Needle-nose
pliers - Absolutely essential. Don't cheap out and buy a crappy
pair. And make sure you have ones with a spring.Tools for the Job
Your tools may look different or may be more or less "fancy-pants", but as long as they do the jobs listed, that's all we need.
Needle-nose
pliers - Absolutely essential. Don't cheap out and buy a crappy
pair. And make sure you have ones with a spring.
Wire
cutter - A decent one is nice, but you can probably deal with the little
one that comes with the wire stripper.
Wire
stripper - You'll thank yourself for this item. I don't like the
ones that double as crimping tools. Small, just for stripping ones are
easier to manipulate and you'll be using this item a lot. The one pictured
is from Jameco (#78991, TOOL,STRIPPER,WIRE,10-30AWG).
Soldering
Iron - Simple is fine. I use the switchable 15/30 watt iron sold
at Radio Shack. It's cheap, reliable, and you can get replacement tips
locally ASAP. I use the small 15-watt tips.
Unibits
- These are essential tools. Basically, it's a step drill that allows you
to make varying sized holes with a single tool. Don't let the $30 price
scare you, you will love this thing. Get at least the 1/2" sized one and
probably the 1" size too. Available at Home Depot or Lowe's or OSH.
Files - You will be happy with a round, rough cut file and a set of finer grit files. These will be used to get a nice finish on the DB-15 port holes you need.
Dremel
Tool - I use one for shaping holes after rough cutting with a drill.
And the only bit I ever use is the High Speed Cutting Tool (third from the left,
#115).
Drill and a set of small bits - you'll need small ones like the 1/8" to drill the screw holes for the DB-15.
Small screwdrivers - Not for screwing and unscrewing, but for various tasks like scrapping solder masks, tweeking stuff, solder manipulation.