What do I need to get started?

I recommend spending some time and searching Head-Fi for the information you seek. There is a wealth of information in numerous threads on this very subject. A good resource for information from entry level to advanced at http://tangentsoft.net/audio/new-diyer.html.

Edited by balderon - 1/2/11 at 1:26am

Prior to your response, I posted a link where you can find much of the information you're looking for - including tutorials.   If you're looking for a source of parts you could visit the DIY Links Resource located at http://www.head-fi.org/forum/list/50. Often the best learning one can accomplish on a subject is to do to research yourself.

Edited by balderon - 1/2/11 at 1:51am

"Solder harvested from passing comets", heh, now that's some funny stuff!!

As been mentioned many times in this forum, you do not get into DIY to save money. For the most part, you won't. At least not for the initial builds until you start to get a collection of tools and parts. Even then, it is done more for the pleasure of the hobby rather than to save money.

Basic tools can get obtained from a variety of sources. The links balderon provided are an excellent starting point. If you are in the states, you might want to hit the electrical department of a Home Depot, Harbor Freight, Frys or even Radio Shack to get a better idea of the initial outlay for tools and equipment.

 

If you get serious about it you can turn birthdays/christmas into tool days and you will have everything you need eventually.

 

All you really need is a soldering iron, solder, flux, flux cleaner, and a multimeter (safely check your work).  I don't think there is one place to get things in a thrifty way.  If your town has a radioshack and a home depot you should have access to most of what you need.

 

For cable work you shouldn't need a lot of tools.

 

I made a CK2III amp with this Weller 25w soldering iron: http://www.homedepot.com/h_d1/N-5yc1vZ1xhf/R-100157127/h_d2/ProductDisplay?langId=-1&storeId=10051&catalogId=10053.  They also sell this weller at hobby stores, so you should be able to find a local one.

 

I had a gift card for sears... i never shop at sears, but saw they had a multimeter, so I got a one with the card.   You can go as low as $5 for a multimeter up into the hundreds.  The diyforums.org site says this one goes on sale from $3-$10 often: http://www.harborfreight.com/7-function-digital-multimeter-90899.html

 

I think the clip thing you are talking about are 'Helping Hands' they can be found at radioshack.  I think i got mine off Amazon.  It should run $15-$25 and would be really helpful for cables to hold both ends in place while you apply solder.  If I recall I combined it with other free shipping items at amazon to get it to me cheaply.

 

For solder you can get short runs of the Cardas solder for an efficient price on Ebay.  I got the Cardas Quad Eutectic, but there are probably silver sellers as well.  I don't know if silver is better/worse than the quad.  The quad was easy to work with.

 

A flux pen would be good to have as well, but you can get radioshack flux goo to do the same job for a couple bucks.  I found the pen easier/less messy to apply than the goo.  Flux cleans the metal and helps make a strong joint.

 

You then need a flux cleaner or high % isopropyl alcohol (grocery store usually has some) to clean your joints to prevent the flux in the solder and any extra flux you added from causing problems.  I use a toothbrush with the alcohol to clean things when I am done.

 

For cable you will probably also want some heat shrink tubing to protect the joint after you are done.  You can get it to shrink with a soldering iron or hair dryer, but eventually a heat gun might be good to pickup.  I think radioshack has some variety packs of the tubes... i found some packs of 8-10 tubes in the size i wanted at home depot.

 

Check youtube or read soldering guides/techniques so you can learn the proper way to solder.  If you don't take the time to do it right you probably won't have a long lasting cable.

Don't forget some burn cream and bandages. The first few times handling a soldering iron, you're almost guaranteed to give yourself a couple little burns until you figure out just how to hold things.