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Cool Tools Kit Awards 2020

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Hello Community, and happy March to all of you!

 

Some of you might be thinking to yourselves - what is Cool Tools? Isn't that a bit familiar? And indeed it is. We ran a fun campaign nearly two years ago to talk about awesome tools as a sneaky way to get you all to show us your work benches (check out the original post here: Cool Tools Bench Awards 2018.) We originally thought about doing this annually, but last year we got caught up in an endless winter here in the Chicago offices that left us wanting anything but to think about the cold. However, now that we have experienced our first actual spring day, we have de-thawed, and we're excited to bring you the Cool Tools Kit Awards 2020!

 

What is the Kit Awards?

 

Previously, we asked the Community to share their work benches but now we're curious - if you could only have one kit for the rest of your life - let's call it your desert island kit - what would be in it? Is there a particular tool that has outlasted all others? Is there some indispensable piece of equipment that, if you were to lose it, would be cause for tearing out your hair (as if sorrow would be made less by baldness?)

 

In the comments below, we want you to tell us about your desert island kit - show us in pictures or video, go into as much detail as you want to tell us what would be in it and why. If you don't want to talk about an entire kit, pick out one of your Cool Tools and describe it under categories such as:

 

  • Oldest Friend (tool that you've had the longest)
  • The Most Reliable (the tool you use most often)
  • Weapons Rack (the tool that you'd proudly put on display if you had to)
  • Dream Tool (a tool that either you don't believe exists, or for whatever reason you've never purchased)
  • Or, make up your own category to talk about a tool that you think everyone should have in their kit!

 

What's in it for me?

 

We're giving everyone on the Community through the end of March to leave comments on this post for a chance to win some great tools from our revamped Multicomp Pro line (like the ones below) as well as from others by some of our great partners like Flir, Fluke, Knipex, Klein and others.

 

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Buy Now

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Buy Now

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Buy Now

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Buy Now

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Buy Now

 

 

Then, every Friday in April we'll be picking some winners from the comments below to win prizes. All you need to do is tell us about your desert island kit or one of your favorite tools. To make it even more fun, our Multicomp Pro team has agreed to put together a great prize pack to whoever comes up with what they think is the coolest of the Cool Tools Desert Island Kits! So have some fun with this and leave your comments below. You have all of March to get in your comments, so no need to beware the Ides.

 

We're so excited to see what you all come up with!

 

Want another way to get your hands on some of these Cool Tools? Check out out the RoadTests & Reviews space where will be launching RoadTests for some of these items. Apply for the first one here: Cool Tools 2020: USB Soldering Iron

Attachments:
imageCool Tools Kit Awards 2020.pdf
  • in reply to kk99

    I love that screwdriver set.  I have an infliction which causes me to collect tools, even when I already have plenty.  I think I got this from my Grandfather, who had every tool possible and even extras of several.  He had over 200 screwdrivers in his tool chest.  I seem to collect screwdriver sets, and this one is my favorite.  Recently I found some nut driver bits that make this tool even more useful.

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    The nut drivers are 3/16", 5/32", 9/64" and 1/8".

  • in reply to dillon40

    Nice pictures, though the machineshop needs a bit of 'Maleficent-touch'. 8')

  • It was a summer morning in the early 90s (maybe 1992 or 1993), and I was soldering a high-fidelity power amplifier with hexfet technology. A project inspired by a schematic seen in an electronics magazine revised and improved.

    I had waited months for the final pairs and the two 47,000 microfarad electrolytic capacitors as big as two cans of beer to arrive. I was making the last welds and ... puffff .... a cloud of smoke ... my soldering iron was dead. My father, as soon as he heard my screams, immediately left the house. After half an hour he came back smiling and gave me an object wrapped in an old newspaper.

    It was a 25W electric soldering iron that he had seen the same morning from a Polish street vendor and, seeing me desperate, had run to buy it.

    That soldering iron still works and I use it often. I also have newer and more efficient equipment but, even today, I really enjoy using my old soldering iron.

    One last thing, remember my project? It was a success! Powered by a 300W transformer, my amplifier was able to make Indiana Line loudspeakers dance smoothly and with perfect sound.

    Here is my little gem, perhaps ugly, but extraordinary, believe me!

     

    bye

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  • Below there is set of my portable tools:
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    It is really small pocket meter with wide range of measure functions. I have own it for around eight years. The small drawback is a narrow capacitance measurement range.

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    It is really good and well made set of bits with screwdriver for precision work available in affordable price.

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    It is wire stripper tool and multi tool Leatherman rebar. I really like the quality and functionality of multi tool.

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    It is TS80 soldering iron which with connection with power bank allows to have portable station. It is useful during repairing devices and soldering PCB for some projects.

     

    The thing about I thought is 3D printer. Sometimes when creating a new idea or project the last thing which is often missing for me, is housing for device. Maybe the 3D printer is not portable but I thing that could be useful in wide range of applications.

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    Hi guys,

     

    It's always beautiful to see other people workbenches, and now I have the chance to share mine with the community.

     

    As you can see in the photo, my little jewel is the RTB2004 (oscilloscope from Rohde & Schwarz).

     

    Working as a programmer and developer of firmware for microcontrollers,

    I can say, due to my limited experience (I'm 23 years old), that it was a revolution in the debugging and checking the status of signals.

     

    Near it, there is already the place for another instrument of the Rohde & Schwarz family: the FPC1500. (Dream Tool)

     

    Why a spectrum analyzer?

     

    Due to the project, I'm working on, ESP32 (from Espressif) and EFR32 (from Silicon Labs) needs for a sub-GHz and 2,4Ghz device.

    Switching from horticulture and home security sensors, this type of communication will be and are already part of our life.

     

    With a spectrum analyzer will be easier to do a generic little

    pre-compliance for the CE certification and to set up the hardware correctly.

     

    In the photo, you can see how much the workbench is neat. (only for the photo =) ) and how many organizers already full of components I have)

    Also, the desks are self-built to meet any need I have.

    (aluminium profiles, wood and 3d printed joints)

     

    But, I think, there is another thing, we all have in common, that could never miss.

     

    PASSION for what we do.

     

    Doesn't matter which soldering station, oscilloscope, screwdriver, pliers I have, is what I feel when I work on a project in my lab and I know I always do the best to get a great result! 

     

    Feel free to ask!

     

    Michael

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    Well, my desert island kit is a very ordinary tool, a wirestripper. No electronic engineer can

    do without. Yet, this one is unique. I tried to find a new one, but I cannot find this type of wire stripper anywhere in the world.

    That is unbelievable, because it is the most handy (and cheap) wire stripper I have ever seen.

     

    I bought this one in 1976 in a kibbutz, called Ginossar, where I was a volunteer.

    The kibbutz had a small factory where they developed electronic devices to control seeding machines.

    Furthermore they manufactured these nice little wirestrippers. I got one and now 44 years later I

    still have it! It is still perfect (Ok the handle needed some taping, but still) and I use it every day!

  • in reply to ankur608

    Great article, thank you. You know that got me thinking about our chickens and how good it would be to track them and how many eggs they are producing. I don’t know if I could get to wear something though.

  • in reply to alaa_salam

    The multi-tool is sweet. It must be special if you sterilize it.

    You have my man-envy for such a nice tool and friend.

  • This is my Marooned Somewhere Tool Kit

     

    #1 - this is a paint can opener. It opens paint cans, any can with a pry lid...... Beverage bottles, canned beverages with pop lids, 

    This opener is at least 50 years old,maybe up to 80 years old. I defy anyone to not return it to it's specified place in the tool crib. I will hunt you down.

     

    #2 & #5 are original Sears Craftsman diagonals & serrated pliers. They are about 40 years old. #5 has gaps in the cutting edge where I tried to cut thick strong wires that I shouldnt have cut with it.

    I have other similar pliers, but these can't be matched. They are well worn but still my go to tools.

     

    #3 - A genuine Case brand pocket knife. This one is 40+ years old. I had a favorite one, a bit older, more like an electrician style pocket knife with a metal loop to hang on a belt loop. I miss it and cry myself to sleep sometimes wondering where it could be.

     

    #4 - This is a pin crimp tool I got from AMP incorporated in 1978,I was working an an engineering intern for them. If you zoom in you can see AMP Harrisburg, PA stamped on it. 

    At the time Amp was the #1 electrical connector company in the world.( maybe Burndy was a close 2nd)  They were a good company and treated me very well. The tool looks new, I protect it like a mama grizzly bear.

    It is my secret crimp weapon, and allows me to generically use just about any connector and pin.

     

    If I could add to my Marooned Somewhere Survival Tool kit, it would be a small Leatherman multi tool or a small low voltage scope.

     

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