What just arrived from Aliexpress?

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#2978252 6-Oct-2022 13:28

pih:

Ruida laser cutter controller to replace the *horrible* Leetro that I had. It's a bit oversized, but I'm so excited to use it: https://imgur.com/a/CVBdDVD

24V LED strip to help light the laser cutter bed

Random semi-related question: What's the feeling about LED strip drivers / controllers from AliEx? Junk that dies after 6 weeks or reliable?

Most of the posters in this thread are just like chimpanzees on MDMA, full of feelings of bonhomie, joy, and optimism. Fred99 8/4/21

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#2978254 6-Oct-2022 13:36

elpenguino:

Random semi-related question: What's the feeling about LED strip drivers / controllers from AliEx? Junk that dies after 6 weeks or reliable?

Wifi and IR controllers have been perfect, The DMX ones have worked ok but it seems that they sometimes are forgetful about the starting address and need reprogramming. As the programming is done thru the DMX input its possible I am sending it random junk that resets it in error.

Power bricks and wallwarts that come with things, not very good and I have concerns about the isolation aspects of anything from there that isnt with a legit looking product. I got a 12v 10a one and it popped and died with under 60 watts of LEDs on it. I tend to order legit ones from element14 or RS or similar.

Richard rich.ms

pih

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#2978255 6-Oct-2022 13:40

elpenguino:
Random semi-related question: What's the feeling about LED strip drivers / controllers from AliEx? Junk that dies after 6 weeks or reliable?

Ask me in 6 weeks 🤣

The strips I've bought so far have been fine, but they don't get a lot of use. None of them required a separate driver, they're all resistor limited (drive direct off 12 or 24V). I haven't bought any dedicated LED drivers from AliExpress, but I have bought some adjustable CC/CV boost and buck converters and they've all been fine for the purposes I bought them. Generally electronics from reputable sellers are pretty good quality, I've found.

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#2978258 6-Oct-2022 13:45

Thanks, keep us posted @pih

@richms, I've had similar experience with DIN mount mains powered PSUs from AliE - I think the manufacturers can't stop their tendency to save every cent possible until the PSU has no durability at all.

Most of the posters in this thread are just like chimpanzees on MDMA, full of feelings of bonhomie, joy, and optimism. Fred99 8/4/21

neb

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#2978264 6-Oct-2022 13:59

elpenguino:
Random semi-related question: What's the feeling about LED strip drivers / controllers from AliEx? Junk that dies after 6 weeks or reliable?

A more general answer than just LED strip drivers, don't buy anything from Aliexpress that sits between 240V and any equipment you care about. You can get good-quality Meanwell or similar power supplies locally or via Element14/whatever without having to play Russian roulette with your electronics or house. I've pulled apart, prior to throwing away, several power supplies that came bundled with Ali stuff and the best I could say about them is that they'd make for great tutorial material on how not to build a power supply.

hotsupes

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#2979030 8-Oct-2022 15:51

neb: Again, not Ali but this time a Seiko kurokku from Rakuten: Totally silent movement and GPS-locked so never needs resetting. As a friend of mine likes to say, "I love living in the future". Edited to add: This was the item I mentioned in the courier thread as having got here from Japan in two days. Two days.

Dope Clock! Can I ask you - what shipping method did you select and was it costly? Also did you just dl the rakuten app then use the English version or did you do it via browser and google translate?

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neb

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#2979128 8-Oct-2022 16:18

hotsupes:
Dope Clock! Can I ask you - what shipping method did you select and was it costly? Also did you just dl the rakuten app then use the English version or did you do it via browser and google translate?

I cheated, Rakuten can be a pain to buy from because sometimes the seller will look at what's involved to ship to NZ and apologetically cancel the order, that's happened a couple of times, e.g. when I got my Zojirushi. I eventually found the same seller on Amazon Japan which means Amazon handles the shipping and got it from there, cost a bit more to ship but then the price was slightly cheaper and at least I didn't have to try several sellers to find one who could ship to NZ.

Let me know if you want the link, Amazon JP is a separate entity to Amazon everywhere-else so it's not visible from my standard Amazon account.

Edited to add: Ah, just typed the model number from the Rakuten listing into Amazon JP and it brought up this link. Cheaper again but pricier shipping to compensate.

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#2979209 8-Oct-2022 20:00

I am about to order various Brass, steel, nylon rods etc for stock for my home machine shop.

I am learning how to use a lathe, and when I have space in the shed I will be getting a Mill.

neb

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#2979210 8-Oct-2022 20:02

sir1963:
I am about to order various Brass, steel, nylon rods etc for stock for my home machine shop.

I am learning how to use a lathe, and when I have space in the shed I will be getting a Mill.

Photos required once the stock arrives :-). What's the lathe?

sir1963

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#2979320 9-Oct-2022 11:13

neb:
sir1963:

I am about to order various Brass, steel, nylon rods etc for stock for my home machine shop.

I am learning how to use a lathe, and when I have space in the shed I will be getting a Mill.

Photos required once the stock arrives :-). What's the lathe?

Hafco AL54B

Although the lathe had sat in storage for 10 years and had about 30 minutes of use total (ie packing grease still on it)

It it definitely a Chinese lathe, and I have all sorts of plans to upgrade a lot of bits, but actual bearings in to remove slop in the top slide

swap out the motor for a Brushless DC one, I have DRO to fit onto it, want to fit covers over the beds etc. Need to pull the QCTP apart and figure out why the tools will not fit into one of the slots, either that or just buy a better QCTP.

I may not have used a lathe before, but even I can tell how rough some of their machining is

neb

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#2979800 9-Oct-2022 18:00

sir1963:
It it definitely a Chinese lathe, and I have all sorts of plans to upgrade a lot of bits, but actual bearings in to remove slop in the top slide

See my post in the Annoy thread about getting a thing you need to fix the thing you use to upgrade the thing you need to do a thing :-). Definitely post progress photos, maybe to the DIY thread.

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richms

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#2979809 9-Oct-2022 18:37

I have got this little bluetooth label printer and labels, They have ones for cables and this is the cheapest way I have seen of labeling them as one offs, since nothing from dymo or brother has labels with the little flag and tail arrangement.

Bit pricey for the labels and it seems to have NFC on the roll so it knows what you have put in, which I assume will stop any aftermarkets being made for a while, but at the moment its not too bad price wise for the time it saves.

Got it so I can label the DC plug end of all my adapters with what they put out and what they came with after an incident with 5V leds and a 24 adapter that looked basically identical. Now I am also labeling USB cables with what they came with and if they are power only ones so I don't waste time wondering why things don't detect on the PC when the cable is one that came with a powerbank for charging.

Printer:

https://www.aliexpress.com/item/1005003365632878.html

Niimbot D110 Mini Portable Thermal Label Printer Wireless Bluetooth Sticker Pocket Printer Label Maker Machine Pocket Printer

Labels:

https://www.aliexpress.com/item/1005003823620296.html

The printer came with some little white labels that are working great on the front of my storage drawers, and its so much more convenient than using my dymo that I have to trim down to size because it adds an absurd amount to each side of the labels to promote the usage of consumables. I will be ordering more of the small labels so I can do all my drawers of parts. Might even get a second printer since that is easier than changing rolls in it.

Richard rich.ms

sir1963

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#2979842 9-Oct-2022 21:09

neb:
sir1963:

It it definitely a Chinese lathe, and I have all sorts of plans to upgrade a lot of bits, but actual bearings in to remove slop in the top slide

See my post in the Annoy thread about getting a thing you need to fix the thing you use to upgrade the thing you need to do a thing :-). Definitely post progress photos, maybe to the DIY thread.

I have called that "Yak Shaving".

afe66

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#2980432 10-Oct-2022 23:10

sir1963:
I am about to order various Brass, steel, nylon rods etc for stock for my home machine shop.

I am learning how to use a lathe, and when I have space in the shed I will be getting a Mill.

Trademe has several options if after smaller amounts of known metals.

Traders Wakefield-metals, metalbymail (?) ironmaiden4

Also can be useful to setup Trademe searches for lathe to get misc extras. I've spent more on extras than my lathe cost... Myford super 7.

Started playing with metal only 4 years ago, cheap midlife crisis.

Blondihacks, learning turning metal, mark Presling useful channels for the true newbies on youtube

afe66

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#2980434 10-Oct-2022 23:14

PS.
Consider visiting engineering workshops and explain how you are teaching yourself how to lathe and do they have off cuts from bin you can have to practise with...

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