Tool Recommendation

[inefficiency]

So, I've been trying to slowly gather all the tools I'm likely to need for all this electronics business and so far I've been through 3 sets of wire strippers. One broke after maybe a dozen uses and the other two can't strip small enough wires. I've also had a soldering iron die after one use and another had the tip corroded away into nothing after using it for a month or so.

So I was wondering if we could get a little thread where we can discuss, share or recommend quality tools at whatever budget is needed.

Right now, I need another set of wire strippers. I don't want to spend a lot of money, but I don't want them to crap out on me. Can anyone point a decent set out before I buy another piece of garbage?

A decent price on drill bits for jack socket and footswitch holes would be nice as well. I have every size leading up to those, but those big boys can be pricey, so I haven't grabbed any yet.

[Vince]

For drill bits I'd get some step bits. Much easier to drill all the holes using one or two bits

http://www.ebay.co.uk/sch/i.html?_trksid=p3984.m570.l1313.TR5.TRC1.A0.H0.Xstep+drill+bit&_nkw=step+drill+bit&_sacat=0&_from=R40

Wire strippers, bit pricey but I've had mine for ages and they're still perfect. You may find them cheaper elsewhere

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/AK2265-SEALEY-AUTOMATIC-WIRE-STRIPPING-TOOL-PISTOL-GRIP-WIRE-STRIPPERS-NEW-/360858911220?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_3&hash=item5404de01f4

I use a bog standard Xytronic soldering iron and have the same tip for about 4 months now. I solder most days and it's still good to go

[inefficiency]

I've never used step bits. Gonna have to check out how those work, but they look pretty reasonably priced.

Do most wire strippers of that type go down to a low enough gauge? Obviously those ones do if you're using them, but I might try and snag a cheap set. Although if they work well and will last, I might just get those.

I don't even know the gauge of wire I use. I just grabbed a bundle of solid core last time I got some stuff from bitsbox.

I'm good soldering iron-wise, but if my current one ever packs in, I'll check out Xytronic.

[alltrax74]

You will find anything you need at Musikding
Low prices and very good quality
And it's in Germany so no taxes for you in the UK

[Beaker]

I use those wire strippers as well. They will take any guage wire, from tiny to 6mm diameter. As they use two overlapping V shaped blades, they don't need to be "set" to the gauge of wire you are working with, which is why they are refered to as "automatic" wire strippers. They also have a handy adjustable depth stop so all your stripped ends are the same length.

Like anything, they will wear out eventually - mine have and I need to buy a new set - but they have lasted me about six or seven years.

The cheap soldering irons sold in places like Maplins are utterly useless, with a life expectancy of months at best.

I use a Xytronic 137ESD soldering station, which is superb. When I bought it about 12 years ago, I bought spare tips, which I have never used - the originals are still going strong! I rotate between Fine tips for electronics up to Big chisel tips for soldering the ground wire to guitar trem claws.

Individual drill bits can be found cheap on eBay - better than buying a set. Look for quality industrial grade ones - search for "12mm jobber drill" and go for names like Dormer, Presto, Guhring or Titex. Even 12mm ones can be had for 5 or 6 quid.

[IvIark]

I got these wire strippers and they've worked faultlessly for a number of years now

http://www.rapidonline.com/Tools-Equipment/Weicon-Professional-Wire-Stripper-No-5-86-0320?sourceRefKey=44CxjlzPh&filterSearchScope=1

The ones I had previously started to get annoying, not stripping some wires, or pulling apart the cores as well as the insulation.

For a soldering iron I used a Xytronic iron for years like this one.  It's excellent and still going strong now:

http://www.rapidonline.com/tools-equipment/xytronic-105v-soldering-iron-85-6782

A couple of years ago I also bought a soldering station because I liked the idea of the hot air for de-soldering and also to use for other things like using shrink wrap without having to hold a lighter underneath it.  This is the one I bought and it too is very good

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/350849547506

But I only paid about £70 for it so the price has jumped up a lot.  The variable temperature is very nice because you can obviously fine tune it to the melting point of your solder, but the iron itself doesn't feel as robust as my Xytronic one.

[Beaker]

Do yourself a favour and get a set of centre drills, for super accurate start holes. Something like these:

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/RDGTOOLS-SET-OF-4-CENTRE-DRILLS-BS1-2-3-AND-4-/290662342598?pt=UK_Home_Garden_PowerTools_SM&hash=item43acd35fc6

[inefficiency]

Thanks for the great recommendations guys!

I've been able to manage with what I have at the minute, but it's been less than ideal. So these will help a lot. This will be a good thread for people who are new to this to find some good equipment straight away and not find out the hard way like myself.

It would seem that those automatic pistol-grip style strippers are the way to go. If they last 6-7 years like Beaker's have, then it's not exactly a big deal having to replace them.

I've had the problem with strippers damaging the cores, Mark. The current ones I want to replace have a habit of doing that. There's kind of a "knack" to using them which just takes too long and is unreliable.

I always fancied one of those soldering stations, but they're a big spend for my budget. I have an iron and a heat gun though, so it'd just be a luxury/convenience really.

Looks like the Xytronic stuff is getting rave reviews though. I only just got a new iron recently and have yet to see how it lasts - I hope I don't regret not getting one of those instead!

Alltrax's link looks pretty reasonable. Check out these;

http://www.musikding.de/Wire-stripper-automatic

http://www.musikding.de/Wire-stripper-comfort

I don't know if the 3.50euro ones will last, but for that price I wouldn't mind replacing them often. The "comfort" ones might be a bit longer lasting.

[Beaker]

Those cheap ones are ok, but have two flat jaws, so only pull the insulation at two points. The more expensive ones have two "V" shaped jaws ( <> shaped arrangement). they cut and pull the insulation at four points. Result - cleaner cuts with less damage to the wire cores.

[inefficiency]

Gotcha. OK, well if I order anything else from there, I'll grab em - failing that I'll just grab the ones Vince has seeing as they're not a great deal more expensive and come with a recommendation.

Another conversation point might be Multimeters. My situation with them is pretty funny. I have one that is pretty decent. It gives fast, accurate readings - but it can't measure transistors. I have another one that is a complete piece of crap that looks like a toy, but it has a little adapter for measuring transistors, so I have to keep it just for that purpose. I ended up with the crappy one because they sent me it by accident when I ordered the other one and when I told them, they just told me I could keep it because it wasn't worth the postage, haha.

Getting graphics onto my pedals is next on the agenda. Currently my builds are either unpainted or just painted one colour with no graphics. I'm not artistic, so hand-painted is out of the question.

I've seen Vince's recent sexy etchings that look awesome.

What's everyone's views on this sort of thing?

 http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/X1-sheet-inkjet-water-slide-decal-transfer-paper-clear-white-A4-/261474393719?pt=UK_Crafts_Other_Crafts_EH&var=&hash=item82779c2066

[tyler9durden]

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/AT969D-Digital-Soldering-Station-150C-450C-220V-Ship-from-UK-EXtra-accessories-/321215786134?pt=UK_VG_Replacement_Parts_Tools&hash=item4ac9f3ec96

I made an offer on this for just under £40 been good value and nice quality. try a cheeky offer - might be lucky.

[Timoren]

I really like my Hakko stuff. I have an FX-888D solder station, Hakko wire snips and strippers I really cant say enough about the snips, the quality is just terrific. I've used them to cut up strip board and they are still sharp as new. The solder station is worth every penny too. It heats up super fast and the cable connecting the pencil to the base is very flexible so you don't have to wrestle it.