My worst experience with the Dick Smith one was that I screwed up and
grabbed those leads instead of my VOM. Consequently I put 120VAC across it
and severely let the smoke out - time for a new one. Now I have two red
leads on it to make it more apparent that I don't have the VOM leads.

Other than that, it has worked well for me. Oh, the kit was also fine -
just follow the directions and put on the smallest items first. That way
it's easier to have the board be stable for soldering. I also decided that
I would take one value of resistor, and install all of that value at one
time. Kind of helped me make sure that I got the right ones in the right
places. I knew that I had to find enough homes for them until I ran out.

WT

"Arfa Daily" wrote in message
...

wrote in message
oups.com...
Looking at two budget meters, the Dick Smith, available from AU for $44
US + shipping and the MATelectronics MUL-3333 for $50 + shipping.
Anyone have experience with either? Is the kit doable for a rank
beginner? I do have a Weller station, will travel...

The Dick Smith meter is the one designed by Bob Parker, who pops up on
here from time to time. I have had one in daily use now for several years,
and I can recommend it without reservation. It has a very clear
unambiguous readout, and is autoranging. It also has an automatic offset
feature to zero out the probe and lead resistances. It has withstood
everything that a busy workshop has thrown at it, without once failing on
me. It paid for itself in the first couple of repairs that it was used
for.

The kit does not contain any particularly small parts, and is well
documented. If you can solder reasonably well, and your iron has a
reasonably small tip, and you can carefully follow a set of instructions,
I think that you would be able to manage it just about. I think that it is
also available ready built for a very reasonable extra amount, if you
really weren't confidant to build it.

Arfa