First time DIYer Bottlehead Crack + Speedball. Need advice on solder materials

[Laudanum]

My favorite "cheap" helping hands unit has a single pair of "tweezers" on a ball and socket arrangment and a cast base.  I love it for holding wire and cable or connectors while soldering.  It will also work for small circuit boards but for those I like the double alligator clip units (also a cheap unit).  I slide a short length of silicone tubing over each of the alligator clip jaws to keep them from gouging or marring the boards.   Better units are, well better.  The Panavise is a good suggestion if you want to spend the money.  But my cheap ebay helpers have done the trick, I have no complaints. 

[Grainger49]

Mosez,

The helping hands can be had for $3-$5.  The Panavise, as you say, is more.  That is why the helping hands is the first suggested.

[Mosez]

Mosez,

The helping hands can be had for $3-$5.  The Panavise, as you say, is more.  That is why the helping hands is the first suggested.

Yup - expect to pay 10 - 15 times as much for a Panavise setup. I've been using the helping hands for years before I recently splurged for a Panavise, and I still use he hands for things like grabbing wires. Another advantage of the hands is that you can work 'low', resting your wrists on the workbench (or kitchen table). For PCBs though, I prefer the vise - especially bigger boards.That and roll of painters tape.

[sanadsaad]

Ok so lets finalize a list. What do I absolutely need for building the Crack? Here's what I have come up with:

Solder iron:
http://www.amazon.co.uk/Silverline-Soldering-Iron-Station-48W/dp/B003TO0QX0/ref=pd_sim_sbs_diy_7

Solder:
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/CARDAS-QUAD-EUTECTIC-SOLDER-3-5M-LENGTH-FOR-HI-FI-CABLE-/180510196322?pt=UK_Sound_Vision_Audio_Cable_Terminations&hash=item2a073f0262

Helping hand:
http://www.amazon.co.uk/Bresser-7890001-Magnifier-Third-Hand/dp/B004QIDD9C/ref=sr_1_15?s=diy&ie=UTF8&qid=1342456169&sr=1-15

I already have a multimeter.

Lets add stuff and come up with a good budget setup that I can take home and get started. My max budget is

[Laudanum]

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Rolson-Tools-60335-Helping-Magnifying/dp/B001BMSBD4/ref=sr_1_1?s=diy&ie=UTF8&qid=1342613802&sr=1-1

The Cardas is great solder, easy to work with and you should have plenty with the 3.5 meters you listed as long as you arent planning on doing a ton of solder practice with it.

[sanadsaad]

Ordered everything! The only problem now is the Bottlehead kit which is stuck at British Customs. Shouldnt have labelled it Crack

[earwaxxer]

Ordered everything! The only problem now is the Bottlehead kit which is stuck at British Customs. Shouldnt have labelled it Crack

Totally hilarious --- and ridiculous. I sold a bike frame to someone in Canada once. That was held up forever. They though there was dope stashed in the tubes!

[InfernoSTi]

One little tool that is a constant friend while building a project like the Crack amp (been there, done that!) is a set of curved forceps.  They are perfect for every single task of placement, wrapping, holding in place, etc.  My "go too" tool when I build a project....money very well spent!

http://www.amazon.com/SE-Forceps-Curved-Straight/dp/B000W1Y9YU/ref=sr_1_2?s=industrial&ie=UTF8&qid=1343265324&sr=1-2&keywords=forceps

Best,
John

[sanadsaad]

Finally everything is here! Turns out the $125 dollars I saved up with the speedball upgrade offer I ended up spending on shipping and customs Anyway, im blown away by the kit and the accompanying manuals. Relishing the opportunity to start building it. I purchased one of those minty boost kits to practice a bit of soldering. The cardas solder is here as well. Oh and John, I have those forceps. Im a trainee physician. Tons of good stuff I can use for DIY from the surgeon's trolley

[Laudanum]

I had a couple pairs of those forceps as well many years ago.   I havent used, let alone seen them, in many, many moons  

[earwaxxer]

Yep I like the forceps. Also good for heat sinking the part to protect it while soldering.