Went to changed the desolder bit in my old Pace SX80, and it snapped off
about half way down inside the element.

I'll have a go at drilling it out - but decided a new element wouldn't be
a bad idea, if only as a spare.

Looked on Ebay - one or two for sale at approx 100-125 quid.

Farnell price 84 quid delivered, and in stock. It's not the sort of thing
users wouldn't know where to buy spares for - so WTF?

--
*Your kid may be an honours student, but you're still an idiot.

Dave Plowman London SW
To e-mail, change noise into sound.

I've just bought a brand-new copy of an out-of-print book. It cost me
£12.95. Before tracking that particular copy down, I looked on Amazon:
there was one there for sale, described as "in acceptable condition" - at
£599.

I suppose as long as there's a chance that someone will pay an inflated
price, some sellers think it's worth giving it a go.

Bert

"Dave Plowman (News)" wrote:
Looked on Ebay - one or two for sale at approx 100-125 quid.

Farnell price 84 quid delivered, and in stock. It's not the sort of thing
users wouldn't know where to buy spares for - so WTF?

It's fun to look for Multicomp, Pro Power/Pro Signal and other CPC/Farnell
own brands on ebay. Somebody obviously seems to think it a worthwhile
business buying bits from Farnell and reselling them on ebay at
substantially higher prices.

Theo

On Fri, 27 Jun 2014 16:24:56 +0100, "Bert Coules"
wrote:

I've just bought a brand-new copy of an out-of-print book. It cost me
£12.95. Before tracking that particular copy down, I looked on Amazon:
there was one there for sale, described as "in acceptable condition" - at
£599.

I suppose as long as there's a chance that someone will pay an inflated
price, some sellers think it's worth giving it a go.

Because I've not yet looked into selling things on Amazon or eBay I
don't know how true it is but I have heard it said that, if you have
no stock of something, it is cheaper, or maybe easier, to ammend the
price of the thing you haven't got to such a level that nobody would
try and buy this out-of-stock item from you, then ammend it back down
again when you have got this product back on your shelves, than to
delist and then relist the item on the website.

Nick

Nick Odell wrote:
Because I've not yet looked into selling things on Amazon or eBay I
don't know how true it is but I have heard it said that, if you have
no stock of something, it is cheaper, or maybe easier, to ammend the
price of the thing you haven't got to such a level that nobody would
try and buy this out-of-stock item from you, then ammend it back down
again when you have got this product back on your shelves, than to
delist and then relist the item on the website.

Yes. If it's a long running listing (and meet other criteria), the listing
does better in search results. If they pull the listing they lose the
history and the listing isn't as easily found. Hence the incentive to not
de-list items that are out of stock.

Theo

In article ,
Theo Markettos wrote:
Nick Odell wrote:
Because I've not yet looked into selling things on Amazon or eBay I
don't know how true it is but I have heard it said that, if you have
no stock of something, it is cheaper, or maybe easier, to ammend the
price of the thing you haven't got to such a level that nobody would
try and buy this out-of-stock item from you, then ammend it back down
again when you have got this product back on your shelves, than to
delist and then relist the item on the website.

Yes. If it's a long running listing (and meet other criteria), the
listing does better in search results. If they pull the listing they
lose the history and the listing isn't as easily found. Hence the
incentive to not de-list items that are out of stock.

Ah. Wondered why they did this. Thanks.

--
Small asylum seeker wanted as mud flap, must be flexible and willing to travel

Dave Plowman London SW
To e-mail, change noise into sound.

Dave Plowman (News) wrote:

Pace SX80 [...] element

I don't think I've ever encountered one, is it like a soldering iron
combined with a solder sucker?

Looked on Ebay - one or two for sale at approx 100-125 quid.
Farnell price 84 quid delivered

Just for an *element* I'd be more WTF about the price, than the
eBay/Farnell difference ...

Dave Plowman (News) wrote:
In article ,
Theo Markettos wrote:
Nick Odell wrote:
Because I've not yet looked into selling things on Amazon or eBay I
don't know how true it is but I have heard it said that, if you have
no stock of something, it is cheaper, or maybe easier, to ammend the
price of the thing you haven't got to such a level that nobody would
try and buy this out-of-stock item from you, then ammend it back down
again when you have got this product back on your shelves, than to
delist and then relist the item on the website.

Yes. If it's a long running listing (and meet other criteria), the
listing does better in search results. If they pull the listing they
lose the history and the listing isn't as easily found. Hence the
incentive to not de-list items that are out of stock.

Ah. Wondered why they did this. Thanks.

You'd think that Amazon would have noticed this and provided a "suspend"
facility.

--
Mike Barnes
Cheshire, England

Mike Barnes wrote:

Dave Plowman wrote:

Theo Markettos wrote:

If it's a long running listing (and meet other criteria), the
listing does better in search results. If they pull the listing they
lose the history and the listing isn't as easily found. Hence the
incentive to not de-list items that are out of stock.

Ah. Wondered why they did this. Thanks.

You'd think that Amazon would have noticed this and provided a "suspend"
facility.

What, you mean like when it says

"Currently unavailable.
We don't know when or if this item will be back in stock"

e.g. http://amazon.co.uk/dp/B000IOCN8U

In article ,
Andy Burns wrote:
Dave Plowman (News) wrote:

Pace SX80 [...] element

I don't think I've ever encountered one, is it like a soldering iron
combined with a solder sucker?

Sort of. But has a hole up the middle of the bit etc connected to a vacuum
pump via a trap for the solder. They are brilliant devices. There are
cheaper ones on the market these days but I've no experience of them.

Looked on Ebay - one or two for sale at approx 100-125 quid.
Farnell price 84 quid delivered

Just for an *element* I'd be more WTF about the price, than the
eBay/Farnell difference ...

It's made in the US. I've no doubt the spares are half the UK price there.
But I've had it for ages and this is the first replacement needed - and
it's not actually failed so I'll forgive it.

--
*I'm out of my mind, but feel free to leave a message.

Dave Plowman London SW
To e-mail, change noise into sound.

Andy Burns wrote:

What, you mean like when it says

"Currently unavailable.
We don't know when or if this item will be back in stock"

Isn't that for items Amazon sell themselves? The other business relates to
third-party sellers, I believe. Thanks to everyone for the explanation:
fascinating.

Bert

In article , Dave Plowman (News)
writes
In article ,
Andy Burns wrote:
Dave Plowman (News) wrote:

Pace SX80 [...] element

I don't think I've ever encountered one, is it like a soldering iron
combined with a solder sucker?

Sort of. But has a hole up the middle of the bit etc connected to a vacuum
pump via a trap for the solder. They are brilliant devices. There are
cheaper ones on the market these days but I've no experience of them.

As you say, they are brilliant devices and as I am sure you know, any
electronics workshop where they will do rework will have one. Pretty
much guaranteed results every time.

It's made in the US. I've no doubt the spares are half the UK price there.
But I've had it for ages and this is the first replacement needed - and
it's not actually failed so I'll forgive it.

I remember Geoff of CET Ltd having a winge on here about some he had
bought and eventually discarded due to dubious reliability and the Pace
name rings a bell. Maybe a google groups search will confirm that and
offer some help but I don't use that service any more.

I've used Wellers in the past and while parts do wear out they are
available and are reasonably priced. Much higher initial cost however
and not of any help with your existing equipment.

Have you tried a winge at the manufacturer?
--
fred
it's a ba-na-na . . . .

Mike Barnes wrote:
Dave Plowman (News) wrote:
In article ,
Theo Markettos wrote:
Yes. If it's a long running listing (and meet other criteria), the
listing does better in search results. If they pull the listing they
lose the history and the listing isn't as easily found. Hence the
incentive to not de-list items that are out of stock.

Ah. Wondered why they did this. Thanks.

You'd think that Amazon would have noticed this and provided a "suspend"
facility.

My comment refers to eBay not Amazon.

There's a whole host of unexpected ways that eBay's seller
fees/discounts/placement policies impact sellers. For example, if you give
a seller less than 5 stars on the 'detailed seller ratings' they get
penalised. And if you message a seller to say thanks after a purchase, that
automatically opens a dispute case. This can cause sellers to do unusual
things to work around the strangeness of eBay's policies.

Theo

fred wrote:

Dave Plowman wrote:

Andy Burns wrote:

I don't think I've ever encountered one, is it like a soldering iron
combined with a solder sucker?

Sort of. But has a hole up the middle of the bit etc connected to a vacuum
pump via a trap for the solder. They are brilliant devices.

As you say, they are brilliant devices and as I am sure you know, any
electronics workshop where they will do rework will have one. Pretty
much guaranteed results every time.

That's why I'm surprised not to have seen any, one particular repair
workshop at a customer looked after hundreds of
vehicle/personal/basestation radios/pagers/modems/muxes that got "heavy"
treatment - all closed down now - but three blokes would always have the
guts out of something on the bench - I don't remember seeing anything
other than a TC soldering iron and sucker or braid used.

In article ,
fred wrote:
Sort of. But has a hole up the middle of the bit etc connected to a
vacuum pump via a trap for the solder. They are brilliant devices.
There are cheaper ones on the market these days but I've no experience
of them.

As you say, they are brilliant devices and as I am sure you know, any
electronics workshop where they will do rework will have one. Pretty
much guaranteed results every time.

It's made in the US. I've no doubt the spares are half the UK price
there. But I've had it for ages and this is the first replacement
needed - and it's not actually failed so I'll forgive it.

I remember Geoff of CET Ltd having a winge on here about some he had
bought and eventually discarded due to dubious reliability and the Pace
name rings a bell.

Pace is the very expensive US make. ISTR Geoff having tried the cheaper
far east ones and finding they didn't last. Other problem is availability
of spares in years to come - Pace have quite a good record for keeping
spares for older stuff, perhaps because they supply the US military.

Maybe a google groups search will confirm that and
offer some help but I don't use that service any more.

I've used Wellers in the past and while parts do wear out they are
available and are reasonably priced. Much higher initial cost however
and not of any help with your existing equipment.

Last time I looked I didn't much like the Weller desolder hand piece. And
its cost is similar to Pace.

Have you tried a winge at the manufacturer?

About what?

--
*I didn't say it was your fault, I said I was blaming you.

Dave Plowman London SW
To e-mail, change noise into sound.

In article ,
Andy Burns wrote:
fred wrote:

Dave Plowman wrote:

Andy Burns wrote:

I don't think I've ever encountered one, is it like a soldering iron
combined with a solder sucker?

Sort of. But has a hole up the middle of the bit etc connected to a
vacuum pump via a trap for the solder. They are brilliant devices.

As you say, they are brilliant devices and as I am sure you know, any
electronics workshop where they will do rework will have one. Pretty
much guaranteed results every time.

That's why I'm surprised not to have seen any, one particular repair
workshop at a customer looked after hundreds of
vehicle/personal/basestation radios/pagers/modems/muxes that got "heavy"
treatment - all closed down now - but three blokes would always have the
guts out of something on the bench - I don't remember seeing anything
other than a TC soldering iron and sucker or braid used.

It's one of those killer tools that you don't know how you managed before
without it. However, they were very expensive at one time. First one I saw
cost x20 a Weller TC soldering station. So not surprising many managed
without. There are quite reasonably priced ones these days from the far
east - but they tend to need spares quite often (bits, filters and solder
traps etc) and that's what often lets down those makes.

Mine is actually a home made unit using Antex soldering irons and the Pace
desolder handset, with a Pace vacuum pump. It was one of those things that
was cost effective to build your own - and I'm very pleased with it.

--
*Always drink upstream from the herd *

Dave Plowman London SW
To e-mail, change noise into sound.

In article , Dave Plowman (News)
writes
In article ,
fred wrote:

I remember Geoff of CET Ltd having a winge on here about some he had
bought and eventually discarded due to dubious reliability and the Pace
name rings a bell.

Pace is the very expensive US make. ISTR Geoff having tried the cheaper
far east ones and finding they didn't last. Other problem is availability
of spares in years to come - Pace have quite a good record for keeping
spares for older stuff, perhaps because they supply the US military.

Ah, that sounds more like it.

Maybe a google groups search will confirm that and
offer some help but I don't use that service any more.

I've used Wellers in the past and while parts do wear out they are
available and are reasonably priced. Much higher initial cost however
and not of any help with your existing equipment.

Last time I looked I didn't much like the Weller desolder hand piece. And
its cost is similar to Pace.

Horses for courses I suppose but the Weller is very easy to disassemble,
clean and clear blockages. The Pace looks to suck through the handle
which sounds problematic for dismantling and clearing.

I had lost track of the new prices on the Wellers, nearly fell off my
seat when I saw them. I had only bought bits and tubes which are very
reasonable (tubes 4 for 12quid). It also seems they use their standard
elements in the desoldering stations too, common parts keeping the costs
down.

Anyway, this isn't helping your problem . . .

Have you tried a winge at the manufacturer?

About what?

The fact that one of their bits seized in the element and then broke
off?

I don't know if they will have specified the use of anti seize compound
or not copaslip for example.

Is the element hollow all the way through? If so I'd expect gentle
drifting from the rear to be more successful than drilling. The element
walls will be thin and any deviation will ruin it. Also if the walls get
thinned then it may make for a nasty 'pop' failure later, possibly
taking out what you are working on.
--
fred
it's a ba-na-na . . . .