How do you get experience soldering?

pacifico · « **on:** 2 Jan 2007, 06:48 pm »

So I am considering building a preamp kit for my birthday. My only reservation is my complete lack of soldering skills. Rather than read the myriad of internet examples posted on the web, I was wondering if any of you could suggest cheap kits (less than 20 dollars or so) to start to learn soldering from a hands on point of view. I would really appreciate this and find that this is the best way to learn ahead of jumping head first after reading a whole lot of books.

mfsoa · « **Reply #1 on:** 2 Jan 2007, 06:55 pm »

My soldering skills are nil too, but I just bought and assembled the DIYCable Canare interconnect kit (~$40, I forget).

This was good practice and I ended up with a really good sounding IC.

But I know my last solder joints were better than my first, so maybe I'll have to reterminate this cable someday!

Anyway, maybe a smaller project like this IC might give you experience and the all important buzz of making something yourself!

shep · « **Reply #2 on:** 2 Jan 2007, 07:32 pm »

you need: steady hands, good eyesight (or those magnifying things you strap on your forehead),
good solder (high silver content, low melting point) and either a gun with replacable points or several, depending what you're doing. I found indispensable a gizmo, that probably has a name...basically it sits on a little stand and has articulated arms with aligator clips on the ends to hold wires and things in place while you are peering into small places trying not to burn the wrong things! Usually these are sold in electric supply stores. Soldering is sort of a fine art but it isn't so hard. The trick is not to get cold joints or over-heat. When solder flows there's a moment when it takes nicely and leaves a nice shiney smooth "puddle". Too cold and you see dark patches or extrusions. Too hot, well it just keeps flowing and chances are you over-heat something adjacent. Some materials are a real pain, like the barrels of rca plugs, because they drain away the heat to quickly. Soldering on boards/holes or traces, requires one to be really deft and steady and carefull. Have fun! when you actually get it right you feel like a champ.

CornellAlum · « **Reply #3 on:** 2 Jan 2007, 07:43 pm »

Google is your friend. Try "soldering tutorial." If you can't find good links, I will dig up the ones I found a couple years ago, but it should be easy. Honestly, if you can write, you can solder more or less...just have burn cream on hand

BobM · « **Reply #4 on:** 2 Jan 2007, 07:54 pm »

This link may help a bit:

http://repairfaq.ece.drexel.edu/REPAIR/F_appfaq2.html

and this one:

http://www.aaroncake.net/electronics/solder.htm

There's also a video or two floating out there on the web, like this one:

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

Enjoy,
Bob

warnerwh · « **Reply #5 on:** 3 Jan 2007, 05:04 am »

Here's some very helpful videos you can download and watch.

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

Parts Express sells cheap kits. Just remember that the joint needs to be heated and the solder must flow into the joint. You do not heat the solder with the iron or put the solder to the iron or you'll end up with a cold solder joint. When you can a good mechanical joint as well as a good solder joint is recommended.

If you can afford a soldering station they will make life much easier. The temperature can be adjusted and the temperature at the tip will be maintained even when soldering into large objects which act as a heat sink.

Once you get the hang of it you'll find it's fairly easy.

yo2tup · « **Reply #6 on:** 3 Jan 2007, 07:18 am »

First I read and watched tutorials online. I had a broken printer, so I opened it up and went to town on the pcb's inside - practiced soldering/desoldering caps,resistors, and such. I did that before I took on my first diy project. I'm pretty comfy with the soldering iron now

pacifico · « **Reply #7 on:** 3 Jan 2007, 12:18 pm »

Thanks everyone. I think I have a pool of good suggestions to work from here!!!!

JoshK · « **Reply #8 on:** 3 Jan 2007, 03:50 pm »

I started with a Hagerman Tech kit. These are great kits, well documented and require almost no knowledge of electronics what-so-ever. This was my first experience soldering.

Another great tool is to buy some simple boards or circuits off ebay....cheap....and practice on them. It basically is pretty easy, and after you solder a few components to a board you'll get the jist of it.

robert1325 · « **Reply #9 on:** 3 Jan 2007, 03:53 pm »

Hey , all this stuff is very usefull for me to!

I'm considering hooking up a Charlize

Haoleb · « **Reply #10 on:** 8 Jan 2007, 06:43 am »

you get experience soldering, by soldering.

doing something as simple as soldering two wires together is a good place to start. Once you get the hang of it and can recognize when there is enough heat and how to make good joints you can move onto pc boards. Go to the salvation army or something and pick up some peice of old electronics equipment for a buck or two, take it apart and desolder components to get the hang of doing that. once you learn what techniques work best for you then soldering will be second nature. Silver solders actually melt at a higher temperature so perhaps a good 60/40 would be good general purpose solder. You can also experiment with different iron tips to see which you like best.

Folsom · « **Reply #11 on:** 8 Jan 2007, 08:57 am »

Haoleb is right, mess with stuff that costs nothing. I recommend an adjustable soldering iron. This is good because some equipment is sensitive so you have to slowly heat it, or it will burn up. Then when you go to stuff that is well not heat sensitive really, just crank it up some and get it done.

Night_Train · « **Reply #12 on:** 8 Jan 2007, 03:47 pm »

Quote from: pacifico on 2 Jan 2007, 06:48 pm

So I am considering building a preamp kit for my birthday. My only reservation is my complete lack of soldering skills. Rather than read the myriad of internet examples posted on the web, I was wondering if any of you could suggest cheap kits (less than 20 dollars or so) to start to learn soldering from a hands on point of view. I would really appreciate this and find that this is the best way to learn ahead of jumping head first after reading a whole lot of books.

A cheap suggestion would be to find some scrap glass and get your hands on some glass cutters, copper foil, flux, sponge, adjustable temperature soldering iron. Copper foil can be had at any stained glass supplier and is relatively inexpensive. Copper foil the edges of two pieces of glass and run some beads or spot some tacks. First. tack the pieces of glass together before running any length of bead you like or just practice spot tacking. Glass can either be cut with a glass cutter or broken and re-foiled to continue practicing. Any size pieces can be designed according to your preference. I have stain glassed and in itself is a soldering lesson.

pacifico · « **Reply #13 on:** 8 Jan 2007, 07:13 pm »

That's a really cool and abstract idea. All of the suggestions are worth considering but this stained glass idea really strikes as being interesting. Unfortunately, will probrably stick with some of the simpler projects for now but If I had the space/time...WOW. Thanks!!!!

mtodde · « **Reply #14 on:** 8 Jan 2007, 07:15 pm »

I was an electronics technician in the Navy

Folsom · « **Reply #15 on:** 8 Jan 2007, 07:22 pm »

Oh yeah safety glasses are a MUST. Solder flying through the air can be the last time you ever see through an eye.

Folsom · « **Reply #16 on:** 9 Jan 2007, 03:29 am »

One more thing, maybe even one of the most important...

I highly recommend having a beer while soldering. There is something about it that makes you a little less edgy so you hold the soldering iron like a rock, and you become slightly more patient to allow the leads to heat up enough to prevent a cold solder joint. I however would not recommend intoxication.

Folsom · « **Reply #17 on:** 9 Jan 2007, 07:02 am »

I better lead by example.

(X2 capacitor added to the IEC inlet, cleaned up a lot of noise)

The two small IC's below the BlackGate red capacitor, and above the one with about 8 leads on each side, they are replacement OPAMPS, 2604's to be exact. The fade look is from cleaning with alcohol, has no affect on anything but working ICs

.

AND PLEASE if not for you, then maybe your mom, wear some eye protection.

Kim S. · « **Reply #18 on:** 11 Jan 2007, 12:07 pm »

Has anyone here have experience with a battery powered soldering iron called ColdHeat? I saw an infomercial for it a few months back. The tip is suppose to only heat the metal touched, not surrounding objects or nonmetal. I have an amp repair project comming up and this would make things alot easier if it works. I think they only cost about $20.00

ctviggen · « **Reply #19 on:** 11 Jan 2007, 12:23 pm »

Quote from: Destroyer of Smiles. on 8 Jan 2007, 08:57 am

Haoleb is right, mess with stuff that costs nothing. I recommend an adjustable soldering iron. This is good because some equipment is sensitive so you have to slowly heat it, or it will burn up. Then when you go to stuff that is well not heat sensitive really, just crank it up some and get it done.

One of the best things you can do is buy a good soldering iron. The 40 Watt pens just don't cut it at times (at least the one I have doesn't -- it takes forever to heat up or to recover). I also have this (I think this is the one, anyway):

http://www.partsexpress.com/pe/showdetl.cfm?&Partnumber=372-145

And it's much nicer than the pen style.