Your soldering iron doesn't have to be super expensive, but please purchase a temperature controlled model. It will save you a lot of headaches.

It's nice to have but I don't think you need a lot of that stuff unless you have specific problems.

gdjacobs wrote:

Your soldering iron doesn't have to be super expensive, but please purchase a temperature controlled model. It will save you a lot of headaches.

Looking at a couple on Amazon...
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01DGZFSNE/ref=psdc … 1_t1_B013DQQ4XO
and
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B072FNVQZ6/ref=sspa … Z&pd_rd_w=n3I9P

I don't know if either is worth having or if they're overpriced, however.

But, yes, I planned on getting a temp controlled model.

Warlord wrote:

It's nice to have but I don't think you need a lot of that stuff unless you have specific problems.

Well, I don't expect to need all of this stuff at once, but it would suck to discover I need a tool and not have it.

Also, I hope to get into some projects in future, like building (assembling) an AdLib clone or OPL2LPT, and a modern custom built IBM XT clone SBC with matching backplane. And I don't know what I'll need if I really get "into" doing such projects.

DeOxit is conspicously absent. (You'd said WD40 contact cleaner, but DeOxit is better.)

For general use thermal paste, I use Arctic Silver Ceramique 2.

Works very well, easy to clean up, will not dry up or separate like cheap junk, and not too expensive.

For the soldering station, the one with the buttons for adjustment will get super annoying, super fast.

The other one looks fine.. however, here is the one I have. (Edit: The super cheap one I posted a minute ago looks like a scam posting as the seller has no feedback at all within the past year).
https://www.ebay.com/itm/862D-2in1-SMD-Solder … 0V/131713244885

I've had mine for over a year now and haven't had any trouble with it other than the hot air gun getting knocked apart from it being dropped.

Cant forget a magic eraser!!! One of the absolute best things to clean up scuffs on cases and clean hard to come off stuff! (:

Ahhh ..I see the bug has bitten Hamby
😉
say goodbye to a full wallet..🤣
I suggest a good mini screwdriver kit ..watchmaker sized blades if you are tackling laptops..(flat philips torx etc)
either desolder braid ..good quality flux and or a desolder tool...mechanical pump action or a more expensive powered aspirator device,,
Tweezers fine nosed cutters ..and snipe nosed pliers...and scalpel style knife
Also ..inverst in some chipquik if you intend to ever tackle surface mounted devices ..
(chipquik is bismuth based low melting point solder) and for the service engineer ..worth its weight in gold.
A reasonable quality multimeter etc
..and as has already been said ..a temperature controlled soldering station.
I could go on ..but this for me would be a minimum starter list.
I can recommend the TL866 programmer ..it's easy to use ..takes many chip adapters and has a 40 pin ZIF socket and will cover _most_ not all your requirements (USB interface) and fairly inexpensive
You will of course need a UV eraser lamp with timer IF you want to tackle old style Eproms.
Also very important imo ..
get organised with storage boxes ..the plastic lid types with compartments.
Both for storing and organising parts/components ..but also larger boxes for 'projects' in process ..
I learn't from bitter experience that often a part ..or plastics ..or screws easily get lost or mislaid when a half done project sits around waiting for parts.
rgds
and have fun
VS
..oh ..and if 8 bit computers (yellowed white plastics) is yer bag ..think about getting some hydogen peroxide and get into 'retrobiting' ..
How effective this process is ..has to be seen to be believed...

Don't forget an easily-accessible fire extinguisher...

...unfortunate experience speaking, here. :p

You want to save money on the two most important tools: the soldering iron and the multimeter. Here's a top tip: don't! I once had the same idea, but I regret it. If you buy good (e.g. Weller, Fluke) ones, then you'll never have to spend money on them again (well perhaps a soldering tip) and enjoy them for the rest of your life. Sure, it costs money, but every hobby does.

Furthermore: if you want to work on live power supplies or CRT monitors, then an isolation transformer is a must have.

Hamby wrote:

Looking at a couple on Amazon... https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01DGZFSNE/ref=psdc … 1_t1_B013DQQ4XO and https://www.amazon.com/dp/B […]
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gdjacobs wrote:

Your soldering iron doesn't have to be super expensive, but please purchase a temperature controlled model. It will save you a lot of headaches.

Looking at a couple on Amazon...
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01DGZFSNE/ref=psdc … 1_t1_B013DQQ4XO
and
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B072FNVQZ6/ref=sspa … Z&pd_rd_w=n3I9P

I don't know if either is worth having or if they're overpriced, however.

But, yes, I planned on getting a temp controlled model.

For that price, you might be able to find a genuine used Hakko, Pace, or Weller iron which is an option worth considering if available. An OKI/Metcal iron is absolutely amazing to use, but changing operating temperature can be a real pain and they usually don't come cheap.

A 936 knockoff like the second one above should cost you 20 or 30 bucks, US. The X-Tronic might be okay, but it's also closing on the price of an FX-888D. When irons like the Hakko routinely demonstrate the kind of multi decade service life they're known for, a clone (or pretender) must sell for a much lower price to be interesting.
https://hobbyking.com/en_us/soldering-station … ?___store=en_us

In many ways, the clones are alll deficient compared to the real thing, but they're also much better than crappy board burners with no thermal control at all. You'll be able to get started and do some work while saving money for purchases later on.