Ruler from Digikey - Page 1
Forum section: electronics / general

author: Skimask
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: February 07, 2017, 09:49:36 pm
content: Just got this handy dandy bit in the mail today. I didn't ask for it. Don't spend a LOT of money at Digikey.

author: jpanhalt
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: February 07, 2017, 10:21:55 pm
content: I am anxious to get mine.However, in light of the discussions here of such rulers, I really don't see the function. I have metric and Imperial inch/decimal inch rulers for whatever I need and a few digital calipers. When I am designing in Eagle, for example, I would never think of using an overlay to confirm a dimension. If Eagle says the hole is 0.023622047", I trust it. That is a 0.6 mm hole. Who am I to question whether the actual hole is 0.023622048" ?I use manufacturer's dimensions for pads. Most CAD programs have so many decimals of precision, any printing on a ruler is grossly inaccurate by comparison. I don't need something I can print out to see if it fits. I use the CAD dimensions.But I do like freebies, and I have been a loyal customer of DigiKey for at least 25 years.John

author: EEVblog
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: February 07, 2017, 10:38:39 pm
content: Mine's better

author: jpanhalt
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: February 07, 2017, 10:41:40 pm
content: Quote from: EEVblog on February 07, 2017, 10:38:39 pmDoes that mean I get a free one?I use rulers for woodworking.John

author: Monadnock
author_rank: Contributor
timestamp: February 07, 2017, 10:50:26 pm
content: Got one today too. Seems like they've had these for a while, the data sheet is time stamped 2 years ago. Their website says they still have over 5k in stock. Probably wanted to get rid of a bunch so they sent some out as freebies.I'll still buy on of Dave's though.

author: John_ITIC
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: February 08, 2017, 03:11:06 am
content: Gave mine to my 10 year old son. He thought it was cool. I'm not sure what to do with it...

author: eugenenine
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: February 08, 2017, 03:26:24 am
content: I guess I haven't ordered from them lately, I didn't get one.

author: mmagin
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: February 08, 2017, 03:58:17 am
content: Hmm. Wonder if I'll get one. I've already got ones from Adafruit and AvE.

author: DavidDLC
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: February 08, 2017, 03:59:05 am
content: I also got one today. I like it !David DLC

author: Skimask
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: February 08, 2017, 04:10:48 am
content: Quote from: EEVblog on February 07, 2017, 10:38:39 pmI plan on picking one (ok, a few) up next time I see it out there.

author: Halcyon
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: February 08, 2017, 05:56:19 am
content: "Flux on, flux off"on the side with the surface mount bits made me smile.

author: Bud
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: February 08, 2017, 06:01:51 am
content: Quote from: John_ITIC on February 08, 2017, 03:11:06 amHe could learn hole sizes and AWG numbers by playing if you can give him a few cuts of wire of different gage or a few screws.

author: Bud
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: February 08, 2017, 06:11:24 am
content: I think they screwed this one, the actual via was placed in a wrong location

author: Cubdriver
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: February 08, 2017, 06:39:48 am
content: I thought buried vias were just that - buried, and completely internal to the board. Blind don't go all the way through the board, and standard are through holes.-Pat

author: DutchGert
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: February 08, 2017, 10:49:44 am
content: That burried via is a jokeIts probably not there at all but since it should be buried u wouldn't see it anyway

author: Berni
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: February 08, 2017, 11:58:15 am
content: Now this is what DigiKey should hand out at there booth on trade shows!All the PCB rulers that i snatched at trade shows pretty much sucked so far (Tho most of them seam to have been from Chinese PCB manufacturer booths).

author: tszaboo
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: February 08, 2017, 12:25:28 pm
content: I also got one from Eurocircuits. It also had a QR code on the silkscreen. In white, where the color should be black, so technically inverted QR code.About these freebies, they really should figure out a way to send useful freebies with the mail. I got soo much junk, like flower pots from Würth or key holders. The most useful was a pack of gummy bears and a deck of cards. The ruler might be useful, but I have uRuler.

author: thm_w
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: February 08, 2017, 08:00:07 pm
content: Quote from: jpanhalt on February 07, 2017, 10:21:55 pmIf I have some stranded wire or an LED sitting next to me, I'd rather do a quick test fit in an existing plated hole to see what fits best for my design.Sure I can use the rule of thumb, or estimate, etc. but its nice to test fit and choose a tight/loose fit if desired.Same with the silk screen, without seeing it in front of you, its hard to gauge how large the text will be. If its readable from arms length, etc.I do not have one of these rulers yet though..

author: onesixright
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: February 08, 2017, 08:12:12 pm
content: Quote from: EEVblog on February 07, 2017, 10:38:39 pmSo when can we order! ?

author: eugenenine
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: February 09, 2017, 12:15:48 am
content: Quote from: onesixright on February 08, 2017, 08:12:12 pmhow much would shipping be from his 4th world country?

author: calexanian
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: February 09, 2017, 09:10:18 pm
content: The buried via is a joke cause its clearly a 2 layer board. Also there are other little gems on there such as Flux On, Flux Off. Also the part number itself is a little joke. PCB-RUler-ND.

author: Howardlong
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: February 14, 2018, 09:14:08 pm
content: A bit late, but I guess Blighty customers have just caught up, mine arrived today. I like!

author: tooki
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: February 14, 2018, 11:46:58 pm
content: The proud use of Arial makes me sad.

author: alexanderbrevig
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: February 15, 2018, 12:27:03 am
content: Got mine tooI like them for size reference. Whenever I think I want a 01005 I just look at the size and place a 0402 instead (unless there's reason not to which I can't change)Some times it's nice to be reminded what a 0.4mm pitch actually looks like, and how small 6/6 mil really is.

author: openSourceScope
author_rank: Newbie
timestamp: February 15, 2018, 10:10:24 am
content: *** BE CAREFUL! ***This might be the first case of virus delivered by PCB...Got this email from Digikey this morning, having received my ruler yesterday.---We messed up! We recently sent you a gift of our very popular PCB ruler without realizing an incorrect URL was printed on the ruler. Please DO NOT go to this URL. This is not a Digi-Key site! This is a suspicious website and should be avoided. The correct URL iswww.digikey.co.uk.If you already visited this website, we do not believe anything happened to your computer unless you downloaded the document offered. It would have been clear that you are not on the Digi-Key site. As a precaution, if you downloaded anything from this website, please contact your IT team to assess.Thank you for your understanding, we appreciate and value your partnership.We sincerely apologise for this mistake.

author: chickenHeadKnob
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: February 15, 2018, 10:11:34 am
content: Quote from: onesixright on February 08, 2017, 08:12:12 pmExactly what I was thinking. The ruler I can actually hope to hold in my hands beats the flashy interwebs picture one every time! I am beginning to think of the EEVblog ruler as the MAXIM chip of pcb rulers. Tempting you from afar with a fantastic spec sheet, then laughing at you when click buy. I feel like I am back in high school and am being rejected at a dance by a cheerleader. Little did those hot girls know that the pimple faced nerd standing before them would go on to earn the big bucks. But I'm not bitter...much.

author: tooki
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: February 15, 2018, 10:43:19 am
content: Quote from: openSourceScope on February 15, 2018, 10:10:24 amWhat URLs are on your ruler, beyondwww.digikey.com(which definitely is theirs) and eewiki.net, which also appears to be run by Digi-Key?

author: openSourceScope
author_rank: Newbie
timestamp: February 15, 2018, 10:59:52 am
content: Scan attached. The .UK URL is the offending one. Most UK based websites end in .CO.UK. Digikey own digikey.co.uk, and not the short form version. Oops.Check out the WHOIS entries.https://www.nominet.uk/whois/?query=digikey.uk#whois-results<-- Suspecthttps://www.nominet.uk/whois/?query=digikey.co.uk#whois-results<-- Valid

author: tszaboo
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: February 15, 2018, 11:20:20 am
content: By the looks of it digikey.uk redirects to some iyfnzgb.com which is blocked by my browser addon, which is set up to block phishing and similar websites.That reminds me, is there a browser addon to block fake news websites? Like rt.com and others?

author: tooki
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: February 15, 2018, 11:24:09 am
content: Wow, I’m surprised they bothered (trying, poorly) to make a UK localized version of the ruler, given that the one with digikey.com works fine everywhere, since their .com URL forwards to the country-specific websites!

author: alexanderbrevig
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: February 15, 2018, 04:11:21 pm
content: I got one with .no !

author: Grapsus
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: February 18, 2018, 04:24:45 pm
content: Got mine from Wayne Stambaugh at the Kicad FOSDEM talk, never actually ordered from DiigiKey yetVery useful ruler for keeping touch with reality when laying out a PCB

author: Psi
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: March 07, 2018, 10:06:38 pm
content: Quote from: calexanian on February 09, 2017, 09:10:18 pmLooks like 4 layer if you check the edge under the microscope. There's just no copper visible on the inner layers. Except maybe for that blind via

author: FrankE
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: March 08, 2018, 11:29:28 am
content: At least it's metric.Unlike my awful experience trying to find anything on their site that wasn't in units from the middle ages.

author: Fred27
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: March 08, 2018, 12:11:24 pm
content: How do you get one? Is it then in with an order? Hope so, as I should be ordering from digikey UK soon.

author: Rerouter
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: March 08, 2018, 12:16:06 pm
content: I got mine about 2 weeks ago, However I've ordered about $400 off them this year.

author: james_s
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: March 11, 2018, 10:44:59 pm
content: I got one that was sent to the veterinary clinic my other half manages, I've ordered loads of stuff from DigiKey and we only ordered a couple battery packs and some other odds & ends to the clinic but maybe they only send the rulers to businesses. Either way it's a nice ruler, has nice straight flat edges that work well for drawing straight lines. The pad layouts are handy for getting a visual idea and test fitting assorted parts I have on hand.

author: Macbeth
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: March 11, 2018, 11:08:34 pm
content: Quote from: Fred27 on March 08, 2018, 12:11:24 pmI don't think I have ever completed an order with Digikey. It didn't stop them sending me a PCB ruler a few weeks ago. It's quite nifty.

author: grouchobyte
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: March 11, 2018, 11:43:34 pm
content: Quote from: blueskull on March 11, 2018, 11:12:09 pmHave to agree with Blueskull on this one. Got both for free. A good friend of mine is an LDE at Nvidia and gave me the enviable ruler. These things are cool and always come in handy. I keep it with my other "cool' stuff@grouchobyte

author: rx8pilot
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: March 11, 2018, 11:51:54 pm
content: The blind via is my favorite feature.Short and misplld from my mobile......

author: Dubbie
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: March 12, 2018, 12:27:20 am
content: I got one here in NZ.I think I ordered about $5 worth of parts from them about 2 years ago.I usually order from Element14 for shipping reasons.

author: mac.6
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: March 13, 2018, 02:49:00 pm
content: Quote from: grouchobyte on March 11, 2018, 11:43:34 pmYou are lucky, nvidia ones are pretty much unobtainium even for employees (which I am no longer, but still know some).

author: Iwanushka
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: March 13, 2018, 06:57:55 pm
content: Looks like this giveaway is random, we always order from digikey but never got a ruler, maybe someone in EU has a spare one and wants to exchange for a beer, somehow Dave never did another run of them?

author: floobydust
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: March 14, 2018, 03:24:09 am
content: The ruler's stranded-wire size holes are useless, nobody attaches 7-strand wire to a PCBit's used for pulls in conduit

author: EEVblog
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: March 14, 2018, 04:43:22 am
content: I got one in a mailer to my house.

author: rx8pilot
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: March 14, 2018, 05:42:21 pm
content: I got 2 in the mail - one addressed to me and another addressed to one of my former buyers that left my company about 5 years ago.I got another 2 of them at trade shows.

author: mikeselectricstuff
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: March 14, 2018, 05:58:26 pm
content: I got one a while ago randomly.The most useful PCB ruler I've seen so far (sorry Dave!) , due to being 12" and 1.6mm thick, so more space for stuff.

author: FrankBuss
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: March 14, 2018, 06:01:19 pm
content: Quote from: EEVblog on February 07, 2017, 10:38:39 pmI have bothUsually the EEVblog ruler is nice, because it is small and easy to handle, but something it is handy to have a longer ruler, if you don't want to use the folding rule, and the Digikey ruler has more holes of different and bigger size. BTW, they have a localized version withwww.digikey.deinstead ofwww.digikey.com:

author: metrologist
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: March 14, 2018, 06:18:42 pm
content: Nobody sent ME a ruler

author: SPY GUY
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: March 14, 2018, 06:31:39 pm
content: My Wife handed me the packet with the offending ruler gift / Item from Digikey, just an hour ago believing I would be pleased, and was quite surprised at my instant negative reaction, response and chucking the packet unopened to one side.A small time later, she enquired as to the reason for my strange negative reaction. I explained that I have seen this kinda clever and so helpful to EE folks ruler only once before on a DIYINHK Video, based on which bought one of these today as well as a Rigol DS1054Z Yesterday. I just watched the Open Hardware expalaination Video Dave made today and so eventully opened the packet in the hope of seeing some form of origionator recognition, let alone a dream team list, Matrix or Back to the future reference, but alas there was non.I may well use this in the future, but I fully agree with the OSHW ethos you mention that means I will always hanker after an origional EEVBlog Ruler.

author: metrologist
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: March 14, 2018, 09:29:42 pm
content: Quote from: SPY GUY on March 14, 2018, 06:31:39 pmWell, hope you not lay eyes on an aVe ruler.

author: floobydust
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: March 14, 2018, 09:44:34 pm
content: Quote from: FrankBuss on March 14, 2018, 06:01:19 pmThe PCB trace Ampacity tables are different, between DK and EEVblog?i.e. 1oz/35u Cu, 10C rise100mil 5.29A2.5mm 4.65A50mil 2.18A1.25mm 2.81A

author: Cubdriver
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: March 15, 2018, 01:50:29 am
content: Quote from: metrologist on March 14, 2018, 09:29:42 pmYou mean like the one at the top? (The bottom one is from Adafruit):Opposite sides:I'm still debating whether to put the light onto the AvE one; if you do so the inch scale side will no longer sit flat on a surface...-Pat

author: mikeselectricstuff
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: March 15, 2018, 09:18:02 pm
content: It's depressing that of all the ones shown here, plus another couple I have (Eurocircuits and Weurth), only Digikey and Dave have figured out that the holes must be at the edge, for checking pin sizes of multi-pinned components

author: ShortZircuit
author_rank: Newbie
timestamp: July 31, 2018, 10:01:01 pm
content: Looks like the DK ruler has metric on one side and MIL on the other, after looking at the datasheet...https://media.digikey.com/pdf/Data%20Sheets/Digi-Key%20PDFs/PCB-RULER-12INCH_Rev_2016.pdf

author: james_s
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: July 31, 2018, 10:09:44 pm
content: Quote from: mikeselectricstuff on March 15, 2018, 09:18:02 pmI suppose you could bend one of the pins out, or lay it across the hole and do a visual comparison. Having it at the edge does make things easier though. It's one of those things that is obvious after you encounter a need for it but may not have been a use case the designers of the various rulers had considered. Just having the ability to eyeball an example of a specific hole size has some value if not optimal.