Basic tool kit
If this hobby has begun to get its claws in to you then fairly soon you are going to want to get yourself a tool kit. Here are some of the basics you will need
Screwdrivers
A 6 piece precision screwdriver set with 3 different size philips and slotted screwdrivers, these will are useful for more than just screwing (and I don't mean prizing lids off) the slotted screwdrivers are very useful for channeling foam out when you want to glue in a carbon rod
Soldering iron
If you go down the scratchbuild route or want to upgrade your existing plane you will need one of these. When you order electronics from places like hobby king they don't usually come with connectors on them as people like to use different ones for different applications, don't worry about buying an expensive one at this stage as the 40 watt ones are fine, I built this with one.
Watt meter
These really useful to have in your tool kit. Unless you have got some sort of expensive telemetry on your aircraft you'll have no idea how much power is left in your battery, with one of these you can just plug it in and it will tell you how much in percentage terms is left. They are also very useful for more advanced purposes like measuring how much power a particular setup is drawing from a particular battery
Battery charger
When you buy your RTF plane it will often come with a little charger that has 2 leds on it, these are ok but they take a long time and only tell you if your battery is at full charge or not. If you are serious about the hobby then get yourself one of these. They have all sorts of functions from cell balancing to fast charging, they are also capable of charging more than one battery at a time.
Multi purpose tool
The best one is the dremel but if you are on a budget there are plenty of cheaper ones that will do the job. most of them come with a selection of cutters and grinding bits that are very useful for getting in those tight spots
Tapes
You will need a selection of tapes like 3m threaded tape and duck tape. The threaded tape is really useful for making control surface hinges and the duck tape comes in particularly useful for crash repairs.
Glues
You are going to need a selection of glues, the most popular ones being epoxy and hot glue. For more information see our glue guide
Other tools
You will need some sharp knives ( I use the ones with the snap off blades) some long nose pliers and side cutter pliers. A tip for soldering is to put some elastic bands around the handles of a pair of long nose pliers to give you a third hand to hold wires etc. A long ruler for cutting foam and a tool box to put it all in!
