A good place to get started is by watching videos on YouTube. There are several 25+ minute long videos of people disassembling, servicing, and reassembling pocket watches. Once you have watched some videos, then you can start google searching about watch repair for more information. Things such as how to properly oil a watch. The names of different components, how to put a watch "in beat", etc. The message boards at NAWCC.com are a GREAT help. Read, read, read. Study. If after you do this and still want to get into the hobby then read further. I have to note that you must be mechanically adept to do this. You'll need to be able to observe a mechanism and deduce exactly how it works. This is how you solve a problem that a timepiece may have.

Honestly, a lot of the "Getting started" guides out there recommend spending thousands of dollars on tools. 30 dollars for one single screwdriver, 300 dollars for this, that, etc. If you're wealthy, then go for it! The expensive tools are great, but it's not necessary to service movements that are worth less than a couple hundred bucks for hobby. I'm very financially poor, so I had to shop around for the least expensive tools I could find. Here are some of the tools I use. I did purchase them from amazon. You won't be able to do all repairs with these tools. There are repairs that will be a bit out of reach, such as balance staff replacement and component fabrications.

1)Screwdriver set. I get a ton of use out of these. They're Chinese made, but they work perfectly fine. Definitely a must.
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00JPXW0N8/

2) Magnifying eyeglasses. LED illuminated. I cannot live without mine, it really works great and takes regular AAA batteries. Human hands are capable of very fine motor movements, what limits us is our eyes. Watchmaking requires steady hands, and for that you'll need to see up close.
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B003UCODIA/

3)Movement holder. This is self explanatory.
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B005URKGDO/

4)Brass tweezers. You will need these to insert screws for installation, various pins, etc. Brass is a softer metal, and thus makes it less prone to scratch/damage steel parts such as the threads of screws. Learning to use tweezers can be quite difficult at first. You need to be very light fingered with them. Too much pressure, and your teeny tiny screw/pin/jewel will go flying across the room never to be seen again. Too little pressure, and you will drop the component. It takes practice.
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000RB7C5I/

5)Hand remover. Self explanatory.
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00I02NW82/

6)Watch oil. I use this Liberty brand oil. Seems to do the job just fine, and it's affordable.
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00CM19L5K/

7) Dremel. Harbor Freight sells a knockoff brand dremel for something like 10 bucks. It comes with several attachments. I mostly use mine for buffing cases.

8) Jewelry pliers. They sell these in craft stores and such. Basically a pair of needle nose pliers without teeth on them, they just have smooth round points. These come in handy for removing pins and canon pinions and such that the brass tweezers cannot remove.

9) Several clean cotton cloths. I buy mine at the automotive department in walmart.

10) Goof-Off cleaning solution and a toothbrush. Goof-Off contains a mixture of acetone and xylene. This works great for removing old oil, gunk, and dirt.

11) Toothpicks and a sharp knife. Wood toothpicks work great for pegging/cleaning out jewels and pivots. Sharpen the tip of a toothpick, insert it in said jewel, spin it around a bit, it'll come out gray. Then clean with the chemical solution.

Now you'll want a watch or two to work on. I highly recommend sticking with an 18 size or 16 size movement at first. Larger parts and such makes it easier. You'll be able to find them on eBay. Generally I can find good size 18 movements for 30 to 50 dollars. Sometimes it's a good idea to buy a watch that already runs, but needs fully disassembled and cleaned. That 1898 Hampden 18s 11j in my photo album? I paid $30 for it in an eBay auction. It needed fully disassembled, cleaned, lubricated, mainspring replacement, and the balance put in beat. I knew that if it had a problem which I could not cheaply repair then I could simply resell it and get my $30 or more back. Often times you'll be able to buy entire lots of uncased scrap movements for less than 50 dollars. Having a lot of scrap parts movements around comes very much in handy. Stay away from watches with broken balance staffs for now. If you buy a broken watch that cannot be repaired cheaply, simply resell it on eBay.

Take A LOT of photos while you tear down a watch! Before you start removing screws, take photos on your cell phone. This will help immensely with reassembly.

That's all I can think of now. Getting a bit sleepy so I'm sure I'll think up some more advice tomorrow. I hope watchmaking is still enticing to you after watching some youtube videos, it really is a most rewarding hobby.

very nice work on it, im building a near strait build of this same kit and am still finishing up the finer details on the weapons as i got most of the rest of it done. i am just really waiting on my MR. metallics paints i order to get here so i can finish blade as i want to make it into a black blade.

the line work is very nicely done on this mama mobile suit (after all Amida is a mother/hot mom/ word not appropriate for a discussion form that children may see.) what did you use to make them as i use this badass TAMIYA 87154 Tamiya HG Pointed Brush Extra Fine.

after having several problems doing lines with a gundam marker getting clogged up (i did not know you should top coat it first if you paint the kit, and at 29 years of age i was around for the first golden age of mecha kits in the united states, and how i miss those yea it was my first time lining, and i had built around 30 gunpla kits in that golden age and proceeded to break them, repeatedly playing with them but i was between the a immature 13-15 year old at the time. i had also built about 7ish zoid models under my belt as i dont quite remember what ones i had aside form liger zero X and the command wolf.

my gundam gusion rebake test colors was my first time lineing the kit and i didn not know you were supos to topcoat once before doing the lines with a GM(i am just getting a bit of irony form this) so ireally messed up the markers i was using. then i whent and used a gundam brush type marker on a straite build kit i had done and did not like how it turned and i had already bought this bad boyTAMIYA 87154 Tamiya HG Pointed Brush Extra Fine and if it was not both sacrilegious and against my religion i was religion i would paint this brush gold, mount it on an raised stone alter. i would then worship it as if it was the eternal god itself, i would bring animal sacrifices to it as well. but i am being a bit goofy cause my sleep meds are kicking in so i will need to retire soon but i want to finish my critique of your work..

you did a great job posing the you matched the box perfectly and i love the little stand you created for it. what did you use for a top coat? i am planing on looking into more kinds of coating to go with my mettle finish (i like my gundams to be so shiney they blind the enemy as the sun glints off them.

hears a few tips for your next strait build:
first off you should invest in a small amount atleast gold sliver and black paint, with any other color you happen to like. the silver is for the edge of the blade weapons. gold is nice to have around as you can paint the yellow plastics some kits have with it to give it better look the using just using the plastic. you really need to prime these parts first if you paint them, but if your painting the howl kit its a good idea to use primer first. as for the black well you can use it with the god of detail brush i have been talking about in this review
to get great lines on pritty much any kit. but it also serves a more intresting perpose. insted of useing the eye stickers you first paint the eyes black, then using what ever color you prefer that day paint in the eyes, however this does require a magnification device to really do this technique well. i recamend using a head magnafire as you dont have to be carful of bumbing magnafing glass as you work. this is the one i use http://smile.amazon.com/SE-MH1047L-Illuminated-Multi-Power-Magnifier/dp/B003UCODIA?ie=UTF8&psc=1&redirect=true&ref_=oh_aui_detailpage_o08_s00


if you end up buying this style i strongly recamend wearing a banana around your head for comfort reasons. magnification also makes doing lines easier.
sorry thins got goofy i cant wait to see what you do next.

To give you a more detailed answer, here's what you'll need:

• A soldering iron, like this one
  
  
• CR2032 battery holders (I've used [these] (https://m.ebay.com/itm/10pcs-Plastic-CR2032-CR2025-Cell-Button-Lithium-SMD-Lead-Battery-Socket-Holder-/111611684009) successfully in the past)
  
  
• CR2032 batteries (you can find these at just about any grocery store)
  
  
• A 3.8mm Gamebit bit or screwdriver depending on what you already have
  
  
• Some good heat resistant gloves probably
  
  
• Not required (I've so far done all of my own replacements without this) but definitely helpful: a "helping hand" like this one
  
  
• Patience
  
  If you're at all worried about doing this, I can tell you that, having no prior experience to soldering, I've successfully replaced batteries on 8 of my own carts without damaging any of them. You can do it!
  
  

1. Start by taking the two 3.8mm Gamebit screws out of the front of the cartridge and removing the plastic shell. Since you have the board out, now would also be a good time to clean it and the plastic. Use soap and water on the plastic (letting it dry thoroughly) and isopropyl alcohol on the board's gold contracts (where it plugs in).
   
   
2. Heat up your soldering iron by just plugging it in, resting it on its stand, and leaving it for a few minutes. IT WILL GET VERY HOT, DON'T TOUCH IT. To test if it's hot enough, just put your hand near it. You should be able to feel the heat coming off it if it's warm enough.
   
   
3. Begin removing the old battery. Locate it on the board, then find the two corresponding points on the back of the board where it connects. Also, take note of the polarity of the connections; the tab that runs from the top of the battery down is the positive end, the bottom is the negative. Start heating one of the contacts while pulling up on the battery away from the board (this is where those gloves and helping hand come in handy) Once you've got one end out, go for the other one.
   
   
4. Take your battery holder and (if you're buying the ones I linked) bend the tabs so they're perpendicular to the holder itself. I used tweezers to do this. Be careful not to bend too much, or you may snap the metal tab off! (I've done that more than once...) Once you've done that place a fresh battery in the holder
   
   
5. Now comes the hard part: putting the new battery holder in. Remember the orientation the old battery went it, and orient the new one in the same fashion. If you forgot how the old one went in, the two tabs are actually different sizes, so you shouldn't be able to put it in the holes if you've got wrong. Proceed to heat the solder under one of the tabs until it flows again and slide the tab into it. You may have to alternate back and forth to get it in fully, but by the end the holder should sit flush against against the board
   
   
6. Place the board back into the plastic and screw the screws back in. One note about bigger boards (like the Yoshi's island cart you have): some plastic pieces may interfere with the board when you put it back in. One thing you could consider doing to remedy this is using a file to scrape away some of that plastic if you don't mind doing that to a cart or (preferably) the holder. Also something to note, Yoshi's Island and other Super FX carts have metal tabs on the plastic of the cartridge that act as a ground by touching the outside of the cartridge slot. If this isn't placed back properly, your cartridge may not boot, so that's one thing to check if that's the case after reassembly. Now, congratulate yourself. You've done it! Give yourself a pat on the back and get back to gaming. Good luck with 100%! :)

This is my iron. There are many like it, but this one is mine. It's not a great iron, it's a good enough iron, and you can get replacement tips pretty cheap. (I'm actually wanting to upgrade to a $150 Weller, but my iron still works fine. I want better heat control and thermal capacity, but this is one of those "if you can't explain why you need it, you don't need it yet" things.) I also bought this tip cleaner on the same order apparently, I prefer it to a sponge but it's not necessary.

This is the solder I bought most recently. It's honestly a little on the thick side, and multi-core would be better, but it was cheap and works fine. Without the rosin, you'd need flux; they etch the metal to remove the oxide layer that naturally forms and would inhibit a good joint. Thin solder melts faster and gives you more control over how much you apply.

There's other stuff that isn't strictly necessary, but is useful. I have a heat antistatic may on my work bench, and a cheap fume extractor set up behind it; I won't bother linking it because it doesn't have any kind of filter in it. The rosin smoke and the lead are both kinda toxic, so a well-ventilated area and/or a good fume extractor are important. I also keep flux paste, desoldering wick, a solder sucker, and a set of helping hands on my workbench, but I use all that stuff because I do a fair bit of electronics work, YMMV.

For references, Dave of EEVBlog fame has a three part tutorial on soldering which covers all the bases pretty well. He'll also leave you saying "sohldah" instead of "sodder," which is a fun way to annoy American EEs.

Edit: This is my workbench, for reference since I'm in that room right now. There's heat shrink on the helping hands, a trick I straight up stole from /u/bulbufet. It keeps the alligator clips from digging into wires, though the heat shrink has to be replaced periodically as the teeth will eventually work their way through it. And if you don't want to slap together a solder holder out of MDF, you can buy them, but where's the fun in that?

I bought all my materials from Amazon and I've done about 3 Mods.

Heres a little documentation of my 1st one.

Seiko 5 Mod; PAM Cali Dial & Sword Hands & some more photos

Some things that I suggest you get before starting.

• Magnifier Opposed to a Loupe this works well and is rather convenient with 3 magnifications
  
  
• Precision Tweezers You need, need this. Seriously
  
  
• Crystal Press Self explanatory
  
  
• Dust Blower Often times you get dust on your dial while it sits, so get this to get rid of it
  
  
• Hand Press I don't particularly like the hand remover included but it does the job just fine
  
  
• Cushioned Holder I used this to hold the movement taking it out of the case
  
  
• Silicone Grease Used to grease the gaskets for increased water resistance
  
  
• Caseback Ball One of the best things you can get to be honest, it removes most casebacks
  
  
• Movement Holder To uhh, hold the movement
  
  
• Precision Screwdrivers You need this to unscrew the movement from the holders, also good tool to use for when you take apart movements to learn
  
  
• Hypo Cement Used this for bezel attachments for when you change em up
  
  Let me know if you've any questions, I'd be willing to help you out and answer them to the best of my ability :)
  
  Cheers!

Cheap and reliable is best for fire.

• Fire been sorted out for hundreds of thousands of years.
  
  Even more important when you need fire, sometimes you need it NOW! and delays, dead batteries etc are not okay.
  
  
• Get a combination of reusable fire starters like flint and steel or Fresnel lens (only daylight) and anytime fire (matches.)
  
  
• Get fire helpers like Magic biscuits, or saw dust and wax, or accelerates (like ether, gasoline, charcoal lighter fluid)
  
  
• Get an 8'5" x 11" frenzel lens. (for starting with sun light.) https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00IITFX02/
  
  
• Matches
  
  
• birthday candles for kids / make your own fire starters from make-up remover pads and parifin wax. These are the best fire starter helpers you can have. (you can use crayon wax if you don't buy paraffin) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uCni8yLXR3w
  
  The only thing the above video fails to do is use a double boiler so what you want is to make a "cup" or the like with some tinfoil, put the wax in that, then set the cup into a pot of boiling water. In this way clean up is a breeze, whatever wax you don't use you can just wait to cool and harden and throw away with the tin foil.
  
  These "magic biscuits" style fire starters will stay dry forever, and you can "crack" them in half to expose cotton fibers for things like flint and steel starters or the focus point of your Fresnel lens, or a match. etc.
  
  

  Make use of the small fire you do start.
  

  
  

• Getting a flame is just the start. One of the VERY BEST things I've ever bought cost about 10 bucks. It was a collapsible tube used like a very long straw to blow air at a fire without having to have your face close enough to suck in a lot of smoke when you take a breath.
  
  Made in america version for $12 from amazon.
  
  Absolute cheapest version $4
  
  

  Skills
  

  
  Fire is great. You don't need to go out int he pouring rain to start a fire, but doing so once in a while will help. Same with the wind. Mostly you need to know how to build a stack of wood so that stuff burns. There are many ways to do this.
  
  

• most of the time building your fire (kindling and med sized wood.) before hand and then covering it with a tarp or plastic. is the best practice. Building on a slight hill or digging a trench around the fire area is also a good "prep" to do before hand.
  
  
• If you are going camping or want a few kits making easy to use fire starter kits from pine cones, dryer lint, wax, pop-sickle sticks, cardboard etc will help. Old pine wood scrap from two by fours or lumber mills or woodworker shops works well too. These are things you can make in your spare time, when it's dry and comfortable.
  
  

  Fire cups!
  

  
  

• Fast food cups that are the wax paper cups (down south and in warmer places use Styrofoam cups) are great for a kit. You can put Popsicle sticks, some matches, some magic biscuits (waxed cotton pads), some black paper (to better start with Fresnel lens / sunlight). Then you put the plastic lid on with a bit of tape over the straw hole and you have a "water proof" cup you can set out, and use when you see fit to start a fire.
  
  Edit corrected spelling.
  

I find this light to be very effective, not to mention pretty cheap, and I like that it has a few different "temperatures" of light and has more than enough flexibility for me to get it in just the right spot.

​

I also rely heavily on this head magnifier as my vision isn't what it once was. It's super cheap and works great.

​

I find that Army Painter brushes work really well and cost much less than most of the other brushes I like. I particularly like their detail brushes. I don't think I could paint eyes without my beloved "The Psycho" brush.

​

I love this light box. Also very cheap (noticing a trend, I'm always looking for a deal, lol). These acrylic display boards fit nicely inside the light box and give photos a cool, polished look.

You really need a set of helping hands or a vise or something. Trying to hold everything in place, control an iron and control the solder is a challenge without it. In a pinch I have used my feet as a quick clamp, but I wouldn't recommend it.

Secondly, properly prepare your wire. You only need to expose about 1/8" or so of bare wire. make sure you have a nice twist on each bare cable, and if necessary, go ahead and apply solder to it so it stays together. I do t usually like to do this personally, because it makes the end too rigid and difficult to maneuver at times, but sometimes it is necessary to keep the wire and connection clean.
Also, with TRS jacks, you want to trim the shield back a little bit so that everything lines up. (If there is a ton of shield, feel free to trim a little off to make the wire a bit more manageable- you don't have to connect the whole rap to have a good connection.) Use a pair of small pliers to open the strain relief on the jack (the part you were trying to thread through) and bend the shield pin down a bit if necessary.

As far a flux, hopefully you have rosin core 65/35 or 60/40 lead solder (I still don't trust the lead-free stuff); if you do then the flux isn't really necessary. The rosin core contains flux, which has a lower melting point than solder, so flux is applied by the iron heating solder on the surface. There are occasions when the solder type or the board you're trying to solder to needs a flux coat to prep the surface, but this isn't one of them.

Thirdly, make sure you have a decent iron that gets hot enough, and is properly tined. You should have a little solder on the tip (that is shiny) so that heat is properly transferred to the surface. Make sure you apply the iron to both the cable and the surface so both get equally hot. Once you flow solder on them, keep the cable still until the joint cools- it should also look shiny when done, (if it looks really dull, you have a cold joint, and need to reheat it.

Clamp the strain relief down on the cable and seal it up (I hope you remembered to put the sleeve and any shrink or cover over the wire before you started soldering..)

I've had to do hundreds of jacks for patchbays and audio cable tielines. You'll get better at it with practice.

Might be worth getting a solder wick for when you inevitably screw up. Solder vacuum isn't a terrible idea either. I have both, I use them for different things. A third hand is also useful. I find myself using the glass more than the arms but it's all useful. If the iron you buy doesn't come with one a brass ball is great for keeping your tip clean without cooling it off like a sponge will. Micro-cutter is useful, not sure if angled or straight is better, up to you I guess. Last but not least a pair of angled tweezers. You can get those anywhere.

These are all the things I have within arm's reach when I'm doing a project. Have fun!

Must:

1. Variable temp (some times you need it really hot, sometimes hot melts everything or makes all the SMTs start moving- YIKES!)
   
2. solder WITH lead - lead free is impossible
   
3. rosin core (acid core is not for electronics
   Suggestions:
   
4. Get a cheap holder "third hand".
   
5. Get a visor magnifier (Like this: http://www.amazon.com/SE-MH1047L-Illuminated-Multipower-Magnifier/dp/B003UCODIA/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1405288738&sr=8-1&keywords=visor+magnifier) It makes it MUCH easier to see small solder joints.
   
6. Get a "copper scrubber" - like a copper brillo pad. It is the best way to clean tips. If you buy one "especially for soldering" it will be the same thing for 10 times the price.
   
7. Get some CELLULOSE sponges (not any other material). Slightly moistened, they can also keep your tip clean. I use the copper scrubber most of the time, though.
   
8. Get a "diagonal clipper". Also known as "dikes". Some people say you should spend a lot on a good one; I do not. There also some very light duty versions that are very handy.
   
9. Get some paste flux. Use a toothpick to apply to hard to solder things like plugs and jacks (impossible without it).
   
10. Get some de-soldering braid. We all make mistakes. Also, there are some techniques where oversoldering then clean-up is the preferred method (tell that to people if they make fun of you ;-) ).
    
11. A small fan (like a "muffin fan" from a computer helps keep the fumes out of your face (unless you like them?).
    Enough for now.
    73

Samsung Galaxy Note 3 camera module replacement

I just replaced the wifi module in my wife's Note 2.. The Logic Board (aka- motherboard) in mine.. and then had to finally find a replacement for (b/c the connector ripped the male contact off of the logic board inside of the wire's female connector and I couldn't get it out.. super tiny shit) and install the USB/Cell Antenna cable in my Note 2.. With the tools, patience, PARTS lol, and instructions, you don't need a new phone as often as you'd think ;)

Total cost.. About $50 for all of those parts on ebay and ifixit-(which is expensive, but it's quick and reliable.. the bad cable I got was from them, and they replaced it free w/o a return of the faulty one) The tools aren't that much either.. ifixit has their stuff overpriced.. just find them elsewhere.. then, just watch a lot of videos, and go slow.

Did you know? you can use 2x magnifying lenses held at just the right distances from each other to create a MUCH more powerful magnification? I use a set of Helping Hands (not the best design btw) and then use a smaller magnifying glass held by one of the alligator clips held infront of the larger one to make a laymans microscope..

Here's an example of how I have mine setup.. This is an old RadioShack version that I paid waaaaay too much for back before I used the net lol.. Like $40?? I think ughh.. Pretty sure there's better for less now.

Shit.. I just reread what your issue was and it's the Vibration lmao.. I'm sorry, bit tipsy but I'm leaving all of that above. Did you try this?

I don't have any suggestions on soldering irons, but I do recommend a brass wire sponge over a regular sponge for tip cleaning.

They work great and don't require any water. I personally feel they are better for your iron tip and don't get nasty like a sponge can.

Something like this http://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B000PDQORU/ref=mp_s_a_1_3?qid=1373850851&sr=8-3&pi=AC_SX112_SY192


Edit: that weller above that you listed is a good iron. Because you are doing SMD as well I would also recommend a solder sucker, as I call them ha.

This here http://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B0002KRAAG/ref=mp_s_a_1_1?qid=1373851104&sr=8-1&pi=AC_SX112_SY192

Helps a ton if you get solder is the wrong place or need to take some off or out of a through hole.

Lastly, these third hands can be a life saver at times if you will be working alone often. http://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B000RB38X8/ref=pd_aw_sim_indust_2?pi=SL500_SY115

Good luck!

Cardboard will not work with any regular games, since it requires the display to be split into two separate images, and looking at a regular game in Cardboard is a good way to induce headache.

I don't know of any head mount like the one you are looking for, but it is pretty easy to build one yourself with an existing cardboard box. Just make sure you use one large lens with about 3X magnification and place it about 10cm/4 inches away from the screen.

By using one lens (e.g. a rectangular fresnel reading loupe, preferably the size of your screen) both eyes will easily see the full screen. This doesn't work well with two lenses like in Cardboard, even if you use lenses with much larger focal length/lower magnification, as you will get a lot more distortion when looking through the edges of the lenses, or your vision will be completely blocked. The primary function of the lens here is not to make the image larger like in VR, but to allow your eyes to focus on the screen at close distance, so you can actually place into some kind of headset.

I tried it with a handheld magnifier similar to this one because I wanted to walk around in the Epic Citadel tech demo with a bluetooth controller, and it worked just fine. Be aware that looking around with a controller is a great way to get motion sick.

I've been lusting after a microscope for a while, but can't (yet!) justify the cost (or the space it would take up on my already crowded desk).

Have you looked into OptiVisors at all? I recently purchased the Optivisor DA-3, which is 1.75x magnification with a 14 inch working distance, and a DA-6 which is 2.75x with a 6 inch working distance. I also got the LED Light for the Optivisor which mounts cleanly around the lenses.

I'm sure this solution is not as good as having a microscope, but it is less expensive, compact, and pretty flexible. I'm happy with the DA-3 model for day to day hand soldering (0603 passives, sot-23-6, etc), and I've used the DA-6 a few times for really close up inspection.
So far I've worn it for as long as 90 minutes at a time and it was comfortable to wear for that long.

Note that the DA-X models use glass lenses, and are very clear and distortion free. Apparently the same company makes a line of less expensive visors with plastic lenses that aren't as good (LX series, maybe?).

Look up some tutorials on youtube. A good iron makes a world of difference. I struggled with properly tinning all the irons I've used previously which were just those cheap $8 dollar irons from like walmart. The weller that was in my dad's stuff wasn't much more expensive but they make quality stuff.

The tip tinned very well and everything was fairly smooth. If you don't have a decent stock of soldering supplies I would purchase them before you start.

Here's a quick rundown of what I would recommend:

Simple Weller Soldering Iron

Helping Hands

Desolder Wick

Kester .03" solder

Having the desolder wick saved me a few times when I had some bad flow from the parts not having adequate heat and the solder just clumping on the pin rather than flowing into the connection. You just lay the braid over the solder and press your iron on top and it will soak the solder into the braid and leave your parts clean. You'll probably want something to clean your solder iron tip with. You can buy a Hakko cleaning stand with wire brush for $10 on amazon or you can just wet a scotch brite pad you buy from walmart for a few dollars.

You can use solder you already have if it's a small enough diameter. You want small diameter so that when you touch it to the part (not to the iron) it melts quickly and you dont have to continue to apply heat to the parts. As far as actually handling the solder while you're trying to work I like to cut a small length of solder, maybe 6-8 inches and then wind it in a mini spool around my pinkie finger and leave a length of it sticking out so you have something to hold on to that will give you good control.

How-To Solder Instructable

Once you make the connections look at them, a good connection should typically be shiny and not cloudy. It's likely overkill for this project but those are good practices.

20x?!! Are you sure she's using a true 20x loupe? If you picked up a cheap loupe online, chances are, it's not a 20x. For instance: http://www.amazon.com/SE-Loupe-LED-Illuminated-21mm/dp/B0013E3DAG => advertised to be 20x, but turns out to be ~5.5x.

I would recommend first figuring out the minimum magnification power your wife needs to read small text. Reason: There is an inverse relationship between magnification power, and depth of field and field of view. Meaning, there is no 20x magnifier that can give you a huge field of view (I have a true 20x, and dear god, it is useless to me since it can only view about 1 character at a time).

Here's an example of the tradeoff: I own several Donegan OptiVISOR headband magnifiers. At first, I ordered their most powerful model, the 3.5x. The 3.5x has a focal length of 4", and a depth of field of about 1". This means, in order for me to have a clear image of what I'm observing, I need to make sure I maintain a 3" to 5" distance between the lens and the item under observation; it was just exhausting.

After trial and error, I ended up with the the 1.75x. It has a focal length of 14", and a depth of field of about 4". Which means, I can keep the item under observation at a distance of 10" - 18", which is much more forgiving.

In case you're interested in the headband magnifier: http://www.amazon.com/Donegan-OptiVisor-Headband-Magnifier-Magnification/dp/B0068OSIIS/

I just went over to it and picked it up and was surprised by how light it is. I think the wider base gives it better stability than the old one I was using but the old one might actually be heavier. I just weighed them, the new one is 13.3 ounces, and the old is 12.2. So not much difference in weight, but the new one sits higher and has the wider base, that makes it more useful to me.

I just remembered this:
https://www.reddit.com/r/diypedals/comments/5fu93u/i_finally_bought_an_oscilloscope/

The helping hand in that picture might be worth pursuing. Whoever's desk this is has obviously spent a lot of time perfecting his workstation. I'd imagine he's gone through a few helping hands before settling on the one on his current desk.

I will say that this:
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B003UCODIA/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o00_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

has been my single most useful DIY helper....

I want to start off with this very important thing to remember, "take your time" while doing this model there was times I only sat down for a few minutes and times I was there for over an hour.
I would recommend practicing the techniques listed below on the sprues (the frame surrounding the parts of the model)

I over do the details,(lot of it you can't see in the pictures. I post) but I enjoy the painting and get satisfaction off of it, it can be toned down and still look good

I normally look over the book, Google the characters/vehicle down load multiple pictures to refer to and get an idea what colors I want before getting started. I also watch YouTube videos to see if there is something difficult I need to be aware of.

Sometimes it is easier to paint some of the details while the parts are still on the sprues, see the black in the chest plates I painted them before I cut them loose, it was easier to do them that way. But I always waited until I put section together (ex: chest, waste , arms , legs and head) to do the wash "weathering" this way they all blend together. With this one, I want it to look more weathered at the bottom and less as it went up

Some definitions:


Wash "weathering" this is how I made the "dirty look" i did not let it set for 10 mins. I applied small sections and wiped off what I did not want with a Q-tip. The darker parts, I just applied small amounts with with a fine tip brush.

Dry brush

As you can see here Dry brushing really gives the look of age /worn out.
you would be better off going to the link I provided and watching a few videos.

Variety of brushesif you buy the dirt cheap brushes, you will get a cheap paint job. The ones I linked are a good set to start with, they give you a wide variety of choices. Main thing to do is CLEAN...CLEAN CLEAN...them after each use. With thinner and soapy water. Do not leave them setting in the thinner or water, the points and edges with get messed up quick. Wipe them off with a paper towel, reform the ends when done.

Magnifing head set is the best way to get the small details, i have this set and they work okay, there are better sets out there.

Hope this helps

I've just started painting as well, and I'll second that the initial investment is rather high. I'm probably in 50$+ in just painting gear now...

First. Watch some youtube tutorials. I found Miniature Painting 101 by Miniwargamer Jay to be very helpful.

I only went high end on the paints and washes that are my primary color scheme. They're a mix of P3 / Citadel paints. The pots are pricy, but they do go a long way.

I grabbed several brush sets and a 12 pack of basic color acrylic paints from a craft store. You'll want mainly fine tips a a few small flat brushes. These paints are more for mixing (white and black) and areas I only need a little paint.

I used a Krylon white primer for plastics, mainly because I had it. Just use very quick sprays to keep a very light coat.

I built a work-rack out of a piece of 2x6, some large nails, and some nickels as I didn't have the right size washers handy... Drill holes in wood large just enough to hold the nails, super-glue the nickels on top of the nail to give a larger base (I used Gorilla-glue). Then use sticky-tack to hold the miniature on. This lets you use the nail to hold and manuever the miniature during painting, then just set it in the wood to dry... Hopefully this link works:
https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=10202655502284955&set=pcb.782763288446523&type=1&theater

I got a set of Magnifying goggles from amazon for 8 dollars. Their not the most comfortable things to wear, but they really help with the fine detail work...

http://www.amazon.com/SE-MH1047L-Illuminated-Multipower-Magnifier/dp/B003UCODIA/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1407928227&sr=8-2&keywords=magnifying+goggles

Overall, be patient, take your time, and enjoy, and you can make some beautiful pieces of art.

I love my series 7 #1. It's expensive, but completely worth it.

I just got a magnifying visor with a couple LED lights, and it's been extremely helpful. The lighting is especially nice when I'm just at the kitchen table. Together with the series #7, I can get really fine, accurate strokes.

Liquidtex matte medium has been fun to play with since it lets me thin paint for washes past what you can get with tap water.

You probably want to go back in and clean up your lines a bit. I can see some bleed from the tunic onto the left leg, from the arms onto the bands, and a few other places. Totally normal but I would strongly suggest some jewelry goggles. I use this one personally:

https://www.amazon.com/SE-Illuminated-Dual-Flip-Magnifier/dp/B003UCODIA/ref=sr_1_15?keywords=jewelry+goggles&qid=1565111795&s=gateway&sr=8-15

Other than that good work. The wash and the dry brush on the tunic looks great. You did a great job on the wash and brush on the hands as well.

I've built 2 RGs and haven't had any problems due to size or parts being flimsy. I also have big and very shaky hands. Here's my advice:

• I think we all drop and lose parts from time to time. The best way to handle this is to build in a clean space. Make sure your floor is clean, vacuumed, etc. before you begin. Make sure your lighting is good too!
  
  
• A good pair of tweezers is a godsend when working with small parts. Also consider a helping hand.
  
  
• When making the frame, make sure to gently bend the joints back and forth a bit to loosen them up before putting the armor on them. If you fail to do that and attempt to move the piece before loosening it up, you do risk damaging the part. This is mostly due to the pre-assembled nature of the RG frame.
  
  RGs are very fun kits that don't take up a lot of shelf space while also looking very impressive. I'm very happy with the ones I've built and I've got a couple more on deck. I highly recommend you try one. People talk up the RG 00 Raiser a lot and I personally built the RG Wing Zero and RG 00 Qan[t] and had few problems with them. (The RG 00 Qan[t] does have a loose V-fin problem so I recommend some plastic cement or glue for that.)

I'm still pretty new to this myself, but like you I have some electronics experience in the past. I just got this Weller 40w iron station with a desolder braid/sucker and a solder tip cleaner. Oh and a more precise tip for the solder iron

I'm really happy with it all so far, and couln't imagine needing more for a while. A heat gun would be nice for de-soldering and reflowing premade boards (like modding Boss pedals), but that can also be done with a regular solder iron as far as I know. You can get the above for about $60 total, so it's a nice way to get your feet wet without a huge investment. Then you gotta add on components/enclosures/pots/switches etc. Maybe get a helping hands and/or circuit holder if you need

Oh and get a good multimeter. I went a step up from the $20 ones and got this one which I'm also really happy with.

Yep you're correct.

When soldering there are a few basic things you have to consider. The main idea is that you want to heat up the wire and the contact point to the point that the solder will "wick" to the parts. You don't want to just melt the solder on the iron itself and have it drizzle on the parts.

Here are some other basic tips I wish I had been told when I was learning to soldering electronics in no logical order:

• USE A WELL VENTILATED AREA. DO NOT BREATHE IN FUMES!!!! That stuff is really bad for you. Do it in an open garage, or under a kitchen hood.
  
• Make sure you use solder with rosin core flux. NOT ACID CORE FLUX. That's for plumbing.
  
• Thinner solder is easier to work with, you can always use more.
  

3. Use the appropriate size iron for the job or you risk problems like the OP. For something like the 3DS, I'd probably go no bigger than a 35W iron.
   
4. You want the solder to look shiny when you're done. If it's dull looking, it's a cold solder point and a bad contact point. Any movement while cooling frequently causes this problem.
   
5. One of these makes a huge difference. It's cheap and worth buying if you plan to do much electronics soldering.
   
6. Keep your soldering iron tip clean. Frequently wipe it down on a wet paper towel or a wet sponge while using it.
   
7. Don't reuse solder. It's cheap, and the flux inside is important to help it flow.
   
8. Tin the tip of your iron with solder as well as the wire you plan to solder. It's easier to just hold the tinned wire down with an iron where you need to solder than to use another hand to hold solder.
   
9. Don't bother with those gimmicky solder removers to take solder off. Just buy some solder wick and watch it suck all solder off using the solder's wicking action as you hold it on with an iron.
   
   But most of soldering is just practice. It's a pretty easy skill to get proficient at. After a few projects it'll be almost second nature.
   

I haven't used a usb microscope but my understanding is that depth perception can be a real problem. I use an AmScope binocular stereo microscope. It does have a port for a camera that blocks one lens. If I want to record, I would use a separate usb microscope. This is rather pricey and I just happened to get a great deal at an auction. There are cheaper options, but that may give you an idea of the ideal optics. The barlow lens helps with the wider field of view and the lights are great. Another option is a headband magnifier like this. It may be enough an even if not, would still come in handy when the scope is overkill.

You could buy a few sets of snap circuits for teaching electricity. They have all kinds of neat components and hundreds of project guides, and the kids can design their own circuits to study things like parallel vs. serial, resistors and capacitors, etc. It would let them experiment with electricity and circuit design without having to fool with things like soldering or breadboards, so the projects could easily be done during a single class.

For biology, maybe some good models - skeleton, heart, etc. and charts/diagrams. The same for geology/earth science, get some good rock samples and large diagrams.

If you can't afford/don't want to get everyone microscopes (or maybe even if you do), get some 30x jeweler's loupes for looking at leaves, bugs, rocks, etc. You can get them for about $4/ea.

I haven't built Tides2 yet (it arrives in the mail tomorrow) but I've done some of the other 0402 Mutable stuff recently. Personally, I can't imagine doing even 0603 with an iron... it's too fiddly and the boards have too many parts.

Get a hot air station from Aliexpress and some stencils from OSH. The hot air station is awesome, I can't believe it was less than $20 -- despite being labeled 858D, it does NOT have the wiring / grounding / fuse issues that I've seen other people complain about this model who bought it a year or two ago. Everything is electrically correct and it works great. I use it with no nozzle attached and at the lowest air speed (which seems fast to me, sometimes I actually hold a finger over part of the air intake to slow it down a little bit).

I also recommend some inexpensive magnifying glasses from Amazon (links below). My preferred solder paste is Chip Quik SMD291AX10T5. Get some SMD practice boards from Ebay so you get the hang of the hot air station before you try the real PCB. They're like $1 each and include several different parts to practice with.

I've done 8+ Mutable boards in the past month with this setup (some are 0402, some have CPUs with fine pitch pins) and haven't had any major issues. Everything works. Just make sure you follow general proper procedures such as knowing how to read the Eagle files, how to test for shorts, how to follow the signal around the PCB, how to program the CPU with the JTAG/SWD interface (and how to set up the Mutable Dev Environment)... and it should be easy.


https://www.aliexpress.com/item/32818260663.html

http://oshstencils.com

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B078JPRH2Y/

You might make a mess of a switch or pot on your first time around dripping extra solder and shorting out some connections but those are also the cheapest components involved so no sweat if you need to swap something out.

Before you solder you want to make a physical connection first. Twist up the tips of the wire so they're thinner and thread them through the little eye holes on the contact points and bend them over into a hook shape so they're now hanging onto the part before heat gets involved.

Now apply the iron tip to the component where you're going to solder for a second or two to heat it up and touch the solder wire to the component (not just to the iron tip) and it should melt and flow to lock down the physical connection you formed above.

Your biggest danger is mostly going to be burning/melting components by having the iron in contact with them for too long so just work quickly and deliberately and you shouldn't have any issues.

A higher quality iron with variable temperature control should make this easier as the really cheap $10 irons often don't get hot enough to melt cheaper solder quickly so you spend more time pressing the hot tip to the components trying to melt solder and burn up gear.

Don't skimp on tools.

Also wear safety glasses as the last thing you want to do is fling hot solder off a springy wire right into your stupid eyes.

"Helping Hands" tools can be really useful as well. Most of the time when you burn yourself it's when you're doing something that kinda requires more than two hands at once so instead of holding pliers and an iron like chopsticks with solder in your mouth and a row of blisters on your thumb just take a step back and find a smarter way to work.

Oh and just a reminder - metal is a great conductor of heat so if you're putting the iron to a component you'll notice pretty quick if your skin is touching another exposed metal surface of the same component or wire.

Buy a square magnifying glass and cut the plastic handle off. Use the new glass lens to replace the cheap plastic lens that comes with the V2s. It's a bit heavier but this will make a huge difference. Just hot glue it in, it's a perfect fit.

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B006ZB8NW0?psc=1&redirect=true&ref_=oh_aui_detailpage_o01_s00

You'll also want to mount the screen to the outside of the case. This will improve the clarity.

I'm going to buy a cheap pair of ski goggles and hot glue them to the front of the case for more cushion.

>brushes

If you use GW brushes, get the Standard, Fine Detail, and Wash brushes. These give you a good starting point for most of the stuff you'll be doing. Otherwise you'll want to find similar brushes in other ranges (Windsor & Newton make good brushes). If you go with third-party brushes I think the sizes you'll want are 1, 0, & 3/0.

>mats,

You can get any sort of sewing mat, where it's basically just a piece of rubber you lay on the table. Joann's Fabrics or any sort of sewing store should have this. Here's one I found on Amazon.

>thinners

The paint you're working with is water based, so water will work as a thinner. If you decide to airbrush things that will change what you need but for now, build a wet palette.

>cutters

Try these

>etc

You'll need some glue at the very least. You might also want some helping hands to hold things while you paint them/glue them together.

>is there a site that tells you what colours you need to paint certain colour styles?

I'm not aware of any one site as a catch-all for painting any scheme, but googling things led me to this site that goes into detail about painting Space Wolves. You could also consider this video from Games Workshop where they go through the steps of painting the model.

As for the paints themselves, I'd recommend working with the Vallejo Game Color paint range. They come pre-thinned (extremely helpful for new painters) and convert to Games Workshop colors pretty easily.

Some more hobby stuff to help you get started:

Zenithal Priming

Airbrushing

Object Source Lighting

Those are referred to as 3rd hand tools or helping hand tools (this is the one I have). They can be useful, but I don't think they'll be helpful for the ErgoDox kit (haven't actually really done that sort of of soldering, esp the surface mount diodes). They tend to be particularly useful when you're doing through-hole soldering. Here's a video demonstrating some uses of a 3rd hand. Here's another video.

All three can be had for cheap from amazon, which is where I got all mine. Check out the links below... It's the setup I have for even cheaper than I paid (closer to $15). Acid is pretty standard and you can't really get "bad" acid (Gerry Garcia may say otheriwse). The scale has been awesome to me (the reviews on amazon are good too). The loupe is pretty cool and has been pretty helpful. It's just a magnifying glass. As such, it's hard to fuck up.

Acid Test Kit

Scale

Loupe

>You don't need a soldering iron to fix a knob...

Oops, I meant to say that I broke the pot. I tried pulling the knob gently while also rocking it back and forth but I still managed to pull the shaft out of the brand new pot.

Sorry for the confusion; my phone was at 1% so I was typing fast. Perhaps I should have proof-read.
>Electrical work on guitars isn't really maintenance, as you should do it right the first time and never have to worry about it again. Unless you're really into modding and replacing pickups, I wouldn't jump on it.

Haha, I've managed to break an electrical part twice in the past month, and I expect it to happen at least a few more times as my guitar collection grows. I figured it would probably be cheaper and fun to learn how to do it myself.

>A multi angle vice can be very helpful as well.

Like this or this?

Nice - you'll be glad to have that variety of tips, depending on what you are working on! If you have any spare Christmas money, I'd recommend picking up one of these self-adjusting wire strippers - it sort of matches your color scheme too! And if you do a lot of de-soldering (anything with lots of headers or through-hole IC sockets), a desoldering iron can save a ton of time compared to your solder wick and desoldering pump.

A few other things that I've found useful (mostly repairing electronic keyboards / synthesizers, although I'm hoping to get more into Arduino / Pi soon):

Hakko wire cutter

Helping hand

Hemostat / Forceps

Digital multimeter with audible continuity tester

Back when I used to paint Warhammer 40k stuff, I found one of these or something similar immensely helpful. I still use them for small electronics projects. The great thing about them is, especially if you have unsteady hands, it allows you more freedom to anchor your arm on the edge of a table or whatever, and the magnifying glass is adjustable so you're able to set up in a comfortable posture.

A can of air (usually used for cleaning keyboards) is nice, too. Give the minis a blast to get any small dust and whatnot off without the potential of leaving tiny fibers from a cloth.

I am a big fan of using the Amscope for tweezer-placement of individual components on to a board. However, when doing SMD placement of an entire board to be reflowed, I've found that a 2.5x magnification visor was good enough and let me work much more quickly. 3.0x to 3.5x would be even easier for placement, but I find it easier to work on my build-sheet and the board at the same time if I stay at 2.5x.

This is the kind that I use a lot now: https://www.amazon.com/Lighted-Magnifying-Headband-Magnifier-Hands-Free/dp/B06XWVJVKN

I use the Abacom EZPick to do my placements -- for me, the ease of use and speed improvement for placing a bunch of parts has been worth it.

Trust me when I say: variable temperature makes a big difference. I have a knockoff of the Hakko 936. The closest thing on amazon.ca is this Aoyue, which I've heard good things about. You don't need hot air as a beginner (or even for most surface mount work), so don't go to the top of the line. You can get cheap rosin core solder to get started. FYI, every set of helping hands like these I have ever owned have been absolute garbage. The vise suggested by /u/rykki will be dramatically more useful, even though it will cost more. (But it might also have applications outside of soldering.)

http://www.amazon.com/Aoyue-937-Digital-Soldering-Station/dp/B000I30QBW/ref=sr_1_15?ie=UTF8&qid=1395077736&sr=8-15&keywords=soldering+iron

get a good iron, solder, and those magnifier hands. Then just start playing with soldering wire together and then do a project. Search youtube how to solder it's pretty easy. Oh and wear safety glasses sometimes the wire will slip or something weird happens and solder goes flying towards your eyes, better to be safe than sorry.


http://www.amazon.com/SE-MZ101B-Helping-Hands-Magnifying/dp/B000RB38X8/ref=pd_cp_hi_1

I was about to criticize this as another Games Workshop money grab like their extremely overpriced sprue clippers. But I looked at the pictures and it is pretty slick. It has all the features I've been looking for in a toolbox.

Namely the lid is used as a mini table and the awesome paint pot tray.

To add to this I'd say two things I'd suggest adding is a basic desk lamp, put a 75w equivalent Daylight bulb in it. And also get a set of headband magnifying glasses. Like this. Donegan DA-2 OptiVISOR Headband Magnifier, 1.5X Magnification Glass Lens Plate, 20" Focal Length https://www.amazon.com/dp/B000EM98KM/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_2YUPzbHKNRW9W

Not saying you need this exact set. But something like this.

Those two things will make any mobile workspace way more enjoyable.

I just ordered components to make my first box mod, but have done small electrical work before.

Helping Hands will make your life much easier, may not be necessary if you only intend to make one mod.

a decent digital multimeter is required, as is a Soldering iron.

A Breadboard is very useful to ensure everything works as it should, before you have it all finished and put in the case.

those are all I can think of right now, sure there are others people use regularly though

a laser, like a laser pointer, is a very bright light source, it will easily trigger a phototransistor. See here for example circuit There's no need to have more than one detector, so what you might want is to have a large light collector, such as a fresnel lens which in this case is not for its usual application (collecing a large amount of light and focussing it) but rather for collecting a fixed amount of light (the laser beam) and making sure it gets focussed onto the detector. Actually, as I think about it, the laser is probably bright enough that if you made like a box with the phototransistor at the back and a large frosted translucent sheet over the front, I would expect it to be sensitive enough to detect the light scattered into the sensor.

Now, because you also specified the timing accuracy /u/suprjami is certainly right, the rpi itself won't be accurate enough. This is because it will be checking the status of the voltage on a pin in a loop that will take several milliseconds to run. The arduino can run this loop much faster, and since you're looking for a time interval you could simply have the arduino count the time interval and output that to the rpi over serial and display it.

My eyesight isn't as good as it used to be and like you I took an approximately 20 year break from painting. I use this - https://www.amazon.com/SE-MH1047L-Illuminated-Flip-Magnifier/dp/B003UCODIA/ref=sr_1_4?ie=UTF8&qid=1540999813&sr=8-4&keywords=jewelers+magnifying+headset

It really helps to see details while painting.

​

As far as the white goes, I'd recommend getting an airbrush. Then you can lay down a nice and smooth white basecoat on a squad in minutes. Then you just have to pick out the details. I used this basic airbrush setup -

https://www.amazon.com/Master-Airbrush-Multi-purpose-Dual-action-Compressor/dp/B001TO578Q/ref=sr_1_7?s=arts-crafts&ie=UTF8&qid=1540999981&sr=1-7&keywords=master+airbrush

​

Welcome back to the hobby! Continue to keep us all in the loop with your progress.

I know. That was the first thing I thought. I bought two kits for my x220 and x230, I screwed up royally the first attempt and wound up needing to use the second set of items.

Before you start, the equipment you will need:

• a precision screwdriver kit. This is what I use
  
• Exacto knife
  
• Dremel/pliers/sandpaper to make room for the LCD.
  
• canned air to clean up the plastic and metal shavings from dremel/pliers/sandpaper
  
• as /u/Bredius88 already mentioned, flux. I used liquid flux. If you use liquid flux you will also need rubbing alcohol and qtips to clean up.
  
• desolder pump
  
• magnifying lens of some sort. I used this which was good enough and could also keep my glasses on.
  
• kapton tape. (1/4" width or less)
  
• If it has been a decade since you last soldered or have shaky hands, or both in my case, I strongly suggest buying very thin solder and, if possible, a quality soldering iron like a Hakko FX888D. These were suggested by the EEVblog soldering tutorial made the second time around far easier.
  
  
  A few words of "wisdom"
  
  
• Take your time and do not rush. It is incredibly easy to miss things in the installation guide.
  
• DO NOT FORCE ANYTHING. If the LCD screen does not lay flush with the screw holes or the bezel is not clipping, you need to remove more material from the case/bezel
  
• Do not be stingy with the flux
  
• Do not over heat your soldering iron
  
• The sense wire looks like it is copper, but that is just the film on it. Gently scrape it with the exacto knife to reveal the wire in side. It will not solder with this film on it
  
• For each step, tape the piece in place before soldering then gently remove the tape. This was the only way I could solder the sense wire because it is so thin and light
  
• The eDP cable is very fragile. Do not keep plugging/unplugging it. If you do need ot unplug it (like after testing), only unplug the side from the board and keep pressure on the board when doing so as not to wreak your solder joints
  
• When everything has been soldered in place, test it before putting everything back together
  
  Also, on the V5, I used the old installation guide and the big difference is that the power is connected to the far left under the fuse marked "P". In the picture your finger is kind of covering it.
  
  EDIT: Anyone trying to justify spending ~$125US on a good soldering iron and solder just remember that replacing the motherboard will cost you about the same and will not be as useful a decade from now.

I highly recommend the Hakko 936 soldering iron Hakko 888 soldering iron, which is still actually available. It's hard to fathom how a $100 soldering iron could be that much better than a $20 one, but once you start doing anything more serious than just sticking some wires together, it's worth it.

As for other tools,

• Standard needle nose, dikes, and pliers set
  
• Tweezers - Additionally plastic ones if you're going to do PCB etching.
  
• Dental Picks - for positioning surface mount parts and pushing wires into molten solder.
  
• Wire strippers - You'll often see people using the combo wire stripper / crimpers. They're not as nice as a real pair of strippers.
  
• +/-12V power supply for basic analog electronics, 5V for digital work
  
• Breadboard
  
• Solder sucker - Copper braid is useful for the same thing, but given the choice of the two, I prefer the sucker to undo soldered joints.
  
• 30x Jewelers Loupe - Mostly useful for surface mount work, but pretty much all soldering is easier when you're able to look at it.
  
  As for components, I've been buying them piece-meal for years, so other's will probably be able to yield you a better recommendation for kits than anything I can find just from a quick search. I do mostly digital work, so as far as passives, my main stock is:
  
  
• 0.1uF and 100uF capacitors, 25V
  
• 100, 330, 1k, 4.7k, 10k, 100k, 1M resistors
  
  If I need any other resistor for a specific project, I'll tend to just buy an extra 10 and keep them in labeled coin envelopes.
  
  Random other pieces:
  
  
• Precut Breadboard jumper wires
  
• 7805 - 1A 5V linear regulators
  
• 1N4007 diodes
  
• 1N4148 small signal diodes
  
• 3V linear regulators if you do low power work (MSP430, etc)
  
• An Arduino - If not for real projects, I use this a lot to hack together crude digital signal generators to test other chips.
  
• LEDs - I found a good deal on bright red ones, but any will do
  
• push buttons, power switches, DIP switches (4 in a tiny package that fits in breadboards)
  
• Copper clad perf board - To make through-hole projects permanent. Be careful because this also comes without the copper pads, which is just more of a pain in the ass to use.
  
• Copper Solder braid
  
  Edit: Fixed the soldering iron model.
  
  Disclaimer: I'm using my Amazon Associate links for all of these, which always feel a little amoral and a conflict of interest, but really, if my apartment were to go up in flames and I could afford it, I'd buy every link on this list right now. Does anyone have strong opinions one way or the other on using them?

Grabbed it on amazon... not on the cheap side but it’s pretty awesome. Has 2.5x magnifier lens built in and adjustable light temp and brightness.

Brightech LightView PRO - LED... https://www.amazon.com/dp/B06WWP4VKB?ref=ppx_pop_mob_ap_share

ABSOLUTELY! I have built well over 50 models being a mixture of RGs, MGs and HGs and I have gone through the gambit when building them when it comes to emotions and skills. I started with automotive grade side cutters and using a pocket knife to trim the nub. Than I started panel lining, got a pair of jewlery nippers, sanding the nub and than to my system now a tool kit that includes Gundam Planet nippers, two hobby knives, straight edged toe nail clippers, sakura 005 black pens, metallic sharpies, masking tape and foam finger nail sanders. It wasn't until I joined this community that I learned more about aspects like adding a top coat and custom painting.

Gunpla isn't about making your model look like everybody elses, its about making yourself happy and enjoying the process.

With regards to RG kits, as they do have tiny tiny pieces, if you're really worried about your hands shaking I would look into acquiring a work stand similar to what people use while soldering electronics and making miniature figurines.
http://www.amazon.com/SE-MZ101B-Helping-Magnifying-Glass/dp/B000RB38X8/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1453307699&sr=8-3&keywords=solder+stand

EDIT: http://ragnaroc05.imgur.com/all/ In case you wanted to look around.

Given the time and expertise needed for a screen upgrade / replacement and the cost of a Model Sample, the easiest way I see to use an external screen would be to upgrade to a Digitakt and use Overbridge.

If that's not possible, probably something you've already considered or tried, but I'd go for something like this so that it easily gets out of the way when not needed.

It would be great if there was an iPad companion app for all Elektron boxes with real time updates using the same protocol as Overbridge, minus the audio. It would probably get more use than Overbridge as it is.

You're probably looking for something like this -

Helping Hands

I use one of these on occasion - I've stripped off the magnifying lense (too awkward), and have only one of the "hands" modules on it. With a little adjustment, you can move the miniature around to get at every bit of it, it leaves one hand free, holds it securely (so at least one part of brush + mini is steady!), and you can adjust the height of the mini pretty substantially.

Well, congrats on your first build, yes, it does get better with practice! As for your vision, you might try some wearable magnifiers, I've seen PBusardo using them, something like these, http://www.amazon.com/Donegan-Optical-OptiVISOR-Headband-Magnifier/dp/B0068OSIIS.

Sorry for the late reply. First of all, take all of this with a grain of salt. This is my first build, so I am by no means an expert. You should definitely look in to all this on your own rather than blindly trust my purchases.
Here are the tools I got in my Amazon order:

• Wire Stripper
  
• No Clean Flux Paste
  
• XT60 Connectors
  
• 60/40 Rosin Core Solder
  
• Loctite Threadlocker 242 (blue)
  
• Weller 40 Watt soldering station
  
• Solder tip cleaner
  
• Helping hand with LED
  
• Bullet connectors
  
• Liquid electrical tape
  
• Heatshrink variety pack
  
• Chisel tip for soldering iron
  
• Servo cables
  
• 12/14/16 AWG silicone wire
  
• Zip ties
  
  I hope this helps.
  
  

I got a touch up pen from this website a few years ago and I was pretty happy with it. Get something like a dental pick and scrape the rust and crud off before you paint it. I use a magnifying glass to make sure I got everything completely clean. With all things paint, the result is completely dependent on the prep work.

For the software side, your screen magnifier will do the job. For Linux, use gnome's zoom for screen magnification. So far gnome's zoom is better then others shells I have tried, especially compiz's zoom that would take a lot of cpu memory. I haven't tried out RedHat or Cent OS as a desktop, so it may have a good magnifier. And so far gnome's zoom doesn't support separate monitors and so it makes one large desktop basically, where I'd rather have different content on different monitors.

If you can do most of your work remotely/from your own station, you'll be fine with the screen magnifier. When at another person's computer, you might be able to turn on zoom via keyboard quickly and turn it off as needed, if setup. However, if you ever need JAWS type text to speech, it might be harder.

On the hardware side, it would really depend on how good your close up vision is. If you can use magnifiers to read and such, something like http://amzn.com/B003UCODIA or http://amzn.com/B00OK7ANB0 would help to deal with hardware. (Though the more powerful the magnification, the closer the object has to be.) As such, a bioptic might be an option for you. A bioptic is a lens that has a tiny monocular in it. You need more light then usual with it for close up work, but if you're like me, you need plenty of light already.

tldr; just do it. Nothing is holding you back but yourself.

I've never used it, so, I didn't want to just launch in with a bunch of advice. If it was me, I'd use a magnifying visor and little tools like that.

You may need to lubricate the tools so they don't stick to the green stuff. Water works for Plasticine, not sure about, epoxy. (E: as below, Vaseline for green stuff, apparently) First, I would smooth the overall shape. Use a concave tool for convex edges, like biceps, and a convex tool for concave edges like saddles. Then, I would take a skinny tool and incise simple details, like those scales. Incision also makes little ridges, so you need to smooth those down while you work. You may have a limited time, so rather than get caught up in details and then have it dry half done, I'd work the whole thing all at once and get increasingly granular.

At the end of the day, if my level of control was not good enough to get the contouring and texturing that I wanted, I would try to design a solution that would still look good with the shaping ability that I knew I had, which is why I suggested scars or something.

Again, this is clay, not sure about epoxy. Your overall design is rad. This will look bad ass when it's painted, no matter how close you get your sculpting to your desired result.

E: tutorial for green stuff which says pretty much what I did lubricate with Vaseline, not water.

I use glasses kinda like this

Makes it much easier.

I really love small, cute things so I was happy to make her!

I use this pretty much 7 to 8 hours a day for soldiering and electronic repair.

https://www.amazon.com/Beileshi-Magnifier-Professional-Interchangeable-Magnifying/dp/B00KAU5FSC/ref=sr_1_20_sspa?keywords=Magnifying+headset&qid=1567833767&s=gateway&sr=8-20-spons&psc=1&spLa=ZW5jcnlwdGVkUXVhbGlmaWVyPUEySjdOUlFBWVQwUjZZJmVuY3J5cHRlZElkPUEwMzg1MDEyM0daSkhDQzZQTlVSUiZlbmNyeXB0ZWRBZElkPUEwMTYzMTk4MTQwVkdGSDBDN0NBRSZ3aWRnZXROYW1lPXNwX210ZiZhY3Rpb249Y2xpY2tSZWRpcmVjdCZkb05vdExvZ0NsaWNrPXRydWU=

I like it okay, as it's very light and small, I like that I can adjust the focal length to suit my needs in the moment. I pretty much find myself going between the 2.5 and 3.5x lenses depending on what I'm doing. I also like that it's fairly low profile, so if someone needs to talk to me, or I need to glance at a schematic I can look around the lens with great ease.

The cons? I've had this for around 3 months, and I can tell the plastic clamp that holds the lens on is getting a bit worn, although no failure yet. Also, the light is useless. It works alright when the coin cells are brand new, but they quickly drop off. Even when they are new, it's not as if the leds are worth the trouble of constantly changing the coin cells.

If you want to solve those problems, I also have used this one extensively:

https://www.amazon.com/MagniPros-Illuminated-Headband-Magnifier-Detachable/dp/B071GWM9QN/ref=sr_1_19?keywords=Magnifying+headset&qid=1567833767&s=gateway&sr=8-19

I like it, but it's a bit bigger than the one I have now, thus it's a bit harder to look around without moving the lens. However, the light works a LOT better, as it runs on aaa cells. I don't find myself depending on the light in the headset very often anyway, so it may just not be that important to me.

For reference, I'm doing some mount soldering, and a lot of very small cable terminations, and I'd say my head is usually able to get my object in focus at a foot to a half a foot with either of these headsets. At this point, I cannot do my job without this tool effectively, so I've been shopping around, and I've yet to find a version of this that is worth sinking any money into.

Hope this helps!

>I never could comprehend how you people who actually play tabletop pull this shit off.

I play tabletop games and I will now reveal the great and terrible eight-fold secrets of good miniatures painting:

1. https://www.amazon.com/SE-MH1047L-Illuminated-Multi-Power-Magnifier/dp/B003UCODIA
   
2. Figure out your shading and highlighting BEFORE you start painting a model.
   
3. PRACTICE.
   
4. PATIENCE.
   
5. PRACTICE.
   
6. PATIENCE.
   
7. MORE PATIENCE.
   
8. EVEN MORE PATIENCE.
   
   Serious Version: Be confident, take your time, don't rush, don't stress, and don't worry. Channel your inner Bob Ross, and know that even a brushstroke made in grievous error is a step towards ultimate perfection. Miniature painting requires far less natural talent than other kinds of painting, but far more practice and patience.

Thanks! I'm sitting here with one of these trying to remember my optics to see if there is some sort of test you can do that doesn't require measuring, but rather seeing if your FOV changes or something but I can't seem to come up with anything. I'd just go test the thing myself at my local best buy but they just don't seem to be getting the new gear VR in any time soon, and I was hoping to order one prior to christmas.

The helping hand Magnifier would sure help out me and my partner out when it comes to soldering our electronics in our studio. Especially since we have been using This one from Radio Shack. Especially cuz he can not deal with those little electronic parts, a light and magnifying glass would help a lot.

For the majority of the time, if you just want a good look at your crystals (for example, if you're trying to determine if you have single crystals suitable for diffraction crystallography), a simple jewelers magnifying lens or a similar magnifying lens (~10x) is often acceptable. Often that level of magnification will be enough for just looking at your crystals and describing them. I don't know that much about photography so I can't be too much of a help there. High-magnification optical microscopes get expensive pretty quickly, and they won't be able to tell you a whole lot more than your cheap, $2 lens will.

I love my helping hands tool. Only $7 and had never failed. Maybe if I were soldering very small electronics I could see buying a nice vise grip like tool. https://www.amazon.com/dp/B000RB38X8/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_-L0HAbVWXN6R8

Heat shrink, why only pick one size?

If you're planning on using a lot of heat shrink it might be a good investment to get a heatgun, although a lighter works just fine.

[Cable sleeves] (https://www.amazon.com/PET-Expandable-Braided-Sleeving--10ft/dp/B00ZATLUZ0/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1467915160&sr=8-3&keywords=cable+sleeve) on amazon, there are multiple different sizes you can pick from, a quick search will net you tons of results.

A Helping Hand can be nice, but isn't needed.

You'll need to get a wire stripper or an x-acto knife and a careful hand. A hot glue gun is necessary IMO, it will protect and insulate your solder points as well as hold cables down IF you don't have zip ties. Also get zip ties. I made use of a wood file I had so I could smooth out some of the sharp carbon fiber edges on my frame, just don't breath in the fiber dust. I keep my quad in a backpack, my tool and extra parts are all in a box under my desk. Organization is not my strong suit.

If anyones thinking of getting into a hobby that requires soldering, a quality soldering iron where you can set the temperature is immensely helpful. The Hakko FX888D is great starting point.

Having extra hands to hold wires in place and a magnifying glass is pretty much a requirement as well.

I think this is the video I watched when I was first learning to paint eyes. My first few attempts were trash but eventually I got the hang of it.

One thing that helped immensely was to paint the face color across the whole eye area, then paint the white over that, then paint the pupil in (as a vertical line first), then touch up with white then touch up with the flesh color around it again. I use this so that I don't have to worry about trying to keep it super clean when I'm doing the pupil but also don't have to worry that I haven't painted all the nooks and crannies around the eyeball.

Also, I got a magnifying glass thingy that made detail a whole hell of a lot easier. It's only a couple of dollars but has helped my eyes and has allowed me to do greater detail than I ever imagined.

It's a step short of "microscope" but I have a Donegan OptiVisor 2.5x that is great. They come in a few different magnification options.

If you go that route, be sure you don't get the cheap version with plastic lenses.

> Leica A60F

Ah! That must have been nice :) I may try getting a pair of magnifying glasses like these but I have a feeling I would be disappointed.. though, I suppose that some magnification is better than none.

If you don’t have one already, now is also a good time to invest in a helping hand. They’re invaluable. I use a little desktop clamp to hold the PCB I’m working on, and then another like this to hold parts / cables / etc. Makes awkward soldering situations like this significantly easier!

Hey, I've made one of those :) Sans fancy veneers.

To make your soldering life easier, get one of these guys:
https://www.amazon.com/SE-MZ101B-Helping-Magnifying-Glass/dp/B000RB38X8/ref=sr_1_4?s=hi&ie=UTF8&qid=1518785664&sr=1-4&keywords=soldering+helping+hand

Next up is dealing with those frets, get a fret rocker/files off aliexpress (about 1/5th the price of buying from US sellers) and a set of feeler gauges.

The pickups included in those aren't so hot, https://www.guitarfetish.com/GFS-Guitar-Pickups_c_7.html for cheap and mildly betterer.

Now, garageband isn't the best way to play, so...lookup on building your own 5e3 kit or the like, you'll save hundreds and probably have another video to make just in that.

I like how you think!:-)

all you need is a halfway decent soldering iron. Some [helping hands] (http://www.amazon.com/SE-MZ101B-Helping-Hands-Magnifying/dp/B000RB38X8), with or without a magnifying lens, is, well, like a 3rd hand.

If you have never soldered before, practice on the old cable/connector. Get a 1/4 inch replacement connector because you will have more room to solder. You can get decent cable without having to pay $$$$$.

The detachable cable mod is a little more tricky, but you don't have to do it all at once.

It's a great way to spend an evening.

It's called a third hand tool or helping hand: https://www.amazon.com/SE-MZ101B-Helping-Magnifying-Glass/dp/B000RB38X8/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1499213965&sr=8-3&keywords=third+hand

Often used for soldering; or any task where you need to hold items while working on them with hand tools. Using for tying flies would work, possibly examining gem stones too.

Yeah, that's the good stuff. Just keep practicing, you'll get better quickly.

Also, I use one of these, it's been very helpful:

https://smile.amazon.com/gp/product/B003UCODIA/ref=oh_aui_search_detailpage?ie=UTF8&psc=1

Meh, I don't really find it easier or better than just using a drill bit.

This thing on the other hand, is very helpful. Though it may be largely because I often do coils in the evening/nighttime and the lighting at my desk isn't very good.

Edit: Please make sure you turn off and unplug your power supply before cutting any wires.

Parts / tool list below, this what i used but there are substitutes out there.

Note: Main thing that is slightly challenging is soldering the XT60s, basic idea is to “tin” (soldering term) the wires and the XT60s first, then heat the connector with your iron as you put the wire in to get a good fusion. Decent video on soldering them:solder XT60s


My soldering Iron:
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00ANZRT4M/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o00_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

Soldering Flux:
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B008ZIV85A/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o01_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

Solder (60-40)
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B071G1J3W6/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o01_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

New XT-60’s and Shroud:
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B074PN6N4K/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o03_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

Helping Hands (not required, but def helpful)
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000RB38X8/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o01_s01?ie=UTF8&psc=1

Bought this a while ago, but any heat shrink will do:
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01MFA3OFA/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o02_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

Wire - If you’re new to soldering and need practice, or you’re going to split your cables for Rasberry Pi, or other components, etc:
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01ABOPMEI/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o03_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

Those are really cheap. They are mostly used to solder wires since they can't support much weight. I would get him something better like this or this if you wanted to spend a little more. I have all three of these, so I know what is good :)

62 is really thick if you're soldering PCBs/components. I guess if you're just soldering wire to wire or wire to connector, 62 would be fine. I have a roll of 62 and 31. I mostly use the 62 to tin.

Also, use a sponge. Don't just go around flicking your excess solder/flux. It is, of course, very hot. I burned myself a few weeks ago and the wound is just now almost healed.

I got that exact third hand thing on Amazon for like 6 bucks here. It makes soldering significantly easier (most of the time). It even has a magnifying glass arm for PCB soldering.

$8 on amazon, I have the same one. The LED is useless, you have to tighten the hell out of the side nuts for it to stay up, but the lenses are pretty good, definitely worth $8.

I bought this recently and I am really pleased with it. Great value for the money.

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B071GWM9QN/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o06_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

FWIW, I just got this magnifying visor because I found it really difficult to see on 18ct black Aida. I love that it's wearable so I can move around easily and it even has a battery operated light. I imagine it would also help with 1 over 1 on 22ct...

Nonetheless, you're nuts because this seems like a huge project with lots of confetti. :D I'm looking forward to seeing your progress updates!

Online! These were recommended to me by another redditor, they work pretty well (there may be better options out there though!)

USD 150 is a very good budget, you need to get some reliable and proper tool.

Soldering iron: https://www.amazon.com/Hakko-FX888D-23BY-Digital-Soldering-Station/dp/B00ANZRT4M/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1523249667&sr=8-3&keywords=hakko+888

Solder: https://www.amazon.com/Kester-24-6337-0027-Solder-Alloy-Diameter/dp/B0149K4JTY/ref=sr_1_4?s=industrial&ie=UTF8&qid=1523249737&sr=1-4&keywords=kester+63%2F37

Cleaning wire: https://www.amazon.com/Hakko-599-029-Replacement-Insert-Cleaner/dp/B00Q88Q1ZG/ref=sr_1_2?s=industrial&ie=UTF8&qid=1523249854&sr=1-2&keywords=hakko+brass+wire

Helping hand (Optional ) https://www.amazon.com/SE-MZ101B-Helping-Magnifying-Glass/dp/B000RB38X8/ref=sr_1_1?s=industrial&ie=UTF8&qid=1523249902&sr=1-1&keywords=soldering+helping+hands

When I first got my machine it would get really cranky after 50+rows even with weights. I found I had to spray some lube on rag and wipe down the bed pretty often. The machine was so dry I needed to replace 20+ years of lubricant with fresh.


What weight yarn are you using? I believe this is a standard gauge machine, sport is the heaviest recommended weight. Start with a fingering weight like KP palette. You may want to get some inexpensive acrylic for your test runs. Michael's sells their "loops and threads" in fingering for $2.00 for ~400 yards. I like the Tamm Astracryl and Tamm Bebe yarns. Knit Knack Shop has them, though they have a terrible site.

Also check each needle, a broken latch will cause all kinds of problems. I bought this Magnifier for less then $10 It's a Godsend for checking needles and fixing dropped stitches.

The mechanical parts of the machine are extremely robust. It's most likely just tuning at this point.

Soldering is a good skill to have, in general.

And if you're careful, there's not much you can screw up.

Watch a YT tutorial or two and you'll be good to go.

For tools you'll eventually want what is in this kit, but probably not that kit itself.

I bought a Weller WLC100 40 watt kit (definitely get a norrower ST2 or ST3 tip as well), a solder sucker tool (you can use desoldering wick, but the solder sucker is worth the money), a Helping Hands and 60/40 rosin-core solder.

In addition, I like using tip tinner, a wire tip cleaner like this because I found that using a wet sponge reduced the tip temperature too much.

Also, solder fumes are not great so only do this is in a well-ventilated area. I like to use a small fan to blow the fumes away from my face.

The only thing you'll need to do is desolder/clip the existing swtich and wire up the replacement. You don't have to mess with the pots or caps unless you want to.

Phostenix Tele diagram page.

edit: fixed solder type

The easiest to work with are the Magnification Visors. They wrap your eyes and allow you to focus through the lenses.

If you are looking to do fine mechanical work I would recommend the visors. They come variable focus and some have loupes for your dominant eye to increase one eye magnification.

https://www.amazon.com/Donegan-OptiVisor-Headband-Magnifier-Magnification/dp/B0015IN8J6/ref=pd_lpo_vtph_121_tr_t_2?_encoding=UTF8&psc=1&refRID=01FJQE1XMV439KMPF57N.

If for reading go with just a magnifying lens glasses.

They also make Binocular glasses.

This site is expensive but you can see what is out there to fit your need and search elsewhere for cheaper.

https://www.magnifyingaids.com/Hands_Free

Tools would have less to do with what forms of jewelry she is making (necklace, earrings, rings etc) and more to do with the techniques she is using (forging, wire-wrapping, stringing, soldering etc). That's why it might be wise to either ask her what she wants or let her choose specifically. Could be there is a technique she has been wanting to explore and you could get her set up to do that.

Loupes are typically 10x.

The optivisor magnification strength depends what she is doing and how close she needs to be to do it. I have one of these: http://www.amazon.com/dp/B0068OSIIS/ref=biss_dp_sa1 I use mine primarily for faceted stone-setting where I need to be close to my work piece and do very precise and detailed work, so I have the 3.5x, 4" focal length. I would think between 2.5x-3.5x might be good for her.

You can also get the empty headgear and buy multiple lensplates for her to interchange.

https://www.amazon.com/MagniPros-Illuminated-Headband-Magnifier-Detachable/dp/B071GWM9QN/ref=sr_1_1_sspa?ie=UTF8&qid=1537301259&sr=8-1-spons&keywords=magnifying+glasses+with+light&psc=1
This has 5 focal lengths so it could be good for getting the right one for you, it's not very expensive and they seem to be pretty popular for model painting

Maybe a "third Hand" would help you.

Seriously, I can see on an acceptable Level and handle Tools pretty well, but I still use one of These for things as fiddly as Ethernet cables: https://www.amazon.com/SE-MZ101B-Helping-Magnifying-Glass/dp/B000RB38X8/

There are more fancy ones available, with larger magnifyer, more clamps, more flexible arms etc.

I'm basically in the same boat as you so I cant help you much but here's some places that can.

https://youtu.be/gDbVtbLJicA
I haven't watched that video but there are is a few on YouTube.

try doing a search here and if you still have questions do a post.
http://www.e-cigarette-forum.com/forum/modding-forum/

Thsee are two highly rated soldering stations on amazon

http://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B000BRC2XU/ref=mp_s_a_1_9?qid=1427285096&sr=8-9&pi=AC_SX110_SY165_QL70&keywords=soldering+iron

http://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B00ANZRT4M/ref=mp_s_a_1_19?qid=1427285346&sr=8-19&pi=AC_SX110_SY165_QL70&keywords=soldering+iron&dpPl=1&dpID=41sCMxh%2BAYL&ref=plSrch

And you may want to get these

http://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B000RB38X8/ref=pd_aw_fbt__hi_img_2?refRID=04241AVDK89CA7JZ7G53

http://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B0002KRAAG/ref=pd_aw_fbt__hi_img_3?refRID=05VW456WDCV7D1PTHEPE

You may want to start with an unregulated or an okr or raptor build. It'll be cheaper and its easy to find tutorials on building them online. That is probably what I will start with.

Do yourself a favor and buy this
http://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B000RB38X8/ref=mp_s_a_1_2?qid=1383180500&sr=8-2&pi=AC_SX110_SY165_QL70

That's what I use. Also my technique is to put soder on the connector then sodder the wire then all I have to do is hold the cable next to the connector heat up the soder and wait a few seconds for it to cool. Perfect connection every time

I never put a loupe into my eyes. Maybe we're talking about a different type of loupe?

Something else that's worked quite well for me, I use it a lot when soldering but works fine for pens too is this. It's kind of cheap but has held out for about 6 years now. Much more useful for extended viewing.

This one. for $13. Works great!

https://www.amazon.com/SE-Illuminated-Dual-Flip-Magnifier/dp/B003UCODIA

Or... Better yet, a two-pack for $16.

https://www.amazon.com/SE-MH1047L-2-Illuminated-Flip-Magnifier/dp/B011O336YI

It looks like people have mostly got you started here in terms of supplies. In terms of tools though, this is what I keep in my rebuilding stuff (linking to Amazon just because its easier):

• Small screwdriver set OR Hex set OR a combo set. Which one will depend on the RBA you get, but eventually you'll probably find yourself with ones that have Phillips and Hex screws.
  
• Butane Torch. You can get this same one on Fasttech for $4 if you don't mind the shipping time.
  
• Wire cutters, either full size or micros
  
• Pliers, I also have a set of channel locks accessible, but not in my normal kit, mainly to try and get my Bombshell Stinger apart
  
• A generic desk light or something like helping hands can save a lot of headaches.
  
• Cheap multimeters can be found from $5 - $20
  
• Exacto knife because knives always come in handy at some point (rule #9)
  
  Other generic stuff:
  
  
• Toothpicks (great for wrapping coils around)
  
• Cotton swabs, cotton balls and paper towels
  
• Bic lighter
  
• Scissors for cutting wick (I use the wire cutters, but if you have micros, 3mm wick might get messy/frayed)

Smoke-stopper, they protect from serious screwups in soldering and wiring. https://youtu.be/4z7yRG56aKM

But don't sweat it man, just scream it out, grab a beer or a fat one and chill. We all have to make mistakes to learn, everyone here has dumb shit we can claim too. Some cost us more or less and some cost us in different ways. It sucks no matter what though, that never changes. Also get a simulator and a cable to connect your tx to your PC to control it or the simulator time will be useless. Use the sim to practice risky moves before actually trying them in a flight and also as a way to fly when you're grounded for repairs or whatever. It's not the same feeling, but the practice will pay off in saved components very quickly I can promise you. My last tip is to get a hands free magnifying lens: either something in a stand/clamps to your desk or a headmounted setup like this for $10 on Amazon Prime:

https://www.amazon.com/SE-MH1047L-Illuminated-Multi-Power-Magnifier/dp/B003UCODIA

The nicest one I have ever used was [this one by Otto Frei.](
http://www.ottofrei.com/Store/Soldering-Stations-Third-Hands/GRS-004-570-Double-Soldering-Station-With-2-Third-Hands.html) I really liked it when I borrowed it to do some wire harness and cable modifications, so much so that I looked it up afterward, but I couldn't handle the sticker shock.

For pedal making/modifying, I would recommend a circuit board holder and a typical helping hand (with or without magnifying glass) so that you have both hands available to use the iron and feed solder.

I use a lamp.

This one actually

The nice thing about it is the adjustable lighting. It has two color LEDs, whitish and a redish you can adjust both independently of one another. I found myself getting headaches with the googles, the lamp has a spring arm so you can move it around with ease. The focal point is good and its from the lens not your face. Meaning its 6+ inches from lens and you are a foot behind lens.

This is what I use its good because it has a light, you can switch magnification, and it keeps your hands free.

Thanks! I dont use any special gear or anything. I use my phone, galaxy S8, to take all of my photos on my workbench which is lit by my work lamp

I usually tweak the brightness and contrast in the phone editor until it looks good before posting. Ive got plenty more photos here

Or at least a Head Magnifier
Here's the Desk Magnifier w/light that I use.

Would love to hear some better recommendations though.

magnifying headgear + light and high quality tweezers.

More challenging: finding a soldering tip that is small enough and having hands that don't shake. I can't express how frustrating it is to melt the solder and have my hand shake right before it hardens back up.

My head lamp: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07DW6FJ6S/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o02_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

My tweezers: https://www.ifixit.com/Store/Tools/Precision-Tweezers-Set/IF145-060-3

Dental picks are also useful

sometimes we take the kind of pictures of our loved ones that we wish they would take of us.

​

https://www.amazon.com/11-75-Fresnel-Magnifier-Projection-PREMIUM/dp/B00IITFX02/ref=sr_1_3?keywords=fresnel+lens&qid=1562905587&s=gateway&sr=8-3

​

go for it.

I’ve actually found that my old iPhone 6 makes a surprisingly good low power microscope. Just hold it 6-8 inches above your PCB and use the digital zoom. Phone cameras tend to have several times the number of pixels of the screen, so you won’t even lose much quality. You also don’t really need that high resolution of an image anyway. You just need it to be bigger and well lit, so bring a lamp or flashlight.

I haven’t tried it as a soldering aid since I don’t do SMD yet. But I spent many years in biology labs manipulating sub-millimeter crystals under some really nice scopes, and I bet that a little rig to hold your phone up would work fine for hobby projects. And anyway, the price is right.

You can upgrade the rig and get some clip on lenses and a better phone arm

I use this magnifying lamp for a lot of work, but 2.25x isn’t enough for this. I think 5x would be good if they exist.

Headlamps are also an option, and this one does up to 13x.

Can't go wrong with this, $19.07 shipped with Prime.
http://www.amazon.com/Weller-SP40NUS-Medium-Soldering-Black/dp/B00B3SG6UQ/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1398198851&sr=8-3&keywords=weller+40

If you need something safe for smaller projects as well, this would be fine. $41.19 with Prime
http://www.amazon.com/Weller-WLC100-40-Watt-Soldering-Station/dp/B000AS28UC/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1398198808&sr=8-2&keywords=weller+40

I guess I'm a fan of weller products. I've had them at home and a shop. I got one of their higher end soldering stations when I was about 11 to build my own battery packs for my R/C cars and it saw a lot of use. Back then we hardwired the leads from the ESC to the motors and batteries between heats for the lowest resistance. (not to mention deans plugs weren't a thing yet, tamiya connectors would melt together with a hot motor/battery combo) I still have it over 20 years later.

I would say 40 watts is about the standard with typical R/C projects. Also, the lower end brands 40 watt irons don't ever seem to create the heat as something of decent quality.

Also, if you don't have something like this yet, pick one up. $7 shipped all over Amazon. Also available at Harbor Freight for about the same price if you have those in your area.
http://www.amazon.com/SE-MZ101B-Helping-Hands-Magnifying/dp/B000RB38X8/ref=pd_sim_hi_3?ie=UTF8&refRID=0TB7X5RYFKZ3SR4EXY1P

My favorite magnifiers as someone who does bench work, beading, wire wrap, stonework:

http://www.amazon.com/SE-1013FL-Helping-Magnifier-Light/dp/B000Z7GGJC/ref=sr_1_6?ie=UTF8&qid=1405451223&sr=8-6&keywords=helping+hands

http://www.amazon.com/Microscope-Jeweler-Currency-Magnifier-Adjustable/dp/B00AQAANDS/ref=sr_1_9?ie=UTF8&qid=1405451254&sr=8-9&keywords=jewelers+loupe
(this thing is so much fun, and I keep one on me when running around goodwills)

http://www.amazon.com/Housweety-Professional-Jewelers-Lighted-Magnifier/dp/B005VIG6TA/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1405451281&sr=8-1&keywords=jewelers+magnifier

None of these are expensive and all are very useful.

When I first started painting minis a year ago I saw someone recommend this guy https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B003UCODIA/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o09_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

Super cheap. I've had it over a year and havent even had to change batteries on the light. It's not always the most comfortable, but I only wear it for the real fine details.

If you think you're having blur or focus problems, take a good look at your negs. Take a picture of a white wall with an iPad and use that as a lightbox; then use a strong magnifier or turn a camera lens upside down and look through it.

A [lightbox] (https://www.amazon.com/light-boxes/b?ie=UTF8&node=12896801) and a [loupe] (https://www.amazon.com/Bausch-Lomb-Watchmaker-Loupe-10x/dp/B000LDG2HQ/ref=sr_1_7?s=arts-crafts&ie=UTF8&qid=1480966753&sr=1-7&keywords=loupe) - the kind you rest right on the film - are really handy for analog shooters, sitting right next to your scanner or enlarger. Cheap stuff that makes life much easier.

Its been a while but I used soldering helping hands Clamped in a mini vise. It worked out great. I also put pieces of heatshink on the end of the jaws to minimize marring.

Hi!

Quick tip when soldering: wear eye-protection!

When I was a child, I tried my hand at soldering under dad's supervision. I was near-sighted and did not wear eye protection. POP! Yes! Solder pops when rapidly heated (common occurrence when applying solder a large surface of the iron quickly)

I always wear this when soldering now (if you don't mind looking like a completely tool, whlist doing it)

I think if you're able to financially, you should try and get something more in the mid-range. I have a feeling that this 15 dollar iron is going to be wildly inconsistent in keeping it's temp up and make it extremely difficult for you to get good solder joints. I would recommend something like this.

As far as other accesories go, I would grab a "Helping Hands" a head band magnifier and some nice small tweezers.

Just yesterday I replaced the body of my X4. I have never used a soldering iron before. The desoldering and resoldering of the motors is a piece of cake. You are going to want one of these... http://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B000RB38X8?cache=11f46a07c09d9240592152877290bff4&pi=SY200_QL40&qid=1412195317&sr=8-1#ref=mp_s_a_1_1 Good luck!

I think a lot of people have trouble because they don't have a hot clean tip. My friend who "can't solder" has a 20+ year old soldering iron with a corroded tip. I use a wet sponge, cleaning wire, and tip tinner interchangeably to keep it clean as I go.

Also having one of those magnifying glass/alligator clip holders is extremely helpful.

Diy lm317 power supply. these things aren't the best but it is a linear supply and for hobbies you won't need anything more sophisticated. It's dirt cheap, and you get to practice soldering. Imo, buy 2 so you can supply the negative voltages for the common op amp.

Soldering station I have fondness for this station as it was the one we had to buy for our program at school. I like it a lot because the iron stand, heating element, sponge holder, and a solder wire spool are all connected so you just need to haul around 1 object. Don't need to go digging for your iron stand or setting your spool of solder somewhere and forget it. Works well enough for your use and I believe there are tips out there.

Breadboard and wires this is mandatory. If there's anything on my list you choose to buy, you must buy this first. Breadboards are essential. If you can buy two of these.

63/37 solder you don't work for a company that is rohs compliant, don't burden yourself with leadless solder. Look for a us shipping of that if you don't want to wait.

Wire snips if you own side cutters you probably won't need these.

Wire strippers again you might not need these if you are patient and strip them with cutters. Also the breadboards above come with pre cut

Helping hands I do SMD rework professionally and I don't use hands because I'm an idiot. Don't be an idiot and learn from the get go using these.

If you can find any of these for cheaper than I found, go for it. Should be around 70 bucks. Good puck!

I got mine from Hobby Town for around $16 not sure the model. From China I am sure. They had a more expensive model too. Don't get the Harbor Freight one it is terrible. The magnifier is terrible, and the battery doors won't stay on. The cheaper one I got from Hobby Town works much better. For a gift the nicer model may be the way you might want to go.


Edit: This looks exactly like the one I got. Go figure it is less than I paid. https://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/B003UCODIA/ezheadbandmagnifiers-20

Nope. Probably 2-4 weeks away. Get yourself a jewellers loop. There's some good ones on Amazon. Then Google "what should the trichomes look like when it's time to harvest" It's the only way. https://www.amazon.ca/gp/aw/d/B0736XSM56/ref=yo_ii_img?ie=UTF8&psc=1

These are the ones I have.
They work quite well and are excellent quality.

I agree the "helping hands" magnifier just wasn't cutting it.

This is the one I bought, it has 4 levels of magnification.

http://www.amazon.com/SE-MH1047L-Illuminated-Multi-Power-Magnifier/dp/B003UCODIA?ie=UTF8&psc=1&redirect=true&ref_=oh_aui_detailpage_o05_s00

I use one of these and a fiskars hand drill and it helps a TON.

I have this (or something very similar to it). I've enjoyed it very much.

https://www.amazon.com/Magnifying-PHIVE-Magnifier-Adjustable-Workbench/dp/B07MYXSW5V/ref=sr_1_11?keywords=desk+adjustable+magnifying+lamp&qid=1567711345&s=gateway&sr=8-11

But I also used these for quite a long time and for 10 bucks its worth a try.
https://www.amazon.com/SE-Illuminated-Dual-Flip-Magnifier/dp/B003UCODIA/ref=sr_1_5?crid=3VAS1BS7X2RI7&keywords=jewelers+magnifying+glass&qid=1567711408&s=gateway&sprefix=jewelers+m%2Caps%2C192&sr=8-5

Love me some Terry Gilliam!

They use fresnel lenses in the real film I think, not very expensive if you wanted to take it to the next level.

http://amzn.com/B00IITFX02

Super pricey really. I mean, you can get this for 7 bucks. It wouldn't take much to make the rest.

Thing is though, most people don't want to do that. So more power to them for making something people want to buy. I can't blame em.

get one of these and solder on random scrap wire. The helping hand works wonders in keeping your wires from moving.

You ever use something like this? Find my hands are hard to steady after painting for a while and they start cramping. Might need to wrap something soft around the tips so they don't mar the plastic but it seem useful.

These fit in your wallet. Good in a pinch:
https://smile.amazon.com/Credit-Pocket-Magnifier-Fresnel-Magnifying/dp/B005MPREQ6/ref=sr_1_4?ie=UTF8&qid=1495021675&sr=8-4&keywords=pocket+magnifying+glass

I recommend that you have at least one of these: http://www.amazon.com/SE-MZ101B-Helping-Hands-Magnifying/dp/B000RB38X8/ref=sr_1_7?ie=UTF8&qid=1398110354&sr=8-7&keywords=magnifying+glass

And/or one of these: http://www.amazon.com/Carson-DeskBrite-Illuminated-Magnifier-LM-20/dp/B003EW1ZNC/ref=sr_1_18?ie=UTF8&qid=1398110385&sr=8-18&keywords=magnifying+glass

Also, you should have a cheap digital camera to take pictures of customer equipment with. Don't forget to get a decent air compressor so that you don't have to buy canned air. Set the pressure on the compressor to no more than 60 PSI. You will also need a good shop vac to go with the compressor. It will keep dust from flying into your work environment as you clean customer equipment.

I have this one (or one exactly like it, they've got several brand names, but clearly the same product): https://www.amazon.com/Magnifier-AFUNTA-Magnifying-Diamonds-Antiques/dp/B0736XSM56 . I need the 60x to properly do the green dot test (https://www.detecting-the-fakes.com/checking-details/green-dot-check/) and this one also comes with a "UV" led that will let you check florescence (black light test).

Cool thanks
Also I found 3 for 4
http://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B005MPREQ6/ref=ox_sc_act_image_1?ie=UTF8&smid=A2OBB3341NGKEA

Thanks so much!! I got it on amazon. here is the link

I use this magnifier and it works great with and without my glasses.

Just got mine yesterday for $6... Amazon Prime, free shipping.

Edit: Link included

Sure. This is the one that I bought. $10. Inexpensive, and I love it. It's all plastic, and seemingly not the highest quality, but I haven't had any problems with it at all.

https://www.amazon.com/SE-MZ101B-Helping-Magnifying-Glass/dp/B000RB38X8/

Helping hands stand w/ built-on magnifying lense might help.

I have a magnifier with the light built in. It's similar to this one:

Brightech LightView PRO - LED Magnifying Glass Desk Lamp for Close Work - Bright, Lighted Magnifier for Reading, Crafts & Pro Tasks - Light Color Adjustable & Dimmable - 2.25x Magnification https://www.amazon.com/dp/B06WWP4VKB/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_i_MvUmDbZ213MAK

Here's the list of all the tools I got:

Tweezers- https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B0028C9IMO?psc=1&ref=ppx_pop_mob_b_asin_title

Hand presser/lifter- https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B0748HZTMH?psc=1&ref=ppx_pop_mob_b_asin_title

Case opener- https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B0058EDAUA?psc=1&ref=ppx_pop_mob_b_asin_title

Clippers for cutting the stem- https://www.ebay.com/itm/Mini-End-Cutting-Pliers-Nippers-4-quot-Electrical-Wire-Cutter-Jewelry-Tool-Allied-/322393033884?txnId=2067048388011

Magnifyer (loupe)- https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B000LDG2HQ?psc=1&ref=ppx_pop_mob_b_asin_title

Magnifyer holder- https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B079CBLTDG?psc=1&ref=ppx_pop_mob_b_asin_title

Case cushion- https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B07GPH2M6X?psc=1&ref=ppx_pop_mob_b_asin_title

Silicone grease (for the o-ring)- https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B0058ED3MA?psc=1&ref=ppx_pop_mob_b_asin_title

Rodico (for picking up dust)- https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B008YMGYBU?psc=1&ref=ppx_pop_mob_b_asin_title

You'll also need a set of jewelers screwdrivers and files, which I already had, and some nitrile gloves or finger cots so you dont get oil and dirt from your hands onto the movement. I've also seen other people recommend getting a movement holder to hold onto the movement while you attach the dial and hands.

Thanks, it's probably even better if we drop this here and this one has the magnifying glass on it.

I don't use one myself, but these Optivisors are popular with the sculptors I follow.

I've asked for:

1. Clamp light and magnifier. It's an affordable Amazon one to try out.
   
   
2. Art portfolio. For storing finished pieces, I asked for the 18x24 size.
   
   
3. Gift certificate for my go to stitching peripheral, 123stitch.com.

Im using lenses from pocket magnifyers and jewelers tools from amazon

I have something like this:
Bausch & Lomb Watchmaker Loupe, 10x https://www.amazon.com/dp/B000LDG2HQ/ref=cm_sw_r_other_awd_57K3wbAM6ZXZ1

It's for working on small parts, here's something like it on Amazon.

To save your eyesight, you might need this.

[How about a nice Watch Loupe?] (http://www.amazon.com/Bausch-Lomb-Watchmaker-Loupe-10x/dp/B000LDG2HQ/ref=sr_1_1?s=arts-crafts&ie=UTF8&qid=1416541587&sr=1-1&keywords=watch+loupe)

Notes and links for self:

Soldering Iron Stand: https://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_noss_2?url=search-alias%3Daps&field-keywords=soldering+iron+stand

Kit with cleaning wire: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01KTICO2E/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_RzV.ybM81XSFD?th=1

Kit w/o cleaning wire: https://www.amazon.com/Tabiger-Soldering-110V-Adjustable-Temperature-Welding/dp/B01H1IFT54/ref=redir_mobile_desktop?_encoding=UTF8&dpID=51YRK651M%2BL&dpPl=1&keywords=soldering%20iron&pi=AC_SX236_SY340_FMwebp_QL65&qid=1493103880&ref=plSrch&ref_=mp_s_a_1_3&sr=8-3

What is cleaning wire?

Helping hands: https://www.amazon.com/SE-MZ101B-Helping-Magnifying-Glass/dp/B000RB38X8/ref=sr_1_7?ie=UTF8&qid=1493138401&sr=8-7&keywords=soldering+iron+stand

and maybe something like this may help? https://www.amazon.com/SE-Illuminated-Dual-Flip-Magnifier/dp/B003UCODIA/ref=sr_1_16?crid=14P7OOC4DPSD4&keywords=magnifier%2Bwith%2Blight&qid=1573913544&sprefix=magnifi%2Caps%2C156&sr=8-16&th=1

and i use this to hold components and board in place while soldering: https://www.amazon.com/June-Gold-Kneaded-Rubber-Erasers/dp/B074DC4F7G/ref=sr_1_12?crid=1QYF5TLM7IU2G&keywords=moldable+eraser&qid=1573913686&sprefix=moldable+%2Caps%2C158&sr=8-12

I have -6 in my left eye and -5.5 on my right so I am near blind as well. Back when I used to make unregulated mods, I had a helping had tool for soldering. I think it could help also.

link to Amazon

You definitely need lenses
You want two of these

http://smile.amazon.com/dp/B000M755GK/ref=cm_sw_r_tw_dp_.F1Rtb1XTXVX9TJP

or

http://smile.amazon.com/gp/product/B00C672VN4/ref=oh_details_o01_s00_i01?ie=UTF8&psc=1

or

http://www.ebay.com/itm/5x-pocket-loupe-magnifier-with-Aspheric-Lens-/380319537252

or

http://ultraoptix.com/products/sv-2lpled

I went on a little shopping spree for my DIY/rebuildable stuff. Picked up the following:

5 glass beakers, 50-1000ml
4 oz amber glass boston round bottles, pack of 12
2x pack of 6 2oz amber bottles w/droppers
2x 2pack 8oz amber bottles
[labels for bottles] (http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00004Z5SM/ref=oh_details_o00_s00_i03?ie=UTF8&psc=1)
100count transfer pipettes
2 10 packs of 5ml blunt tip syringes
Heated ultrasonic cleaner (for quick steeping)

100ft A1 32 AWG kanthal
100ft A1 30 AWG kanthal
100ft A1 28 AWG kanthal
12ft 2mm braided hollow Ekowool
Pair of locking hemostats
butane pencil torch (for torching ekowool)
This genius little invention - everyone should buy this, it was like six bucks

other than that, a couple anyvape mini davide glass clearos because the protank 2 group buy I organized will likely not have a replacable drip tip, and I need at least 2 mini glass tanks that can take my bds60 from captivape.

i need me a fucking workshop, not sure where I'm going to put all this stuff...

They're called helping hands, I was browsing Amazon for some when I found this picture.

http://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B000RB38X8/ref=mp_s_a_1_1?qid=1464989691&sr=8-1&pi=SX200_QL40&keywords=helping+hands

I have this one and I really like it. Has a 30x, 60x and 90x lens with LED and UV lights.

I purchased this Donegan OptiVisor Headband Magnifier -- You can get different magnification of lenses. I find it to be light weight and easy to pop up and you can use them with or without glasses without issue. Also, they are optically correct in that they show no distortion.

Yep, that's the one (it's partially put together on my kitchen table right now). I'll tell what I bought and let you decide what to get (I overbought since I have nothing to start with). Keep in mind that I am completely new to the RC hobby and this is my first quadcopter build.

laptop screws for the motors

nylon spacer kit

Nylock nuts for the props

Velcro straps

XT60 connectors to make power lead

Wire to make power lead

zip ties

heat shrink

Like I said I overbought but I think this will work for me (for example my batteries have an XT60 connection).

Some other stuff I got because I'm a newb and want my quadcopter to light up the sky:

Helping Hands Magnifier -> this works very well

Learn to solder kit -> it helped me

Pretty lights

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B003UCODIA?ref=ppx_pop_mob_ap_share

For less than $9, they were a great addition. I don't wear glasses, but there should be enough space to have them on. The built-in LED is a bit weak, and the lenses are acrylic, but far, far better than shelling out more money on a new piece of gear.

I think I got better focus through LiveView, zoomed, while also using an Optivisor. It sort of acts like a sunshade as well.


I tried zooming with BYE and adjusting the focus that way, but it was much harder to shade the laptop than the view screen on the camera.

Someone mentioned using a magnifying glass in conjunction with LiveView zoomed, and a large bill hat. I use the Optivisor for work, so it's second nature for me to look through one.

something like this could be right up your alley

sounds like you'll need one of these soon

I started painting again recently and had a similar problem with details. I bought one of these:

https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B01MRJ5HU4/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o09_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

Clips to my desk nice and easily and has a built in light. I probably would've given up painting again without it.

Well then for work that small you may want to get some helping hands when you buy your soldering iron. Any place that carries one will likely have the other.

You can get the OptiVisor brand with a set of lenses in various magnifications, and you can get optional clip-on lighting and those little swing-down clip-on monocle magnifiers to augment the ones that are mounted into the visor. The optional lens is basically the same kind that some jewelers wear clipped onto their eyeglasses for close work.

https://www.google.com/search?q=optivisor

http://www.amazon.com/Donegan-Optical-OptiVISOR-Headband-Magnifier/dp/B0068OSIIS

The OptiVisor brand has been around for many years and you can buy them secondhand for not too much. I inherited mine from my grandmother 40+ years ago. The lenses are held out away from your face a little by the visor part so you can use it while wearing eyeglasses.

Surgical quality ones would be a whole 'nother ballgame.

are you ready for two more items that will absolutely change the game for you.. (yea they're "crutches", but they are also tools.)

http://www.amazon.com/Artistic-Wire-Coiling-Deluxe-Jewelry/dp/B0068RQ85K/ref=sr_1_8?ie=UTF8&qid=1398379252&sr=8-8&keywords=artistic+wire

and

http://www.amazon.com/SE-MZ101B-Helping-Hands-Magnifying/dp/B000RB38X8/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1398379272&sr=8-1&keywords=helping+hands

"International & domestic shipping rates and return policy." Means they ship to Europe as well.

I use this one
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000Z7GGJC/ref=oh_details_o04_s01_i00?ie=UTF8&psc=1
It has mounted LED so your work is lit well and its just as cheap really. I put the wick and a paperclip in the alligators and use the magnifying glass to roll it really close and verify the proper spacing between coils.

These work well and don't take up much room. https://www.amazon.com/Credit-Pocket-Magnifier-Fresnel-Magnifying/dp/B005MPREQ6

I finally broke down and got the OptiVisor. Amazing.

https://www.amazon.com/Donegan-OptiVisor-Headband-Magnifier-Magnification/dp/B0015IN8J6

(What this means is that I need reading glasses or bifocals. Crap.)

If anyone is wondering about lenses, palmer and quite a few people over at mtbs3d forums have recommended these in particular for diy hmds http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000M755GK/

I think durovis uses these too.

Maybe with one of these jerry-rigged on top? https://www.amazon.com/Credit-POCKET-MAGNIFIER-Fresnel-Magnifying/dp/B005MPREQ6

Not much you can do for <$100.

https://www.amazon.com/Donegan-Optical-OptiVISOR-Headband-Magnifier/dp/B0068OSIIS

It's for all sorts of fine work. I've used it for soldering, jewelry, and mini painting.

How strong are the arms compared to one of these helping hands? I have the below one but sometimes the positioning is limited.

https://www.amazon.com/SE-MZ101B-Helping-Magnifying-Glass/dp/B000RB38X8/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1486734389&sr=8-3&keywords=helping+hand

Currently using this one from Amazon.

http://www.amazon.com/SE-MZ101B-Helping-Hand-Magnifier/dp/B000RB38X8/

This is my go to list for what you need for soldering:


hakko soldering iron w/ diagonal cutters $91

hakko diagonal cutters $4.37

solder $7

solder sucker $6

solder flux $8 check digikey

solder wick $7 check digikey

wire strippers $10

helping hands $7 check harbor freight

check for lower price

One of the hakko clone stations paired with some genuine hakko tips is probably a good compromise on price/value. Maybe someone else that's from the UK could suggest something different that's also affordable there.

Check amazon for a magnifying set of glasses. Jeweler style. This is the one I use. magnifying headset

Check out the lamps that have a magnifier inside the light ring. Has a spring arm assembly to swing in and out of the way when not using it.

Personally, I picked up this illuminated headset from amazon.

You're going to want to get these.

I'd also suggest these. Don't let the price fool you. They're actually good quality, and the LED light is a life saver.

secret to solder suckers is to use it while using the iron. a pair of helping hands helps alot when soldering so you can do such a feat

http://www.amazon.com/SE-MZ101B-Helping-Hand-Magnifier/dp/B000RB38X8/ref=sr_1_1?s=hi&ie=UTF8&qid=1421695929&sr=1-1&keywords=helping+hands

It is, but you'd be way better off if you soldered.
Permanent connections, no way a wire will come loose.

You really only need a basic iron, solder and heat shrink.
Hell, this is all you need. https://www.amazon.com/Vastar-Full-110V-Soldering-Iron/dp/B01712N5C4/
https://www.amazon.com/Uxcell-Sleeve-Shrink-Tubing-240Pcs/dp/B01461R89O

If you wanted, you can get a set of helping hands too and make your life really easy.
https://www.amazon.com/SE-MZ101B-Helping-Magnifying-Glass/dp/B000RB38X8

Soldering is very easy when you're just splicing wires. Not a ton of skill required. Get a roll of stranded wire and practice a bit.

When it's time to do the harness, cut away the excess, so you don't have a ton of wiring shoved behind the dash, slip a piece of heat shrink over one of the wires first and then do a lineman's splice, solder that connection and then shrink the tube over the bare connection.

They sell these things that r/modelmakers dread wearing because they all remember a time when they didn't need it. They are wearable magnifying lenses that free up your hands, some of them come with LED lamps.

Try this: http://www.amazon.com/SE-MZ101-Helping-Hands-Magnifier/dp/B0002BBZ2Y

http://www.amazon.com/PENIS/dp/B000RB38X8/

helping hands

This product is similar to mine. I can't find it on thinkgeek.

This and Helping Hands

In case anyone else wants one.

Less than 9 bucks on Amazon

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B000RB38X8/ref=cm_sw_r_awd_Yx3.ub1YQ5C8R

https://www.amazon.com/SE-MZ101B-Helping-Magnifying-Glass/dp/B000RB38X8/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1526200799&sr=8-3&keywords=helping+hands+soldering