Soldering

I'm completely rubbish at soldering and would like someone to give a guide on how to actually solder the correct way complete with pictures. I'm sure this would be a massive help not only to myself but to many other members here. Is there anyone up for the job?

Yakumo

 

here is a guide i found helpful:

http://www.instructables.com/id/How-to-solder/

 

What are you trying to solder mate? Maybe I can help, I screwed a PSX and a SNES by using too big a tip. Choice of the iron is crucial if you don't want to end up with a blackscreen.:noooo:

 

i practiced soldering on old and/or broken hardware (e.g. old soundcard).

my first solderjob was a psx modchip and it went smooth.

 

Get one of those 8 W solder irons, if you plan to solder SMD components they are great.

 

smd for a beginner? i think not...

 

Some nice guides there in the links.

I'm not trying to solder anything at the moment though there will be a time in the not so distant future when I will be.

Yakumo

 

I've always want to learn soldering aswell. Maybe I'll have some free time for that during the next months. Any help in advance is appreciated

 

desoldering pump

 

I really recommend NOT using a spring-powered sucker, using them on an old board almost guarantees a you suck up a via!

Nothing matters more in soldering than having a fine tip and patience.

 

Amen to that.

Calpis is right, too hot an iron along with a desoldering pump (in the UK we call them 'solder suckers', heh) is a nightmare for removing traces. Solder wick/braid works much better.

alphagamer: Everyone's a novice at SMD eventually There's not that many tricks to it, it's just practice practice practice. And good equipment.

Stone

 

A tutorial won't help you with soldering, just search for a broken board or get a broken PC component from Hard Off for 50Y XD, and practice, practice a lot, it's the only way for learning, if you want to see your results you could try doing for example the region mod to your Mega Drive 1 (DO NOT ATTEMPT 2, BY ANY CIRCUMSTANCES, until you get better), which is incredibly easy, and well, do play around with your broken board until you get to solder, unsolder and work with SMD things fine.

 

I tried tutorials but never really helped, but that one link just posted is pretty good as it gives you safety measures. You do not want to breathe those fumes in, believe me.

Also, lead free is ok if you're doing SMD or any soldering just so as long as the components do not get hot and cold rapidly as that will cause the joint to crack and you'll lose the solder joint. Lead free is ok for modding consoles, etc.

Anyway, a word of advice, start big, then work your way down to small.

What you want to achieve when soldering is to have the solder bead out, than look like a sphere.

I started with broken PC motherboards down to busted HDD controller boards. For modding consoles, 30gauge wiring is all you need.

I practiced a lot before I undertook modding my PSX console, then practiced some more before I modded my PSTwo and look how it turned out:



No problems with it whatsoever .

 

modding a psx is a piece of cake compared to modding a ps2, good job with the hotglue.

 

OK, I'll throw my two cents' worth in....

PREPARATION: First, and something people don't do often enough, PREPARE YOUR WORK AREA PROPERLY!! Give yourself a good amount of space, and a good amount of light. Get a nice anglepoise light (the ones that have a hinged arm). A magnifying one may be a good idea... if possible, get a proper soldering one (will set you back around £50-60). If you solder for too long in poorly lit conditions, you WILL strain your eyes, you WILL get a headache, and your work will suffer.

Make sure you have all tools and components to hand that you will need. There is nothing worse than having to get up and go looking for something, especially if it means putting down a partly assembled board or leaving a hot iron unattended! I would usually have screwdrivers, a knife, wire cutters, pliers, tweezers, a heat shunt, solder (duh!), helping hands, wire, a needle / scraper and some kind of cleaner for the iron (probably sponge). Put components in trays so they don't roll onto the floor! Likewise, do the same with screws you remove!

Some cheap irons come on their own. You will need a stand - one with a sponge. Wet the sponge before you start. Don't be afraid to wet it - give it a good soak, then wring it out lightly so it doesn't drip as you carry it back to your work area.

IRON SELECTION: You'll most likely start off with a fixed temperature mains iron. I would go somewhere in the range of 18-30W - the Antex CS or XS are good starter irons, and often come in kits with a stand and maybe a reel of solder. I changed the bit on my CS to a slightly smaller one - I think the default was 3mm and I went for a 1mm - because I was doing SMD stuff. You basically want an iron that will heat up quickly, but not overheat. Unfortunately, you can't really control mains irons, so you'll eventually want to go for a temperature controlled station. I use a Weller. These will have a much higher rated iron (usually 50W or 60W) - this doesn't matter, as you can control the temperature... in fact, you want that! The other advantage of a station is that you can have different irons for different jobs, and not have to worry about cooling it off then changing the bit.

SOLDER SELECTION: Buy fluxed solder on big reels (usually this will be called rosin solder). Try to get the finest gauge you can - I like 22SWG (solder is graded in SWG - the higher the number, the finer the solder). If you want the best (and easiest) soldering, then get hold of some oldschool leaded 60/40. The new stuff is poor in comparison! However, be aware that lead fumes are dangerous. Always work in a well ventilated area. You may want to invest in a fume extraction kit of some sorts - you can get stand-alone filters that sit on the bench, or a kit that attaches to the iron.

The reel is impractical for bench use - it is cumbersome and awkward to get solder off. You can get dispensers, but if you want to save a few quid, get an old (wooden!) cotton reel. Cut off a few feet of solder, and wrap it around the cotton reel. You can then use this to dispense your solder.

NEWBIE TEST PROJECTS: If you're new to this, DON'T start off on your prized console! The best way to learn good soldering practice is to start from scratch. Go to your local electronics store (Radio Shack or Maplin, for example). They will sell kits for various items. As Kev said, a logic probe is a good start. You can get other practical and novelty items - courtesy light add-ons for old cars, buzzers for games, radios. Choose something you might use, but its basically for practice.

GETTING DOWN TO IT: OK, you're almost ready to go! Firstly, check your iron is tinned. To do this, heat the iron up. It is ready when solder will melt on the tip. Put a little solder on the tip and wipe it on your sponge, or use a tip tinning compound. Check your iron every so often whilst soldering, and re-tin when necessary. Keep wiping it on the sponge as a matter of course - do this every time you pick up/replace the iron.

With a small project board, you'll probably want to hold the board in a vice, or "helping hands" (positionable crocodile clips on a stand). Put the component in position through the holes. The legs will be too long - don't worry about that.

The basic principle of good soldering is: heat the pad and the component lead simultaneously, i.e. touch the soldering iron to both. Apply solder (try not to touch the iron), allow it to flow, and remove the iron. It will dry very quickly.

It is important to avoid allowing the solder to come in contact with the iron before the parts are at temperature, or applying solder directly to the iron, as this will result in dry joints. This is where one (or both) of the leg and the pad were not hot enough, and so the solder did not adhere correctly, forming a gap. Even if the joint works to start with, it will most likely fail in time, or be intermittent.

I think that covers the basics, other than general precations. Always put the iron in a stand when not in use. Turn the iron off when not used for a prolonged period of time. Allow the iron sufficient time to cool before moving/storing. Handle static sensitive components (e.g. CMOS logic) with care, preferably with an earthed anti-static mat and wrist strap.

Hope it helps! ;-)