If you regularly build or repair electronics, it is inevitable that at some point you need to crimp wires. While this sounds simple on the surface, the world of crimping is a complex one. Especially for hobbyists who cannot justify spending thousands on official crimp tools, it can be a …
Engineer PAD-02 Review: A Versatile Crimping Solution Read More
Crimping small contacts can be a challenge. Not only does the crimp tool you use need to be accurate and precise, it also needs to apply the right amount of pressure to conform the crimp terminal to the right shape. Using the wrong tool can lead to poorly crimped contacts …
When it comes to shrinking heat shrink tubing, nothing beats a heat gun. But if you do not have one, what should you do? Rest assured, you can still use heat shrink without a heat gun. It responds to many sources of heat, so there are plenty of alternative tools …
How to Use Heat Shrink Tubing Without a Hot Air Gun Read More
Heat shrink tubing and electrical tape are both widely used for insulating, protecting and bundling wires. Because of their similar qualities, it is easy to assume that they can be blindly interchanged. This is not the case, however. The two products have several prominent differences. Depending on your project or …
Heat Shrink Tubing vs. Electrical Tape: Which One Should You Use? Read More
If you do any DIY electrical or electronics work, it is inevitable that you need to use heat shrink tubing at some point. It is a versatile product that lets you insulate wires, add strain relief, color code cables, and even more. With special types of heat shrink you can …
Digital multimeters are indispensable tools when it comes to working with electronics. If you are looking to buy one, you don’t have to look very far. Large hardware stores sell so many different multimeters that it can be hard to see the forest for the trees. The Fluke 115 is …
Lithium-ion and lithium polymer batteries are commonplace nowadays, and so are the problems that come with them. Most notably those caused by these batteries swelling up. Laptops with bulging keyboards or trackpads, smartphones with a bump in their screen or tablets that have formed a gap in their casing are …
When working with capacitors, especially high voltage ones, a capacitor discharge tool is essential. It is a device that helps you drain capacitors safely before handling them further. While you can buy a capacitor discharge tool, they are just as easy to make. It is a quick, simple project that …
Capacitors are common components in modern day electronic devices. They store a charge that can be released at once to components that need it. Capacitors can also be used to filter specific signal frequencies. When building, repairing or salvaging electronics, you can be certain of encountering them. Before working on …
Salvaging components from circuit boards and electronic devices has many benefits. Most notably, it gives you a bunch of free parts. But it is also a valuable form of education in product design and it reduces E-waste and its strain on the environment. In this article I will show you …
Heater cartridges are essential components in 3D printers. They make sure that the hot end gets up to the right temperature. Without one, a hot end would not get hot enough for filament to melt. If you want to upgrade a hot end heater cartridge, replace a broken one, or …
Hot End Heater Cartridges: Everything You Need to Know Read More
If you want to repair electronics, you will greatly benefit from a microscope. Surface mount components are getting smaller and smaller, and there is only so much you can see with the naked eye. Nowadays, magnification is essential when it comes to the inspection of solder work, PCB traces and …
When it comes to soldering small SMD components, inspecting PCBs or setting stones in jewelry, a digital microscope is a useful tool. It lets you work on solder joints and components that are otherwise hard to see with the naked eye. Where earlier versions of digital microscopes required connections to …
Andonstar AD407 Review: A Powerful Digital Microscope Read More
Nowadays, it is relatively easy to build a silent computer. But there is one particular noise that can be hard to eliminate: coil whine. This high pitched hissing or scratching noise is not only highly annoying, but also sounds like something is not working as it should. In this article …
Whether you are a hobbyist that only solders occasionally or a professional that does it a lot, a soldering iron is an indispensable tool. Its versatility allows you to build and repair electronics or circuit boards, create jewelry, soldering guitar wiring and all kinds of other projects. To get good …
The 10 Best Soldering Irons for Beginners to Professionals Read More
If you do any type of SMD repair work, like repairing phones or laptops, a hot air rework station is an essential tool. It allows you to efficiently add and remove SMD components from circuit boards. Having a quality rework station saves you time and reduces the risk of overheating …
When it comes to desoldering, a good quality desoldering pump (also known as a solder sucker) can be worth its weight in gold. Being able to quickly and efficiently remove solder from solder joints and pads saves you time and frustration. The Engineer SS-02 is a solder sucker designed to …
When it comes to repairing electronics, desoldering is an important skill to learn. Whether you want to replace defective or incorrectly placed parts, fix bad solder joints, troubleshoot an electric circuit or salvage electronic components, desoldering can help you do so. There are many different methods and tools you can …
