Tools

This page lists the most useful tools in electronics and is not comprehensive. Better quality tools and materials will make the process easier and more enjoyable. Buy these as you find a need and shop around, don't attempt to buy everything at once. Read around the web to try and find out which will be the most suitable for your needs and budget.

Basic tools and materials
The basics you should have for a well equipped workspace.
 * Solder bench – A well lit and well ventilated workspace, where your work in progress can be left undisturbed. To avoid ingesting particles of solder, don't eat or drink here.
 * Power strips – Don't overload these.
 * Shelves, tool racks or pegboard – To have the items and tools you need readily to hand.
 * LED gooseneck light
 * Fume extractor and/or desktop fan – To keep flux fumes away from your face.
 * Soldering station – This is a temperature controlled soldering iron, set to suit the particular solder you're using.
 * Soldering iron holder
 * Soldering iron tips – Tin before use and keep them clean and use only with solder.
 * Soldering iron tip cleaner – Brass wool is better than a damp cellulose sponge. Don't use a plastic sponge.
 * Solder – 63/37 eutectic Sn/Pb (tin/lead) solder with a rosin flux core, or 60/40 tin/lead with a rosin flux core, 0.5 mmm diameter or less.
 * Leaded solder melts at lower temperatures than unleaded, is easier to work with and will form better solder joints. It is a blend of tin (Sn) and lead (Pb), with a melting point around 180-190°C. Tin is selected for its lower melting point while lead is used to inhibit the growth of tin whiskers. The surface tension of molten leaded solder is generally better at causing SMDs to self align on the PCB. Soldering with leaded solder is not dangerous. Lead is absorbed by ingestion and not through the skin. Wash your hands after handling leaded solder. Lead-free solder is not used in industries where robustness is critically important (aerospace, avionics, medical, military, etc.) Only use lead-free solder when you have a product to sell where leaded is forbidden. Those regions that forbid leaded solder do so primarily because of environmental reasons and not for health and safety. Flux is released during soldering. It deoxidize the metal surfaces, prevents further oxidation and improves the wetting properties of the solder. In electronics the flux is usually rosin, acid fluxes are for plumbing and not for electronics. Sn60Pb40 has a plastic range, puts down a slightly thicker coating of solder and is often preferred for lead tinning. Sn63Pb37 is eutectic, it flows better than Sn60 and is the preferred alloy for surface mount applications. Without doubt if you want good solder joints, you need good solder.


 * Flux – Only necessary for SMT hand soldering
 * 99% Isopropyl alcohol (IPA) – For cleaning flux residue, check that you're using the correct flux solvent for the particular solder you're using.
 * Acid brush – Trim the bristles to make them stiffer, for cleaning PCBs with IPA post-soldering.
 * Kitchen roll or Kimwipes – Use these to clean off the flux and IPA residue.
 * Eye protection – Spectacles with large enough lenses to protect your eyes from hot solder.
 * Wire strippers – Ensure these only remove the insulation and don't nick the wire.
 * Good quality flush cutters – For cutting component leads and thin wires, don't use these for anything except your finest work.
 * Diagonal cutters – For larger wires, use larger tougher ones for household, gardening, and automotive purposes.
 * Small long nose pliers – For bending and straightening leads.
 * Fine tipped antimagnetic tweezers for SMT hand soldering
 * Desoldering pump – Can lift solder tracks and pads if heated too often.
 * Desoldering braid – Gentler for desoldering, get good quality fluxed braid.
 * PCB holder/vice – You can manage without this
 * Magnifier – Handheld and a jewellers 10x loupe for examining your work, or an Optivisor.
 * Multimeter – With input impedance greater than 1 MO, able to read low resistance values and with an audible continuity tester. With an analogue multimeter the motion of the needle makes it easy to understand the circuit behaviour.
 * Reverse action tweezers – To hold small parts and components in position, to heatsink leads on delicate components.
 * Hot air gun – For SMT and for heatshrink sleeving
 * Tinned copper wire – For links or use trimmed component leads.
 * Lead bending tool
 * Components – To suit your project.
 * Capacitor discharger – Some capacitors can hold enough of a charge to injure or kill you.

YouTube

 * EEVblog #168 – How To Set Up An Electronics Lab, 29 Apr 2011
 * EEVblog #180 - Soldering Tutorial Part 1 - Tools, 18 Jun 2011
 * EEVblog #954 – How To Setup An Electronics Lab For $300, Dec 2016
 * Collin's Lab: Electronics Tools, 4 Oct 2011

Projects

 * USB Oscilloscope With Signal Generator by Jan Henrik, Instructables
 * Audible Logic Probe
 * Making a DIY Capacitor Discharge Tool