Mandatory build/vape tools you use most often?

[treehead]

So I bought a little adjustable magnifying glass, with LED's built in (kinda like the bendy engineer lamps),and IT CHANGED MY BUILDING WORLD . I've always had really good vision (20/15 in both eyes, 20/20 with either individually), so I didn't even give it a second thought, but now I wish I really had! I just tested it out and my "super nano-coils" look as perfect as a 24ga wrapped on a nail, super duper easy now, I find I can correct my mistakes as I'm making them because I can actually see a teeny tiny gap in the coils long before I finish that wrap, and even the relatively difficult ones are coming out perfect on the first wrapping, even though I usually don't need to squeeze them with tweezers, I still do just to get that OCD perfect coil, practically "fused" together. My favorite part though as I said, is I can tell now if I'm GOING to mess up if I do a certain thing this way, for example I can line up my tweezers right so when I squeeze (really squeeze) the coils I don't get that outside coil snap into an overlap because I'm actually in control. I'm mad I didn't get one sooner, in fact I'm thinking about getting one that magnifies more than just 2.5x (or 4, that little extra mag spot that's my "coil counting sight" now).

Sorry about that, I get giddy when I improve my coils .

Anyway, after this duh moment today, I was wondering what tools you guys find essential, or nearly essential for building (or anything vaping for that matter). Just a list of common items you often use, or even want. My fingernail clippers were getting rugged, and they're a little gnarly now, so I figured I'd splurge a little on some build tools that would make my life easier.
-Some horotec swiss aluminum & carbon fiber tipped; flat broad, and extra fine tweezers. (I never knew a nice pair of tweezers would make all the difference, these are awesome because the carbon fiber tips allow me to fire my coil while I'm squeezing/tightening them up.
https://www.cousinsuk.com/catalog/t...rs/tweezers-carbon-fibre-tipped-horotec-swiss
-A dremel speed bit set, has sizes: 1/64" &1/32"!, 3/64",1/16",5/64",3/32",7/64",1/8"
-the flattest bead wire nippers I could find in my city lol
-that small desktop magnifying glass with light
-and FINALLY something to screw my deck into so I don't short my coils on accident, an awesome little fasttech ohm meter/volt meter combo. It's cheap and the most accurate out right now at +/-0.1 accuracy (doesn't compare to my fluke but more convenient)
$17.61 2-in-1 Combo Tester (Ohm Meter + Volt Meter) for E-Cigarette - w/ drawstring pouch at FastTech - Worldwide Free Shipping

I'd love to hear what some of you guys have figured out, I'm sure there's some tricks and tools out there that'll blow my mind.

GYYOOO!

 

[B2L]

Nothing mind blowing here.
When it's time to build I make sure I have the tweezers I "borrowed" from my wife, a jewelers screwdriver set, ohmmeter, butane torch (I still like to anneal all my Kanthal), nail clippers, scissors, reading glasses and a big roll of vapor towels.
My eyesight isn't what it used to be, the lighted magnifier sounds like just what I need. Those tweezers look like a good idea too, maybe my wife will get hers back soon

 

[treehead]

Nothing mind blowing here.
When it's time to build I make sure I have the tweezers I "borrowed" from my wife, a jewelers screwdriver set, ohmmeter, butane torch (I still like to anneal all my Kanthal), nail clippers, scissors, reading glasses and a big roll of vapor towels.
My eyesight isn't what it used to be, the lighted magnifier sounds like just what I need. Those tweezers look like a good idea too, maybe my wife will get hers back soon

I hear ya brother, I only got some of this stuff because my nail clippers went dull , the magnifying glass really does take away alot of the hassle. I'd definitely recommend one, heck mines a really cheap one, it's not even a "lamp" type, it's kinda small, but makes all the difference just being able to see what your doing. I need a torch, I've been using elbow grease this whole time lol, and yeah a nice pair of flat* tweezers helped me tons. I had the wrong kind for your eyebrows, they were only good for picking up the coil I dropped, not flat surface to squeeze the coils against/

 

[GeorgeWachsmuth]

Nothing mind blowing here.
When it's time to build I make sure I have the tweezers I "borrowed" from my wife, a jewelers screwdriver set, ohmmeter, butane torch (I still like to anneal all my Kanthal), nail clippers, scissors, reading glasses and a big roll of vapor towels.
My eyesight isn't what it used to be, the lighted magnifier sounds like just what I need. Those tweezers look like a good idea too, maybe my wife will get hers back soon

I hear you about the eyes thing. I went to the dollar store and got the strongest pair of reading glasses I could find, 3.5. They are great for working on coils...! And..they only cost $ 1.29 ...oh..and I anneal my wire on the kitchen stove...fast, and easy!

 

[BeRight]

The only item I would suggest beyond the regular tools is the Eurotool Third Hand With Tweezers

Price: $10.95 http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/41W6jXjLaCL.jpg

I use them to self squeeze the coil when I torch it.

 

[B2L]

I hear you about the eyes thing. I went to the dollar store and got the strongest pair of reading glasses I could find, 3.5. They are great for working on coils...! And..they only cost $ 1.29 ...oh..and I anneal my wire on the kitchen stove...fast, and easy!

Mine are 2X and I have noticed they aren't quite cutting it anymore. The problem I have with using the stove is it negates the necessity of buying a torch

The only item I would suggest beyond the regular tools is the Eurotool Third Hand With Tweezers

Price: $10.95 http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/41W6jXjLaCL.jpg

I use them to self squeeze the coil when I torch it.

Now that looks handy

 

[treehead]

The only item I would suggest beyond the regular tools is the Eurotool Third Hand With Tweezers

Price: $10.95 http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/41W6jXjLaCL.jpg

I use them to self squeeze the coil when I torch it.

http://www.adafruit.com/products/291?gclid=CJvu7t7j7r0CFU8GvAodczcAqg

I got this puppy on the way! Same idea but with two clamps instead, the reverse lock tweezers are priceless, mine are totally carbonized now, they've seen hell and back

 

[Nataani]

I don't have any revolutionary tools that I use, however there are two common versions of common tools that I find invaluable.

Instead of common tweezers I use eyebrow pluckers, found in the beauty section of most super markets. They have flat plates instead of sharp points, perfect for micro coils.

Second, for cutting cotton I found beard scissors, they cut cotton just as well as shears, but are much more user friendly.

 

[Froth]

I carry this with me any time I take a mod with some sort of building required outside the house, has come in handy many times.

It started life as a small "grooming kit". I consider this my "essential must haves" So, what all is in it?
- Leatherman
- Scissors
- Spare drip tip
- Large nail clippers
- Two pair of tweezers
- Phillips and Flat precision screwdriver
- Random assortment of wire, twisted and regular. Mostly 24ga and 26ga
- The plastic bag contains: Q-tips, cotton, SS mesh and some pre-built coils.

Fits in my back left pants pocket perfectly. I also use most of this stuff at home, but also have things like a butane torch and a large assortment of drill bits to wrap coils on at home that I don't take anywhere outside the house. Other big things like my DMM or OHM checker box are also at home and rarely leave the house. I also use a ton of tools for turning down my own drip tips and making box mods as well but that is more than most people get in to.

 

[treehead]

great minds think alike, my coil graveyard and coil rejects get thrown into that "random knick knacks box".

 

[Rossum]

So I bought a little adjustable magnifying glass, with LED's built in (kinda like the bendy engineer lamps),and IT CHANGED MY BUILDING WORLD.

Yup, being 54 years old and having gotten my first reading glasses ~12 years ago, I bought a lighted magnifier before I even started building anything. It makes a big difference being able to SEE what you're doing.

Other stuff I use a lot:

* Tweezers
* Needle-nose pliers
* Cuticle scissors (for trimming cotton wicks to the right length)
* BernzOmatic micro torch
* Drill bits -- 1/16", 5/64", and 3/32" -- most of my coils are 5/64" (~2.0mm)

Thing is, I don't really wind a lot of coils -- coils made using 28 gauge or thicker wire seem to last pretty much indefinitely. Pull out the old cotton, rinse, dry-burn, rinse again, blow off the water, put a new wick in, prime, and they're good to go.

 

[treehead]

Yup, being 54 years old and having gotten my first reading glasses ~12 years ago, I bought a lighted magnifier before I even started building anything. It makes a big difference being able to SEE what you're doing.

Other stuff I use a lot:

* Tweezers
* Needle-nose pliers
* Cuticle scissors (for trimming cotton wicks to the right length)
* BernzOmatic micro torch
* Drill bits -- 1/16", 5/64", and 3/32" -- most of my coils are 5/64" (~2.0mm)

Thing is, I don't really wind a lot of coils -- coils made using 28 gauge or thicker wire seem to last pretty much indefinitely. Pull out the old cotton, rinse, dry-burn, rinse again, blow off the water, put a new wick in, prime, and they're good to go.

I could use a small and sharp pair of scissors, my regular paper scissors from high-school (yeah they've seen alot haha) aren't cutting so well anymore, more like tearing evenly . That's really all I need now *sigh* almost got everything I need for the next decade, I got a micro-torch from mag-torch just yesterday after seeing some suggestions here, and it really does make a difference! Those coils really cooperate when I tell them to now haha, now all I need are some cuticle scissors you mentioned, or maybe even medical gauze scissors since they're made for cotton anyway.

 

[SLIPPY_EEL]

having 2 nail clippers work for me, i keep the older one for cutting wire and the new one for cutting cotton only.

i also keep two tweezers one that has more of a point on the end for pulling on cotton the other one that i use to use for compressing coils which i dont do anymore so they are handy for picking up o-rings, counting wraps etc ...reason i dont compress>>Tension wrapping micro coils - YouTube

mini jet torch
needle nose pliers
1/16 screwdriver and drill bit
big 1mm od safety pins
Locking Forcep's and a small 2" c-clamp are handy for twisting or braiding wire, holding a few strands in a row.

a pair of scissors with plastic handles, you can drag wire across plastic to get the kinks out prior to wrapping, i didnt realise untill i started looking at jewelry vids for braiding and going to jewelry tool sites that they use plastic in a similar way https://www.cousinsuk.com/catalog/tools/pliers-flat-nose/pliers-plastic-jaws-bergeon-6143#select

But most important thing of all is my buddy >> MULTI-METER << my best friend

 

[VAscooter]

I bought this magnifying stand with alligator clips. I really like for building coils. You can use the clips to attached tweezers and coil to flame. As I get older and even though I wear bifocals really like the added magnification. Amazon sells.

Amazon.com: GadgetZone (US Seller) Soldering LED Light Illuminated 2.5X 7.5X 10X Magnifier Magnifying Glass Loupe, Adjustable Support Clamps & Alligator Clips: Home Improvement

 

[SLIPPY_EEL]

i'd like one of those, thats perfect.... maybe as i start to mature i shall get one

 

[tobarger]

Ceramic Tipped Tweezers:
$12.95 Heat Resistant Stainless Steel Tweezers for E-Cigrettes - ceramic flat tip at FastTech - Worldwide Free Shipping

The Carbon-Fiber ones can be quite expensive

 

[mohitgarg]

This has me puzzled, why do most people not use flush cutters instead of nail clippers, that is what they are meant for.

 

[SLIPPY_EEL]

maybe cus we not flush i never heard of em, ima go look now!

yes vn i'll havta get a pair

This has me puzzled, why do most people not use flush cutters instead of nail clippers, that is what they are meant for.

they are sexy clippers

 

[mohitgarg]

That is one person converted.

 

[BillyHill]

and don't forget my favorite
Master ecig repair tool - $19.99 | DFWvapor.com, The Best US E-Liquid Made!