If you’re missing any of these from your workbench, you’ll be creating more work… for yourself. Take a look at our handy dandy list and see what you’re missing that could make your projects easier, more efficient, and ultimately, just plain old FUN!!!
3rd Hand – A third hand is absolutely necessary for any serious electronics work. Unless you have the most patient and steady partner (not likely) to assist you, you’re going to want a third hand. Basically, they consist of two adjustable alligator clips mounted to a heavy piece of metal that free up your hands to solder and assemble.
Multimeter – If you don’t have a multimeter, then may I quote The Big Lebowski: “You are entering a world of pain!” Without a multimeter, you’ll find yourself doing alot of guesswork when it comes to whether an old pot still works, whether the continuity of the circuit broke down at a specific point, or what voltage your new motor modification really is rated at.
Mini-Vac – There’ll come a time when you neckbeards out there need to clean up. Resistors are cheap, solder is cheaper, and having a mini-vac will save you the hassle of stepping on a pointy component. Pamper yourself and get a mini vac.
Breadboard – If you’re going to create an original circuit, you’re going to need a breadboard to prototype. Simple as that. Swapping parts and modifying designs is easier without solder. Stay tuned for our article on why you can’t live without one. And, if you’re really a pro, you’ll have a few of these babies lying around…
Sponge – No, not the contraceptive used in Seinfeld episodes. You need a sponge to save your soldering iron tips from the carbon that tends to collect on them after heavy usage. But, if you’ve neglected to heed our advice, there’s always our handy article on repairing soldering iron tips.
Dremel – Sweet Jesus, if you don’t have a Dremel hand drill, you are failing at life. Especially when it comes down to mounting your circuit boards in tiny crevices or routing out a new pilot hole for screws, you need a Dremel drill. They also have an incredible assortment of attachments that can really come in handy if you’re doing something else besides working up the latest DIYaudiocircuits project (known as: a waste of time!).
Comfortable Chair – While this might sound ridiculous, a comfortable chair is essential for long, enjoyable hours of bench-testing. What you should be looking for is back-support and the swiveling armless variety. I’ve had many blobs of solder launched at me from a stray elbow knocking against an arm. And forget about a stool – Backpain City!
Solder Sucker – Solder has a mind of its own, much like the villain in Terminator 2. And if you try to keep your project neat with no stray blobs of solder to short out things, you’ll need a solder sucker. Essentially, its a vacuum tube that acts on button-release, “inhaling” liquid solder. When the vacuum is primed by pushing down the piston, out comes a neat little solder-blob that you can empty straight into the trash can.
Jeweler’s Screwdriver Set – A flathead and a Philips’ head screwdriver should be issued from birth, but what about those tiny screws? You’re screwed! No, you’re not if you purchase a set of jeweler’s screwdrivers! They’re essential for assembly work and usually only cost $1 in most discount stores. Of course, you won’t get much torque from just your fingers, but if you combine these little babies with pliers, you can get anything open!
Wire Stripper – Ever have to strip wires, only to find that the copper itself keeps breaking? We know you feel and we have the perfect solution: wire strippers. They come equipped with wire cutters set to the exact gauge of the wire, loop holes for twisting wire, screw shears, and a crimp tool for quick-disconnects terminals. So much flexibility!
Gerber Multitool – If there’s one tool that’s save me countless burns and endless headaches, its a Gerber Multitool. The pliers are always needed to tear into a fresh circuit-bending project, the wire cutters are always useful, and the bottle openers are there to open up a nice, tasty craft beer!
Component Drawer – Ever try looking for a specific electrolytic capacitor in a bag full of mixed values? Ever have an LED go missing in a pointy sea of diodes, resistors, and loose bits of wire? Sure, you have! And that’s why you need a handy box on your workbench to locate specific electronic parts. Jameco sells component drawers that come equipped with labels, alleviating much of the guesswork that bogs most DIY-er’s down.
Flex Light – Haven’t you listened to your mother’s advice? There’s a reason most engineers wear glasses: poor lighting. Rather than scanning PCB’s in the dark, scouring for a cold solder joint and a broken connection, you could easily crane a flex light and save the day – and your eye-fatigue. This beats just having a lamp, which isn’t “flexible” enough to meet your requirements. (Geeky alternative: You can use a LED headlamp, but you’d look ridiculous!)
Magnifying Glass – Sometimes overlooked (pun intended!), a magnifying glass can really come in handy when you’re looking at tiny parts and trying to suss out where your project went wrong (usually cold solder joints). That, and it helps to not go blind staring into electronic oblivion! Plus, you can pretend to be Sherlock Holmes and solve some mysteries. Jameco has some excellent 3rd hand devices that come with a mounted magnifying glass – two birds, one stone!
