PC Builder's Hand Tools

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anutoshi

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Jul 2, 2005
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Anyone know where to buy high quality (german would be great) hand tools; screwdrivers, pliers, allen wrenches, etc. in kit form designed for pc modders/builders? Tired of working with Stanley hand-me-downs. Thanks in advance. Tom
 
Craftsman tools (available at Sears stores) carry a lifetime warranty. If they ever break, even if it is because you abused the shit out of the tool, like using a screwdriver as a pry bar and bend the shaft, they'll give you a free replacement with no questions asked. Of course you could also go with Snap-On or Mac tools which also carry the same warranty, but then you'd have to chase down one of their trucks unless you are a mechanic and they come to you.Snap-On and Mac tools are also a lot more expensive than Craftsman.
 
...not the cheapest, maybe not the best, but my set of Jensen tools lived through building several recording studios, a tour or two, and now live comfortably on my bench in B.B.S. labs. Got 20+ years on my set, for sure.

Ever wonder why the philips screwdrivers you get dont quite fit the screws on most electronics these days? Get a set of these and you won't wonder anymore....:cool:

Regards - B.B.S.
 
anutoshi said:
Found these kits, look ok, not great, anybody?

http://catalog.belkin.com/IWCatSectionView.process?IWAction=Load&Merchant_Id=&Section_Id=109
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Those are OK at best, I say that because the tools in those kits carry a very limited warranty, if they even carry one. You can get the same size pliers and screwdrivers with a lifetime warranty at Sears like I told you earlier, and maybe for less money. Then you can go to sites like directron or any other site that sells molex pin removal tools for that part. An inexpensive wrist ground wire can be bought at Rat Shack along with a cheap wire power/ground tester.

GeForceX said it best........
The best toolbox is your own build.
Click to expand...

Buying tools to work on your PC is like buying tools to work on your car or home. If you are a DIY'er, buy what you need, when you need it. If you are a professional and plan on making this more than just a hobby, go ahead and buy everything you can think of all at one time.
 
The Belkin stuff is crap. (Then again, what from Belkin isn't crap?)

I've been building for over a decade. Trust me. The best tool set you'll ever own for a PC is the one you build yourself. Mine is a mix of Stanley "pro-grade," Cornwell, Craftsman, and the like. All the specialty stuff is security bits for HPaq and other laptops which actually comes from my old telco kit. (If you can get into a Presario, you can get into your NIB.) The only other special tools is my 'heatsinks from hell' kit, which has some screwdrivers with 20 degree bends and angled needlenose pliers for particularly troublesome clips - and you can't buy screwdrivers bent like this. (You can however, buy the torch abused to heat them for the bends.) ;)

Tool quality when it comes to PCs is pretty much irrelevant (excepting cordless screwdrivers and other power tools, of course.) Flat out, if you're breaking screwdrivers, you're doing something wrong.
 
I mostly do telecommunications cabling work, so the majority of my tools are Klein. Can't go wrong with them. I work at a True Value hardware store and we sell pretty decent tools also.
 
BlindedByScience said:
...not the cheapest, maybe not the best, but my set of Jensen tools lived through building several recording studios, a tour or two, and now live comfortably on my bench in B.B.S. labs. Got 20+ years on my set, for sure.
Click to expand...
Yeah. Jensen Tools (which is the same company as Contact East) rocks. I built a semi-custom kit into a much larger briefcase than it was designed for so I could add my own tools.

Xcelite screwdrivers, pliers, and snips are so much nicer than anything else I've used, and they'll last forever.
 
Thanks for the replies, I think I've found the tools I want

http://www.facom.com/com/index.htm

their catalog which you can download from their site contains a "Computer and Office Equiptment Servicing Set" pg 50 that looks pretty sweet. Expensive and tough to find in the USA, they are the #1 tool company in Europe, but they seem to be just what my anal retentive geek side craves.
 
Facom makes nice tools; I have their adjustable band oil filter wrench. It was the only tool I could find to get the oil filter of my 924S.

Certainly, it's your choice. But I'm not sure that set will make you happy. You're right; the price is going to knock you on your ass.

Next, they don't give much choice for bundled cases. You want a case that 's bigger than the tools becaue you're always going to add to it. That set is missing things you'll know you'll need: a DVM, a voltage checker, probes, spare cables, a CD/DVD cleaner, long-reach screwdrivers, a power supply tester, a flashlight, a thermometer ... and so on.

You'll already need another case!

Over at Jensen/Contact East, you can pick lots of different tool sets and choose any number of cases -- all sorts of sizes and materials -- to fit your needs very flexibly.
 
Hm, on the topic of tools:

If you're going to be working with cases, then a tap and die set(to thread holes for screws) would definitely be handy. What would be a good general purpose set, like one that contains something to thread a hole for motherboard standoffs?

What about those cold heat soldering tools? Are those any good? I doubt they'll beat my soldering iron, but it's worth a shot.
 
Cold heat soldering tools are garbage. They're a gimmick; if you use 'em just right, they work. I'd rather not worry about my tools so I can focus on the job -- and that means I'll whip out my trusty Weller.

Screws for cases and PCI tabs are #6-32 by a quarter of an inch.

The little standoffs are odd; the motherboard is held to the standoff with a M3 x 6mm screw, but the baseplate has a #6-32 tap. So those little brass standoffs have both metric and imperial threading. Neat, huh?

Some disk drives use a #6-32 screw, others use a metric M3 screw. The length might be 6mm, but could be shorter to not penetrate into the drive or its mounting hardware.

Anyway, you just need a set that has those sizes. Or, I guess you could go buy the individual taps and dies.

Do case modders really thread anything? Most of the stuff I've seen has been pop-riveted.
 
mikeblas said:
Do case modders really thread anything? Most of the stuff I've seen has been pop-riveted.
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I use the tap and dies alot, but mainly in case modding for audio. I build alot of high end audio amplifiers and use them to attach chipamps to heatsinks and attach most everything to the insides of cases. I also use them for watercooling fittings (especially in plastic and plexi).
 
mikeblas said:
Cold heat soldering tools are garbage. They're a gimmick; if you use 'em just right, they work. I'd rather not worry about my tools so I can focus on the job -- and that means I'll whip out my trusty Weller.

Screws for cases and PCI tabs are #6-32 by a quarter of an inch.

The little standoffs are odd; the motherboard is held to the standoff with a M3 x 6mm screw, but the baseplate has a #6-32 tap. So those little brass standoffs have both metric and imperial threading. Neat, huh?

Some disk drives use a #6-32 screw, others use a metric M3 screw. The length might be 6mm, but could be shorter to not penetrate into the drive or its mounting hardware.

Anyway, you just need a set that has those sizes. Or, I guess you could go buy the individual taps and dies.

Do case modders really thread anything? Most of the stuff I've seen has been pop-riveted.
Click to expand...


Thanks for the info. As for actual threading, I guess a lot of modders probably don't do it, but I think it's something that could prove to be pretty handy.
 
GeForceX said:
The best toolbox is your own build.
Click to expand...

Agree. I have yet to find a kit from one vendor that has the screwdrivers, allen wrenches, cutters, strippers, crimpers, soldering tools, etc... that I want. So I buy them one at a time.
 
I have been in service about 10 years or more. I find that the best way to get all the tools you want is to start out with a basic set, but a large case. You can add on as you go. There is always a new tool,device or something out.

The basics is, screwdrives - different sizes, pliers - different sizes and types, cutters for wire, solder iron, crimpers, dvm. add on as the need comes up, and buget allows.

for basic modding add, files, tinsnips, drill, jigsaw.

Hope this helps a bit
 
I consider my set of tools a very complete set but in my line of work, I install fire alarms, the tools I use the most is my 10 in 1 screw driver made by klein($10), wire stripers xlite ($5), and my wave leather man ($60). My truck is packed full of tools and these are the ones I carry around with me the most.
 
As with most here, I say do not buy a kit. just cobble together the tools you want.
For the money though I find Klein screw drivers to be the best. I have all mine left over from my electrician days, and I just love them. They have a nice feel in the palm of your hand.

That being said, I rarely ever use them now. I use mostly my craftsman 90 degree bend power screwdriver. Plus various speciality tools for laptops and what not.
 
can't help with a kit, but you can't go wrong with Wiha screwdrivers. And the top of the line Stanley screwdrivers are really good.

I've had it with craftsman screwdrivers, they are serrated so they break. I think that Sears has figured out that if you go in to get your screwdriver replaced, they sell you other stuff and make up the price of the screwdriver.
 
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