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most basic tools?

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HM_Murdock

Mon Aug 09 2010, 01:17PM

Registered Member #3075 Joined: Fri Aug 06 2010, 02:44PM
Location: Athens, GA
Posts: 148

Outside of a set of screwdrivers with various bits, what are the most basic tools a beginner tinkerer needs?

Short list:

blowtorch (small benzo-matic tye)
soldering iron
asst wire nuts and electrical tape
wire cutter/stripper
multi meter
test light
magnifying glass (for looking up numbers on some of the tiny parts)

anything else (or special considerations needed on these) to help a beginner start out and be safe?

IamSmooth

Mon Aug 09 2010, 02:11PM

Registered Member #190 Joined: Fri Feb 17 2006, 12:00AM
Location:
Posts: 1567

oscilloscope
breadboard
desoldering braided wire
power supply

Dave Marshall

Mon Aug 09 2010, 02:20PM

Registered Member #16 Joined: Thu Feb 02 2006, 02:22PM
Location: New Wilmington, PA
Posts: 554

That's a fair start as a bare minimum. I don't see any glaring omissions.

Keep your eyes open for soldering irons. Garage sales and hamfests are great places to find them cheap. One is never enough. A light 20w iron with a very fine tip is good for smaller components, really heat sensitive stuff, or SMD. A simple, inexpensive variable power iron with a little heavier tip (maybe 25-50w variable) is the way to go for day to day stuff. A 100w or better soldering gun is indispensable when soldering coax or really heavy insulated wire, especially in places where the blowtorch would set things on fire.

Keep your eyes out for a heat gun. It's great for pulling components off salvaged boards.

Occasionally oscilloscopes will pop up in odd places stupidly cheap. Garage sales, flea markets, craigslist, etc. If you can score a 10-20MHz scope on the cheap, it will come in handy as you get into more advanced stuff.

Edit: Iamsmooth pointed out a good one. Breadboard is very expensive from RadioShack, but can be had cheaper online from surplus places like Electronics Goldmine and Hosfelt sometimes. That stuff is an enormous help, especially just getting started.

If you have a little spare cash floating around, I highly recommend this kit:

It's a little spendy, but you might find it cheaper on eBay or the like. It comes with two books of projects with detailed descriptions of what's happening in the circuit. It also comes with all the components and wires you need to build those projects. When you're done with the books, you're left with a very useful prototyping platform. I got mine in 7th grade (now 26) and I still use it for prototyping some of my smaller projects.

-Dave

HM_Murdock

Mon Aug 09 2010, 03:28PM

Registered Member #3075 Joined: Fri Aug 06 2010, 02:44PM
Location: Athens, GA
Posts: 148

very nice additions...

and I already have a heat gun...will try that instead of the torch for scavenging components...

And that kit looks really nice, but my wife's tolerance for my obsessions, er, I mean hobbies tends to be directly proportional to how little $ I spend on them...while I would love to have that, I'm gonna have to do without it for now.

radiotech

Mon Aug 09 2010, 04:18PM

Registered Member #2463 Joined: Wed Nov 11 2009, 03:49AM
Location:
Posts: 1546

You need a notebook to record all your readings on the multimeter. Get beginner books like these. You'll learn more if you design your work around showing your kids what you are doing.

Muttyfutty!

Mon Aug 09 2010, 04:46PM

Registered Member #2915 Joined: Fri Jun 11 2010, 10:41AM
Location: Malaysia!
Posts: 101

Soldering Iron Is a must!
I managed to get a nice Temp controlled one Fairly cheep, Yay!
Try getting hold of desoldering/Solder suckers. I personally find them easier then the braided type.
Never pass up an opportunity for parts!
Any electronics; Tv, Microwaves, Radios, Contain some nice parts and numerous electrolytic caps,
Bridge Rectifiers, Xformers, IGBT's etc which are very useful.
It certainly saves you from buying small components.

@Radiotech- Is there a particular reason why the pic is upside-down?

HM_Murdock

Mon Aug 09 2010, 05:58PM

Registered Member #3075 Joined: Fri Aug 06 2010, 02:44PM
Location: Athens, GA
Posts: 148

Awesome advice guys!

Found out my best friend has a nice breadboard collecting dust in hsi attic...turns out it has been there for over 10 years, and he has no use for it anytime soon...going to borrow that for a starter.

And I was just wondering the same thing...does it help to use the notebook upside-down?

803

Tue Aug 10 2010, 12:13AM

Registered Member #2807 Joined: Fri Apr 16 2010, 08:10PM
Location:
Posts: 191

HM_Murdock wrote ...

Awesome advice guys!

Found out my best friend has a nice breadboard collecting dust in hsi attic...turns out it has been there for over 10 years, and he has no use for it anytime soon...going to borrow that for a starter.

And I was just wondering the same thing...does it help to use the notebook upside-down?

Easy, he's trying to make you build a machine to flip the pic! Or, he didn't notice

Sulaiman

Tue Aug 10 2010, 06:54PM

Registered Member #162 Joined: Mon Feb 13 2006, 10:25AM
Location: United Kingdom
Posts: 3140

Since you are going to let people know your interrest in electronics
they will expect you to be able to do simple electrical repairs and/or installations, so a set of basic tools will be required, these are general tools that you may buy even if your hobby is not related to electronics.
I suggest that you buy lots of really cheap and nasy tools,
the ones that you wear out replace with better quality,
the ones that don't wear out weren't worth spending too much on.
In terms of performance, my hobby (GBP2.99) dmm is within spec. and better, functionally it's almost as good as the Fluke range that we use at work, the difference is durability and safety.(Be careful)
Try to spend more on projects than on tools.

Nicko

Tue Aug 10 2010, 08:34PM

Registered Member #1334 Joined: Tue Feb 19 2008, 04:37PM
Location: Nr. London, UK
Posts: 615

Coffee

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