Video On How to Solder

[Pete B]

Several people have asked for tips on how to solder.

I've been soldering for so long that I don't remember learning.

Anyway, people should google to learn more.

Here's a NASA video that I quickly found. Note how corroded

the pc traces and lands are that he is soldering. This is one of

the most important tips after proper temperature flow: work with

clean surfaces. All tinned leads on components that have been

sitting around for any length of time become corroded. A gentle

pull with the lead softly gripped by needle nose pliers will wipe off

the corrosion and expose clean metal. Here's a link to the videos:

http://radiojove.gsfc.nasa.gov/telescope/soldering.htm

When the corrosion is not removed it reacts with the solder and

forms a black oxide that is VERY difficult to solder. The result is

often similar to a cold solder joint, usually defective.

Here is another guide:

http://www.robotstore.com/download/How_to_solder_1.pdf

Enjoy!

[dynaco_dan]

Several people have asked for tips on how to solder.

I've been soldering for so long that I don't remember learning.

Anyway, people should google to learn more.

Here's a NASA video that I quickly found. Note how corroded

the pc traces and lands are that he is soldering. This is one of

the most important tips after proper temperature flow: work with

clean surfaces. All tinned leads on components that have been

sitting around for any length of time become corroded. A gentle

pull with the lead softly gripped by needle nose pliers will wipe off

the corrosion and expose clean metal. Here's a link to the videos:

http://radiojove.gsfc.nasa.gov/telescope/soldering.htm

When the corrosion is not removed it reacts with the solder and

forms a black oxide that is VERY difficult to solder. The result is

often similar to a cold solder joint, usually defective.

Here is another guide:

http://www.robotstore.com/download/How_to_solder_1.pdf

Enjoy!

Hi Pete;

Thank you very much for those two links.

One can never know too much about soldering electronics.

Definitely a different technique than soldering plumbing pipes. LOL

Something I have seen recently, is, instead of a damp sponge, a ball of brass shavings are being sold as a substitute.

Apparently the tips of the iron do not cool down and need time to recover with these.

I've seen these balls in our dollar stores, several for a dollar.

There also is pure copper balls, which should also work and about the same cheap price.

These both look like dish scrub pads.

Heathkit and Dynaco used to include about one page of drawings in their manuals to assist in basic soldering.

[dynaco_dan]

Hi Pete;

Thank you very much for those two links.

One can never know too much about soldering electronics.

Definitely a different technique than soldering plumbing pipes. LOL

Something I have seen recently, is, instead of a damp sponge, a ball of brass shavings are being sold as a substitute.

Apparently the tips of the iron do not cool down and need time to recover with these.

I've seen these balls in our dollar stores, several for a dollar.

There also is pure copper balls, which should also work and about the same cheap price.

These both look like dish scrub pads.

Heathkit and Dynaco used to include about one page of drawings in their manuals to assist in basic soldering.

Hi again;

I was thinking about the videos after I went to bed last night.

Video 3 is dangerous for an amatuer solderer, in my opinion.

You don't shake a hot soldering iron around to get rid of anything.

The sponge, brass or copper ball is for the cleaning of debris on the tip.

The solder is about 700 degrees fahrenheit and is very dangerous for burns.

I am surprised that the first video also did not include safety glasses or some sort.

Hot solder can splatter when using the wet sponge.

It can hit the skin or eyes when you cut off component leads, they some times fly up and can damage an eye as well.

No shirt sleeves, bare feet and shorts are not a good idea.

Maybe I am over cautious but, "better safe, than sorry", is my moto.

Also never hit another hammer to drive a claw under a nail head.

I know of one person whose life was destroyed by such an action.

You hold the tip of the soldering iron on the copper pad first, for a second or two, then slide the tip over to the component lead.

You apply solder to that junction point and remove the tip when you see that the solder has flowed to the pad and lead in a silvery flow.

If you hold at the junction point for too many seconds you can cook transistors and smaller components and can also burn and lift the pad off of the circuit board.

If you hold an iron while soldering a lead more than about 3 - 5 seconds you are very likely doing something wrong.

The lead or pad may also be oxidized.

Also be aware of bare heating element leads as used in substitution of actual resistors in some older speaker system crossovers.

These look like tinned bare copper wire, but they are not and cannot be soldered.

[Pete B]

Hi again;

I was thinking about the videos after I went to bed last night.

Video 3 is dangerous for an amatuer solderer, in my opinion.

You don't shake a hot soldering iron around to get rid of anything.

The sponge, brass or copper ball is for the cleaning of debris on the tip.

The solder is about 700 degrees fahrenheit and is very dangerous for burns.

I am surprised that the first video also did not include safety glasses or some sort.

Hot solder can splatter when using the wet sponge.

It can hit the skin or eyes when you cut off component leads, they some times fly up and can damage an eye as well.

No shirt sleeves, bare feet and shorts are not a good idea.

Maybe I am over cautious but, "better safe, than sorry", is my moto.

Also never hit another hammer to drive a claw under a nail head.

I know of one person whose life was destroyed by such an action.

You hold the tip of the soldering iron on the copper pad first, for a second or two, then slide the tip over to the component lead.

You apply solder to that junction point and remove the tip when you see that the solder has flowed to the pad and lead in a silvery flow.

If you hold at the junction point for too many seconds you can cook transistors and smaller components and can also burn and lift the pad off of the circuit board.

If you hold an iron while soldering a lead more than about 3 - 5 seconds you are very likely doing something wrong.

The lead or pad may also be oxidized.

Also be aware of bare heating element leads as used in substitution of actual resistors in some older speaker system crossovers.

These look like tinned bare copper wire, but they are not and cannot be soldered.

Yes Vern, I agree, I was kind of shocked to see him do that.

I do find that tapping the iron on the base near the sponge is pretty darn

safe, the solder always goes down IME.

I started soldering young, and you learn real fast that things don't look much

different hot or cold when you pick a hot iron up from the hot end, yeah I

did it maybe twice after forgetting the iron on over night. Blisters, but all healed

up just fine, no scars. I do ALWAYS pick it up from the handle now, LOL!

[dynaco_dan]

Yes Vern, I agree, I was kind of shocked to see him do that.

I do find that tapping the iron on the base near the sponge is pretty darn

safe, the solder always goes down IME.

I started soldering young, and you learn real fast that things don't look much

different hot or cold when you pick a hot iron up from the hot end, yeah I

did it maybe twice after forgetting the iron on over night. Blisters, but all healed

up just fine, no scars. I do ALWAYS pick it up from the handle now, LOL!

Hi Pete;

I started my first soldering, in sheet metal class, in high school.

A different type of soldering and hotter too.

As a tip for those that own a pistol Weller style soldering iron, a piece of 12 guage solid copper wire can be sustituted for the pre-shaped soldering tip.

I usually learn from doing something wrong the first time.

Once and a while I need to be reminded not to do it again. ZAP!

A 120 volt shock will remind most people not to do it again.

[rrcrain]

You hold the tip of the soldering iron on the copper pad first, for a second or two, then slide the tip over to the component lead.

You apply solder to that junction point and remove the tip when you see that the solder has flowed to the pad and lead in a silvery flow.

Actually...

Once upon a time, an employer required me to be mil spec certified. The technique taught in there teaches you to make contact with the pad, wire and solder simultaneously in an effor to control joint temp. The logic is that as long as the you are feeding solder into the joint, the joint temp can never exceed the melting point of the solder, It's the same idea as heating a pan full of water; As long as there's water in the pan, the parts touching water can never exceed 220F. You then remove the soldering iron and solder from the joint together. If done properly, it's actually possible to see the difference in the joint.

[Robert_S]

I found the following guide to be comprehensive and instructive, the 'overview video' is well presented:

http://www.curiousinventor.com/guides/How_To_Solder

For surface mount soldering (somewhat more delicate), see this video:

http://www.curiousinventor.com/guides/Surf...t_Soldering/101

Hopefully these links are useful additions to this topic.

Robert_S

[dynaco_dan]

I found the following guide to be comprehensive and instructive, the 'overview video' is well presented:

http://www.curiousinventor.com/guides/How_To_Solder

For surface mount soldering (somewhat more delicate), see this video:

http://www.curiousinventor.com/guides/Surf...t_Soldering/101

Hopefully these links are useful additions to this topic.

Robert_S

Hi Robert;

Thank you for the links.

The top one has, my casual reading, very good advice for beginners and tips.

You can never know too much about the proper techniques of soldering.

Well worth while reading, thank you.

[Pete B]

I found the following guide to be comprehensive and instructive, the 'overview video' is well presented:

http://www.curiousinventor.com/guides/How_To_Solder

For surface mount soldering (somewhat more delicate), see this video:

http://www.curiousinventor.com/guides/Surf...t_Soldering/101

Hopefully these links are useful additions to this topic.

Robert_S

My search was just a quick one to find online material, it's good that

so many are contributing and providing even better info. Thanks!

[dynaco_dan]

My search was just a quick one to find online material, it's good that

so many are contributing and providing even better info. Thanks!

Hi Pete;

You started this topic as an education for the amatuer solderer, thank you.

As an avid kit builder, I didn't have any advice other than a few sketches of Heathkit and Dynaco.

After my making about every conceavable error soldering, at the beginning, I burnt myself less each time. LOL

In an earlier write-up I mentioned about the cheap price of the brass shaving ball's here.

I guess that an entrepanuer bought them all up at that low price.

I am going to try the solid copper ones to see if they work as well.

[Robert_S]

Below is a link to a page which has several "Getting Started" tutorials—good information (with clear presentation) for beginners:

http://tangentsoft.net/elec/movies/

TT #1: Basic Soldering Equipment. 27 minutes.

TT #2: Basic Soldering Techniques. 9 minutes.

TT #3: Surface Mount Soldering Techniques. 14 minutes.

TT #4: How to Desolder Electronic Parts. 14 minutes.

TT #5: How to Clean Circuit Boards. 8 minutes.

TT #6: How to Use a Multimeter. 29 minutes.

Robert_S

[soundminded]

For 14 year, my father was the quality control manager of a fairly large cutting edge military electronics firm. On my first attempts at kit building and experimenting with electronics circuits when I was about 10 years old, I made no end of cold solder joints. I didn't know how to solder. Then I got a lesson in how to make a solder joint that is mil spec and what it should look like.

Here are a few tips from my experience I'd like to add.

First it is important to have the right size soldering iron or gun for a particular job. Too small and you will have to apply heat for too long to heat the components. This can result in a cold solder joint if the temperature of the components doesn't get hot enough and component damage from too much heat being applied. Too large and you can damage components. ( I recently melted the voice coil of an inexpensive tweeter with too large an iron.) You'll notice that the solder station in the video has an adjustment. Most of us do not have such an expensive device but we can afford several irons of different wattages.

After tinning the iron, when you make the connection, do not apply the solder to the iron and let it melt. Apply the solder to the job and let it flow towards the iron. This is a key point in making a good solder joint. Dripping a blob of molten solder onto the job often creates cold solder joints. Pre-tin wires, especially stranded wires before you make the connection. If the wire is to be connected to a lug or two wires are to be spliced, make a good mechanical connection before soldering by twisting the wires together or bending the wire through and around the lug. A solder joint is not a substitute for a good mechanical connection.

In mil spec work, solder must flow all the way to the insulation on a bared wire, there can be no unsoldered wire exposed. Also the insulation must remain undamaged, that is not melted or show any signs of scorching.

The finished joint should show a smooth flow of solder from one conductor to the other with no sharp demarcation where the solder joint starts and ends. This assures that the connection is made through a continuous flow of material. And of course it should be shiny.

Never use acid core solder on electronic components. This could damage them. Only rosin core solder.

If you are soldering a component like a transistor, it is a good idea to use some device such as a pair of needle nose pliers between the transistor and where the lead will be soldered to prevent heat from the soldering iron from reaching the transistor and damaging it. This may require an extra pair of helping hands. There are devices to help hold parts in place to facilitate soldering.

Be sure to check for any splashes or drips that might cause a short circuit and remove them. Shake out any loose pieces of solder or wire before finishing a job and visually inspect your work carefully. Do not use more solder to make a joint than is required.