Useful Hardware Hacking Tools

About

This page will specify some useful hardware hacking tools and advice (currently from the Exploitee.rs discord server by "Hyphen")

Hardware

Iron

Cheap option: PINECIL ($25) https://pine64.com/product/pinecil-smart-mini-portable-soldering-iron/. Make sure to get a silicone USB-C cable, or you will be in for a world of hurt. I had a TS100 (similar form factor) with a PVC cable directly to a power supply directly to an outlet, and it was not fun. Silicon flexes easier and doesn't retain its shape.

Pricier option: Quicko/Quecoo ($50) T12-956/952. 952 is cheaper and I'm not totally sure the difference. I'd go for the option here with the metal handle. https://www.aliexpress.com/item/32803295956.html Also available on Amazon if you're impatient

Solder

I'd recommend Kester solder, but it's not available in small quantities and you sure as hell don't need a pound of it. Going to defer to Myself's expertise and recommend chipquik: https://www.chipquik.com/store/index.php?cPath=600_610 As for size: go for 0.031" for now. Should be good for most work.

Flux

AMTECH flux is my personal favorite. Breathing it at least doesn't make it feel like it will kill you, and it's relatively easy to clean up. Buy it from the wonderful Louis Rossmann: https://store.rossmanngroup.com/amtech-nc-559-v2-30-cc-16160.html Check "plunger-needle", but ALSO grab a set of dispensing tips from ChipQuik: https://www.chipquik.com/store/product_info.php?products_id=906002. These are very useful, and the plastic tips are significantly easier to dispense from.

Fume extraction

I'm terrible at this, moreso than I should be. If you live somewhere where it's never too cold to crack a window open, and you're soldering in front of a window, open that window and turn on a fan.

Otherwise, you can at least pretend you care by buying a cheap fume extractor, which is basically just a computer fan with a carbon filter on top of it. (message 1/2) https://www.amazon.com/Aoyue-AO486-Benchtop-Solder-Absorber/dp/B001RLZGKK I use this. Consider trying to find it somewhere other than Amazon, mostly because I hate Amazon.

Stand

Wow, does it seem easy to cheap out on this. Don't! It's a safety issue (and not a remote, far-off, "better safe than sorry" one!) and a usability issue. Cheap stands will have open iron holders that are really easy to accidentally stick a finger or hand in. You will burn yourself if you use those. And don't settle for a shitty sponge cleaner. They don't work. They just don't. Go for an iron holder with a good, solid, shrouded holder and a brass wire cleaner. My personal recommendation is the Hakko 633 holder. https://www.amazon.com/dp/B000TGNWCS/ As Myself put it above: "it's twice the price of the cheapies and ten times as nice"

Wick

Solder wick is like high school. You do arguably need it sometimes, but no one I know has a good experience with it. I overpay for my wick at https://northridgefix.com/product/premium-desolder-braid-wick-10ft-length/, mostly because the stuff I got from MG Chemicals was absolute garbage. NorthridgeFix makes good videos anyway, they're worth the money.

Why you need everything

• Iron: heats up the solder to melt it. A good iron lets you configure temperature so you don't damage the board (e.g. by ripping off copper pads), and will let you use a good (silicone, not PVC) cable to connect it to the station/outlet.
• Solder: it's conductive and it binds to things! Bad solder is bad at that. Should have flux inside.
• Flux: Helps solder flow and stick to the copper where you want it. It's optional in the same way that boots are optional when walking through 2 feet of snow.
• Fume extraction: Dying ten years early from inhalation of toxic fumes means ten years less of soldering. Again, though, I'm a hypocrite here, and its effectiveness is debatable.
• Stand: You'll burn yourself if you don't have a good one.