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Tools and additional materials you will need:
eye protection
slotted tip screwdriver
needlenose pliers
wire cutters
wire stripper for 12ga. and smaller wire
soldering iron, 40W is fine. An inexpensive solder station is much, much better
volt-ohm meter - we suggest a 'pocket DMM' - use this for sorting out hard to read resistors
a good light source
Sharpie or other marking pen for terminal ID
a soft towel or placemat to rest the amps on while working on the underside—the sticky bubble
wrap supplied with your kit can also work well as a cushion for your project.
other tools that are nice to have:
magnifying glass for parts identification
desoldering tool or desoldering braid
A set of small sockets and a socket wrench for tightening the mounting hardware
A“thirdhand”toolcanbeusefulforsituationswhereyouneedsupportthepartsyouareworking
on while keeping both hands free to solder
Solder - we recommend standard 60/40 or 63/37 tin/lead solder as the easiest to work with. 2% sil-
ver solder is OK, but stay away from 4% silver solder. It does not flow well. If you are using an ad-
justable solder station you will want to set the temperature to about 650-700 degrees.
Paint—you may wish to paint the power transformer bell end. We suggest a light scuff sanding with
220 grit sandpaper and cleaning of the surfaces with a good degreaser like formula 409 or Fantastik
before spraying.
Materials for finishing the wood bases - 220 grit sandpaper, wood glue, masking tape, stain, and
a finish. Analine dyes are a great way to get a clear finish that really shows off the wood grain. The
newer polymer finishes such as Varathane Diamond are easy to use and easy to clean up with
water. Spar varnish gives a nice glossy finish.