Magazine Free Gifts

[wave solder]

I've just found another trimtool set too.

[TonyDuell]

Some more that I remember....

There was a company (Lascar) who sold a DVM module. One of the magazines (Practical Electronics I think) gave away a 2-part plastic box with a sloping part to the top panel cut to take this module. They then published a range of projects (digital multimeter, pH meter, etc) that used said module and would fit in the box.

There was a company that produced sheets of sticky labels the same size as a 14 or 16 pin DIL IC. Said labels were printed with the pinouts of TTL or 4000 series CMOS ICs, the idea being you stuck the appropriate label on an IC to indentify the pins. They were called 'Stickies' or something similar I think. I remember getting some of the sheets free with (I think) Practical Electronics.

As for the free veroboard, I bought some bound volumes of Radio and Electronics Constructor at a museum sale last year. The free bits of veroboard were still there, tucked inside the appropriate issues.

[Aub]

I remember, in 1967 I think, Practical Wireless had a free thin plastic record of common fault conditions, such as distortion. I think it finished off with an electronic music tune, which I can still remember 😄

Cheers
Aub

[emeritus]

Ah yes, I have a copy of that record somewhere.

[KeithsTV]

Originally Posted by Aub

I remember, in 1967 I think, Practical Wireless had a free thin plastic record of common fault conditions, such as distortion. I think it finished off with an electronic music tune, which I can still remember 😄

Cheers
Aub

I posted an MP3 copy of the record along with all the relevant articles in this thread.

https://www.vintage-radio.net/forum/...ad.php?t=34764.

I also remember the PE DVM projects and have one of the cases and modules stored away somewhere.

I've also got most of the free gifts from PW & PE including those alignment tools although some of the alignment tools have broken and the bits of vero board have been used up.

Keith

[llama]

Practical Electronic gave away a flimsy record demonstrating how an electronic piece of music was built up. I don't have the record but I do have a tape recording of it somewhere.
Graham

[60 oldjohn]

Originally Posted by AC/HL

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

Not many I think, mine is missing the screwdriver, large spanner, and now the punch. I just spilt the contents in my workshop I think the punch was there, but now missing. The mirror screws into the end of the meter probe to make a handle. The orange component gauge says PW 1980. While looking for the gauge I found another IC extractor which I have never used. Has anyone the correct screwdriver to sell. Thank you Bill, for posting the advert, I should have it among my collection of mags.

john.

[Graham G3ZVT]

Originally Posted by Aub

I remember, in 1967 I think, Practical Wireless had a free thin plastic record of common fault conditions, such as distortion. I think it finished off with an electronic music tune, which I can still remember ��

Cheers
Aub

Originally Posted by llama

Practical Electronic gave away a flimsy record demonstrating how an electronic piece of music was built up. I don't have the record but I do have a tape recording of it somewhere.
Graham

Could I respectfully suggest to Aub that he is confusing two two flexi discs. The one we have been discussing thus far had a classical funereal track throughout, and an electronic music disk, which explained concepts such as the "Ring Modulator", and featured a jaunty electronic score.

[mark_in_manc]

Originally Posted by Petedox

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!

(This reminds me of a funny story my Dad told, of using one of these plastic Verniers to get a workmate in trouble with the inspection department at the precision engineering place where he was a turner on aero-engine work. They slipped it onto the blokes bench as the inspector was coming round... )

[McMurdo]

I've got those plastic verniers as well, but it came attached to the front of the Anglia Components catalogue rather than a magazine. I think the only useful think I had with a magazine was Newnes Radio & Electronics Engineers Pocket Book by Keith Brindley, came with an edition of 'Television'.

[TowerRadio]

I found in the shed the other day a heat shunt gift,probably from PW.Very lightweight aluminium,not sure if it would be much use.Les

[Herald1360]

Was that the funny looking lightweight ally reverse acting tweezers thing? Slightly more fit for purpose than "Lady Jayne" hair clips?

[Graham G3ZVT]

Originally Posted by TowerRadio

I found in the shed the other day a heat shunt gift,probably from PW.Very lightweight aluminium,not sure if it would be much use.Les

That reminds me of my first day at Salford Tech on the C&G Radio & TV course, we had to make a heat-shunt from two pieces of copper and a croc-clip.

[avocollector]

As a kid I loved those freebies - the bits of veroboard and even still have the ic puller and inserter from PE - I've always loved the pocket gadget things from the leatherman type tools to the cunnng compact screwdrivers with multiple bits. Amazing also how some are a complete joke but others really useful.

[Restoration73]

PW gave away some "Cir-Kit" a self adhesive copper foil so you could make your own
board. Television gave a useful tweezers for vcr belts. The PE electronic music record
was probably by Frank Judd G2BCX who made a great contribution across a wide
range of radio and electronics.

[Andrew2]

Originally Posted by Nickthedentist

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.

Yup. Came free with either PE or PW in the late 60's or very early 70's. I had mine for years.

[TonyDuell]

Somebody else mentioned the free screwdriver sets from Tandy (with their monthly 'flier'). I am pretty sure one of those contained a flatblade screwdriver with the wire stripper blade in the handle, along with a smaller flatblade screwdriver, a crosspoint screwdriver, an awl, and a gimlet (why I have never needed such a tool).

The main problem I found with the wire stripping function was that the plastic handle was weak and brittle and tended to break in half when you pulled the wire out. I once had a similar tool which was sold (rather than a freebie) with a much stronger handle (and a harder screwdriver blade).

[philthespark]

Originally Posted by TonyDuell

Somebody else mentioned the free screwdriver sets from Tandy (with their monthly 'flier'). I am pretty sure one of those contained a flatblade screwdriver with the wire stripper blade in the handle, along with a smaller flatblade screwdriver, a crosspoint screwdriver, an awl, and a gimlet (why I have never needed such a tool).

The main problem I found with the wire stripping function was that the plastic handle was weak and brittle and tended to break in half when you pulled the wire out. I once had a similar tool which was sold (rather than a freebie) with a much stronger handle (and a harder screwdriver blade).

they were loosely based on the Vitrex 'stripmaster' which had a round yellowy orange handle, Vitrex also made a neon screwdriver, the 'testmaster' that had a hole in the top with a 13A fuse in it, you could use the fuse if you needed one in an emergency, but could also test a suspect plug top fuse by inserting it in the hole and sticking the screwdriver into the live socket pin, I think I was about 8 or 9 when I got one of those and it never bothered me, although it did terrify my grandad who was wary of electricity after one of his mates got electrocuted fixing a tv in the 60's.I remember my dad when I told him I was training to be a spark commenting, "well it's a good job you're grandad isn't alive, he'd have you certified", he thought anyone who worked with 'the leccy' was a sandwich short of a picnic. lol

[duncanlowe]

Originally Posted by philthespark

they were loosely based on the Vitrex 'stripmaster' which had a round yellowy orange handle

Yes I saw the Vitrex ones but only ever owned the free Tandy ones which broke in half as mentioned.

[philthespark]

Originally Posted by duncanlowe

Yes I saw the Vitrex ones but only ever owned the free Tandy ones which broke in half as mentioned.

Tandy, we had one of their stores near me, they sold some reasonable stuff back in the day, they were always giving free stuff away, remember those big torches, grey with a red plastic top where the lens was, IIRC they took about 6 or 8 D cells, yes the torch was free but it cost an arm and a leg for the batteries.
I was a ****** for free stuff when I was younger, I suppose I still am if I'm honest. lol.
I remember as a young lad, I was 21 and had just come out of my time as an apprentice electrician, now I was on real money! I got my first 'big wage' and headed off into town, it was spending time. I remember going into Dixons and selecting about £200 worth of gear, it was a lot at the time, the bloke who served me was expecting me to put it on finance, but I was paying in cash and I think he was on a commision on the sale.
Well remember back in the day when you had to fit your own plugs? I asked him what I was getting free since I was spending so much and he said they didn't do freebies, I headed for the door, fine I'd go somewhere where they did. He ended up giving me a box of 13A plug tops, some blank cassette tapes for the ghetto blaster and some kitchen bits to go with the mixer and iron I was buying for my mum, what a result that was!