Your favourite piece of electronic kit?

[ants]

What is your favourite electronic piece of kit, a tool or supply you wouldn't want to live without? The reason I'm asking is because I have £5 in parts in my shopping basket but there is a minimum order of £20. I've never been in the situation where there was really nothing else I needed. So I just want to know what is your best bit of kit for £15 ($25) or less, I will consider buying it.

Thanks,

Ant.

 

[keith1200rs]

Really good side cutters, de-solder braid, solder tip cleaner, magnifying glass, magnifying lamp, adjustable spanner (tiny one), E12 resistor set in whatever size you normally use.

Keith

---------- Post added at 23:07 ---------- Previous post was at 23:06 ----------

Really good surface mount tweezers.

 

[ants]

The magnifying lamp and tiny adjustable spanner are worth looking at, so too the side cutters. I have some favourite clippers but I keep using them to break up board to re-use chips and ruin them. I tend to take pics of smd components with my digital camera then zoom in on them.

On balance I think I need better side cutters. What do you use the tiny adjustable spanner to do?

Thanks,

Ant.

 

[uoficowboy]

I'd be interested to hear favorite part numbers.

My favorites:

heavy duty tweezers: Erem 00 SA
fine tweezers: Wiha AA SA ESD
scissors: Wiss 175E
side cutters: Erem (don't have part number in front of me, though they're more like $55)

 

[pranam77]

On balance I think I need better side cutters. What do you use the tiny adjustable spanner to do? Thanks, Ant.

Obviously it should be for loosening and tightning various "nuts" found in electronics.

 

[keith1200rs]

What do you use the tiny adjustable spanner to do?

It doesn't matter how many spanners you have, you never have the right size. I find them useful for dismantling equipment.

Keith.

 

[ants]

I just bought an adjustable spanner - a 'hook' one. I have never seen one of those it'll be interesting to have a look.

**broken link removed**

And also some cutters. The next time I am in a pound shop (budget store) I will look for some cheap/strong pliers for tearing apart board, so I don't ruin them.

DURATOOL|PL-501|CUTTER, MICRO, 5" | Farnell United Kingdom

Thanks,

Ant.

 

[Rob B]

Ordering from Farnell?

Can't go wrong with Lindstrom cutters and pliers, expensive but they last when looked after (not cutting m2.5 screws etc). They also make nice tweezers which might be in your price range.

Probes are also useful, especially for rework: DURATOOL|DT5197/3|SET OF 3 S/S PROBES | Farnell United Kingdom

I won't buy Wiha again after I had to send a set of nut runners back because the chrome was flaking off straight out of the box.

 

[ants]

Now I've seem them I want those probes, they are in the next basket which isn't so urgent. I'm not sure if Farnell are expensive or not? I do occasionally buy from RS or Rapid but it can be hard navigating around electronics websites so now I know the Farnell website it is easier to buy from them.