Hardware startup mechanical starter pack

Twice now (when building the mechanical team here at Empatica as well as when I was at Quanttus) I have jumped into a startup with no supplies on the mechanical side.

In both cases I stocked the “lab” (sometimes just a small desk) as best I could based on what I could recall from more proper labs (at Farm and Continuum).

And of course sometimes I didn’t realize what I didn’t have until I needed it, resulting in rush Amazon/Mcmaster orders or a quick run over to RadioShack or Blick Art Supplies.

It’s frustrating having an engineer held up because they lack a $25 item, so I started to keep track of everything I ordered. Some of them were specialty items (specific to wearables firms), but most I think are necessary for any practicing mechanical engineer to be fully productive.

Below is the list I made for you. You might not need some of the items (though I bet you need most) and you might need to adjust the parameters on others. Still, take a run through and see if there is anything you’re missing… especially if you’re just getting started.

A few quick notes before the list.

• Everything is linked to Amazon. Surprisingly it was better than Mcmaster for general stocking. Here is a complete Amazon shopping cart.
• There is no capital equipment (drill press, Bridgeport, etc.) on this list with the assumption that if you’re just starting out you probably don’t have the space for such tools.

With that said… here we go.

Hand Tools

• Your fingers are too big. Make sure you have a set of tweezers.
• For detailed assembly, a set of picks (like your dentist has) is a must.
• Wiha is the one who makes the drivers (Torx as well as slotted and philips) driver sets you love.
• Even if you don’t have a drill press on hand, you’ll want a pin vice with some drill bits for fine work on SLAs and aluminum parts.

Cutting/shaping tools

• At some point you’re going to have some machined protolabs (remember FirstCut?) parts in your hands and realize you need some tap handles, set of taps (these ones from Merlin tools worked just fine for us), and maybe some tap magic just to be safe.
• Don’t go back to scissors, X-Acto knives and replacement blades should always be on hand. While you’re at it, pick up a cutting board
• Prototypes come in wrong. Be sure to have a set of files on hand to set them right.
• If things come in really wrong, it’s good to have a Dremel on hand :)

Electrical

• I actually got pretty far without a power supply until the day I couldn’t power up an LED.
• A fluke multimeter (and test lead kit)… because even mechanical enginers to check connectivity and resistance :).
• Your going to need a soldering iron. Weller feels like home.
• No sense in having a soldering iron without solder, solder paste, flux, and a tip cleaner.

Organization

• Unless you want everything all over your desk, get at least a few craft cabinets and adhesive labels.
• Various sizes of jewelery box organizer for kitting assemblies. Particularly useful for packaging prototypes (and it’s critical contingencies) for travel.
• Various sizes of clean plastic zip baggies, for keeping less structured things organized.

Fixturing

• When you can’t drill a vice into the tabletop, a vacuum base vise is the next best thing
• Sometimes you need to (abror) press things together. Hard.
• Whether you’re soldering adhering, or just trying to keep things in place, everyone can use a set of helping hands

Measurement Tools

• Calipers are great until you want to accurately measure Z. Get yourself a Drop indicator, set of tips, and stand plate.
• Everyone should have a pair of Mitutoyo Calipers.
• Also micrometers
• Can’t measure a hole with a set of calipers. Better get Gage pins. (0.061"-0.250" and 0.011"-0.60")
• A feeler gauge for gap measurement
• Words can’t describe how amazing a value this $35 USB Microscope is. It doesn’t replace a proper boom microscope, but dollar-for-dollar it can’t be beat.
• You might think you can get away with a force gauge, until you realize you can’t (at least with good engineering conscience). Depending on your resolution needs you might be able to get away cheap (like this) or have to shell out for something more expensive)

Functional Test

• Not every startup is trying to make something water resistant… but most are. Get a water resistance tester

Adhesives

• Loctite 40340 bonds to most everything and is low odor and low bloom (critical for when gluing together last minute beauty models for investors)
• Using “whatever tape is lying around” for electrical insulation doesn’t feel good. Electrical tape feels good.

Other Consumables

• Your hands are gross. Use nitrile gloves.
• You forget how bad you need low-lint wipes until paper napkins make everything look gross and sloppy.
• Adhesive is going to get everywhere you if you don’t use dispensing needles
• An assortment of plastic shim stock for making sure that prototypes fit just right
• Compressed Air

That’s it. All the general stuff we need to stay productive. If any of you have any additions (or recommendations on better deals re: price or quality) please let me know and I’ll update the list.

Happy building :)