BASIC HAND TOOLS & EQUIPMENT

Assembling a Robotic project and making it work is a good start in helping one to learn
troubleshooting methods as well as becoming familiar with your tools, test equipment,
electronic schematics and component color codes.

It's hard to produce a good project/product or service unless proper hand tools and
knowledge of using them and observing safety precautions are adequate. Some of the basic tools &
equipment that should prove useful are listed below.

Electric Drill and Drill Bits

Electric drill and drill bits in the range of 1/8 inch to 1/2 inch will come in handy when
you need to drill holes on the printed circuit board (PCB) that has been etched. Drilling of plastic or metal
enclosure that houses the printed circuit board are sometimes necessary.

A suitable PCB Mini Hand Drill can be easily obtained from any electronic shop.

Soldering Iron
In large and heavy metal work, welding is used in joining metals permanently. In electronics work,
soldering is used to join pigtails of components, transistor leads, and IC pins among others. Soldering is
the process of heating materials, and joints to be soldered and applying solder on the heated joints to
ensure permanent connection.
A 30 Watt to 40 Watt soldering iron with tips of 1/8 inch to 1/2 inch can be used for soldering of through
hole components. Soldering of surface mount components may require smaller tips depending on the
sizes of the components. Soldering iron normally will last a long time if it is taken care of properly by
keeping the tips clean and well tinned.
Wire Stripper

Wire stripper is used to strip off wire insulator from its conductor before it is used to connect to another
wire or soldered into the printed circuit board. Some wire stripper or wire cutter has a measurement
engraved on it to indicate the length that can be stripped.
Long nose Pliers

A pair of 4-inch long nose pliers will come in handy when you need to hold components that have short
leads that need to be soldered onto the PCB but will be too hot to handle with bare hands. It will also be
useful to hold the component that needs to be de-soldered from the board.
Allen Wrench set

Allen wrench set is used to unscrew or screw Allen type of screws.

Philips Screwdrivers

Various sizes of Philips head screwdrivers will be handy as a lot of electronics projects that use screws
are Philips Head type.
Socket wrench sets

A socket wrench set includes nut drivers, hex drivers, and starters in assorted sizes that will come in
handy during the assembly work of electronics project.
Blade Cutter

A Blade Cutter will be useful when one need to cut PCB, wires or remove some copper from the printed
circuit board.
Equipment
Aside from hand tools, certain equipment is also needed for more accurate and quality output. Three of
the commonly used equipment are presented here for you to be familiar with their uses and the proper
way of maintaining them.
a. Oscilloscope. An oscilloscope (commonly abbreviated CRO, for cathode ray oscilloscope, or
simply scope) is a piece of electronic test equipment that allows signal voltage to be viewed

c. Volt-OHM-Milliammeter (VOM).
 A handheld device that combines three functions: as a voltmeter that measures both ac and dc voltages:
an ohmmeter that measures resistance: and milliammeter that measures small amount of dc current.
It is called Multitester or Multimeter (Multi-tester). It can measure to a very high degree of accuracy.
They can be used to troubleshoot electrical problems in a wide array of industrial and household devices
such as electronic equipment, motor controls, domestic appliances, power supplies, and wiring systems.
As safety precautions in the maintenance of this instrument, the following should be observed:
General Rule for Analog Multitester:
 Always rest the function switch at 250Vac if an off position is
not available in the instrument.

 For current and voltage measurement, always set the function switch in the correct setting which
is a little higher than the expected current or voltage present in the circuit.

 Optimize the range for the best reading. If possible, adjust it so that the maximum deflection of
the meter can be gained. In this way the most accurate reading will be gained.

 When making measurements, Keep your fingers behind the finger guards on the
test probes.

 Place the instrument in a cool dry place, away from any magnetic devices, and free from
vibrations.
Hand Tools Classification
There are four different types of hand tools according to their uses:
• Cutting Tools: These are used to cut a physical object into pieces.
For example: side cutting pliers and blade cutters.

• Gripping or Holding Tools: These tools are used for gripping objects by using leverage. For
example: long nose pliers and twizzers.

• Striking Tools: The striking tools are the most widely used tools. Chiseling, punching and
riveting can be done properly using striking tools. Hand-held striking tools have been used in a
variety of disciplines as leverage devices providing a striking force to complete endless variety of
tasks.
For example: hammers & chisels

• Driving Tools: These are designed in such a way that insertion, tightening, loosening, removing
screws, bolts, nails or other pointed objects or hard-to-turn items are done by applying torque.
For example: screwdrivers, nut drivers and wrenches.

• Struck or Hammered Tools: These tools are used for forcing a bolt, pin, or rivet in or out of a
hole.
For example: punches, nail sets, chisels

• Driving Tools: These are designed in such a way that insertion, tightening, loosening, removing
screws, bolts, nails or other pointed objects or hard-to-turn items are done by applying torque.
For example: screwdrivers, nut drivers and wrenches.
 • Struck or Hammered Tools: These tools are used for forcing a bolt, pin, or rivet in or out of a
hole.
For example: punches, nail sets, chisels

Maintenance Tips of Hand Tools

Good quality tools can last a lifetime if they are taken care of properly. Ensure that the tools are used only
for their intended purposes, keep them lubricated with a light film of oil to inhibit rust, keep the tools
clean and sharp, keep the soldering tips clean and well tinned and ensure that proper use of the tools are
always adhered to by following the instructions in the proper use of tools.
Screwdrivers:
 Never use screw drivers as a pry bar, chisel, and punch stirrer or scraper.
 Never use screwdrivers with broken or worn-out handles. Screwdrivers of these kinds should
have tags to indicate that it is defective.
 Never use pliers on a screwdriver for extra leverage. Only use wrench or screwdrivers specially
designed for the purpose.
Utility Knives/ Blades:
 Do not use dull blades because they require more force, thus, they are more likely to slip. Replace
the blades when they start to "tear" instead of cut.
 Never leave a knife unattended with the blade exposed.
 Don't bend or apply side loads to blades by using them to open cans or loosen tight cover of
containers. Blades are brittle and can snap easily.

Credits to: Calinawan