Workshop advice please

[Audio Al]

Hi
I am considering setting up a small workshop ( Spare bedroom ) to have a play with all audio gear I have :)

Somewhere I can do box swapping with a pair of speakers permanently in place , switch and swap amps / Tuners / cassette players / CDP's etc and the possible repair / upgrades etc

What tools / equipment would you need / suggest to do the repair / fault finding side of things ?

I have a Soldering station and a solder sucker
A Bosch digital meter ( should I have a analogue one as well ? )

Do I need a scope if so can you suggest a basic model

Anything else apart from hand tools to disassemble / re assemble

Any advice most welcome :)

[Tarzan]

What about yer lounge and Kitchen:eyebrows:

[Audio Al]

I do it in the lounge now and it make the place look untidy :lol:

[walpurgis]

Half the problem is you never know in advance of a job, exactly what tools you're going to end up using. Soldering gear obviously for many jobs, I have irons in different sizes and they have varying heat ranges. A selection of end wire cutters, side cutters, short and long nosed pliers and cranked ones (very useful). Craft knives and scalpels. A selection of small spanners/sockets and some decent screwdrivers of all types. Latest addition is two self gripping tweezers (cranked and straight), they've earned their keep already. A thick board with a small vise mounted on it is handy too. I bought a good precision screwdrivers set with loads of interchangeable tips and that is very worthwhile. I keep a high speed multi tool (Dremel type) handy as that is often needed. A couple of very long thin screwdrivers, slot and Phillips types can be worth their weight in gold. If you work on speakers an LCR meter is worth getting, I've used mine quite a few times. I've got mountains of tools and the list of what may be useful is endless really.

Oh, and have a bag of various sized and coloured heat shrink sleeving available. That is always in demand.

[Ant]

If you're planning on doing a lot of soldering, a pot of this (http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Multicore-Soldering-Iron-Tip-Cleaner-Tinner-/120962685416#vi-content) is handy. Also heat shunts like these (http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/2-Pc-Tweezer-Set-Straight-Curved-Heat-Shunt-Engineer-Hobies-Crafts-etc-V0380-/360407363167?pt=UK_BOI_Electrical_Components_Suppl ies_ET&hash=item53e9f3ee5f) are useful.

[Audio Al]

If you're planning on doing a lot of soldering, a pot of this (http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Multicore-Soldering-Iron-Tip-Cleaner-Tinner-/120962685416#vi-content) is handy. Also heat shunts like these (http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/2-Pc-Tweezer-Set-Straight-Curved-Heat-Shunt-Engineer-Hobies-Crafts-etc-V0380-/360407363167?pt=UK_BOI_Electrical_Components_Suppl ies_ET&hash=item53e9f3ee5f) are useful.

Both items ordered , Thanks

[Audio Al]

Half the problem is you never know in advance of a job, exactly what tools you're going to end up using. Soldering gear obviously for many jobs, I have irons in different sizes and they have varying heat ranges. A selection of end wire cutters, side cutters, short and long nosed pliers and cranked ones (very useful). Craft knives and scalpels. A selection of small spanners/sockets and some decent screwdrivers of all types. Latest addition is two self gripping tweezers (cranked and straight), they've earned their keep already. A thick board with a small vise mounted on it is handy too. I bought a good precision screwdrivers set with loads of interchangeable tips and that is very worthwhile. I keep a high speed multi tool (Dremel type) handy as that is often needed. A couple of very long thin screwdrivers, slot and Phillips types can be worth their weight in gold. If you work on speakers an LCR meter is worth getting, I've used mine quite a few times. I've got mountains of tools and the list of what may be useful is endless really.

Oh, and have a bag of various sized and coloured heat shrink sleeving available. That is always in demand.

Cheers Geoff , lots of good advice :)

[StanleyB]

Other items to consider:
Electrical safety mat. Could save your bacon in case you accidentally touch a live mains connection.
Workbench mat like the one HERE (http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Laboratory-Service-Workshop-Workbench-Bench-Top-Rubber-Mat-/230980022287?pt=UK_Sound_Vision_Other&hash=item35c77b700f)
Small hammer, preferably with a plastic/perspex head instead of a metal head.
Selection of needle files.

[Firebottle]

Hi Al,
For a scope you could do worse than download freeware to run on the PC:

Try visual analyser at http://www.sillanumsoft.org/
or look at the Picoscope offering.

Cheers,
Alan

[Mr Kipling]

It helps if you're also dressed in the proper fettlin' gear, Al. This is my preferred choice of attire.

A pipe can help aid concentration - and adds to that smug self-satisfied look you'll take-on, when you get something working.

This guy's just finished fettlin' an Amstrad EX 330 and got it to sound reasonable. A real bugger of a job by all accounts.

[Audio Al]

It helps if you're also dressed in the proper fettlin' gear, Al. This is my preferred choice of attire.

A pipe can help aid concentration - and adds to that smug self-satisfied look you'll take-on, when you get something working.

This guy's just finished fettlin' an Amstrad EX 330 and got it to sound reasonable. A real bugger of a job by all accounts.

:lol::lol:

[UV101]

Good quality screw drivers are a must including some with extra loooooong tips.
mini torx & hex come in useful on modern stuff

Hot glue gun, electric heat shrink gun, scalpel, tweezers, mini vice...

BLU-TAK!!!! very very useful for holding stuff still on the bench while you solder!

Just remember with tools, you get what you pay for :)

[337alant]

Half the problem is you never know in advance of a job, exactly what tools you're going to end up using. Soldering gear obviously for many jobs, I have irons in different sizes and they have varying heat ranges. A selection of end wire cutters, side cutters, short and long nosed pliers and cranked ones (very useful). Craft knives and scalpels. A selection of small spanners/sockets and some decent screwdrivers of all types. Latest addition is two self gripping tweezers (cranked and straight), they've earned their keep already. A thick board with a small vise mounted on it is handy too. I bought a good precision screwdrivers set with loads of interchangeable tips and that is very worthwhile. I keep a high speed multi tool (Dremel type) handy as that is often needed. A couple of very long thin screwdrivers, slot and Phillips types can be worth their weight in gold. If you work on speakers an LCR meter is worth getting, I've used mine quite a few times. I've got mountains of tools and the list of what may be useful is endless really.

Oh, and have a bag of various sized and coloured heat shrink sleeving available. That is always in demand.


Very Good advice ;)

get some of the 1/4 watt E series metal film resistor kits they come in really handy and cover just most you will need E12 & E24 Ser are the most common kits.
Example
http://www.ebay.com/itm/MR25-Metal-Film-Resistor-Kit-1-1-4-w-E24-E12-Values-/360643707902?pt=UK_BOI_Electrical_Components_Suppl ies_ET&hash=item53f80a43fe#ht_1840wt_1162

I have just bought a digital Osiliscope and I am teaching myself to use it, they are very good value and a lovely screen, if you buy one of these make sure it has the battery with it, some dont supply it and its an extra.
http://www.ebay.com/itm/271175077664?ssPageName=STRK:MEWNX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1439.l2649

[shane]

Don't take this the wrong way, but a small first aid kit might be a worthwile addition!

[Audio Al]

Don't take this the wrong way, but a small first aid kit might be a worthwile addition!


:eek::eek::eek:

[337alant]

A nice record Vice.
Helping hands gripping devices, you can also get a device for holding a circuit board which can be flipped over.
A prototype board and jumper wires
A drill press very useful for drilling lots of holes in back panels

These peak atlas meters are excellent for measuring components, capacitance and inductance, matching components etc, I bought all 3
http://www.peakelec.co.uk/acatalog/jz_dca55.html

Alan

[UV101]

Hi Alan, how good is the ESR meter? I keep looking at them but I've not pulled the trigger...

[337alant]

Its excellent IMO it only does 1uf and above though, I have another DVM that does below that and the LCR meter does below so Im covered for the full range.
I bought the LCR, DCA & ESR meters together and got a discount.
LCR is good for measuring inductors, resistors and low capacitance
ESR for capacitance and ESR shows if the cap is leaky as well
DCA great for checking 3 terminal components, identifies CBE, HFE saves you having to work out from the data sheet which leg is which.
I have over 200 transistors to try an match up for a paradise phono stage and its great for that
All the peak meters are quality and simple

http://farm4.staticflickr.com/3782/8814045192_faafd0e8b0_z.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/69508926@N05/8814045192/)
peak meters (http://www.flickr.com/photos/69508926@N05/8814045192/) by 337alant (http://www.flickr.com/people/69508926@N05/), on Flickr

Alan