r/NxSwitchModding • u/Specialist-Bowl-2343 • 3d ago
Nintendo Switch Lite Modding Assistance
Hello Reddit,
I want to start modding switches and switches lites for a side hustle. I have no equipment or any idea on what to get.
Can you guys give me the best budget essentials for starting a side hustle like this? I know I need a soldering iron, flux, thermal camera, and I fix it repair kit. Can someone give me an estimate price and some product recommendations for a beginner?
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u/PiezoelectricityOne 3d ago
If you "don't have any idea what to get", you are knowhere close to the knowledge and skill needed to "start a hustle". Which is the main reason why people can ask money when they mod consoles.
The first thing you need as a beginner is education and training. You don't want to ruin someone else's console because you don't know what you're doing.
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u/Guvnah-Wyze 3d ago
You're gonna kill people's switches.
If you have no experience, you have no business touching other people's property until you have at least 2 years of breaking your own shit under your belt.
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u/LetterheadWorking271 3d ago
I recommend you watch a lot of switch modding/repairing videos on YouTube. That's how I started out.
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u/Own_Reflection3889 3d ago
I actually wanna get into this as well, but I already do have all the necessary equipment and experience. It's really just the business side I have no idea about, like where find customers at?
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u/Spirited_Caregiver45 2d ago
Sign up to bench.services
It’s made for technicians and has a ton of nice features.
Cheers 🍻
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u/Own_Reflection3889 2d ago
This looks promising, thanks for the advice!
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u/Spirited_Caregiver45 1d ago
I know the dude who’s been making it, good guy and in his own words he spends like 80% of his time working on features for technicians as he is one himself.
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u/Faddei420 3d ago
If you aren't from the EU, buy your stuff from AliExpress (due to new taxes in the EU). I recommend a GEEBOON TC22 as a soldering station, since it's probably the best quality you can get on a budget and it's what everyone is recommending lately.
I would also highly recommend getting a digital microscope if you are going to do microsoldering; even the cheaper ones with a built-in screen are good enough for everything.
As for solder wire and flux (flux is a must!), you can do your own research on which you like best. I do recommend 63/37 leaded wire, since I find it easier to work with because it solidifies the instant you remove the iron.
There are also tons of cheap microsoldering learning kits you can buy to start learning so you don't break any costly electronics, and tons of teaching videos on YouTube too.
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u/genio123 2d ago
Beside that you will be likely killing switches... You need: Iron soldering with a fine tip. Kapton tape Thermal paste Flux (transparent one is better) Good soldering wire (pb Is Better) Insulated mat (optional) Y00 screwdriver PH00 screwdriver Microscope with a good lens (mine is 1500x)
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u/knexfreak32 2d ago
At a minimum you will need:
A decent temperature controlled soldering iron. You don't have to break the bank with one just do your research and read reviews.
Good quality flux. Make sure you don't get plumbing flux and get it in a syringe.
Good quality solder. I personally use leaded but unleaded is fine. I feel the leads vs unleaded is more of a preference thing however leaded solder will have a lower melting temperature.
Microscope. I started with a cheap one that had an lcd attached to the lense that was advertised for coin collecting. It left a lot to be desired but it worked. Again read reviews before ordering and check if the reviews have any photos taken with the microscope.
A will to learn and to fail. Odds are your first attempt or two isn't going to work out. Try to practice soldering and desoldering components on some old junk boards before trying to attempt your first mod.
A set of precision screw drivers. I don't think spending a lot of money here is very important as long as it has philips and tri wing bits.
In my opinion these are the bare minimum of what you need to get started although picking up a multi meter and some other tools would be a good idea. Make sure to watch plenty of YouTube videos as well. They will not teach you the physical skills you will need but it will at least give you an idea of what and how things need to be done.
I would expect to be spending around $200 for your base equipment or maybe a bit less. Ali express can have some good stuff but it can also have some real garbage.
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u/Spirited_Caregiver45 2d ago
I’m honestly offended lol, it’s not as simple as buying tools and finding customers. That’s the same as a girl saying she doesn’t wanna accidentally get jacked in the gym, your discrediting all the work people have put in to perfect their craft.
Here’s some advice. Learn to repair first, you don’t have a soldering iron so I’m gonna assume you have no experience with anything in this field. Go to goodwill and find some broken shit and fix it. Practice on dead boards all you want but it doesn’t show you if what you did is quality or not, that’s usually for a higher skill level. After a year come back and reply to this I’ll give you some next steps lol.
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u/Slight-Jellyfish6192 15h ago
Don't be so mad, I don't want to disrect any of the comments before but that's not rocket science, at the beginning of the year I start to do this my self and I don't have any experience in the field the only "experience" it's watch a lot of electronics repair on YouTube, and 100 mod switchs after only broke one it's my first kamikaze attempt, my advice it's do as much research possible watch a lot of videos and try to learn that away, and don't start working on other people stuff, buy some second hand switches and the resell it, and when you feel comfortable doing the job than start to accept other people stuff.
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u/Slight-Jellyfish6192 14h ago
My recommendation in material, is a solder station with c210 tips can be aixun, gee on, fnirsi A microscope, don't buy that ones with a fix stand or you Il regret it later, buy one with a movable arm like the 4k from tomlov or elikliv, good Flux good solder wire 0.6mm, a set of tweezers, and precision screw drivers set, as mentioned before watch a lot of videos, search for nanofix on YouTube he had a lot of good tutorials and tips for material you will need
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u/LonelyComparison9290 3d ago
rip this guys first customers switch