Ed Todd <PICLIST@MITVMA.MIT.EDU> wrote:

> I am looking for a new UV eraser.  I want to be able to quickly
> erase a good number of 16C63's.  What do I look for, what technical
> terms, type of light/bulb and so on?

Ed:

I assume that you're looking for a "professional" eraser, not
something like the Datarase-II.

If so, you should look for one that places your chips face-up in a
sliding drawer.  The case should be heavy enough, and/or the drawer
should slide smoothly enough, that you can open and close it with
one hand.

The drawer should seal tightly enough to keep UV from leaking out,
and there should be an indicator (usually, it's a clear window coated
with UV-flourescent paint) that shows that the bulb is on.  There
should, of course, be a safety interlock that turns off the bulb
whenever the drawer's open.

The drawer should be lined with conductive foam; if it's not, make
sure that there's enough room for you to put your own foam in there.

Bulbs must be replaceable, and you should buy an extra bulb when you
buy the eraser.

A timer is essential; ideally, it'll be a mechanical windup thing,
not an electronic one that you have to set with a tiny screwdriver.

Personally, I like Spectroline's erasers; they're a little expensive,
but worth it.

-Andy

=== Andrew Warren - fastfwd@ix.netcom.com
=== Fast Forward Engineering, Vista, California
=== http://www.geocities.com/SiliconValley/2499