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First Project Necessary Tools & Advanced Suggestions

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Grainger49:
I will add to this post as the community make suggestions.

See the post below for links to suppliers.

These are all needed for assembly of the kit:

Soldering iron/station - Just a soldering pen with a stand and a sponge will do.  A station is nicer than just a pen. I went for a Weller but many Bottleheads have and like the Hakko irons and stations.

Solder - Many flavors, your choice.  Just be sure to get rosin (that is flux) core made for electronics.  Stay away from lead free, it is hard to work with.  Do not buy anything that is for plumbing.  DO NOT USE ACID CORE SOLDER!  It will ruin your kit.

Digital Multimeter - I suggest a used Fluke for under $80, often under $50, nice, autoranging, some have capacitance measuring - you need a meter that will measure 200V AC and 500V DC (455V in Paramount) safely.  Those are rounded to the next 100V increment above what is seen in Bottlehead kits.  Beware, cheap meters don't measure well.

A small needle nosed and small diagonal cutting pliers (wire cutters to cut wire and excess component leads) - I like the "spring return to open" type as they are always ready to use.

A medium sized flat bladed screwdriver and a wrench of some sort to hold the nut.

Wire strippers - I find those with wire gauges printed on them easier to use (Klein or Xcelite)

A ruler or tape measure

Wood Glue and masking tape for assembling the base that comes with all kits (except the Quickie).

Safety glasses when you clip leads and solder or reading glasses if you are old like me.

Alligator clip jumpers - This wire with alligator clips on each end is very handy.  Get #16 wire.  Too thin a wire can be a problem.  They make reading voltages much, much safer.

Now I'm adding this:  A backup set of tubes.  One of the first steps suggested in troubleshooting is to swap the tubes.  In many amps that is possible from right to left channels.  But more Bottlehead amps are coming out that have only one of a given tube.  So now I add this as necessary.

These will be handy but are not necessary:

Heat sink clips for use on transistor leads and LEDs - an alligator clip is not quite as good.

A vacuum desoldering tool or solder wick, I have both but prefer solder wick.

A soldering tool (see Alan's post below)

A hemostat (forceps)  -  from RS, they get them surplus and they are very useful holding nuts or as a heat sink.

A lighted magnifying glass on an arm or magnifying glasses.  You don't have to be old to need these.

A small fan to blow the solder fumes away from your face or a smoke absorber from Weller or Hakko. Here

Tweezers

A box with multiple compartments to hold parts as you assemble the kit.

A link to Doc's excellent suggestion from the thread I just went through.

More Advanced Tools:

A "Third Hand/Helping Hands" which is a heavy base with an arm and two alligator clips on the end - used to hold small circuit boards or a component when soldering (mentioned below in Breakfastchef's post).

Alligator Clip Jumpers (good for safely testing voltages).

An X-Acto knife

Nibbler - can make a square hole, a little at a time.

Hot Glue Gun - for "tacking down" wires and larger components to the top plate.

Knockouts - makes a round hole or makes a round hole bigger (AKA Chassis Punch).

Dremel Tool - it doesn't hammer but does almost everything else.

Ignition Wrench Set (at Sears) - great for tightening RCA Jacks and those nuts in tight places.

Nut Drivers - good with "nuts"

A small tablet or smart phone with front and rear cameras - From rif, for looking where your eyes won't go.

A set of small files

A ream - makes holes larger a little at a time.

Electric drill and a drill press.

"Unibit" Stepped Drill Bits

Dental picks

Heat Shrink Tubing and a heat gun to shrink it (you can use a hair dryer).

Cable ties

Oscilloscope - the ultimate voltmeter, can be had used for $100-$200.

Edit: Check "reply #30" for a picture of a few suggested tools.

Grainger49:
This post contains hot links to sites that sell tools.

In alphabetical order:

Allied Electronics

AuidoXpress/Old Colony Sound Lab

Digi-Key

Harbor Freight  Good Cheap Tools

Jameco Electronics

MCM Electronics

Mouser Electronics

Newark Electronics

Parts Express

Radio Shack

Sears  Lifetime Warranty On Craftsman Tools

booangler:
Grianger,

Nice list, and links are fun to explore, especially when you are home with back spasms.

One of the first tools that I made was a Dim Bulb Tester, invaluable tool to me. Right up there with a soldering tool.

Cheers,  Alan

Grainger49:
Alan,

I haven't found anything that is fun to go with back spasms.  I like to be amusing.  I thought I might collect some information from the old site that I knew was there.

Any additions of either tools or seller's sites would be appreciated.

By the way, how do you use a soldering tool?  I had one once but nobody ever showed me how to use it.  And I started with a neon tester.  

Air:
MCMElectronics.com (no affliation) had a Tenma variable heat soldering station on sale a few days ago for under $14 USD. A Radio Shack pen cost about $8 so it seems worth the risk, don't know if the tips are interchangeable (doubt it). I think the sale runs through end of November.
 -Chuck

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