James writes: “This precision screwdriver is available from Husky in both Torx and Phillips/slotted versions. It’s hands down the handiest screwdriver for working on electronics and small items.”
We’ve been featuring a number of multi-bit screwdrivers lately — to the point where I think I’m going to have to pick one up soon. I’ve always relied on sets, but this looks like a great solution.
Virtually unknown outside the telecomm industry, spudgers are at least as handy as needlenose pliers when working on something small — especially electronics. They’re available with various tips and handle styles, usually in bright colors. More pictures below the cut.
Spudgers come in handy for all kinds of small work. The wire tip is perfect for setting DIP switches, removing jumpers, scratching corrosion from hard-to-reach contacts, straightening wire after unwrapping, and cleaning fingernails. The plastic end dresses wiring blocks, places labels, smooths labels, peels labels, pries cases open, snags wires from crowded harnesses, and twists trimmer potentiometers.
When troubleshooting telephone wiring, sometimes you need to work with individual leads. Also, the typical “butt set” tester includes alligator clips rather than a modular plug. In both cases, the tool you need to make the connection between the leads and the modular plug is called a banjo.
Andy from OneFromTheRoad.com writes: “Ideal’s SureTest is an AC circuit analyzer; basically it’s like one of those cheap three-neon-light testers on steroids – and then some.
“The problem with those neon light testers is that while they detect most problems, there are some very dangerous situations — ground/neutral shorts (aka “false ground”), excess impedance in the lines, voltage drop under load, among others — that they miss entirely.
“Both models of SureTest analyzers, the 164 and 165, test for all of these (including voltage drop over three different loads –12, 15, and 20 amp), as well as giving you a true RMS readout of the hot-neutral voltage and ground-neutral voltage, a peak hot-neutral voltage, a frequency reading in Hz, a measure of the available current through the breaker in a worst-case-scenario dead short of all three conductors, and a test of the GFCI if you’ve got one installed — this even includes a reading of how much current it took to trip and how long it took to trip!. The more advanced 165 model adds testing of AFCIs and another related test or two.
“I recently replaced my no-longer-manufactured Ecos AccuTest circuit tester with a Suretest 164, and am in love. (I went through a “new toy” phase of running every test on every outlet in my apartment).
“As a live sound engineer, I use it all the time to test power at a venue before I plug my (or, perhaps more importantly, my boss’s) expensive equipment into it, but it’s equally important for homeowners, where many of these problems can be the cause of electrical fires.”
Fluke meters are tough. I have a Fluke 77 my father gave me close to 20 years ago, and it’s been dropped in the mud, stepped on, and hit with water — and came through all the beatings just fine. The new Fluke 115 should do the same.
The 115 is bred to work, from the large, white LED backlight to the rubber shock-resistant jacket. It’s a reliable piece of gear from a trusted name. Fluke is the standard.
Myself writes: “Got no use for the ‘blasting cap crimper’ in the jaws of your multi-tool? Spend more time in communications closets? Try the 66 and 110 punchdown blades in the PowerPlay. It also sports a drywall saw, real wire strippers, spudger tip, and all the screwdrivery and pliery goodness you’d expect from a multi-tool.”
Andy, a theatrical audio engineer, commented on our previous post regarding the Behringer CT-100 Audio Cable Tester, bringing to our attention that Berhringer borrowed the design from smaller audio firm Ebtech’s Swizz Army 6-in-1 Cable Tester, pictured above. They certainly appear identical to me.
While I’m aware of Behringer’s past with Mackie and Aphex, I’ve never really been a Behringer hater. When I was first struggling to pick up a mixer for my band, I was happy to find a Behringer that sounded pretty decent — it was a Mackie ripoff, after all. Sure, it was built poorly, wouldn’t last as long as the Mackie (which I bought later), and Behringer couldn’t provide the same level of support for it. But I couldn’t afford that level of quality and support, anyway — at the time.
Often we make choices like this not as much based on ultimate morality as we do the need to find something readily-available that we can afford and’ll do the job.
I remember when the company Eagle starter producing the first IBM PC clones way back when I was a kid. (My parents owned part of a computer store, so I worked there on weekends.) Eagle was sued — the boards we’re layed out identically — and eventually they worked out a deal that opened up the PC market to what it is today. If IBM’d had its way, we’d still pay $3500 for a desktop PC — without any other options.
So while I don’t feel particularly bad for Mackie or Aphex, I have to admit that I do feel bad for Ebtech. This tester’s a great idea, and I could totally have afforded an extra $30 or so to buy from the original creator — had I known they existed. Sadly, Ebtech didn’t have the same kind of relationship with Guitar Center (or Mars, back when I was buying), which means I didn’t see it until Andy posted the other day — after I’ve had my CT-100 for about seven years.
Thanks, Andy, for pointing this out, and here’s a post with the Swizz Army unit. It streets for around $80, and can be found in most quality pro-audio establishments. You amateurs (like me) can pick it up from Musician’s Friend, where it’s selling for $90 as of this moment.
The Swizz Army 6-in-1 Cable Tester [Ebtech]
Street Pricing [Froogle]
Note: I really enjoyed Andy’s audio submissions, and I love seeing cool audio tools, so I’ve created a new “Audio” tool-type category. Hopefully we’ll see more submissions along these lines!
When I used to play in a band, I quickly learned that carrying a decent cable tester made the difference between wondering whether the PA system would work — or whether it’d cut out in the middle of the second set and make me look like a complete ass.
This is the one I ended up carrying, mainly because it’s cheap and effective. As you can see from the picture, it can handle balanced and unbalanced mic cables, 1/4″ and 1/8″ cables — or best yet, any combination thereof. For example, if you’ve got a balanced 1/4″ to XLR, just plug each end into the appropriate hole and you’re good to go.
Jeff T. writes: “This cable tester is a massive jack-of-all-trades when it comes to data cable testing. It doesn’t test all types of cables, but comes pretty darn close.”
This is exactly the kind of thing we’ve been looking for to use around the office. According to Paladin Tools (the manufacturer), it’ll handle LAN, telephone, serial, coaxial, USB, VGA, mini-USB, S-video, FireWire, PS/2 keyboard, and parallel printer cables.
Marko writes: “This tool helps fix (or diagnose, at least) burned out miniature light bulb sets. I got one when a portion of our pre-lit tree went out. The first pull of the trigger solved the problem and allowed me to find and replace the burned-out bulb. At $15, it’s a bit more costly than a light set, but considerably less so than a whole tree.”
Earlier today Sean extolled the virtues of keeping extra bolts around the shop. Not only do I wholeheartedly agree — I’d like to also recommend that you pick up a similar set of electrical crimp terminals like the one pictured above.
If you’re doing any kind of automotive work, you won’t believe how often you end up needing a ring, butt, or spade terminal. Having a couple is good. Having 1,012 is better. You’re way more likely to find what you need without a trip to the hardware store.
Jeff writes: “This is a great set of pliers for doing work on small things such as electronics. The set includes mini-long-nose pliers, mini diagonal cutters, and mini-pliers. I received a set as a gift, and they’ve made my electronics projects way easier. I know many Toolmonger readers are automotive ‘big tool’ type people but I found your site through “Make:” and I imagine there are other toolmonger readers that wouldn’t mind hearing about small tools.”
We love small tools (and electronics), too, Jeff! Like, for example:
We also have a set of small pliers like this in testing right now from Irwin; look for a “hands-on” soon.
James writes: “This cabler ripper was recommended to me by a guy who spend 15 years doing electrical work for the Navy. I believe his exact words were, ‘You have to get one of these.’ He was right.” (For the non-electricians out there, this tool is used to split open Romex and other large wire.)
Myself writes: “So, you’ve sealed all the gaps in your home’s skin, added insulation in all the right places, and maybe taken the plunge on some new windows. An energy audit is the next step to efficiency, and the Kill-A-Watt is an affordable way to get started.
“It shows you the voltage and frequency that the power company is delivering, and measures the amount that your appliance draws. It tells you amps, watts, Volt-amps, and power factor. (At DC, watts and VA are the same thing, but in AC, a phase lag between the voltage curve and the current curve causes non-unity power factor, which is why your computer’s UPS might be rated to drive 700VA but only 450 watts.) Having this information is essential for UPS sizing, energy planning, and circuit troubleshooting.”
Phillip submitted these very nice electricians’ pliers. At first glance they look like plain needle-nose pliers, but if you look closely you’ll note that there are a few extra features designed into the jaws. Specifically, they can strip 14-gauge and 16-gauge wire, and they can crimp solderless terminals — and still serve as quality needle-nose pliers.
James says: “My main circuit panel, like most, is underdocumented. Finding the breaker to turn off a particular circuit by trial-and-error is very annoying and disruptive. To avoid this problem, I bought a Sperry circuit breaker finder. Now, I can simply plug the transmitter into the circuit I want to work on and find the breaker by moving the transmitter over them. I also bought a light socket power adapter so I can also trace lighting circuits.”
In the same spirit as the Warranty Voider below, Myself sent us this find: “Small toys call for small tools. Regular readers may have noticed from my comments that I’m into electronics, and many of my tools tend to run towards the small side. This set of 4mm insert bits and a little spinner handle makes quick work of most jobs – and along with Velleman’s 33-piece 1/4″ security bit set opens almost anything. (For the rest, there’s the Dremel.) A similar set of Wiha 4mm bits goes for about fifty bucks, but you can have the Boxers for well under half that, shipped. They’re surprisingly good quality for the price, though I don’t know where they’re made. P.S. — If anyone knows of a ’stubby’ handle for 4mm bits, please share!”
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