Handy Tools to Have. - Page 2 - Electronic Circuits Projects Diagrams Free

gerty · 4th July 2008, 06:43 PM

I may need the larger one for my pic programming problems

dknguyen · 4th July 2008, 07:44 PM

I just realize that I just got a bunch of tweezers at home that I never use and no hemostats. BUt at work I use hemostats for everything over tweezers! Gotta go buy some now.

speakerguy79 · 5th July 2008, 03:16 AM

OOH! Forgot one.

Non-contact AC voltage probe. Fluke makes one for $25 called the VoltAlert, iirc. Several other companies make them too. Safety first!

Sceadwian · 5th July 2008, 05:27 AM

I just picked up one of those non-contact AC testers, 15 dollars at Lowes. Truly a life saver. No matter how sure I am I've disconnected the right breaker I've had a couple bad shocks in my life where there was an extra live wire in a PVC conduit that I didn't know about when I went to work. I had a spot in my vision for almost 2 days from looking dead at the arc 12 inches away from me when it shorted. A few good waves of one of these things on the outside of the PVC and then against any suspect wire insulation will give you a whole lot more peace of mind. Better than testing with a finger at least.

**Krumlink** · 5th July 2008, 09:35 PM

Cant believe nobody has said this but...

NIPPY CUTTERS! They are one of my favorite tools, not only because they can completely cut a solder joint down to the board (accident one time) but they can remove the "Volcano" of solder that soldering noobs can make. They are also handy for removing toenails

http://www.neonstring.com/How_to_sol...ters_small.jpg

Sceadwian · 5th July 2008, 09:43 PM

Nippy cutters? That picture doesn't help much, I'm asuming you mean flush cut wire cutters, they are handy. Most regular wire cutters are beveled on both sides because it gives a more durable cutting edge, but flush cutters are square to the cutting head on one side, so much better for precision cuts and getting right down to the base of a board like Krum said. I don't have a pair right now, and I miss them on a regular basis.

**Krumlink** · 5th July 2008, 10:17 PM

Yeah Nippy cutters! They have a real tiny cutting side on them, perfect for tight corners.

Mikebits · 5th July 2008, 10:30 PM

I must admit, I never heard the term, Nippy cutters, but by golly a Nippy cutter exist.
The Source By Circuit City : Wire Stippers & Cutters - 13CM (5") NIPPY CUTTERS

**Krumlink** · 5th July 2008, 10:34 PM

Maybe I picked up the term nippy cutters from the TV repair guy who I visited on a weekly basis

Sceadwian · 6th July 2008, 12:50 AM

The key term to look for is 'flush cut'

Pommie · 6th July 2008, 03:40 AM

I've always known them as 'side cutters'.

Mike.

**Krumlink** · 6th July 2008, 10:04 AM

I have a pair of side cutters/flush cutters, and my nippy cutters have a much smaller blade angle on it.

Bob Scott · 6th July 2008, 11:04 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Pommie

I've always known them as 'side cutters'.

Mike.

Radio Shack advertised them as "Nippy Cutters" for years. I bought a pair from Anchor in San Jose and ground the ends to a finer point. They are perfect for cutting the legs off DIP ICs. This makes the IC legs easier to remove on 16 layer boards. Boards with internal ground planes dissepate heat from the legs so fast that it is difficult to desolder the ICs intact.

These cutters dull and nick easily and are not for cutting anything harder than copper. (Krumlink: -perfect for thick toenails too! I bought a second pair for that purpose.

) It is easy to overheat the steel when grinding the tip to a point so take care!

olly_k · 6th July 2008, 03:52 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Sceadwian

I just picked up one of those non-contact AC testers, 15 dollars at Lowes. Truly a life saver. No matter how sure I am I've disconnected the right breaker I've had a couple bad shocks in my life where there was an extra live wire in a PVC conduit that I didn't know about when I went to work. I had a spot in my vision for almost 2 days from looking dead at the arc 12 inches away from me when it shorted. A few good waves of one of these things on the outside of the PVC and then against any suspect wire insulation will give you a whole lot more peace of mind. Better than testing with a finger at least.

Hi I have a volt alert and while mine has never failed yet I wouldn't ever use it to determine if a circuit is live or not!

Pommie · 6th July 2008, 06:00 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by olly_k

Hi I have a volt alert and while mine has never failed yet I wouldn't ever use it to determine if a circuit is live or not!

So, how do you check? Tongue?

Mike.

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4th July 2008, 06:43 PM	(permalink)
gerty	I may need the larger one for my pic programming problems __________________ gerty

4th July 2008, 07:44 PM	(permalink)
dknguyen	I just realize that I just got a bunch of tweezers at home that I never use and no hemostats. BUt at work I use hemostats for everything over tweezers! Gotta go buy some now. __________________ NO, that picture isn't me so don't bother asking if we can be friends. Last edited by dknguyen; 4th July 2008 at 07:45 PM.

5th July 2008, 03:16 AM	(permalink)
speakerguy79	OOH! Forgot one. Non-contact AC voltage probe. Fluke makes one for $25 called the VoltAlert, iirc. Several other companies make them too. Safety first!

5th July 2008, 05:27 AM	(permalink)
Sceadwian	I just picked up one of those non-contact AC testers, 15 dollars at Lowes. Truly a life saver. No matter how sure I am I've disconnected the right breaker I've had a couple bad shocks in my life where there was an extra live wire in a PVC conduit that I didn't know about when I went to work. I had a spot in my vision for almost 2 days from looking dead at the arc 12 inches away from me when it shorted. A few good waves of one of these things on the outside of the PVC and then against any suspect wire insulation will give you a whole lot more peace of mind. Better than testing with a finger at least. __________________ "Because I be what I be. I would tell you what you want to know if I could, mum, but I be a cat, and no cat anywhere ever gave anyone a straight answer, har har."

5th July 2008, 09:35 PM	(permalink)
Krumlink	Cant believe nobody has said this but... NIPPY CUTTERS! They are one of my favorite tools, not only because they can completely cut a solder joint down to the board (accident one time) but they can remove the "Volcano" of solder that soldering noobs can make. They are also handy for removing toenails http://www.neonstring.com/How_to_sol...ters_small.jpg __________________ MechTronics World of Warcraft is a disease Last edited by Krumlink; 5th July 2008 at 09:37 PM.

5th July 2008, 09:43 PM	(permalink)
Sceadwian	Nippy cutters? That picture doesn't help much, I'm asuming you mean flush cut wire cutters, they are handy. Most regular wire cutters are beveled on both sides because it gives a more durable cutting edge, but flush cutters are square to the cutting head on one side, so much better for precision cuts and getting right down to the base of a board like Krum said. I don't have a pair right now, and I miss them on a regular basis. __________________ "Because I be what I be. I would tell you what you want to know if I could, mum, but I be a cat, and no cat anywhere ever gave anyone a straight answer, har har." Last edited by Sceadwian; 5th July 2008 at 09:45 PM.

5th July 2008, 10:17 PM	(permalink)
Krumlink	Yeah Nippy cutters! They have a real tiny cutting side on them, perfect for tight corners. __________________ MechTronics World of Warcraft is a disease

5th July 2008, 10:30 PM	(permalink)
Mikebits	I must admit, I never heard the term, Nippy cutters, but by golly a Nippy cutter exist. The Source By Circuit City : Wire Stippers & Cutters - 13CM (5") NIPPY CUTTERS

5th July 2008, 10:34 PM	(permalink)
Krumlink	Maybe I picked up the term nippy cutters from the TV repair guy who I visited on a weekly basis __________________ MechTronics World of Warcraft is a disease

6th July 2008, 12:50 AM	(permalink)
Sceadwian	The key term to look for is 'flush cut' __________________ "Because I be what I be. I would tell you what you want to know if I could, mum, but I be a cat, and no cat anywhere ever gave anyone a straight answer, har har."

6th July 2008, 03:40 AM	(permalink)
Pommie	I've always known them as 'side cutters'. Mike.

6th July 2008, 10:04 AM	(permalink)
Krumlink	I have a pair of side cutters/flush cutters, and my nippy cutters have a much smaller blade angle on it. __________________ MechTronics World of Warcraft is a disease