Cheap pc building toolkit

[Adsome2007]

Which toolkit do I need to build a pc (I am using a corsair 280x and an m.2 ssd and an aio just in Case it matters). I highly prefer a multibit screwdriver and I already know of the ifixit pro tech toolkit but is the ifixit essential toolkit enough or should I get something else 

[Boinbo]

Just now, Adsome2007 said:

Which toolkit do I need to build a pc (I am using a corsair 280x and an m.2 ssd and an aio just in Case it matters). I highly prefer a multibit screwdriver and I already know of the ifixit pro tech toolkit but is the ifixit essential toolkit enough or should I get something else 

I mean, as long as you have a screwdriver, and some form of organization, you should be fine. That iFixit one is nice. An alternative is one by phanteks, I don't have a link though so sorry.

[eemunni]

I only use one screwdriver

[emosun]

a phillips screw driver ... and sometimes rarely and allen key is all you should need

[eemunni]

Just now, emosun said:

a phillips screw driver ... and sometimes rarely and allen key is all you should need

and "tweezers"

 

[Adsome2007]

Which screw driver i don’t mean to bother you but could you send a link because I have no clue about anything about screwdrivers 

[Dedayog]

5 minutes ago, Adsome2007 said:

Which screw driver i don’t mean to bother you but could you send a link because I have no clue about anything about screwdrivers 

You don't know what a phillips head screw driver is?

 

The one with the X head, not the flat _ head.

 

Edit: Even if you don't know Phillips head just get the screw driver that fits the screws you're using.  Check the junk drawer in the kitchen, there's probably one in there.

[XR6]

6 minutes ago, Adsome2007 said:

Which screw driver i don’t mean to bother you but could you send a link because I have no clue about anything about screwdrivers 

Buy any phillips head screw driver (if the screwdriver's head looks like an X then it's a phillips head). They're cheap and available at most stores.

Something like this would work fine: https://www.walmart.com/ip/Hyper-Tough-TS60211Z-2-X-4-Inch-Phillips-Screwdriver-With-Comfort-Grip-Handle/16539511

[Stormseeker9]

28 minutes ago, eemunni said:

and "tweezers"

 

‘Swiss Army knife’ 

 

 

[Slayer3032]

Do you live in the US? Do you live near a Harbor Freight?

 

Just go to Harbor Freight and pick up a whole set of screwdrivers for $5, if you get their coupons in the paper, magazines or other mail they often have them for a few bucks or even free.

 

https://www.harborfreight.com/hand-tools/screwdrivers-nutdrivers.html?category=1924

 

You mostly need phillips ones though, so try to find a pack with a bunch of those.

[enigmakahn]

so after 3 years of being a hardware tech, i can tell you these are my most used tools, these are listed roughly in most used to least used.

- Precision Phillips screw driver, not sure large, but not super fine

- Precision flat head screw driver, usually as a lever, but occasionally some asshat decides that tiny flat heads are a good idea

- knife/side cutters, make sure they are side cutters and not normal wire cutters, side cutters get right up against the surface you are cutting, so when you are snipping zip ties you won't end up with a tiny sharp pokey bit

- Fine Precision Phillips screw driver, for all the stupid tiny screws

- bigger flat head, so i don't fuck up my tiny one...again

- Needle nose pliers

- magnetic bit screw driver + bit set, princess auto sells a really good 32-36 bit set for about $15 that has most the bits you will ever need, including security torx and security hex

- electrical tape, fuck duck tape, that shit is a nightmare anywhere near a computer

- network tester, if needed

- drill, again, if needed, however being able to drill out rivets is very handy

- circuit tester, these can be expensive, but unless you really need it and know what you are doing, princess auto has them for like $15-ish

 

honestly though, a small 5 pack of precision screwdrivers and a good pair of needle nose and side cutters are going to cover 95% of you use cases

 

EDIT: also velcro cable ties, fuck zip ties

Edited June 26, 2019 by enigmakahn

[Slayerking92]

 

You will need a swiss army knife with a philips head screw driver. tweezers, zip ties, thermal paste applicator, and an anti-static wrist band.

[Ravendarat]

Ok a number 2 phillips is the correct size for most of the screws, although a number 1 is what should be used on things like a m.2 slot, many guys use a number 1 for everything but having those 2 sizes would be more advisable 

[Dedayog]

1 hour ago, Ravendarat said:

Ok a number 2 phillips is the correct size for most of the screws, although a number 1 is what should be used on things like a m.2 slot, many guys use a number 1 for everything but having those 2 sizes would be more advisable 

To be brutally honest, ANYONE (man or woman) should have these and a boatload more. If not, you're losing at life.

 

If you're young, your parents have them.  If you're out of the house, then YOU should have a full toolbox for.... life.  

 

Basically you should already have the tools necessary to build a PC, by default.  If not, buy a complete toolkit for ALL THINGS.

[SpookyCitrus]

25 minutes ago, jstudrawa said:

To be brutally honest, ANYONE (man or woman) should have these and a boatload more. If not, you're losing at life.

 

If you're young, your parents have them.  If you're out of the house, then YOU should have a full toolbox for.... life.  

 

Basically you should already have the tools necessary to build a PC, by default.  If not, buy a complete toolkit for ALL THINGS.

If you or your parents don't have any tools I feel very sorry for you if you have anything go wrong in the household or elsewhere. My dad always had a stocked garage with literally anything I or someone else needed and when I moved out I bought a pretty good tool set for my apartment and also keep a tool kit in my car, if for any reason there is something I need Harbor Freight and Walmart are right down the road. When building PCs or working on my PC at home all I've ever really needed was a number 2 phillips and a pocket knife or something sharp for zip ties (work is different because it's a fully equiped repair shop). If you plan on doing an M.2 you'll need a number 1 phillips, but you can pretty much build a whole PC with just a number 2 phillips screwdriver.

[EldritchMoose]

9 hours ago, Adsome2007 said:

Which toolkit do I need to build a pc (I am using a corsair 280x and an m.2 ssd and an aio just in Case it matters). I highly prefer a multibit screwdriver and I already know of the ifixit pro tech toolkit but is the ifixit essential toolkit enough or should I get something else 

Having that exact case, I can say beyond a shadow of a doubt that you will not need more than a Phillips head screwdriver (as people pointed out, that's the one shaped like a cross). Personally, I would look for a set that has magnetic tips, which will make your life infinitely easier. I bought an El Cheapo set that came with 4 sizes of both flathead and phillips head as well as a holder for bits. Even back in ye olden days of, like, 10 years ago, it set me back maybe 7 bucks. Trust me on this, you will need one of these more often than you would think.

 

The main reason you'll want a set is that the motherboard screws are a different size from the M.2 screws (they're tiny little buggers). Aside from those, the case is completely toolless with thumbscrews for all the side and top plates as well as the GPU mount. The one exception may be the HDD bay (it's been 5 months since I built mine and I only use an SSD for now)

[IntMD]

Phillips #2 is basically all you should need as to start out, unless you have some weird stuff.

[mr moose]

I built another PC yesterday, I used a phillips screw driver, static strap and some side cutters to tidy up the cable ties I used.

 

There really isn't anything else you need.

 

Although having said that,  I have a tool fetish so I buy more toolsbthan I need anyway.

 

 

[TheKDub]

You really only need a phillips head screwdriver for the large majority of situations. You don't reallly start needing more than that until you get to tearing apart graphics cards and stuff like that.

[NineEyeRon]

I use “Old Bluey”, a screwdriver my wife got from her Dad but never gave it back.

 

I have not needed anything else for PC building apart from scissors to open packages and cut zip ties for bodging stuff. I do use an anti static wristband too.

 

Anything else like magnetic trays etc are great and make things easier but only if your doing lots of work. 

 

I build a PC once every 8 years or so and add a new GPU every 2-3. I’m not wasting money to make that little effort any easier.

[minibois]

Just a larger and smaller phllips head (X/+ head) screwdriver is really the only thing you need.

Sidecutters (little snips/scissors) are great to have around too, to be able to use the zipties you likely get with your case/PSU properly.

14 hours ago, Slayerking92 said:

 

You will need a swiss army knife with a philips head screw driver. tweezers, zip ties, thermal paste applicator, and an anti-static wrist band.

That's not an anti-static wrist band, that's a 'Live Strong'-bracelet!

[Adsome2007]

On 6/26/2019 at 10:55 PM, jstudrawa said:

You don't know what a phillips head screw driver is?

 

The one with the X head, not the flat _ head.

 

Edit: Even if you don't know Phillips head just get the screw driver that fits the screws you're using.  Check the junk drawer in the kitchen, there's probably one in there.

I no what I philips head is I just was not sure which size but no I now I need a #2 and a #1(because I have an m.2 drive) a Esd wristband and tweezers and I already have a pocket knife

[Dedayog]

Just now, Adsome2007 said:

I no what I philips head is I just was not sure which size but no I now I need a #2 and a #1(because I have an m.2 drive) a Esd wristband and tweezers and I already have a pocket knife

Sorry, you said you had no clue about screwdrivers, so I was clarifying.

 

Also, since you say you need tweezers.... that was a joke.

[enigmakahn]

5 minutes ago, Adsome2007 said:

I no what I philips head is I just was not sure which size but no I now I need a #2 and a #1(because I have an m.2 drive) a Esd wristband and tweezers and I already have a pocket knife

if you get a wrist band with a tool set great, but don't waste your money on it buying one on it's own, you could just touch some bare metal, or your case, before touching your components at it will do the same thing.

[Adsome2007]

42 minutes ago, jstudrawa said:

Sorry, you said you had no clue about screwdrivers, so I was clarifying.

 

Also, since you say you need tweezers.... that was a joke.

Did you mean the tweezers if I break my cpu