramic Tips
3 5324+9$3.11 за пару

A Pair of Cheap Tweezers with Ceramic Tips

A Pair of Cheap Tweezers with Ceramic Tips
3 5324+9$3.11 за пару
Back in the spring, I bought a pair of tweezers on sale (three items for next to nothing), tried them out, and ended up tossing them in my desk drawer. Now I’ve finally found a little time to tell you what they’re like, why I don’t use them, and how they compare with my main pair of tweezers, which I bought quite a while ago.
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Interesting 0–21 mm micrometer
2 6332+8

Interesting 0–21 mm micrometer

Interesting 0–21 mm micrometer
2 6332+8
Today I’m reviewing a rather unusual measuring instrument. I saw it at a friend’s place and couldn’t resist showing it to you. I hope you find it interesting.
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Worx wu533 cordless circular saw
2 9315+4$125

Worx wu533 cordless circular saw

Worx wu533 cordless circular saw
2 9315+4$125
I wouldn't exactly call myself a builder, but I still believe you can never have too many tools, so I ordered something I didn't have yet: a circular saw. And since I prefer cordless tools, I went with a cordless saw. As usual, I'll take a look around, do a little disassembly, run a few tests, and share my conclusions.
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Collets with diameters of 6.0, 6.35, and 8 mm for a router
14 4460+1$2.27

Collets with diameters of 6.0, 6.35, and 8 mm for a router

Collets with diameters of 6.0, 6.35, and 8 mm for a router
14 4460+1$2.27
I have a couple of small trim routers, and I came across a link to collets for them in the comments one day—not just the standard 6.35 mm size, but two additional sizes as well: 6 and 8 mm. I thought, why not order them? They might come in handy.
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NY-D08, spot welder controller
10 8518+5$36.35

NY-D08, spot welder controller

NY-D08, spot welder controller
10 8518+5$36.35
I've already written a couple of posts about spot welder controllers that work with supercapacitors, but today I'm going to talk about a more "classic" setup with a powerful 50 Hz transformer. I'll show you the controller itself and a small example of how it's used in a real spot welder.
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UNI-T UTG932E Signal Generator and Upgrading It to the UTG962E
11 5504+7$86.78

UNI-T UTG932E Signal Generator and Upgrading It to the UTG962E

UNI-T UTG932E Signal Generator and Upgrading It to the UTG962E
11 5504+7$86.78
I’d wanted to buy a signal generator for a long time, but kept putting it off. Maybe because I already had a couple of basic models at home, or maybe because I didn’t really need one that badly. But after watching one of the videos, I finally decided to get one. I found the lowest-priced option available at the time, placed the order, received it, and did a few tests. I also upgraded the firmware to the higher-end model’s version.
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Makita Battery-Powered Trim Router
3 4250+2$42.99

Makita Battery-Powered Trim Router

Makita Battery-Powered Trim Router
3 4250+2$42.99
I’ve already reviewed a similar router, but that one was corded. Lately, though, I’ve found cordless tools more and more convenient, so I decided to give this version a try. For the most part, the two tools are very similar, so as I go along I’ll describe the cordless version and share my impressions of using its corded sibling, based on hands-on experience.
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Ksger Handle for a T12 Soldering Station, or Tips for Soldering Irons
14 5907+2$36.99 ($32.99)

Ksger Handle for a T12 Soldering Station, or Tips for Soldering Irons

Ksger Handle for a T12 Soldering Station, or Tips for Soldering Irons
14 5907+2$36.99 ($32.99)
Not long ago, I posted a review of my new compact soldering station, and afterward someone recommended replacing the handle with something more comfortable. I found one of the fairly well-known options, ordered it, gave it a try, and here are my thoughts :)
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Two-speed brushless drill/driver
4 7020+3$42.99 ($31.99)

Two-speed brushless drill/driver

Two-speed brushless drill/driver
4 7020+3$42.99 ($31.99)
A couple of months ago, I published a review of a drill/driver and mentioned that I had originally ordered it as a brushless model. But, as sometimes happens, "something went wrong," and I ended up with a model with a conventional motor. Some time later, I decided to try my luck again, and it looks like I got lucky. Inspection, teardown, a few tests, and conclusions.
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T12 Soldering Iron Controller and a Compact Soldering Station Built Around It
14 0825+4¥88.00 ($13.8)

T12 Soldering Iron Controller and a Compact Soldering Station Built Around It

T12 Soldering Iron Controller and a Compact Soldering Station Built Around It
14 0825+4¥88.00 ($13.8)
Some time ago, I reviewed a basic soldering station controller and shared a few ideas for how to use it. But after playing around with it for a while, I realized it wasn’t quite right for what I had in mind. Then I got my hands on a controller board that turned out to be just what I needed for my project.
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Makita 18 V cordless drill/driver
4 5470+5$33.99

Makita 18 V cordless drill/driver

Makita 18 V cordless drill/driver
4 5470+5$33.99
The story behind this order is very simple: I spotted an interesting, inexpensive drill/driver and thought it might be worth a look. But, as sometimes happens, "something went wrong". Still, in reality, things turned out not so badly, but even so...
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An interesting soldering iron at a relatively low price
5 4630+5$17.99

An interesting soldering iron at a relatively low price

An interesting soldering iron at a relatively low price
5 4630+5$17.99
I came across an interesting soldering iron—or, more precisely, one model available in two versions.
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6Y880 Spot Welder Controller and Various Other Components
16 1331+4$22.72 (без учета доставки и остальных компонентов)

6Y880 Spot Welder Controller and Various Other Components

6Y880 Spot Welder Controller and Various Other Components
16 1331+4$22.72 (без учета доставки и остальных компонентов)
Not long ago, I published a review of a board for building a simple spot welder powered by supercapacitors. Today, I’m continuing that series: I’ll tell you about a much more capable device and, along the way, build a welder based on it.
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A quick look at a small pair of tweezers
3 5640+5$1.5

A quick look at a small pair of tweezers

A quick look at a small pair of tweezers
3 5640+5$1.5
I ordered some things from Taobao not long ago and needed something to fill out the package. I spotted these tweezers and ordered one to try, just out of curiosity. This is probably one of the shortest reviews ever :)
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125 mm angle grinder for Makita batteries
9 7452+5$59.99 ($48.99 с купоном)

125 mm angle grinder for Makita batteries

125 mm angle grinder for Makita batteries
9 7452+5$59.99 ($48.99 с купоном)
It’s been a while since I posted a power tool review, and now I’ve got my hands on a cordless angle grinder designed for standard Makita batteries—and it also has a brushless motor. Today I’ll take a look inside, take it apart, run a few tests, and include a small bonus.
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Capacitive-discharge spot welder
17 2952+5$20

Capacitive-discharge spot welder

Capacitive-discharge spot welder
17 2952+5$20
Lately, I’ve been seeing quite a few reviews where people either build spot welders or use them in their projects to assemble battery packs. I’ve got one of these devices myself now, though it’s quite different from the ones I’ve seen before.
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SH72, a compact soldering iron or TS100 for
20 6480+10$15.43

SH72, a compact soldering iron or TS100 for

SH72, a compact soldering iron or TS100 for
20 6480+10$15.43
I think many people know the compact TS100 soldering iron, which came out a few years ago. Small and powerful, but... very expensive. And not long ago, a very similar-looking but much cheaper SH72 went on sale. Of course, it’s more basic, with no display, buttons, or option to play Tetris, but it’s still perfectly functional.
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An inexpensive kit for building a T12 soldering station
47 11814+9$12.39

An inexpensive kit for building a T12 soldering station

An inexpensive kit for building a T12 soldering station
47 11814+9$12.39
I've been asked more than once about an inexpensive, decent option for a basic soldering station. If you want something reasonably good, T12-tip stations are probably the way to go: they're more convenient than the rather old 900 series. Today I have a very brief review of just such an option.
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