You can do some small jobs with the tools below, but you’ll definitely need to be creative. You can probably get through a lot of things with just the hot air rework station, but it’s going to be very challenging trying to get into the tight spaces. I don’t see why you couldn’t do a touch IC job with these tools. For the absolute beginner on a budget though.
Don’t forget the essentials too!
AmScope B120 Siedentopf Binocular Compound Microscope, 40X-1000X Magnification, Brightfield, LED Illumination, Abbe Condenser, Double-Layer Mechanical Stage
$280.99Compound microscope provides high magnification for biological use and educational applications Siedentopf binocular head with pair of 10x widefield eyepieces with 53 to 77mm inter-pupillary adjustment, fixed 30-degree vertical inclination to reduce ... read more
(as of October 14, 2025 17:53 GMT -05:00 - More infoProduct prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on [relevant Amazon Site(s), as applicable] at the time of purchase will apply to the purchase of this product.)
YIHUA 959D-Digital Hot Air Rework Station, High Power with 3 Memories, Airflow Efficiency, °F /°C Display, Accurate Temp.(212°F~932°F), Brushed Aluminum Panel & Safety Features
$69.99Quick Heating & Well-Built – The hot air gun heats up rapidly when picked up from the holder thanks to the improved heating element and heating system design. Plus, the control panel is made with solid & brushed aluminum to prevent leaving burnt mark... read more
(as of October 14, 2025 17:53 GMT -05:00 - More infoProduct prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on [relevant Amazon Site(s), as applicable] at the time of purchase will apply to the purchase of this product.)
Aoyue 9378 Pro Series 60 Watt Programmable Digital Soldering Station - ESD Safe, includes 10 tips, C/F switchable, Configurable Iron Holder, Plug-in Spare Heating Element
$129.99HIGH PERFORMANCE - 75 Watts of system power. 60-75 watt iron power depending on the type of iron used. Atmega8A Microprocessor from Microchip and a proprietary software proportional control of the temperature. Very easy intuitive user interface with ... read more
(as of October 14, 2025 17:53 GMT -05:00 - More infoProduct prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on [relevant Amazon Site(s), as applicable] at the time of purchase will apply to the purchase of this product.)
AstroAI Digital Multimeter and Analyzer TRMS 6000 Counts Volt Meter Ohmmeter Auto-Ranging Tester; Accurately Measures Voltage Current Resistance Diodes Continuity Duty-Cycle Capacitance Temperature
Versatile Digital Multimeter - Accurately measures AC/DC Current, AC/DC Voltage, Capacitance, Frequency, Duty Cycle, Resistance, Diode, Continuity and Temperature. Thoughtful Design - Support Data Hold, Large LCD Backlit Screen, Auto Shut-off and Kic... read more
(as of October 14, 2025 17:53 GMT -05:00 - More infoProduct prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on [relevant Amazon Site(s), as applicable] at the time of purchase will apply to the purchase of this product.)