Hakko Soldering Station

Heats fast and I have it on all day. Great tool. Mine is the FX-888D; the FX-888DX is its current replacement.

Hakko FR-301 Desoldering Gun

Can’t live without it.

Hakko Desoldering Gun Stand

Stand for the FR-301 desoldering gun.

Hakko N61-13 Nozzle (1.3mm Long)

For the FR-301 and FR-4101. Gets into tight spots with minimal overhang and pad destruction. My new go-to tip!

Hakko N61-10 Nozzle (1.6mm)

A nice size for caps and parts with thicker legs than ICs, and for small component removal.

Hakko N61-15 Nozzle (3mm x 1mm)

Lots of contact area and really clears the vias and wider solder pads.

Hot Air Rework Station

The best tool you can use to remove chips when the desoldering gun doesn’t finish the job. Heat the legs and it will lift right out.

Kester .020 Solder

My current favorite.

Solder Reel Dispenser

Great design. Pretty much a necessity.

Wiha Chip Lifter

Fantastic little chip lifter. I have 3 of them because I got tired of looking for it, and refused to use a screwdriver after using this!

IC Leg Straightener

Used continuously. Best little tool.. I need another..

Flat Nose Pliers

I have this one. It is invaluable for fixing IC legs, etc. Pricey but worth it.

Hakko Micro Cutters

Great little low cost cutters. Used continuously in the shop.

Fluke 117 Multimeter

The meter by which all others are judged. I think it is worth every penny.

Replacement Meter Test Leads

I was buying the Fluke branded ones, but they were failing too often for the price. These are just as nice.

Banana to Alligator Clip Leads

Well made leads, nice for testing hands-free!

Pomona Minigrabber Leads

Really high quality mini grabbers for use with bench power.

Mini Grabber Test Clips

For testing chips on a circuit board. I’ve tried a few different styles and these are the best cost-to-quality clips I’ve found to date!

Rigol DS1054Z Oscilloscope

If you jump into the deep end, this is invaluable for repair work.

Oscilloscope Probes

Inexpensive scope probes that work great.

Bench Power Supply

Nice linear power. Used frequently.

Logic Probe

Helpful to get started looking for problems when you’re just getting your feet wet!

Capacitance / ESR Meter

Comes in handy for spot checking caps. Mine is a Peak ESR70, which does a nice job in circuit but is no longer available. The GME in-circuit ESR tester is a well-reviewed alternative.

Freeze Spray

Helps isolate chips that have thermal failures.

3.5mm Stereo Plugs

Solder type. Used in my audio probe.

Portable Speaker (AUX In)

Speaker with an AUX input jack for the audio probe.

TTL Chip Tester

It can’t check everything, but it is my go-to for 90% of what I need to check.

T48 (TL866) Programmer

Programs PALs and tests many ICs.

GQ-4X4 EPROM Programmer

Needed for reading and programming EPROMs, etc.

EPROM Labels

Perfect size label for EPROMs.

Anti-Static Foam

For storing chips.

DeoxIT D5 Contact Cleaner

A must for PCB repairs. Protects freshly cleaned edges and chip legs and reduces oxidation over time.

Fiberglass Pen

Also a must for board repairs. I use this for cleaning chip legs and parts-side traces on exposed Atari boards. This one is a little better made than the cheaper versions.

Fiberglass Pen Refills

Refills for the fiberglass pen. Qty 24.

Rust Erasers (Sabitoru)

Really the best tool I have for cleaning the outside of chip legs, edge connectors and pin headers. Now sold separately in Medium and Fine.

Krud Kutter

I use this for washing PCBs and chassis. Works incredibly well and somehow cleans sockets nicely.

Etching Acid (Ferric Chloride)

I use this to neutralize battery damage on PCBs.

Kynar Wire-Wrap Wire

I use this for solder-side trace repairs.

UV Cure Resin

I use this all the time for locking in the Kynar wire in trace repairs and chip leg repairs.

Copper Repair Tape

Used mostly for finger edge repair.

Liquid Tin

Coats exposed copper on edge repairs. Works great! Currently unavailable on Amazon.

Detail Craft Knife

I’ve used a regular X-Acto for years and somehow lost it. This one holds the blade MUCH better!

Chisel Hobby Blades

Most of the time I’m scraping solder mask off traces with the pointy blade. These work much better.

18 AWG Hookup Wire

I build a lot of bench adapters. 18 gauge is used for power connections.

22 AWG Hookup Wire

Used for hooking up controls.

24 AWG Hookup Wire

Used for wiring controls and video connections.

Heat Shrink Tubing

For harness making. Much more economical than the little kits.

Heat Gun

For heat shrink tubing. Works great and has legs for hands-free operation. Worth it!

Molex / AMP / Dupont Crimper

Used for making and repairing harnesses.

Molex .062 Pin Extractor

Extractor for .062 Molex pins.

Molex .093 Pin Extractor

My first one. It is very sturdy and gets plenty of use.

.084 AMP/Molex Pin Extractor

Used on a lot of monitor connections.

4″ Zip Ties

I go through a ridiculous amount of these making harnesses and securing wires.

Resistor Kit, 1/4 Watt

130 values, 1%. It likely has that oddball value you need.

Resistor Kit, 1/2 Watt

130 values, 1%. Very nice kit.

Voltage Regulator Assortment

When I started, this was a great way to get a selection.

Tact Switches (Atari Reset)

A perfect replacement for missing Atari PCB reset switches. Not the same size, but the footprint is the same.

TDA2003 Audio Amp ICs

I’ve had good luck with these replacing audio amps on the ARII. Price is right!

TTL Chip Heat Sinks

I usually use 2. They work!

Thermal Glue

For when you need extra. This will dry out in the tube after a year or two.

Slow Blow Fuses

Used on monitors and power supplies that are being rebuilt.

Fuse Clips

Replacement fuse holders. They corrode and break. Great deal on a lifetime supply.

High Voltage Probe

A must have if you plan on working on monitors.

3/32″ Stainless Steel Rod

Used for flyback repair.

4-40 Die

For threading rods for U-bolt repairs.

1/2″ Snap Bushings

Commonly used on HV cages on vector monitors. Replaces the originals perfectly.

Magnetic Nut Drivers

Great for tight spaces and monitors. Magnetic too, exceptionally helpful.

Swivel Stem Casters

By far the best casters for your cabinets if you need to move them frequently. Very strong and low profile.

Leveling Feet with T-Nuts

3/8″-16, for fixed legs. This style works really nice.

#8 x 3/8″ Hex Washer Head Screws

Thread-cutting machine screws used on many chassis and games. These match the originals nicely.

Quiet 120V Cabinet Fan

My Star Wars and Pole Position fans are really loud. Found a nice replacement that is super quiet. Works great!

Replacement Power Cord

10 ft, 14 AWG, open end. My old 16G cord is no longer available.

Rapid Tac Application Fluid

Amazingly helpful for applying artwork. Large side art can be installed 100% bubble free.

Magnifying Lamp

I love this thing. I have 3 of them.

Shipping Scale

Crazy good shipping scale. Can’t be beat!

Parts Organizer Box

I get these 4 at a time. All of my ICs are in these. Some like drawers on a wall, I prefer portability.

Brother Label Maker

Used extensively in the shop for labeling electronic components, etc.

12mm Label Tape

Great for general purpose uses.

9mm Label Tape

Perfect size for labeling edge connectors.