Jump to content

Any pc/mobile/laptop tinkerers recommend tool kit?


Recommended Posts

It's my sons 21st birthday next week and his Grandad wants to get him something for about £100 that he might use but will also be able to keep for years to come.

My son loves computers and is in his last few weeks of his computer science degree. Although his degree is more writing code and software oriented, he builds his own computer and does tinker a bit with electrics.

The problem nowadays with most tools, the same as in watchmaking, they just aren't made how they used to be. I don't have a clue when it comes to computers, but presume a screwdriver set with various ends would come in handy for him.

I have found this kit below that looks about as well made as I can find with no plastic handles and a nice wooden presentation box.

http://www.conrad-electronic.co.uk/ce/en/product/1423354/Bit-set--------iFixit--------EU145260----Slot-Pozidriv-Phillips

Oppinions please or recommendations for something else that might be better.

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

When I was a PC tinkerer I wouldn't be parted from my electric screwdriver. A long thin one not pistol shaped.
The power saves time and knuckle skin. The clutch prevents stripping threads.
Mine was a B&D but other brands are available.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Avoid screwdrivers with replaceable tips. The time wasted  looking and changing heads makes them not worth at all. Beside, PC do not have that many different screw heads. Better spend the money on some proper book like the K&R "C language" or Donald Knuth "algorithms".

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I am a EE and have been working PCs since the 1980s.  A long 7 inch shaft #2 Phillips screw driver with a hardened tip has been my go-to tool for the last 30 years, I still have the same one I bought in 1988, it's a Klein and cost $17 back then.  The long shaft is helpful in tight spaces and keeps your hands out of the way.

A 6 piece Klein Telephone Lineman screwdriver set would go for about $90 / £80. I use the spinner drivers that set comes with allot as well (they have a bent shaft and free spin in the handle and work like a small hand drill).

All Dell and HP computers can be completely disassembled with a good #2. 

 

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.
Note: Your post will require moderator approval before it will be visible.

Guest
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Restore formatting

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.



  • Recently Browsing

    • No registered users viewing this page.
  • Topics

  • Posts

    • Picking up this side-tracked post again as I just removed a balance staff of a 1920's Omega (35,5L-T1) I was impressed by the way @Delgetti had his setup when he had to change out a balance-staff (https://www.watchrepairtalk.com/topic/28854-new-balance-staff-not-riveting-to-balance/page/2/#comment-244054 Not only that, but also the idea of removing the seat first before punching the staff out from the seat-side, avoiding the whole discussion of the rivet yes/no enlarging the hole. I didn't have the fancy clamps & tools Delgetti has, so I used my screw-head polishing tool. Initially I used #1500 grit diamond paste on the steel wheel, which kinda worked, but very slow. I changed to #800 grit diamond paste, which worked better, but still slow. Then I glued #240 sanding paper to the steel disk; That worked and the disk was hand-driven. Once close to the balance wheel, I took the sanding paper off and continued with #800 diamond paste. One can only do this when the balance wheel sits true on the staff and has no "wobble". I went on grinding until I saw some diamond paste on the rim of the balance wheel. This was as far as I could grind and it seemed that there wasn't much left of the seat. Carefully, with my staking set, I knocked the staff out. Turns out that the thickness of the seat left, now a small ring, was only 0.1mm. The balance wheel hole is in perfect shape and no damage done to the wheel at all. Of course, if the wheel has a "wobble" or isn't seated true on the balance staff, you can't get as close and there will be more left of the seat. In my case, it all worked perfect 🙂 I'm very happy how this worked for me 😊  
    • As is tradition, one step forward, two steps back. Got the board populated and soldered into place without any issues.   But no hum. So I started testing the coils with an ohmmeter. I got 5.84k ohms across D1 (from red to red in the picture below), which is as expected. But I'm getting an open circuit for the other drive coil and feedback coil, D2 and F1 (from green to each of the two yellows).   Since the movement was working with my breadboard setup, it implies I somehow broke the connection between the coils and the solder lugs. They're all the way at the bottom of the lugs, but maybe the heat migrated down and broke the connections? I guess it's possible it happened while cleaning the flux off, but I used a soft artist's brush and isopropyl alcohol. I did a lot of high magnification examination, and I don't see any issues, but let me know if you see anything I missed or if you can think of anything else I should check.
    • 1947 NOS Ambassador 'C'. Actually, the case came without the movement so the movement isn't NOS, but she sure is pretty.
    • Hi attached is the AS 20XX. Service sheet although there is no 2063 mentioned it may be of some use to you AS_AS 2060,1,2,6,4,6.pdf
    • one of the problems we have is visible versus invisible. For instance millennium disulfide another high pressure lubricant black in color. I was told by somebody worked for the Boeing company that they had a piston like device somewhere that has eight call it around it to grab it so it has to slide and in the collet has to grab. But if somebody puts that type of dry grease on where grease with that in it it embeds itself basically in the metal and they have to throw the whole part away they get use it all. So I suspect on all the dry powdery lubricants that they will go into all the basically microscopic cracks and crannies of the metaland that's where it is visually at least until you scrub it off your visually going to see it which is good because you want your lubrication the stay word is. But I'm sure it doesn't last forever on the metal it's just a really nice lubrication  
×
×
  • Create New...