Cartridge Setup - Where to buy tools?

On another thread, someone linked to this scale on eBay, here. I have a very similar one from the same seller I believe and it works fine.

Mint LP is great but if you want cheap just print out a free protractor at vinyl engine and fiddle with it for a bit to get a feel for different geometries. Then if the spirit moves you go buy a Mint.

As for pliers and screwdrivers, go to a hardware store and buy them. Quality on those varies dramatically (I went through 3 sets before I was happy). I've been content with wiha screwdrivers (here) and xuron pliers (here).

No affiliation with any seller.

Banquo363,

How much thicker is the scale you linked to than an LP? Ideally I believe you want them to be the same thickness where the needle rests to get the most accurate VTA.

Good point, Roscoeiii. In my previous set up, I could put the scale just beyond
the platter resting on the 'plinth' of the sp10. It just so happened that at that
position the top of the scale was right at the level of the record. Having said
that, I compared many times the readings with the scale off and on the platter:
more or less the same, out to a hundreths of a gram. I'm not looking for
maximal accuracy but rather repeatability for when I swap carts and want to
roughly and quickly hit the mark I have recorded for the cart I'm swapping in.
Then I adjust by ear.