Magazine Free Gifts
 

While swapping out capacitors and resistors from my Hacker RP17 I got my tools out and used my PW free gift from 1980 to bend the leads. That made me wonder if anyone else still has/uses any magazine free gifts from years ago? I've attached a photo of four I've still got:
Two wire bending tools from 1976, one from PE and the other from EE.
A mini multi tool from a 1980 PW which combines wire bending, SWG wire gauge slots, a drill guide for 3 imperial drill sizes,a tapping and clearance guide for 4BA, 6BA, 8BA, and two holes labeled pcb.
An IC insertion tool with its original slightly slack rubber band still inside! I can't remember which magazine it came from, it's printed on all the others!
I also have a coil adjustment tool which came with PW but I can never find it when I need it!
David

Re: Magazine Free Gifts
 

David, l use these constantly!

Somewhere l also have a set of trimming tools from mid 70's PW, which promptly broke the first time l tried to use them! :wall:

Re: Magazine Free Gifts
 

SHMBO gets the gardening mags with free seeds. She does the gardening, I think it should be a (more populated, I only have two antennae) antenna farm (forum relevant bit).

Re: Magazine Free Gifts
 

I remember all the tools in the first message, I probably still have them somewhere. There was also an IC extractor (a U shaped plastic thing with hooked ends that would fit round a 14 or 16 pin DIL package) and an L-shaped plastic thing with 0.1" scales on the two arms (used for identifying rows and columns on a bit of stripboard) and probably holes in it for drill bit/screw sizing.

Some magazines had free screwdrivers which were made of a metal only slightly stronger than cream cheese...

Later on Television magazine sometimes had a couple of diodes or something like that as a free gift.

Re: Magazine Free Gifts
 

Somewhere I got a terminal screwdriver with a red, translucent, flattish handle. Set into the centre of this was a keyhole-shaped wire stripper.

It was more of a toy than a tool, but it worked well enough to strip the insulation off T&E and then attach the stripped ends to a chocblock type terminal holder.

Re: Magazine Free Gifts
 

I'm not sure if I have any left, but I probably do. Tandy screwdriver sets, given away with vouchers from their magazine. Also made with the cream cheese metal, but it didn't matter because the plastic on the handles was so bad that it disintegrated at a lower torque value than the 'metal'.

EDIT: and that's probably where your screwdriver with wire stripper came from.

Re: Magazine Free Gifts
 

If you're quick you may just catch this offer. Postage will be 35p, so not quite free, but the tools are usable :)

Re: Magazine Free Gifts
 

Like Ken I used to use the Info cards regularly, particularly for capacitors. I've always struggled with certain colours butnNow that I need glasses, and sometimes a magnifier, to see the markings I tend to use my Avo DMM or my Chinese everything tester to make sure I use the correct value.
The IC inserter has never been used since I got it, it was harder to get the ICs into the inserter than a socket!

Re: Magazine Free Gifts
 

;D I think I've had a spanner like the ones in that set Bill! It came in my Cluedo game along with a piece of lead pipe.
FYI you've doubled the P&P its only 17 1/2p!
David

Re: Magazine Free Gifts
 

Hi!

Radio Constructor, Everyday Electronics and Practical Electronics all gave away little pieces of veroboard or very small "multi–pcbs" that could accommodate several different circuits on them from time to time, and during the second half of the 2000s, EPE "Teach In" gave away a CD of the "Modern Electronics Manual" – I bought all the supplement CDs for this!

Alas to say the newsagents all round me had always sold out of the "free gift" issues by the time I had the pocket money to buy them!

Chris Williams

Re: Magazine Free Gifts
 

Yes, out of practice :-]

Re: Magazine Free Gifts
 

I still have (and regularly use) a plastic vernier callipers (imperial, and with a non-vernier metric scale) that dad got free with "Practical Householder" circa 1960. Being plastic it is good for checking the dimensions of button cells. It has been kept in a cool place (the garage) for the past 40 years and although now some 60 years old, still agrees to within a 'thou with my micrometer screw gauge. Precision plastic! I also have a couple of transistors that came with a "Wireless World".

Re: Magazine Free Gifts
 

Try this,from PW in 1931!

Re: Magazine Free Gifts
 

Snap! One of my most used tools is the vernier caliper below. Free with a motoring mag back in the 80's. It's so handy, and accurate enough to measure the OD of pipe or tubing when underneath a car, or checking on wire gauge electronic projects etc. My digital one is invariably left in its box!

Re: Magazine Free Gifts
 

One of these! I still use this from time to time - despite the rather battered appearance as a result of it travelling round the world in my “flyaway” toolkit.
I remember most of the others too but this little extractor is the only one to have been in regular use. Was this a PE giveaway or from another mag?

Re: Magazine Free Gifts
 

That's it, I wonder how many survive, complete kits that is. Practical radio magazines were big business back then.

Re: Magazine Free Gifts
 

There was one other Bill and I am not sure if indeed it was on this forum.Certainly saw one some where and it was quite rusty.Got mine many years ago from a RadioPhile do.

Re: Magazine Free Gifts
 

My Everyday Electronics lead bender and veroboard matrix with transistor lead straightener and bolt/screw size measure. I still use both to this day.

Attachment 208014

Re: Magazine Free Gifts
 

I've got a few items, the first one I have found is a practical wireless plastic trim tool set.

Re: Magazine Free Gifts
 

I remember in the late-70s PW gave away a set of the little circular TO5/TO18 transistor standoff-pads - on a 'sprue' like the parts of old Airfix kits, and in a rather vibrant bright orange!

I used these on quite a few projects. Never really liked the orange though.