This isn't mean to be a "ford v. chevy" debate, moreso just curious what you all use as your main troubleshooting and repair tools.

Meters
Scopes (Pawn shop Tektronix handheld 60mhz, cal'd)
Solder Irons (Oki/Metcal PS-800e - love it, assemblers put 1000s hrs no faults)
etc.



Also, whats the best 'sleeper deal' piece that you bought just cuz it was cheap or as a backup, but ended up as a mainstay?

For example, I love my 20$ (on sale) crafstman 82139 dmm. It does almost everything, and quite accurately I must say (several main functions, including TC been tested against calibrated equipment) Had it for several years, blown a fuse or two. Has it's limitations but rock solid.

 

I get the warm fuzzies over a 1/2 oz ball pein hammer. It let me make micrometric adjustments to accomplish setting up drive blocks in 18 Potter tape decks in a matter of minutes per drive. The spec on the field change kit said 8 hours per installation.

Can't live without my Fluke 23 DMM. Or my Weller W-TCP soldering station.

 

My Leatherman. Use it about 10 times a day at work. I'm lost without it.
Also my 30 year old P-38 can opener. Function and simplicity.

 

Definitely my DVM. Make and model isn't really important.

Followed by (in no particular order) protoboard, power supply, oscope, and leads for the equipment with removable grabber clips. A second DVM isn't bad either.

Followed by a decent set of wire strippers (T Handle), needle nose pliers, wire cutter, and decent screwdrivers.

Did I mention my computer?

 

I have an old and cheap Weller solder iron. It is 25 years old. I pimped it up with a long life tip, and an isolation transformer. Somehow it settled to have the correct temperature spot on. For my hobbyist soldering this is my favorite tool.

 

DMM, scope, psu, breadboard, soldering iron, wire strippers and PC with internet.

 

Proto boards, DMM, resistor sub box, audio signal gen., oscilloscope, variable benchtop power supply.
Then the run of the mill soldering equipment.

I seem to have gotten a collection of multimeters, because the electronics suppliers kept putting them on sale, so I bought them just for the great price deals.

 

I seem to have gotten a collection of multimeters, because the electronics suppliers kept putting them on sale, so I bought them just for the great price deals.

My girl has the same thing with shoes.

 

My girl has the same thing with shoes.

"But honey, this one's got an off position on both sides of the dial!"

 

At bedtime a man gives his wife a couple of aspirin.

"I don't have a head ache" she says.

"Good," he says, "now that we have that out of the way..."

 

My VTVM, My 2245A