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What's in Your Toolbox?

Posted by Cliff on from the the-physical-one-not-the-digital-one dept.

Embedded Geek asks: "I am a software developer with access to (conservatively) $100K worth of emulators, protocol analyzers, and debugging equipment at work. Nevertheless, as in every lab since Frankenstein's, I can never find a meter or screwdriver when I need one - and God help you if you need electrical tape! Over the years I have accumulated a personal toolkit to fill the gaps between what my employer provides and what I need to get my job done. In addition to the basics (a meter, screwdrivers, cable ties, boxcutter, extra power cables, duct tape) I have a number of oddball items that have come in handy (serial cable gender changers & converters, a dental mirror, dental picks). I'm curious what other items slashdotters doing hardware/software development have found useful that their bosses never provide. What about those in the IT/support world?"

10 of 153 comments (clear)

  1. stethoscope! by Zack · · Score: 5, Informative

    It's great for listening to hard drives to determine how screwed up they are. Start hearing little ticking or grinding noises? Back that sucker up and get a new one.

    Other than that, a 9 lbs. hammer comes in handy for those machines that refuse to cooperate ;-)

  2. a thousand uses! by catseye · · Score: 5, Informative

    A Swiss army knife/Leatherman tool.

    I suppose one of those fancy-pancy ones targeted at IT workers would have some useful job-specific items, but just having an easily accessible assortment of quick-use generic tools (knife, pliers, tweezers, etc.) in a compact package has gotten me out of some spectacular jams in the past. You never know when you'll need something basic like a screwdriver, but you can't (for whatever reason) reach your normal box of goodies.

    -A.

    --
    What did the walrus say to the penguin? "No soap, radio."
    1. Re:a thousand uses! by JasonMaggini · · Score: 4, Informative

      I picked up a cheapo Leatherman knockoff for a whopping six bucks at Wally-World... it came with ten or eleven different bits, phillips, flathead, I think even a torx or two.
      Couldn't beat the price, and since I have a habit of forgetting where I left stuff...
      All will be fine until a blade snaps off and flys across the room...

  3. Tie Wraps by laard · · Score: 4, Informative

    probably not out of the ordinary, but those plastic tie wraps tend to be especially handy for harnessing those particularly spiteful wires.

    --
    --- If we knew half the things we shouldn't we'd stop wishing we knew it all
    1. Re:Tie Wraps by catseye · · Score: 5, Informative

      Similar to this, but a little more versatile, are strips of Velcro. Great for temporarily bundling cables or holding stuff out of the way while you work.

      Better yet are the long strips you can cut with a scissors -- I buy 'em in the six foot length. Very useful!

      -A.

      --
      What did the walrus say to the penguin? "No soap, radio."
  4. What I Carry by linuxbert · · Score: 5, Informative

    Besides the standard set of screw drivers, and adaptors, and other stuff allready mentioned, I carry: * linksys usb NIC (size of a memory key)
    * network crimper, punchtool, striper, and cable tester
    * forceps (surgical locking neadle nose plyers)
    * laptop to 40pin ide adaptor
    * flashlight
    * pen +pencil + cd marker
    * dental mirror
    * Antec ATX Power supply Tester
    * Multimeter
    * spare mouse
    * digital camera (occasionally to remember really fubared stuff)
    frs 2 way radios come in handy, as does a cordless drill, bandaids, and your whits.

  5. hasn't changed.... by slothdog · · Score: 5, Informative

    probably the same kind of stuff that was in it a couple months ago.

  6. Tools by ka9dgx · · Score: 4, Informative
    These days, I'm mostly doing systems management, software, etc... but when a repair issue arises, for most jobs, my leatherman tool suffices. When the hardware needs repair beyond board swapping, then I haul my toolbox out, which serves quite well for you average electronics repair. It's biased more towards analog electronics, but it includes:
    • Regular and Philips screwdrivers, etc.
    • Dikes, Needle Nose, and Bent Needle Nose pliers
    • A big pair linemans pliers /w cutter
    • A big pair of slip joint pliers
    • An old (but effective) stripper/bolt cutter/crimper
    • Assorted files, including diamond
    • Micrometer and Caliper set (mostly for show)
    • Metal ruler, both English and Metric
    • Wrench set, combination, Craftsman, english sizes
    • Plastic "twiddle stick" for tuning coils
    • Craftsman 42 Watt soldering iron, with copper coated iron tips, solder wick, and real lead/tin Kester solder
    • Water, and stand for soldering iron
    • Flux (for non-copper work), Silver Solder, and Solder-Wick
    • Spring loaded solder sucker
    • Multimeter with probes
    • Jumper cables
    • Bits of phone wire (very handy)
    • Automatic centerpunch
    • Various parts and screws
    • Fiberglass scraping tool (for cleaning contact points)
    • Xacto knives
    • Hobby metal saw
    • Pin vise with bits down to #40
    • Razor blades and scraper
    • F-Connector wrench (great for tightening the cables behind a VCR, etc)
    • Power cord with leads on other end (ever need to put 110 somewhere as a test?
    • Mechanical pencil & Paper
    • Electrical tape
    • Super glue
    • Safety goggles
    And this tool kit does NOT include:
    • Duct tape - Either its fixed right, or I'm not touching it
    • Anti-static equipment - Lets face it, if it's that delicate, it needs a board swap to be reliable
    • Logic Probe - Alas, that would be a good thing to add
    • Heatsink compound - I ran out a few years ago, haven't needed any lately

    All of this is housed in an old NCR Cash register repair suitcase a friend gave me. The mere sight of a 42 Watt non-temperature controlled iron is enough to convince most people I'm crazy, but it's darn good for doing SMC repairs, gets everything up to temperature in no time, saving the parts.

    --Mike--

  7. Another incredibly useful tool is.... by HotNeedleOfInquiry · · Score: 4, Informative

    A telco central office simulator. Ring-it http://www.digitalproductsco.com/ringit.htm lets you plug 2 modems or 2 faxes together and simulates the telco system. Excellent for debugging lan fax systems or getting ppp dialup to work.

    --
    "Eve of Destruction", it's not just for old hippies anymore...
  8. What utility software? by quinto2000 · · Score: 5, Informative

    '98 boot disk (and bootable CD)
    Spinrite
    MemCheck
    CheckIt/QAPlus
    pcAnywher e
    VNC
    WinZip
    Acrobat
    DOS version of PKZip
    Collection of common nic/video/printer/etc drivers
    Copies of major OS's (Win2K, 98 OSR2 etc.)
    Copies of Office
    Copies of SP's and patches
    Copies of browsers (IE, Netscape, Opera)
    L0pht Crack
    Your favorite IP scanner and other IP tools (e.g. Putty)
    Other tools depending on OS's you work with (e.g. JCMD for Netware, Upromote for NT, the Win2K/NT resource kits, 'Nix boot disk and utils and hundreds of other favorite need-specific utils

    --
    Ceci n'est pas un post