What else will I need..? - Page 1
Forum section: electronics / testgear

author: Unknown
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: August 15, 2015, 11:07:32 pm
content: deleted

author: Aodhan145
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: August 15, 2015, 11:11:53 pm
content: Lots and lots of solder wick/braid and lots of flux. I find a hot air station very useful but not necessary.

author: retiredcaps
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: August 15, 2015, 11:15:52 pm
content: Quote from: McCarthy on August 15, 2015, 11:07:32 pmHave you seen this?

author: PaulAm
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: August 16, 2015, 07:41:06 pm
content: Get some decent pliers, nutdrivers and allen wrenches.Do not buy cheap allen wrenches. You really don't want one to snap off when in a set screw down a hole. I'm not going to tell you how I know this. Let's just say it's the voice of experience.The difference between crap pliers and good ones is not to be believed. I've been pretty happy with Excelta, but there are other good brands.A decent set of tweezers is very useful.Also cleaning swabs, high purity alcohol for cleaning,a small torch for shrink tubing.Start doing stuff and you'll figure out what you need.

author: retiredcaps
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: August 16, 2015, 08:27:15 pm
content: Quote from: McCarthy on August 15, 2015, 11:07:32 pmI'm jealous with the above two. Those two alone will cost you close to $1000 USD if purchased new.

author: tautech
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: August 16, 2015, 09:31:51 pm
content: SMD basic stuff:http://www.aliexpress.com/wholesale?catId=0&initiative_id=AS_20150816132420&SearchText=head+magnifierThese SMD component books are great:http://www.aliexpress.com/item/High-Quality-SMD0805-Resistors-0R-10M-1-1-8W-170valuesx50pcs-8500pcs-0805-SMD-Resistors-Assorted-Kit/32398054807.html

author: PaulAm
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: August 17, 2015, 12:36:48 am
content: Along that line, I have some 3.5x binocular surgical loupes which are pretty handy. You can get them pretty cheap now out of China. If you're going to be doing smd work a magnifier of some sort is pretty useful.

author: nctnico
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: August 17, 2015, 01:22:16 am
content: Quote from: tautech on August 16, 2015, 09:31:51 pmI wouldn't get the cheap SMD component kits from Ebay / Aliexpress. The quality of the components is very low (high temp. co and tolerances may not be met). I buy A-brand SMD components just to be sure I have good parts for my prototypes/projects.

author: troyosaurus2014
author_rank: Newbie
timestamp: August 17, 2015, 02:09:58 am
content: I guess this would be first post.For SMT/SMD parts, the best I could go with is the SMT/SMD book from adafruithttp://www.adafruit.com/product/441

author: tggzzz
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: August 17, 2015, 08:13:05 am
content: Quote from: McCarthy on August 15, 2015, 11:07:32 pmFirstly, good for you and have fun!Secondly, you'll lose. Despite your best intentions, youwillmiss somethings. Deal with itFor me yesterday it was a couple of BNC couplershttp://www.maplin.co.uk/p/bnc-male-coupler-fe86t, so I'm off to the local shop today. With a little forethought, EBay and Farnell/RS/Digikey/Mouser are very good - I get components delivered free the next working day. EBay trick: choose "located in your own country" and even then check the delivery times carefully!Thirdly, what you need will depend on exactly what you are doing, so it is impossible for us to give more information. OTOH, with a little imagination and taking thingsone tinystep at a time, it is possible to do an awful lot with very little. Back in the 70s that meant an LED, an analogue multimeter, a switch, and a range of scavenged resistorshttps://entertaininghacks.wordpress.com/2015/02/21/vintage-hacking-or-the-past-is-a-foreign-country-they-do-things-differently-there/Fourthly, don't forget scope probes; I expect that some will come with the scope. Good ones will cost more than the scope! To flearn more, have a look athttps://entertaininghacks.wordpress.com/2015/02/25/oscilloscope-probes/and some of the associated tagged pages.Fifthly, unless you are unfortunate enough to have Parkinsons or unusually poor eyesight, don't be afraid of SMD components. They are much easier to use than I hoped, and you don't need much equipment. There are many web sites with advice; my experiences are athttps://entertaininghacks.wordpress.com/category/homebrew-pcbs/