Tools for a new enthusiast?

For all of us new laser enthusiasts out there, and who are planning on fiddling with our very own lasers some day, what tools are recommended to get started and build/test our own lasers. I've kinda got a few ideas, like multimeters, laser power meters, soldering tools, vices of some sort. Was just wondering if there is anything else of great significants that is needed to create and learn about your very own lasers. What are some recommendations?

The multimeter is a VERY important device because if it has ANY internal resistance it could kill many diodes. I used to use the ma's setting but it didn't give me a "real" measurement of what the current would be if it was not going through the multimeter. Make sure you use the AMPS setting because it usually does not have AS MUCH internal resistance.

Being good at soldering is also VERY important for the well being of all your lasers.
--> http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I_NU2ruzyc4

Remember that the most important tool you can have is your brain.

--hydro15

Don't forget Eye protection... it seems the eye factory is all out of replacements..

for a portable vice i use this one that works well in ur house,


http://cgi.ebay.com/Mini-Table-Vice...yZ164611QQssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem

mine dident coast that much only 6 dollors at ace hardware

any recommendations on multimeters and power meters? Home Depot has a few different multimeters but not sure how good they are.

i heared these work well Laserbee may want to co-sign on this one also :


http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=150296292850

Well... I don't want to toot my own horn...  : but I believe for the price you get a
decent 5mw to 1Watt Thermopile LPM. The members who have a LaserBee I are the
ones who should comment... not myself...

Jerry

The multimeter that you choose should have a low mV and ma scale. A continuity beeper is also a nice thing to have. Must be able to check resistance as low as 1 Ohm and Voltage as high as 500 Volts DC and AC. A max DC Amps Scale of 10 Amps would also come in handy... You can easily get one with these features for under $30.00 or less. It would be a good starter DMM.  

jake21 said:

for a portable vice i use this one that works well in ur house,


http://cgi.ebay.com/Mini-Table-Vice...yZ164611QQssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem

mine dident coast that much only 6 dollors at ace hardware  

Click to expand...

Hey I have that same vice too ! Picked it up at the local junk shop

http://www.homedepot.com/webapp/wcs...langId=-1&catalogId=10053&productId=100085564

http://www.homedepot.com/webapp/wcs...langId=-1&catalogId=10053&productId=100013868

worth a woot?



EDIT: and this little shindig right here would be handy.

http://cgi.ebay.com/Soldering-Iron-...39:1|66:2|65:12|240:1318&_trksid=p3286.c0.m14

I can't find it on home depot's website, but in store they carry butane powered soldering irons and refills for like a dollar. the one I use is out of production but the new ones look just as good. they also have a pointy tip which could come in handy doing diode pins... not to mention no wires to get in the way. I just don't like the bulky gun ones =[
also, the ones I saw at home depot were about 15 bucks. not bad I think.

http://www.radioshack.com/product/i...&origkw=soldering+iron&pg=2&parentPage=search

one like that  
go to home depot for cheap butane refills.

the solder home depot sells is rubbish. buy some at radioshack. they sell very thin stuff. radioshack.com is pretty accurate to the store's inventory. thats another place to look for trinkets at.

before you spend too much on things, unless your making cheap pointers, save for goggles too.

another tool I find useful is vice grips. you can have it gently hold small things to solder on if you are careful.

/my two cents

I vote for a set of "HELPING HANDS" from RADIO SHACK, i find mine irreplaceable Rob

phoenix77 said:

I vote for a set of "HELPING HANDS" from RADIO SHACK, i find mine irreplaceable Rob

Click to expand...

Highly 2nd that, very helpful.

I also reccomend a decent soldering iron. Dont get a gas one, I wouldnt use them for pcb work, or on the diodes. The heat is to hard to maintain. But thats just my opinion.

Go with a 13w -20w iron.

Dave