Use of proper tools is important for making any project properly. Here are some diy tools that are in common use by amateurs as well as professionals.
Soldering tools
Soldering tools are needed for performing efficient soldering work. Soldering is an art by which electronic components are connected with each other, so that these can communicate in a circuit and perform a specific task. Electronic components are held together on a board called a printed circuit board (PCB). Leads of electronic components are joined to the PCB by melting the solder wire and waiting for it to cool and solidify. PCBs either have external copper wires (in general PCBs/perfboards) or printed copper tracks (advanced FR4-grade PCBs) that help in establishing the required connections. Various soldering tools are described in Table I.
Hand tools
Hand tools are required for stripping wires, cutting component leads, drilling holes in PCBs and cabinets, shaping electronic enclosures, setting trimmers and presets, opening enclosures, cutting cabinets, providing assistance in soldering, extracting integrated circuits (ICs), holding things while soldering or other work, magnifying work area and so on. Check out Table II for some basic hand tools.
Measurement and power supply tools
Measurement tools are required in taking measurements of physical quantities in electronics like voltage, current and resistance, while power supply is used to power up the electronic circuits. Table III shows some handy measurement and power supply tools.
Prototyping tools
Prototyping tools are required for assembling a single unit of electronic project/circuit, which then can be mass produced, if successful. Some common prototyping tools are shown in Table IV.
Screwdriver tools
These are your best friends when it comes to opening/hacking electronic gadgets. These come in various tip types like slotted, Philips, Torx and so on. Avoid the extremely-cheap, low-quality screwdriver sets whose tips bend while opening a screw. Select sets that have tweezers included, as these are extremely useful in holding fine wires while soldering. Fig. 2 shows some widely-used screwdriver tools.
Tanmay Dasgupta is an electronics hobbyist and a small-business owner in Bilaspur, Chhattisgarh. His interests include LED based circuits
Nice list
Time to upgrade the old kit now 😉