Re: HP-01 The Hewlett-Packard Calculator Watch Message #9 Posted by Eric Smith on 17 July 2006, 6:51 p.m., in response to message #5 by Tony Duell
Tony wrote:
Quote:
And I am not rich enough to buy cheap tools
I'm not rich enough to buy non-cheap tools for everything. I buy good tools where it's going to make a difference, and cheap tools where it won't. I spent $20 on the clone of the Bergeon JAXA tool, and it works fine for opening my HP-01 once or twice a year. If I had to open watches several times a week, I'd consider spending $100 to get the real thing. On the other hand, though, I'd also consider that there doesn't actually seem to be anything wrong with the $20 tool, so I wouldn't be eager to spend that $100 until I was convinced that it actually would be noticably better.
The tools that I use most are my PC, and especially its human-interface devices: monitor, keyboard, and mouse. I bought the best I could afford. For example, the monitor is a Samsung SyncMaster 213T 21" LCD (1600x1200), and the keyboard is a Northgate Omnikey Ultra T. If I had to buy another keyboard, I'd probably either get a refurbished Omnikey, an EnduraPro from pckeyboard.com, or a Das Keyboard II. Hmmm... maybe I'll buy an extra Omnikey Ultra T just in case.
Note that "the best I can afford" is most often NOT the same thing as "the most expensive I can afford".
I have a Hakko soldering station which is reasonably good, but at some point I think I'll buy a Metcal.
I needed a hammer-drill for a single use, and rather than spend $150 for a good quality name brand one, I spent $15 plus $5 postage for an inexpensive Chinese one. I expected that it would work at least well enough for the single use, and then I could throw it away if it didn't seem like a good tool. As it turned out, it worked perfectly and I expect that if I ever need it again, it will be fine.
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