Figured I'd start a thread about little obscure tools we use in building that probably go unnoticed by most but make the overall process much better. The big boys (soldering irons, solder type, wire strippers, cutters, etc) get a lot of press, so let's not talk about them here.
For me, it's the ESP multi spanner wrench, which I pulled out of my guitar maintenance kit. You can use it for pots, jacks, switches, etc without ever having to change tools or readjust settings. But where they really come in handy is tightening the nuts on the inside mount DC jacks, as there usually isn't a pile of room to work in, and trying to use a needle nose usually doesn't give the greatest results.
They also work great for prying off press fit knobs, just make sure you put a business card underneath to keep from scratching the finish.
They're available from Stewmac, WD, and all over ebay. Going price is usually about $11.
http://www.stewmac.com/shop/Tools/Wrenches/ESP_Multi_Spanner.html?actn=100101&xst=3&xsr=187810
While it's kind of a "big boy" the dremel has saved my rear a few times.
Also reverse tweezers. The kind you squeeze to open the tips and release to hold on to something.
Sockets with fabric placed on the lip. Anti scratch tightening :)
Josh
Interesting ideas! I really should get a set of reverse tweezers... been meaning to! And I want anti-wicking tweezers, but just because they look cool ;D
I recommend getting a good set of Solder Aid Tools
Quote from: gtr2 on January 14, 2013, 07:49:24 PM
Sockets with fabric placed on the lip. Anti scratch tightening :)
Josh
Oh man, why didn't I think of that!?
Mine are:
- Reverse Tweezers
- Regular Tweezers
- Microscope. Not just for SMT stuff, for any inspection it rocks.
- Toothbrush for cleaning boards.
Spanner wrench looks awesome,I need to have one. I use needle nose pliers,but they tend to slip and pinch my hand. I use a tiny screw driver I got in an order from parts express,I thought it was the dumbest thing ever at first,but now it stays in my kit. One odd thing I found myself using the other day was an earring. The post is the right size for when you're desoldering, soldering iron on one side,earring on the other. Also a hot glue gun. Great for insulating the underside of a pcb while simultaneously sticking it to the enclosure.
Adjustable spanner. Probably an obvious one, though.
A good knife. Two, in fact. One Stanley knife for ripping ANYTHING open, plus cutting drill patterns from A4 paper. One small steak knife, both as a screwdriver for teeny weeny phillips stuff, and as a long pointy thing to hold things down, sometimes. And as a letter opener too.
MASKING TAPE. This is used everywhere.
A weeny flathead screwdriver. It's not immediately obvious when you're buying stuff, but you WILL need it for trimmers, etc.
A metal ruler (a real one with millimeters, not one your nana uses with pounds, chains, and fluid ozzes on it.) Both to measure things when you DON'T have a drill pattern, and so you can cut straight lines when you want with the aforementioned Stanley knife.
An oldschool Dymo label machine for when you can't be arsed with fancy-schmancy graphics.
Because I use prefer Switchcraft full size jacks in my 1590a's I have a set of 1/4" right angle plugs that I cut off a junk patch cable for checking the clearance and positioning. I have an antique metal graver from the 1800's I use to scratch up the little indented area on a wah rocker for the rubber pads. They always seem to fall out and roughing up that area before gluing in new ones really does the trick, especially on Vox V847's and other chrome rocker models. I have a set of 1/4" square nut drivers set up for jacks, switches, and LED bezels are close at hand too, and 13mm open end wrench for wah pots, 14mm fo 3PDT's and DC jacks. All these are held along with snips and wire stripper in a 3/4" thick piece of plywood I drilled and cut out on the edge of my workbench. Everything close at hand but off the bench. I also have some dental picks, burr removal tools, IC puller and small screwdrivers there. Also I have a 9v battery snap to dc jack barrel plug handy for quickly powering pedals. Handy as a gig backup device if my pedalboard power supply took a dump.
Quote from: icecycle66 on January 14, 2013, 08:48:52 PM
Quote from: gtr2 on January 14, 2013, 07:49:24 PM
Sockets with fabric placed on the lip. Anti scratch tightening :)
Josh
Oh man, why didn't I think of that!?
Asking myself the same thing. One of my greatest pains is accidentally scratching a good finish while tightening pot nuts. Anyways, thanks for sharing this Josh!
Quote from: timbo_93631 on January 15, 2013, 04:38:05 AM
Because I use prefer Switchcraft full size jacks in my 1590a's I have a set of 1/4" right angle plugs that I cut off a junk patch cable for checking the clearance and positioning. I have an antique metal graver from the 1800's I use to scratch up the little indented area on a wah rocker for the rubber pads. They always seem to fall out and roughing up that area before gluing in new ones really does the trick, especially on Vox V847's and other chrome rocker models. I have a set of 1/4" square nut drivers set up for jacks, switches, and LED bezels are close at hand too, and 13mm open end wrench for wah pots, 14mm fo 3PDT's and DC jacks. All these are held along with snips and wire stripper in a 3/4" thick piece of plywood I drilled and cut out on the edge of my workbench. Everything close at hand but off the bench. I also have some dental picks, burr removal tools, IC puller and small screwdrivers there. Also I have a 9v battery snap to dc jack barrel plug handy for quickly powering pedals. Handy as a gig backup device if my pedalboard power supply took a dump.
Photo, please!
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well id like to put a big thanks out to Harbor Freight for all the crap i bring home and use on my work bench. i refuse to buy anything of value over $40 bucks, but all the little crap adds up. With a open mind you can make a use for things at Harbor Freight. like this POS i use it for veroboard
http://www.harborfreight.com/3-in-1-hex-bit-countersink-tool-68535.html
http://www.harborfreight.com/6-piece-fine-point-tweezer-set-93598.html
http://www.harborfreight.com/5-1-2-half-inch-locking-clamp-99930.html
Also special thanks goes out to Anheuser Busch
Quote from: gtr2 on January 14, 2013, 07:49:24 PM
While it's kind of a "big boy" the dremel has saved my rear a few times.
Josh
I use a Dremel all the time for drilling holes on homemade pcb's, and more importlantly, I use it to pre-drill my enclosures. I started doing this before I learned about the center punch technique and it worked so well I've just stuck with it.
A tapered reamer I bought at RS back when I was about 12 for $3 or so. Jewelers screw driver set. A set of security screw driver bits from harbor freight. A 3mm chisel tip for my adjustable temp iron. Dental pick. Xacto knife. Flux pen.
Get a magnifying glass.
Helping hands with a big magnifying glass.
Just found a "helping hands" at Harbor Freight for about 5 bucks, has a magnifying glass on it about 3 inch diameter, and it's got led's in it. Plus a solder iron holder and small parts tray built into the cast iron stand. Puts the standard helping hands to shame.
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Three things have changed my life for the better in building pedals:
(http://images.frys.com/art/product/big_shots/6508443.big.jpg)
(http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/41ZsRsroceL._SL500_AA300_.jpg)
(http://www.all-spec.com/images/product/hakko/808-kit.jpg)
I have one of those too, it's way handy for holding pots and wires while you're soldering. I don't use the iron holder, my station has one already.
Absolutely on that solder station. I love my Hakko. One of the best things about that one is the way the iron holder works. It really helps my workflow.
I have the same Panavise too -- a big help.
I hadn't seen that desolder gun before. It looks nice!
I just received that exact soldering station for my birthday. I love it! Finally get to retire my Rat Shack iron.
Yeah, everyone should have a Panavise.
Quote from: RobA on January 29, 2013, 02:53:52 AM
I hadn't seen that desolder gun before. It looks nice!
It really is insanely awesome. Tonight I used it to remove 4 board-mount pots and 2 board-mount jacks from a plated through-hole PCB...took about 2 minutes from start to totally finished.
It ain't cheap, though. I got it as a Xmas gift. ;)
+1 on the Tapered Reamer. I think it was suggested in Electronic Projects for Musicians so I grabbed one--it's the only surviving thing from those days.
I use a loupe quite a lot. And a chart that converts 334 to 330nF to .3uF to 330,000pF, because i've got better uses for my feeble brainpower than storing stuff like that.
Quote from: ch1naski on January 15, 2013, 05:27:11 AM
Photo, please!
(http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-vgk-PfPSORw/UF-p_M8jfuI/AAAAAAAAAF0/qbsMTDIm9vc/s1600/P1030937.JPG)
In the lower middle of the picture to the left of the small desk you can see it, and the workspace in general
I don't think I've seen it mentioned anywhere, but next time I see one of those little cordless electric-motorized screwdrivers at Mitre 10 Mega, I'm getting one.
I'm sick of doing up and undoing four blimmin' screws on the bottom of these enclosures.
Picked up a heat gun at the Ware-whare with some Xmas money :) no more using the soldering iron on heatshrink! (A Bic lighter doesn't work. The heatshrink just catches fire.)