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Date Posted: 16:33:10 02/14/02 Thu
Author: Chris
Subject: Re: I can solder. Just not well and OS 8.1 question
In reply to: Steamrunner 's message, "I can solder. Just not well and OS 8.1 question" on 09:02:59 02/14/02 Thu

Oh, and about the soldering thing... the following is a somewhat edited post from Martin Perras:


If you want to practice first, that's a great idea. Here are the basics:

Always make a good mechanical connection: twist or crimp wires together or to their contact(s) before soldering them. [Apply a bit of flux on the connection if at all possible, as it will make things infinitely easier.]

Tin the tip of the soldering iron first with solder by coating it with solder so it's shiny silver, not raw copper. I personally like to file one side of my standard conical-point flat so it looks a little like a chisel, so I can hold the flat side of the tip against the contact. The more contact area, the faster the contacts/wire will heat, which is also important.

Hold the iron against the wires/contacts lightly but firmly, and after a second or two, apply the end of the solder wire to the opposite side of the contact/wire. The solder should melt at once, and flow into (not over) the contact area, evenly coating the wires and contact area. Keep pushing the solder wire gently until the connection is coated with solder, then remove the iron and solder. This entire process should take no more than a few seconds. It's important not to heat the components for any longer than you must, as heat can damage components.

Finally, do not move/jiggle or disturb the solder joint for a few seconds. This is the cause of most solder joint failures or poor electronic connections. Moving the connection while the solder is setting will make a "cold" solder joint, which is often evident by its dull appearance. Good solder joints are bright and shiny.


To Martin's comments, I would add that a hot iron is essential. If you do your soldering fast - which is ideal - then something like a Weller 40W iron (All Electronics has these for $24 right now) is a great idea. If you work too slowly, heat will build up in the components and cause problems. Since beginners generally work more slowly and then speed up as they gain experience, it might be best to start off with low-wattage irons such as the 15W grounded irons sold at Ratty Shark for $8. They don't get quite as hot, so they you can afford to be a bit more deliberate. If you use a higher-wattage iron, you *must* work quickly.

Hope that helps a bit.

cl

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