description: "a complete list of tools you need to make almost anything. think of it as an extremely biased guide to outfitting yourself with the ultimate shop for launching your own space program." author: 'saul griffith' maintainer: bryan bishop urls: - "http://www.saulgriffith.com/Make/Make03.pdf" #these were the original "usefulness" values. i hope i sorted them into numerical ratings correctly levels: [necessity, priority, extremely useful, surprisingly useful, infrequent but handy, can do without, didnt know it was so lovely] hand tools: box knife: mcmaster: 3814a11 usefulness: 4 stars cost: 1..10 USD precision blade: mcmaster: 35435a11, 38995a71, 35515a12 usefulness: 3.5 stars cost: 1..10 USD claw hammer: mcmaster: 6484a21 usefulness: 3.5 stars cost: 10..50 USD ball peen hammer: mcmaster: 6481a31 usefulness: 2.5 stars cost: 10..50 USD blacksmiths hammer: mcmaster: 64662a24 usefulness: 1 star cost: 10..80 USD rubber mallet: mcmaster: 5917a8 usefulness: 2 stars cost: 10..40 USD miter box: mcmaster: 4201a11 usefulness: 2.5 stars cost: 15..45 USD hacksaw: mcmaster: 4086a34 usefulness: 4 stars cost: 5..25 USD tight spot hacksaw: mcmaster: 4060a16 usefulness: 3 stars cost: 2..5 USD hole punch tool: mcmaster: 3461a22 usefulness: 2 stars cost: 40..150 USD center punches and chisel set: mcmaster: 3506a76 usefulness: 3 stars cost: 25..120 USD metric and imperial socket sets: mcmaster: 7290a24, 5757a35, 5582a11 usefulness: 3 stars cost: 30..1200 USD torque wrench: mcmaster: 85555a221 usefulness: 1 star cost: 50..300 USD hex key sets: mcmaster: 5541a31, 5215a24, 716a13, 5215a12 usefulness: 3.5 stars cost: 2..80 USD torx key set: mcmaster: 5959a85 usefulness: 2.5 stars cost: 2..40 USD mini-hex drivers: mcmaster: 52975a21, 7270a59 usefulness: 2 stars cost: 2..40 USD combination wrenches: mcmaster: 5314a62, 5304a73, 5314a25, 5772a53 usefulness: 3.5 stars cost: 25..800 USD vise grip long nose locking pliers: mcmaster: 7136a19 usefulness: 2.5 stars cost: 2..50 USD needlenose pliers: mcmaster: 5451a12 usefulness: 3 stars cost: 2..35 USD bull nose pliers: usefulness: 2.5 stars cost: 2..35 USD vise grip large: size: large usefulness: 2 stars cost: 5..60 USD vise grip medium: size: medium mcmaster: 5177a17 usefulness: 2.5 stars cost: 5..45 USD adjustable wrenches: mcmaster: 5385a12, 5385a15 usefulness: 4 stars cost: 3..40 USD crow bar: #ripping bar mcmaster: 5990a2 usefulness: 2 stars cost: 2..30 USD tube cutter: mcmaster: 2706a1 usefulness: 1 star cost: 15..80 USD glass cutter: mcmaster: 3867a16 usefulness: 2 stars cost: 2..25 USD bolt chain cutter: mcmaster: 3771a15 usefulness: 2 stars cost: 50..150 USD sheet metal snips: mcmaster: 3585a13, 3908a11, 3902a9 usefulness: 2.5 stars cost: 10..40 USD finnishing saw: mcmaster: 4012a1 usefulness: 2.5 stars cost: 10..30 USD coping saw: mcmaster: 4099a1, 6917a11 usefulness: 2 stars cost: 4..10 USD hole saw kit: mcmaster: 4008a71 usefulness: 2.5 stars cost: 25..120 USD pull saw: mcmaster: 4058a52 usefulness: 2.5 stars cost: 10..20 USD tape and die: mcmaster: 2726a66 usefulness: 3 stars cost: 40..1200 USD drill sets: mcmaster: 28115a77, 31555a55, 31555a56, 31555a57, 8802a11, 8802a12, 8802a13 usefulness: 3.5 stars cost: 5..1200 USD deburring taper: mcmaster: 3018a4 usefulness: 1 star cost: 5..80 USD deburring tools: mcmaster: 4253a16, 4289a36 usefulness: 2.5 stars cost: 2..25 USD drill stops: mcmaster: 8959a16 usefulness: 1 star cost: 2..10 USD vise: mcmaster: 5344a31 usefulness: 4 stars cost: 10..1500 USD clamps: mcmaster: 5165a25 usefulness: 2.5 stars cost: 2..45 USD quick-grips: mcmaster: 51755a7 usefulness: 3 stars cost: 15..50 USD jaw puller: mcmaster: 6293k12 usefulness: 1 star cost: 50..180 USD files: mcmaster: 8176a12, 819a12 usefulness: 3.5 stars cost: 2..100 USD hydraulic floor jack: usefulness: 3 stars cost: 25..200 USD block and tackle lifting winch: usefulness: 2.5 stars cost: 50..500 USD screwdrivers: mcmaster: 8551a31 usefulness: 4 stars cost: 1..90 USD jewller screwdrivers: mcmaster: 52985a21, 52985a23 usefulness: 3.5 stars cost: 10..40 USD propane burner: usefulness: 3 stars cost: 10..50 USD heat gun: usefulness: 1 star cost: 50..250 USD power tools: electric drill: power: 18V mcmaster: 29835a16 usefulness: 4 stars cost: 25..300 USD band saw: mcmaster: 416a12 usefulness: 3 stars cost: 250..5000 USD reciprocating saw: #sawzail mcmaster: 4011a25 usefulness: 3.5 stars cost: 120..250 USD sliding compound miter saw: mcmaster: 3001a21 usefulness: 3.5 stars cost: 200..600 USD tilting table saw: mcmaster: 27925a12 usefulness: 3 stars cost: 300..2000 USD drill press: mcmaster: 28865a31 usefulness: 2.5 stars cost: 100..2500 USD plunge router: mcmaster: 36485a11 usefulness: 2.5 stars cost: 100..300 USD manual lathe: mcmaster: 8941a12 usefulness: 2 stars cost: 500..5000 USD mig welder: mcmaster: 7899a28 usefulness: 3 stars cost: 200..1500 USD stroboscope: mcmaster: 1177t92 usefulness: 1 star cost: 25..250 USD adjustable hot plate: mcmaster: 33255k6t usefulness: 2 stars cost: 50..800 USD dremel: mcmaster: 4344a42, 4370a5 usefulness: 3.5 stars cost: 50..150 USD angle grinder: mcmaster: 4395a16 usefulness: 3.5 stars cost: 50..250 USD bench grinder: mcmaster: 20535A654 usefulness: 2 stars cost: 75..300 USD belt sander: mcmaster: 4892a21 usefulness: 3.5 stars cost: 100..200 USD disc-belt sander: mcmaster: 46245a49 usefulness: 2 stars cost: 250..1500 USD bridgeport mill: usefulness: 2.5 stars cost: 500..15000 USD heisseschneider hot knife: usefulness: 1.5 star cost: 50..200 USD sewing machine: usefulness: 3.5 stars cost: 25..2500 USD air compressor: mcmaster: 4364k3 usefulness: 1.5 star cost: 200..2500 USD spot blaster: mcmaster: 31195k11, 3210k11 usefulness: 1.5 star cost: 50..500 USD vacuum pump: usefulness: 2 stars cost: 100..1000 USD oxy torch: mcmaster: 7754a12 #maybe usefulness: 2.5 stars cost: 250..1500 USD acetylene torch: mcmaster: 7754a12 #maybe usefulness: 2.5 stars cost: 250..1500 USD plasma torch: usefulness: 2 stars cost: 600..3000 USD cnc tools: inkjet printer: usefulness: 4 stars cost: 25..250 USD large-format printer: usefulness: 1 star cost: 900..25000 USD nc mill: usefulness: 2 stars cost: 2500..120000 USD nc lathe: usefulness: 1 star cost: 5000..150000 USD laser cutter: gas: co2 usefulness: 3.5 stars cost: 12000..50000 USD plasma cutter: usefulness: 3 stars cost: 3000..20000 USD wire-edm: usefulness: 1 star cost: 100000..250000 USD water jet: usefulness: 2 stars cost: 80000..150000 USD stereolithographic goo squirter: usefulness: 1 star cost: 25000..250000 #what about bre's stuff? plotter: usefulness: 1 star cost: 1000..25000 USD electronic tools: wire stripper: usefulness: 3.5 stars cost: 2..80 USD pliers set: mcmaster: 5323a49 usefulness: 4 stars cost: 10..120 USD work holder and magnifier: mcmaster: 5007a14 usefulness: 3.5 stars cost: 5..100 USD multimeter: usefulness: 3.5 stars cost: 75..250 USD temperature-controlled soldier station: usefulness: 3 stars cost: 150..1000 USD hot air tool for point reflow desoldering: usefulness: 2.5 stars cost: 30..500 USD bench power supply, multi-output: usefulness: 3.5 stars cost: 150..500 USD toaster oven, adjustable time/temp: usefulness: 3 stars cost: 40..60 USD microscope: usefulness: 2 stars oscilloscope: usefulness: 2 stars cost: 500..5000 USD microtweezer sets: usefulness: 3 stars cost: 2..100 USD pick-n-place smt: usefulness: 1 star cost: 3000..25000 USD fetish tools: optics bench: usefulness: 2 stars cost: 1000..400000 USD mask writer: usefulness: 1 star cost: 50000..1000000 USD mini-jector: usefulness: 1 star cost: 4000..50000 USD thermoformer: usefulness: 2.5 stars cost: 1000..20000 USD ESEM: usefulness: 1 star cost: 25000..500000 USD 3D scanner: usefulness: 2 stars cost: 5000..100000 USD excimer laser cutter: usefulness: 1 star cost: 100000..1000000 USD PCR: #this isn't a tool, saul. usefulness: 1 star cost: 10..100000 USD #wtf. rt-pcr? micropipettes: usefulness: 1 star cost: 20..2000 USD spin coater: usefulness: 1 star cost: 500..25000 USD high temp vacuum oven: usefulness: 1 star cost: 2000..30000 USD chemistry hoods: usefulness: 1 star glassware: usefulness: 1 star cost: 2000..1000000 ultrasonic welder: usefulness: 1 star cost: 5000..25000 USD tube bender: usefulness: 1 star cost: 1000..40000 USD etching tanks: usefulness: 1 star cost: 25..2500 USD kiln: usefulness: 1 star cost: 500..5000 USD anvil: usefulness: 1 star cost: 250..1000 USD crucible: usefulness: 1 star cost: 20..2500 USD thin film evaporater sputterer: usefulness: 1 star cost: 5000..100000 USD safety, measurement and visualization: safety goggles: mcmaster: 2404t21 usefulness: 4 stars cost: 1..10 USD ear muffs: mcmaster: 920516 usefulness: 3.5 stars cost: 2..30 USD micrometer: mcmaster: 2054a75 usefulness: 3.5 stars cost: 5..300 USD caliper: mcmaster: 8647a44 usefulness: 4 stars cost: 5..500 USD head-mounted magnifier: mcmaster: 1490t3, 1509t14 usefulness: 3 stars cost: 5..120 USD feeler gauges: mcmaster: 2070a7 usefulness: 2 stars cost: 1..25 USD spirit level: mcmaster: 2169a4, 169a1 usefulness: 1 star cost: 5..50 USD tape measure: mcmaster: 19805a74 usefulness: 4 stars cost: 1..25 USD adjustable stereomicroscope: mcmaster: 10705t64 usefulness: 3 stars cost: 500..25000 USD hot gloves: usefulness: 2 stars cost: 5..100 USD work gloves: usefulness: 3 stars cost: 1..40 USD welding mask: usefulness: 1 star cost: 15..100 USD