Steve,

Wire loom is the same as sheathing. It is not a necessity. A DVOM, is just an ohm meter. I think harbor freight sells them for under $10. It would be good tool to have to test circuits to assure they are wired properly. Cue ball clips are spring loaded plastic clip leads that do not expose a lot of metal like an alligator clip does. Their industry name is SMD IC clips. Sometimes, in a predominantly metal environment, you can introduce shorts into a circuit just by the equipment you chose to use. It is simply a quality of work preference... alligator clips or twisting two wires together will work just as well.



When I die, I want to go peacefully like my Grandfather did, in his sleep -- not screaming, like the passengers in his car.
-Unknown-