Ultimate Checklist: 10 Tools Every Great Maker MUST Have To Get Started

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It should really come as no surprise to you, but having the right tools for a job are an absolute essential.

If you are trying to use less-than-ideal tools, or if you find yourself having to borrow tools from somewhere else, it’s time for you to go out and find your own.

Having your own tools is one of the best things you can do because you will use them for so many different projects, and the benefits are unbelievable!

Creation Crate can give you some great ideas for projects that let your imagination soar.

Some of these projects may require the right tools.

When you go to buy the tools, understand that it’s not worth spending money on cheap tools that are going to stop working in a short time. While you don’t need to spend a ton of money to get the best deal, you should always opt for products that fall in the midrange of the price point rather than the lower end.

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Below are 10 of the top tools that you need to have in order to get started.

mini-vice

Mini Vice

No matter what you are going to try and accomplish with your tools, odds are good that you are never going to have enough hands to work on the jobs you want to complete.

A mini vice is a great way for you to make sure that you have a few extra hands to complete the tasks you want.

A mini vice can sit right on your workspace.

This tool helps keep something steady and in the right orientation so you can use both hands on your project.

Most of these tools either have a suction cup, clamp or magnetic base option to make sure it stay still for you.

tool-soldering-station

Soldering Station

If you want to solder properly, then you need a great soldering station.

This tool makes it easy for you to accomplish just about any job that requires joining two pieces of metal, or metal and plastic, on a small circuit board.

There are a lot of different things that you can look for when it comes to the soldering station, but here are the basics.

Make sure that you have a clean, narrow-tipped soldering iron.

The stand and the cleaner pad are just as important.

Find something at a midrange price point so that you can get a durable yet cost-effective tool.

desoldering-tool

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Desoldering Tool

Really, the main purpose for a desoldering tool is to help strip away everything you might need to from a circuit board.

Whether it be an old TV, old amp, or really any type of old technology, using a desoldering tool is great way to make sure you get all of the important components off of the board.

This tool takes some time to get used to, but with some practice you’ll be able to clean the circuit boards in no time.

fume-extractor-kit

Fume Extractor Kit

There aren’t too many things worse than the smell of different fumes and chemicals that you experience during soldering.

The fumes produced definitely toxic, and you want to do everything you can in order to avoid inhaling them.

While that can be difficult to do in some areas as a result of the small space, a tiny fume extractor kit offers a brilliant way to help. T

his extractor kit works to pull in all of the fumes from soldering so that you do not have to subject yourself to them in the process.

miter-saw

Miter Saw

You need a saw that can cut just about anything.

There are miter saws, jig saws, table saws, blade saws and several other different saws from which to choose.

However, for the majority of projects you complete, you’ll want a miter saw because it is one of the most versatile saws.

Buy a saw from a well-known brand so you don’t have to worry about it breaking or failing on you.

drill-press

Drill Press

A drill press is probably one of the most versatile tools you’ll ever own.

A drill press can be used to cut into metal, wood or other types of materials.

It can even cut a hole completely through just about any materials you have.

A drill press makes it much easier to create a hole in those materials rather than using a manual drill.

foldable-ruler

 

Foldable Ruler

A ruler is a tool you need no matter what project you want to complete.

Pardon the pun, but the rule is to measure twice and cut once.

A foldable ruler is a perfect addition to your tool kit.

It folds down to 6 inches in length and forms many different kinds of shapes.

These rulers are made of wear-resistant fiberglass plastic or wood.

The notches for measuring are on both sides.

wire-stripper

Wire Stripper

I know a lot of people like to use their teeth in order to strip the wires, but having a wire stripper is the best way to go.

Odds are good that you’ll be able to find a wire stripper that is going to double as a couple other tools.

That way, get the most bang for your buck.

The best wire strippers are easy to hold in your hand and they work in seconds.

heat-gun

Heat Gun

This is one tool that you find ranging in price from really cheap all the way up to really, really expensive.

For the most part, the tool is going to accomplish the same thing whether it’s the cheaper version or the more expensive version.

Unless you plan on using it a lot, the cheaper version should work fine.

The heat gun is a great tool to strip a circuit board in just seconds.

By turning it upside down and heating the back of the components, the parts simply drip right off the board.

A heat gun can also be used for removing a surf

ace mount as well.

boxer-bit-assortment

Boxer Bit Assortment

There’s nothing more annoying than looking  inside of an appliance or machine only to find out that you don’t have the proper bit attachment to open it.

There’s a simple and easy way to make sure you avoid this problem.

Buy a wide assortment of different bits.

These bits fit on the end of a screwdriver or hand-held drill.

The more bits you have, the better chance you will find the bit you need for your project. A good set of around 100 should give you plenty of options.

Make sure you buy a heavy-duty screwdriver to go with these as well.

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Conclusion

As you can probably tell just by reading this post, there are so many different tools that you can buy for your projects.

It’s important for you to know exactly what each tool does and how it may benefit you, no matter if you get more complicated tools or the simpler ones.

With all 10 of these tools, you will be well on your way to completing each and every job you need done!

But what if you don’t have these tools yet? Don’t worry! There are projects you can still complete without these specific tools.

Don’t believe us? Take a look at these projects we offer that you can complete without owning any of the tools we have listed here!

 

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