« previous next »
Pages:  [1]     Go Down

Author Topic: Tools!  (Read 2586 times)

0 Members and 1 Guest are viewing this topic.

Offline Phaedrus2129

  • Thread Starter
  • Posts: 1131
Tools!
« on: Thu, 18 March 2010, 11:43:48 »
Just got some electronics tools to work/play with. Went to Harbor Freight Tools and got:

Digital Multimeter
30W electrical soldering iron (the type that heats the solder without putting current through it)
Solder
Safety glasses

I'm also going to pick up a solder sucker of Amazon and may be able to get my hands on an oscilloscope.


Now, I know HBT isn't a great place for tools. The vast majority of what they sell is cheap Chinese knock-offs. But that's ok. I'm not a professional electrician or anything, I'm not even a devoted hobbyist. I'm just testing the waters, seeing what I can do with this stuff without having to drop $50+ on it. So far I've only spent $17. :)


I'm going to experiment by essentially destroying an old Antec TruePower PSU that had bad caps. I got to a certain point and found that everything on the PCB is held on by solder too strong to break with the hands (I did get one ferrite coil off, but that was it and it took some effort).



So, any tips for desoldering or soldering or anything of the sort?
Logged
Daily Driver: Noppoo Choc Mini
Currently own: IBM Model M 1391401 1988,  XArmor U9 prototype
Previously owned: Ricercar SPOS, IBM M13 92G7461 1994, XArmor U9BL, XArmor U9W prototype, Cherry G80-8200LPDUS, Cherry G84-4100, Compaq MX-11800, Chicony KB-5181 (SMK Monterey), Reveal KB-7061, Cirque Wave Keyboard (ergonomic rubber domes), NMB RT101 (rubber dome), Dell AT101W

Offline megarat

  • Posts: 202
  • Location: Squirt Island, WA, USA
  • (Not My Real Name)
    • http://www.megarat.com
Tools!
« Reply #1 on: Thu, 18 March 2010, 12:57:15 »
For desoldering, the two typical methods seem to be:  (a) a desoldering pump; (b) desoldering braid.  I've used both but prefer the latter; your taste may vary.  Both of the above can be found at Rat Shack for about US$10/$4 respectively.

The best way to get into soldering and desoldering is to jump in with both feet.  Experimenting with something non-functional is a good way to develop technique, but there's no substitute for soldering up something that needs to function properly at the end of the day.  Ideally you'll start with simple projects and ratchet up the difficulty as you go.

UPDATE:  Definitely check out the tutorial linked to by ripster ... certainly worth reading.  The link is buried beneath his photo.  (I missed it the first time through.)

BTW, I'm also a fan of Harbor Freight.  They have some fun stuff there.  I just ordered a few nibblers from them earlier this week, for my Mystery Keyboard Project X.
« Last Edit: Thu, 18 March 2010, 12:59:47 by megarat »
Logged

Home/Work:  Custom Filco FKBN87Z/EB and SGI 041-0136-001 chimera (original white ALPS, not simplified, rubber-dampened)
Gaming:  Wolfking Warrior with custom-colored layout, HHKB Lite 2 (Rubber dome)

Offline didjamatic

  • Posts: 1352
Tools!
« Reply #2 on: Thu, 18 March 2010, 13:55:41 »
I've bought some things from Harbor Freight with great success.  I have a sand blasting cabinet in my garage from there (ok, it leaked bad so I had to caulk the everliving out of it but now works grand), I got a 3ft. breaker bar for $15, plenty of odds and ends.  If you buy cautiously and knowing that it might break on you, there are many great deals there.

I've been digging for a soldering iron at home for over a week and can't find either of the 2 I own.  I might have to break down and get a new one, so I can complete this prank project.  A guy at work uses capslock too frequently and I tease him about it.  I already remapped a guy's capslock to launch "You Can't Touch This" by MC Hammer using Autohotkey.  Now it's time for phase 2... I found a greeting card that plays that same song and I'm going to pull this prank on him since i have an identical Dell keyboard at home to swap his with.  I found a NPN switching transistor in my 500 in 1 electronics lab kit so I have everything but my soldering iron.

« Last Edit: Thu, 18 March 2010, 14:01:20 by didjamatic »
Logged
IBM F :: IBM M :: Northgate :: Cherry G80 :: Realforce :: DAS 4

Offline kriminal

  • Posts: 424
Tools!
« Reply #3 on: Thu, 18 March 2010, 14:01:49 »
oohh bought that exact same nibbler from radioshack for my case modding project.
it cuts thin aluminum and steel with ease.
however i think i will acquire this

interesting stuff on soldering will check that out for sure.

edit: LOL thats alot of work for a prank hahahah
« Last Edit: Thu, 18 March 2010, 14:03:50 by kriminal »
Logged
Geekhacked Filco FKBN87M/EB modified with Brown, black and blue cherries, doubleshot keycaps
Deck KBA-BL82 with Black cherries
Cherry G84-4100LCMDK-0 Cherry ML switches
Cherry G80-8200hpdus-2 Brown cherries
IBM Lexmark 51G8572 Model M Keyboard
Geekhacked Siig Minitouch KB1948
IBM Model M Mini 1397681

Offline itlnstln

  • Posts: 7048
Tools!
« Reply #4 on: Thu, 18 March 2010, 14:02:56 »
I thought ripster was going to start talking about some of our members in this thread.
Logged

Offline Phaedrus2129

  • Thread Starter
  • Posts: 1131
Tools!
« Reply #5 on: Thu, 18 March 2010, 14:03:44 »
Hm, I heard that tools from Harbor Freight were second or third tier, and I assumed that was correct because of the low prices. In any case I'm looking forward to experimenting with this. :)
Logged
Daily Driver: Noppoo Choc Mini
Currently own: IBM Model M 1391401 1988,  XArmor U9 prototype
Previously owned: Ricercar SPOS, IBM M13 92G7461 1994, XArmor U9BL, XArmor U9W prototype, Cherry G80-8200LPDUS, Cherry G84-4100, Compaq MX-11800, Chicony KB-5181 (SMK Monterey), Reveal KB-7061, Cirque Wave Keyboard (ergonomic rubber domes), NMB RT101 (rubber dome), Dell AT101W

Offline Phaedrus2129

  • Thread Starter
  • Posts: 1131
Tools!
« Reply #6 on: Thu, 18 March 2010, 14:14:48 »
Hm, should a brand new 9V battery be reading 9.60V on the multimeter?
Logged
Daily Driver: Noppoo Choc Mini
Currently own: IBM Model M 1391401 1988,  XArmor U9 prototype
Previously owned: Ricercar SPOS, IBM M13 92G7461 1994, XArmor U9BL, XArmor U9W prototype, Cherry G80-8200LPDUS, Cherry G84-4100, Compaq MX-11800, Chicony KB-5181 (SMK Monterey), Reveal KB-7061, Cirque Wave Keyboard (ergonomic rubber domes), NMB RT101 (rubber dome), Dell AT101W

Offline InSanCen

  • Posts: 560
Tools!
« Reply #7 on: Thu, 18 March 2010, 14:30:27 »
yup, pretty much. If it reads 9v, it's probably on the way out.
Logged
Currently Using :- IBM M13 1996, Black :
Currently Own :- 1391406 1989 & 1990 : AT Model F 1985 : Boscom 122 (Black) : G80-3000 : G80-1800 (x2) : Wang 724 : G81-8000LPBGB (Card Reader, MY) : Unitek : AT102W : TVS Gold :
Project\'s :- Wang 724 Pink-->White Clicky : USB Model M : IBM LPFK :
Pointing stuff :- Logitech MX-518 : I-One Lynx R-15 Trackball : M13 Nipple : Microsoft Basic Optical\'s :

Offline Phaedrus2129

  • Thread Starter
  • Posts: 1131
Tools!
« Reply #8 on: Thu, 18 March 2010, 22:16:05 »
Soldering things is fun. :D


I'm taking apart an old Antec TruePower 480W that had the usual bad capacitors problem. Wasn't worth it to fix it, so I'm practicing soldering and desoldering on it.
Logged
Daily Driver: Noppoo Choc Mini
Currently own: IBM Model M 1391401 1988,  XArmor U9 prototype
Previously owned: Ricercar SPOS, IBM M13 92G7461 1994, XArmor U9BL, XArmor U9W prototype, Cherry G80-8200LPDUS, Cherry G84-4100, Compaq MX-11800, Chicony KB-5181 (SMK Monterey), Reveal KB-7061, Cirque Wave Keyboard (ergonomic rubber domes), NMB RT101 (rubber dome), Dell AT101W
Pages:  [1]     Go Up
« previous next »