Basic tool kit for computer repair (not soldering tools)?

[sunvalleylaw]

Is there a basic kit one can get for computer and electronics repair with the most likely Torx heads, good spludgers, other prying type tools, etc.? I think I saw an iFixit kit mentioned somewhere, but wondered if there was a suggested one to buy or a list of individual tools one typically needs.

I have soldering stuff, which I may upgrade as I go, so not necessarily that stuff.

 

[sunvalleylaw]

Maybe something from iFixit?

 

[Certificate of Excellence]

I didn’t buy a kit. It’s just stuff & tools etc that I have acquired over the past 20 years or so initially for working with musical equipment guts.

Thinking about what I use and touch every time on my bench is below.I know you said that you have soldering stuff but I’ll add this for other people reading.

Cheap soldering & hot air station: I bought this one:
https://a.co/d/042kS6mQ
No brand snobbery here - this is cheap MIC and does exactly what it advertised it would do. Get past the Engrish manual, and it has done its job very well.

solder snuffer: desoldering guns are very useful and a lot of folks use electronic ones which are fine. I use one of these cheap manual ones.

https://a.co/d/0iHYjexL

$10 bucks and will snuff the solder out lol. I’d probably pick up an electronic one but I don’t have the space on my bench for it lol so the manual one works great for me.

Solder braid & Flux: this stuff is very useful so buy some if you don’t have it. I use a paste and brush but the syringe applicator is very useful and easier in the beginning imo.

https://a.co/d/0esezSGw

Cheap, and very useful!

Small electric fan: Don’t breath in those solder fumes lol. Have a cheap fan to keep those fumes out of your face & lungs. Something as small as a simple case fan wired up do the trick.

Electric screw driver: I have one similar to this and it works fine for most of my needs. it’s larger than popular stribeto but I use it for more than just computers lol

https://a.co/d/0jiLQDIn

here’s the stribeto

https://a.co/d/070S446C

Spudgers and doodads: For an immediate assortment of electronics spudgers and tools, I like the look of this one

https://a.co/d/09g8Gs2Z

Under $10, not too big, has an assortment so you can see what you like and it has one of my fav thin metal spudgers which is a handy bit of kit for me anyhow. From there you can see what you like and buy accordingly. Truthfully though, so many kits come with spider/tools nowadays, I have drawers full of them at this point and so will you eventually LOL The stribeto micro screwdriver set I linked to below also has some spudgers included but doesnt have the metal spudger options this kit has, so that stribeto kit can mostly pull off what this one includes less the metal spudger options.

Small micro screw driver set: I use one I picked up from harbor freight for like 8 bucks but this one on Amazon is nice and it comes with an often over looked bit of kit - the ringed suction cup. You don’t use em every day but when you need one, they’re invaluable to have in your kit.

https://a.co/d/00cBHBTp

Long torx wrench set: I like Powermac G5s and I am in them often and you need long torx 15 to get those heat sinks off and t10 to get the lobo off and access to the northbridge heat sinks. I have this set that is both magnetic and long from t10 to t30.

https://a.co/d/01HPeJjb

Very useful and a set you’ll have on your bench for the rest of your life assuming your kids don’t steal them for light saber wars.

Dorkus Maximus magnifier goggles+ light: I have one of these and they make you look horrendous BUT they do their job when you’re working on something tiny and you need additional illumination.

Amazon.com

I’m sure there are some other things I’m not thinking of but this is what I’m most commonly grabbing for.

 

[sunvalleylaw]

I didn’t buy a kit. It’s just stuff & tools etc that I have acquired over the past 20 years or so initially for working with musical equipment guts.

Thinking about what I use and touch every time on my bench is below.I know you said that you have soldering stuff but I’ll add this for other people reading.

Cheap soldering & hot air station: I bought this one:
https://a.co/d/042kS6mQ
No brand snobbery here - this is cheap MIC and does exactly what it advertised it would do. Get past the Engrish manual, and it has done its job very well.

solder snuffer: desoldering guns are very useful and a lot of folks use electronic ones which are fine. I use one of these cheap manual ones.

https://a.co/d/0iHYjexL

$10 bucks and will snuff the solder out lol. I’d probably pick up an electronic one but I don’t have the space on my bench for it lol so the manual one works great for me.

Solder braid & Flux: this stuff is very useful so buy some if you don’t have it. I use a paste and brush but the syringe applicator is very useful and easier in the beginning imo.

https://a.co/d/0esezSGw

Cheap, and very useful!

Small electric fan: Don’t breath in those solder fumes lol. Have a cheap fan to keep those fumes out of your face & lungs. Something as small as a simple case fan wired up do the trick.

Electric screw driver: I have one similar to this and it works fine for most of my needs. it’s larger than popular stribeto but I use it for more than just computers lol

https://a.co/d/0jiLQDIn

here’s the stribeto

https://a.co/d/070S446C

Spudgers and doodads: For an immediate assortment of electronics spudgers and tools, I like the look of this one

https://a.co/d/09g8Gs2Z

Under $10, not too big, has an assortment so you can see what you like and it has one of my fav thin metal spudgers which is a handy bit of kit for me anyhow. From there you can see what you like and buy accordingly. Truthfully though, so many kits come with spider/tools nowadays, I have drawers full of them at this point and so will you eventually LOL

Small micro screw driver set: I use one I picked up from harbor freight for like 8 bucks but this one on Amazon is nice and it comes with an often over looked bit of kit - the ringed suction cup. You don’t use em every day but when you need one, they’re invaluable to have in your kit.

https://a.co/d/00cBHBTp

Long torx wrench set: I like Powermac G5s and I am in them often and you need long torx 15 to get those heat sinks off and t10 to get the lobo off and access to the northbridge heat sinks. I have this set that is both magnetic and long from t10 to t30.

https://a.co/d/01HPeJjb

Very useful and a set you’ll have on your bench for the rest of your life assuming your kids don’t steal them for light saber wars.

Dorkus Maximus magnifier goggles+ light: I have one of these and they make you look horrendous BUT they do their job when you’re working on something tiny and you need additional illumination.

Amazon.com

I’m sure there are some other things I’m not thinking of but this is what I’m most commonly grabbing for.

Thanks!

 

[Certificate of Excellence]

Anytime. One other tip that is IMHO important to consider is magnetism. Screw drivers, bits etc. If you can get them magnetized, do it. There is nothing worse than dropping a tiny, proprietary screw and having to go find it (if you can) lol. Sometimes you cant buy what you want magnetized and thats fine, but if you can get an equivalent magnetized, it is worth its weight in gold in regards to eliminating headaches and time wasted trying to find stupid little screws.

I took some old icecube trays and hotglued magnets to their bottom underside so once retreived, I use them to keep the screws stuck in place and organized step-by-step. It's a good bit of kit to have around too especially if you ha ve curious little kids or cats around. Dunno where you could buy that but the idea probably exists in some form somewhere.

added*

Looks like ifixit has a mat with magnetic cups up top but its kinda pricey for what it is. I like the features of this one better and its about 10 bucks cheaper.

Amazon.com

 

[phunguss]

Akin to the icecube tray, I save all my clear prescription bottles. Remove the label and I have a nice plastic container with a locking cover to keep my screws and parts in, all various sizes available.

 

[sunvalleylaw]

Yeah, I bought some initial stuff at iFixit but stopped grabbing everything, as I thought I might be able to reuse some things and not buy new. I did get the magnetic mat thing, and will want to get a magnetic cup also. I am super bad about knocking cups of screws and things over when I work on stuff, which I have mostly done with electric guitars, (which was why I have some soldering stuff, to replace pickups, switches, and such) and a bit on vintage audio, though I had not gotten as far as re-capping, Which I will do on some stuff along with learning to fix these old computers as well. As I state, I already had some stuff. but need to see exactly what at this point as I have not used it in a while.

Before you all replied, I had watched the video by this guy, who works on CRT's and other electronics, to get an idea. Posting it here as I think it is a decent presentation of the types of things you might want.

 

[eric]

I have the iFix it one (doesn't seem the exact model exists anymore) https://www.ifixit.com/Tools/Drivers_and_Wrenches - with all the ends - has everythign i need except the torx t15 long for opening compact macs.... but I will say if you're trying to save money the exact same kit is available on ali express for much cheaper and usually with more bits.

 

[sunvalleylaw]

I have the iFix it one (doesn't seem the exact model exists anymore) https://www.ifixit.com/Tools/Drivers_and_Wrenches - with all the ends - has everythign i need except the torx t15 long for opening compact macs.... but I will say if you're trying to save money the exact same kit is available on ali express for much cheaper and usually with more bits.

Cool. I got the long Torx t15 from Amazon. and did get the iFixit more complete kit. I am personally trying to go eBay or other vendors instead, and they are available, but that is only my choice, and sometimes I cross that line.

I am going to need to open up my working SE modded to SE/30 to install some Bolle stuff soon.