OT - Tool recommendation

[Gabriel]

Hi all,

I was hoping you could recommend a nice set of Pliers - a kit preferably.
Needle nose, flat needle, flush cutters... all the precision small pliers... price is not too much of a concern, i want the good stuff.

I've been trying to replace the tools I bought 15 years ago but I've failed to find quality stuff... everything rusts 2 days after i open the package.

I've had good experience with Pro's Kit apparently... i just noticed my only surviving tool from when i bought my college kit in 2002 is from them, and recently bought a flush cutter after testing 2 or 3 and noticed it was from them as well when i got home...


Amazon links?

thanks
G
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CCS PCM 5.078 & CCS PCH 5.093

[temtronic]

I've got a LOT of xcelite tools here.#170M dikes that HAVE to be 25 years old,still cut great even after nipping off wirewrap pins. Have their needle nose pliers as well(JUST pliers NO cutter by the hinge),and those are over 30 years old.
I suspect Digikey may sell them...haven't really checked.
Biggest headache for me is my old eyes vs SMT devices, sigh cutting code is easy...soldering them itty bitty chips..THAT'S the hard part

I also have LOTS of real solder..63-37 stuff....

Jay

[Gabriel]

Hi temtronic...thanks for the heads up on xcelite! I know good mechanic tools but im lost ironically on electronic tools.
I found the digikey catalog for them... looks nice!

Brands i should avoid?
_________________
CCS PCM 5.078 & CCS PCH 5.093

[newguy]

I can't get by without my bent tip tweezers. When I get to work I'll post the manufacturer and part number.

Jay - search ebay for "smd hot air". Pretty much all my hand soldering now is with a hot air pencil and solder paste. Easy to solder 0402 components and SMD packages of pretty much any type, including those with exposed pads on the bottom. Add the bent tip tweezers, and there isn't much I can't solder.

Gabriel - Xcelite is definitely a good brand (in my experience anyway).

Edit: These are the tweezers I was talking about: https://www.digikey.ca/product-detail/en/wiha/44525/431-1026-ND/468385

....I don't remember paying almost $70 for them.....

[Ttelmah]

One thing I have to say, is that it is very worthwhile sometimes looking at the catalogues for local 'mechanical' auctions. 98% will be big stuff, but they often have things like 'lab clearance' parts, which can be bought and then the non wanted ones sold on.
I got a thirty tool 'set' of tools for assembling and dismantling a series of types of electronic connectors, a really superb soldering station, and a set of stainless steel tweezers. Cost me £38 (in the UK), the tweezers sell for more than this a pair, and there are six pairs in the set. The connector tools would add to nearly £1000 if bought new, and I've had cause to use several of them.

[asmboy]

Check out Wiha side cutters, and pliers and such
not cheap but very well made.

In the small pliers dept -
a very wide assortment of hemostats
has been helpful for my entire career.

[temtronic]

I got a couple busted dental picks from my old dentist, 3 decades ago, L-shaped, great for wirewrapping..hmm
Anyone still wire wrap these days ??

Jay

[Ttelmah]

I still have some of the wire wrap tools, and had cause to use one connector a while ago. Still use the wire sometimes as 'patch' wire, but so little wire wrap stuff is available, that I doubt if anybody uses it much...

Dental and surgical tools can be great. I always have half a dozen pairs of different shape forceps, and surgical clamps in the drawer. So good for holding things to solder, or getting that odd 'nut' you have dropped out from somewhere, and the clamp locking beats tweezers for lots of things. Scalpels with an assortment of different blade shapes as well. These used to be very rare, but now a lot of hobby supply shops sell these.

[Gabriel]

The tools on this link is what ive been trying to replace for a while...

https://hackaday.io/pages/19708

Thank you all for the suggestions.

I have wirewrap tools but i cant get wire of the right gauge here... Not worth ordering either.
I do appreciate the technique though.
_________________
CCS PCM 5.078 & CCS PCH 5.093

[newguy]

The last time I saw a wire-wrapped project was almost 20 years ago. The 4 gentlemen that created it ended up being "bought out" by a large company. Most retired at that point in time. It wasn't because their device was pretty.