# What are you favorite tools of the trade?



## PohTayToez (May 13, 2011)

Title pretty much says it all.  What do you guys recommend for computer repair?

My number one would be a simple 4-in-1 screwdriver, I bet I have at a least a dozen of these floating around.






Then for the little stuff there is this set:




I'd actually recommend this specific set to anyone that does any sort of small electronics repair.  Three different size Phillips and flat head and four torx mean you can take apart pretty much anything no problem, and they're amazingly durable for the price, something that's hard to find with small screwdriver sets.  You can order them here if anyone is interested (great for laptop repair!).  

Speaking of torx, I love this little guy:




Eight different sizes that all fit in a plug that goes in the handle.  Great for someone like me that is always losing pieces.  You can order them from China for really cheap.  

Now here's the one that a lot of people don't know about.  Hemostats were invented for surgery to clamp of blood vessels, but are very useful in electrical work.  Basically their needle nose pliers that lock down.  Great for all kinds of stuff: removing standoffs and jackscrews, clamping stuff to dry, holding wires in place for soldering, fishing out dropped screws in hard to reach places, etc.






Anyway, those are just a few of my favorites.  Anyone got anything to add?  If there is a specific model/brand you think stands out you can link to it in case someone else might want to pick one up for themselves.


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## linkin (May 13, 2011)

For those special occasions 

But seriously, probably just the cheap toolkit I have is more than enough. And maybe a special screwdriver set for those annoying OEM machines with torx screws.

Mechanical pencil with no lead in it for fixing bent pins too.


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## S.T.A.R.S. (May 13, 2011)

When I get pissed of,this is what I use to fix client's computer:





And this is what he gets in the return AFTER he payes me of course :





So who the hell needs the screwdrivers when you can simply perform BOOOOM and problem SOLVED!!!


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## Aastii (May 13, 2011)

Screwdrivers are a given I suppose


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## PohTayToez (May 13, 2011)

What do you use the tack for?


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## tremmor (May 13, 2011)

got the same screwdriver. think from Aco. Ace i have also but with the hex key inserts. 
time and place for hammer. got a couple of those. Like the hemostats i think they are called. I just ask the dentist for his tools when he's tossing. ?
they have another and don't know what its called. scrap your teeth when cleaning. Comes in handy. if you do a lot of solder. do a solder on a mother board say SMT and tracks you can scrape between traces. if i find a picture i will post.


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## tremmor (May 13, 2011)

http://compare.ebay.com/like/160367242582?var=lv&ltyp=AllFixedPriceItemTypes&var=sbar


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## Quiltface (May 13, 2011)

love these


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## tremmor (May 13, 2011)

looks like some kind of extractor. for what?
Not chips. cap resistor maybe. 

also like a solder extractor. sucks it off the board for electronics. 

One note though. I used to build boards and circuits. 
thats why i used what i did and all mentioned above.
not the previous one though. could be useful.
canned air. works well. grounded alligator clips etc.
Don't play much anymore.


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## Quiltface (May 13, 2011)

its just used for picking up small things like screws that fall into hard to reach places.. or placing screws or jumpers so you dont fumble them...


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## Slacker7 (May 13, 2011)

Quiltface said:


> its just used for picking up small things like screws that fall into hard to reach places.. or placing screws or jumpers so you dont fumble them...



This. :good:  Excellent for what Quiltface said.  Also love my digital multimeter.


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## Apoc (May 14, 2011)

Black & Decker cordless Pivot-Driver with a LED light ring. This just makes the job easier and faster.





Screw and accessory kit. *Every body should have one of these kits.*


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## Hsv_Man (May 14, 2011)

I just use a magnetic full screw driver kit that i have thats all i need. Oh and some cable ties and its all good. :good:


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## Laquer Head (May 14, 2011)




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## Casey (May 14, 2011)




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## Shane (May 14, 2011)

A good screwdriver set

*+*


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## PohTayToez (May 14, 2011)

tremmor said:


> got the same screwdriver. think from Aco. Ace i have also but with the hex key inserts.
> time and place for hammer. got a couple of those. Like the hemostats i think they are called. I just ask the dentist for his tools when he's tossing. ?
> they have another and don't know what its called. scrap your teeth when cleaning. Comes in handy. if you do a lot of solder. do a solder on a mother board say SMT and tracks you can scrape between traces. if i find a picture i will post.



I have a set of dental picks as well, I find them handy for taking apart things that have hidden latches like the iPhone 2G and XBox 360.



Quiltface said:


> love these



I can never find mine when I need it, I always just end up magnetizing the longest screwdriver I can find to grab a fallen screw.

Speaking of magnetizing screwdrivers, I always have a few of these laying around:




Plain old magnets pulled from junk hard drives.  If you slide them across a screwdriver in one direction repeatedly it will become magnetized.


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## Quiltface (May 14, 2011)

Telescopic magnet


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## Aastii (May 14, 2011)

PohTayToez said:


> What do you use the tack for?



With the sunk holes, especially on laptops and netbooks, when you have yourself a screw that won't come out, even with a magnetized screwdriver, bit of blu tack on the end of the screwdriver gets it stuck and comes out.

Same concept with getting screws in, keeps them lined up with and stuck to the screwdriver


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## tremmor (May 14, 2011)

i also strip a computer with all screws etc. tower screws, feet. I have boxes of them. also this to magnetize a small screwdriver. had for 10 years. works well. You can magnetize and demagnetize the driver. 
http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=300278118062&viewitem=#vi-content


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## PohTayToez (May 17, 2011)

Aastii said:


> With the sunk holes, especially on laptops and netbooks, when you have yourself a screw that won't come out, even with a magnetized screwdriver, bit of blu tack on the end of the screwdriver gets it stuck and comes out.
> 
> Same concept with getting screws in, keeps them lined up with and stuck to the screwdriver



Oh, nice.  When I have a stuck screw I normally turn it upside down and tap on it a bit, then when that doesn't work I normally just leave the screw sitting loose in it's hole, forget about it, and then spend ten minutes on the ground looking for it when it flies out when I pull the thing apart.  

I also have one of these guys for soldering (called a "third hand):




Doesn't get a ton of use but is very handy (get it?) when it does .


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## S.T.A.R.S. (May 18, 2011)

laquer head said:


>


 
looooooooooool!!!


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## Dngrsone (May 18, 2011)

I work on SMT boards quite a bit at work.  bit of a pain, really.  I have a binocular microscope,  a few dental picks that are ground down to sharp chisels, a some very fine hand-ground soldering iron tips.  I use a Pace variable temperature soldering station.

At home, I have a simpler (read: cheaper) variable-temp soldering iron, plenty of assorted wires, switches, what have you form parted-out computers, magnifier visor (one at home, several at work)...

Oh, and you can't forget:


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## mihir (May 19, 2011)

*Very Important*





*All Purposes* + some other screw drivers.





*Cable Management*





*
For Cleaning*






I use a soldering iron for some minor modding.
And some rubber bands for mounting my FAN on my heatsingk.


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## Dngrsone (May 19, 2011)

peterjames53 said:


> Now here's the one that a lot of people don't know about. Hemostats were invented for surgery to clamp of blood vessels, but are very useful in electrical work. Basically their needle nose pliers that lock down. Great for all kinds of stuff: removing standoffs and jackscrews, clamping stuff to dry, holding wires in place for soldering, fishing out dropped screws in hard to reach places, etc.



Yeah, stats were mentioned already.  I find the locks get in my way oftentimes, so I have two sets-- one set with the locks ground off.

I also have a half-dozen different wire cutters of various utility, and a pair of round-tipped pliers (called chain-nose) for forming wires into loops (I often have to replace switches and such with 24-ga wires and smaller and do some board repair).

I also have a few crimpers-- one set for doing wire splices, another for terminals, and a set specifically for Molex connector pins.  I got that one for making power harnesses.

I haven't got any for those smaller connectors, yet... maybe I'll do that one of these days.


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## OvenMaster (May 20, 2011)

Amazingly, I seem to be able to do about 90% of my PC repair work with one screwdriver: a Vaco DU-2
http://www.caulfieldindustrial.ie/f...1720&PName=Vaco+Reversible-Blade+Screwdrivers


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