ribitch

i was offered a new job yesterday, and i need my own tools. they provide tools, but they prefer you to use your own, an d my current tool kit blows. I am looking for something that is fairly complete in terms of included tools. preferably with crimpers for rj-11 and rj45 terminals. ( I am looking for a computer toolkit with a case of some sort, not just a toolbox full of tools)

I am looking for something around 50-100 dollars. i dont need a cable tester, so if a toolkit includes one is no big deal to me.

what does everyone use? Thanks

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Jeffbx

Well, it depends on what you want to do. Are you doing primarily networking stuff, or fiddling around inside of a PC? How good do you want the tools to be? You can spend $150 on just a decent crimper...

You're probably better off buying just the things that you need rather than a kit - go to Home Depot or Sears for screwdrivers & common items, and then here are some good places for network tools:

http://www.warehouse.com
http://www.blackbox.com
http://www.cdw.com

Also, if you're anywhere near Royal Oak, there's a place on Woodward & 13 Mile called Stone Computers - they sell networking tools.

Good luck!

LPMiller

just buy a Leatherman and a set of crimpers, and you're done.

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TERRIBLETOM

It's always nice to have your own tools, then you don't have to wait or fight over who gets what next, you can work with out interruptions and at a comfortable speed. I would make a list of what you think you may need or want. They do sell professional tool kits for CPU repair, they come in a brief case and they all have there own pocket, looks very professional and neat, but you will pay a bit for this. You can also go to Sears as suggested and poke around and see what you want, I prefer sears just because of the Craftsman name...

OC

I used to have this cool little toolkit. I put it together myself to take with me when I was travelling a lot. A couple specialty needle-nose pliers, small 1/4" wrench, Xacto knife, SAE and Metric allen keys, a really short #2 phillips screwdriver, extension and small handle for same - it was a specialized toolkit for the machines I was working on, with a few typical additions for work on computers and such. It all fit in a plastic box about the size of a thin hard cover book.

"Complete" should mean everything you need to do the work you need to do, not to do everything under the sun. I had no need for #3 Phillips, for example, so why buy a toolkit that has one?

Pre-built toolkits are nice for IT departments, but if you're going on-site anywhere I'd put together my own.

-OC

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