20 ms·

How To Get Started In Soldering

358 points by evo_9 4y ago

Havoc 4y ago
Yeah wouldn’t go ultra cheap on first iron. Something like the pinecil is a good compromise especially if you have a power source on hand that can power it (eg some laptop bricks work)
someweirdperson 4y ago
> It’s a metal alloy comprised of tin and lead (often 60 percent tin and 40 percent lead) used to bond items together. No more lead in the EU, with few exceptions.
- smiley1437 4y ago
  Learning on lead-free nearly turned me off of soldering until a buddy gave some Kester eutectic, that is a freaking joy compared to lead-free
  - CarVac 4y ago
    Lead-free is fine. Lead-free with poor quality flux is abhorrent to use. Get good quality lead-free with good flux from a reputable manufacturer (Kester is good, as you mentioned) and it's fine. In fact, I prefer how thin and quick to wet out SAC305 is over the lower melting point of Sn63Pb37.
  - microtonal 4y ago
    I have made quite a few keyboards (including handwired) and a few other electronics projects with lead-free solder and it has never been an issue. I use lead-free solder with a resin core, set the iron to the recommended temperature, and make sure to tin the tip.
- nsheridan 4y ago
  Lead solder is totally attainable for hobbyists - I bought a 100g spool a few weeks ago.
- Havoc 4y ago
  Yeah tbh I’d rather struggle a bit more than have lead in the mix. Lead is for life
  - userbinator 4y ago
    If you're getting lead poisoning from soldering, you're doing it very, very wrong...
lukego 4y ago
see also whitequark's soldering mistakes troubleshooting guide: - beginner: not using flux - intermediate: not using enough flux - advanced: not using the right flux and visually: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tfIwHuGzUEk https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tfIwHuGzUEk
- pcurve 4y ago
  Very satisfying to watch. Good soldering job feels so good!
- microtonal 4y ago
  I don't know, I use lead-free solder with a resin core and my joint looks much cleaner than most I see on /r/ErgoMechKeyboards , where people generally apply liberal amounts of flux.
  - lukego 4y ago
    Great work and great choice of flux-cored solder wire!
- severino 4y ago
  After seeing the video, I wonder if someone could recommend some flux like the one shown there, the one that looks like a yellow-orange paste. Just so I don't end up "not using the right flux" ;)
  - lukego 4y ago
    My $0.02 is to choose name-brand solder wire (e.g. Kester/Multicore/ChipQuik) with "RA" or "RMA" flux core. That will flow well and be gentle on your tips. The "not right" flux is often a nasty no-clean flux core in solder wire. Many don't flow well and leave a horrid residue on your tips that's hard to remove. (The bad reputation of lead-free solder seems to come not from the alloy but from solder wire with lousy choice of flux core.) The "not enough" flux is often reworking something where the flux has been vaporized leaving only the solder. Then you need to add some new flux like in the video. The gold standard seems to be Amtech tacky fluxes like https://www.amazon.com/Amtech-Solder-Flux-NC-559-V2-TF-16150 https://www.amazon.com/Amtech-Solder-Flux-NC-559-V2-TF-16150
thakoppno 4y ago
https://archive.is/R4mJs https://archive.is/R4mJs
foobarian 4y ago
A tip I got here a while ago is to use dry brass/copper sponges instead of wet sponges to clean the iron, because water stresses it too much. Like this one https://www.amazon.com/Soldering-Iron-Tip-Cleaner-Non-slip/dp/B08SLBSLK4/ref=sr_1_5 https://www.amazon.com/Soldering-Iron-Tip-Cleaner-Non-slip/d...
- smiley1437 4y ago
  it's better, but still abrades More importantly, the lesson I learned was to get a soldering system\station where you can get replacement tips easily\cheaply
was_a_dev 4y ago
> Much like the ability to drive a car with a manual transmission, read a map, or write a check, Gen Z is learning less and less about how to work with their hands—and it’s time for that to change. Ugh. Let's talk down the youngest generation of adults to justify a basic tutorial article. Ironically no one of Gen Z, that I know of, is unable to do any of those examples.
- kjhgfdfg 4y ago
  [flagged]
- pyb 4y ago
  Gen Z will be one of the most practical generations in history, thanks to Youtube.
- teelelbrit 4y ago
  The author is 25 (gen z) and has done multiple car reviews / car product reviews that feature his own car which is a manual...
- nocman 4y ago
  While I can see why you might take that as "talking down the youngest generation of adults", I don't think that is necessarily the author's intention. All three of those examples are things that many people from Gen Z often don't ever do. They are also all still valuable skills that I believe are still worth knowing. I agree that it is bad to talk down to people just because they are young. It is also bad to dismiss people because they are significantly older than you are. Both parties miss out when those things happen. Younger people often have more energy and free time, and their excitement about what they are learning can be energizing. Older people often have experience that is tremendously valuable. You can learn a great deal from someone with years of experience in a field in which you have interest. I think one of the unfortunate things about the internet is it is far too easy to default to being combative, and assume the worst about what others are saying. And yes, I include myself in that as well as others.
  - csydas 4y ago
smiley1437 4y ago
Pace's videos on youtube are old timey but charming and useful for basic soldering https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vIT4ra6Mo0s https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vIT4ra6Mo0s
- agumonkey 4y ago
  By far my favorite. I'd pay even if they were given to me for free.
doublepg23 4y ago
> Much like the ability to drive a car with a manual transmission, read a map, or write a check, Gen Z is learning less and less about how to work with their hands—and it’s time for that to change. If only there way some way to obtain this ancient knowledge. Perhaps a video repository of sorts. But I’m sure the hand wringing about new generation is justified THIS time for sure.
- abfan1127 4y ago
  youtube can help maps and checks... but its not easy to find manual transmissions anymore.
sb618 4y ago
Aaah, this is really not a good beginner's guide to soldering! Cranking up to max temperature might work a lot of the time but runs the risk of frying ICs and causing PCB traces to come off. Also using a wet sponge can cause the tips to rust. It's much better to clean them with a brass "sponge" leaving the tip tinned to protect it. Finally the real key to easy soldering is solder flux (and leaded solder if you're allowed).
- CarVac 4y ago
  A wet sponge doesn't cause rust, it's occasionally blamed for cracking plating when you use a high temperature. If you use a moderate temperature (650°F/340°C) it's a gentler way to clean flux residue off the tip. Brass wool I reserve for scrubbing oxidation off the tip, but this eventually wears through the plating so I don't do this often. Leaded solder is both toxic and completely unnecessary for hobbyist use. I like SAC305 but SN99.7 works well too—the key is a good quality flux core. No-clean flux is convenient but if you do want to clean it, it's gummy and makes a mess. "Yes-clean" flux leaves conductive residue so it must be cleaned, but it is easier to clean. As far as temperature goes, the better your iron is at transferring heat, the lower the tip temperature you can use, which improves tip life and, as you mention, reduces the chance of part damage. I am a lead dev on an open-source hardware project (PhobGCC) and I've seen damage caused by bad soldering irons time and time again. Don't cheap out. I recommend a Weller WE1010.
  - jnovek 4y ago
    I use leaded solder and have for years but I’d love to replace it with something less toxic. The trouble is that lead-free solders I’ve tried require high temp and flow very differently from leaded solder. Does SAC305 (for example) flow and cool in a similar way to good old 63/37?
    - CarVac 4y ago
      SAC305 melts at a slightly higher temperature but has a lower melted viscosity than Sn63. So it takes a smidge longer to heat a joint than for leaded, but you don't need to hold the heat there as long once it flows. It's slightly not eutectic, though, so you must immobilize parts as the joint solidifies. Sn99.7 is eutectic but has a still higher melting point. I find SAC305 to solder well at 340°C/650°F.
kloch 4y ago
The most important thing: Put the heat where you want the solder to flow to, not where it's starting from. This also applies to soldering/brazing copper pipes.
- retrac 4y ago
  To add to that, you add the solder to the heated part and it will flow into the point you're soldering. Don't try to transfer it from the iron or paste it on the spot semi-melted.
- rimunroe 4y ago
  I did some electronic soldering in my teens and in college. I've occasionally done it since then to do minor repairs like replace part of a mouse I liked when it wore out after years of clicking. This past week I discovered that one of the spigots on the outside of my house had failed over the winter. The spigot (sorry, "spillcock") and the piece it screwed into had both been damaged by ice and caused a leak inside the wall. I took a picture of the joint and accompanying piping and sent it to my dad for advice. He was pretty horrified at the quality of the surrounding joints, so he strongly suggested replacing more than just the two parts that were causing the leak. I went out and bought some lead-free solder and flux, but didn't think to look up anything about flux or solder quality. I was having trouble getting a joint I was happy with, until I finally gave in and asked my neighbor (a plumber) for some advice. He give me some very useful advice (give the excess flux a wipe once it starts bubbling, start applying solder at the bottom to let steam escape out the top of the joint and then work your way up, among others). He also gave me his favorite (lead-free) solder and flux to use. The flux looked really grody, and unsurprisingly made a huge difference in how well everything flowed. In the end, I replaced the suspicious section with my much less janky piece and it's now dry as a bone.
photochemsyn 4y ago
Build a ventilation system for your soldering area, it's more than worth it if you're going to be doing much soldering (and is also useful for many other purposes). The best option is a fan connected to vent tubing leading outside, I doubt 'smoke extractors' are that effective, e.g. https://ribbeckeglass.com/ventilating-soldering-fumes/ https://ribbeckeglass.com/ventilating-soldering-fumes/
mcshicks 4y ago
I found the eevblog tutorial videos very helpful in setting up my office for soldering and getting comfortable doing through hole soldering, connecting wires etc. Part 1 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J5Sb21qbpEQ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J5Sb21qbpEQ Part 2 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fYz5nIHH0iY https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fYz5nIHH0iY Part 3 is surface mount which I don't do much. A friend I had who is a skilled assembler turned me on to chipquik flux and kapton tape to hold down the parts and that helped immensely
bambax 4y ago
> just be careful not to overspend on your first iron. I first learned how to solder on an ultra-cheap hardware-store unit, and you should, too I beg to differ. I used to suck at soldering, and while I'm still no expert, swapping my €20 basic soldering iron for a serious Weller unit (starting at €150) changed everything. The Weller heats up almost instantly, goes up as high as you want, and stays at a constant temperature. When using bad tools you don't know if it's you or the tools that are bad, and the path to improvement is unclear.
- whstl 4y ago
  I agree. I don't personally think it's necessary to go up to €150, but a low-quality entry-level soldering iron will cause a lot of problems, and you'll be blaming yourself for the lack of progress. I learned on a crappy one and always thought I sucked. On university I used one that was alright and it was night and day. It is important that the soldering iron provides the correct amount of heat, and with entry-level irons it's always a gamble, in my experience. On the other hand, spending the €150 from the start will save you a lot of time testing irons.
  - jjoonathan 4y ago
    Those $130-$150 Aixun branded JBC clones on aliexpress make a compelling argument for the price point IMO.
    - rasz 4y ago
      You can start with a little DIY $40 JBC handle + C245 tip + panel controller, add $20 24V/8AA supply and you are good to go.
- CarVac 4y ago
  I 100% agree. They say "a good craftsman doesn't blame his tools" but when you start out you need good tools. A non-temperature-controlled soldering iron is a huge impediment to learning because the temperature varies with usage and so its behavior is hard to predict for a new solderer. Even between temperature-controlled ones there can be a large difference in ability to conduct heat into a part: my Pinecil takes far longer than my Weller (I recommend the WE1010) to heat a joint to the point where solder will melt. (the Pinecil is still nice to have as a mobile soldering setup) More heating duration results in more part damage: overheated ICs and traces popping off the PCB.
the__alchemist 4y ago
- No mention of tip types/quality - No mention of flux outside that embedded in the solder - No mention of braid etc - Recommends a wet sponge to clean (This shocks the tip) - Defaults to leaded solder without mentioning the risks (I admit this is hot-take territory!)
- nimajneb 4y ago
  What do you suggest other than wet sponge to clean the tip? I usually try and use a damp sponge, instead of a wet one. This is how I learned like 20-25 years ago as a kid though. I never learned how to professionally solder.
  - anamexis 4y ago
    This type with a brass or copper scrubber work great: https://www.amazon.com/Soldering-Cleaner-599B-Water-free-Hakko/dp/B000AQQFMG/ https://www.amazon.com/Soldering-Cleaner-599B-Water-free-Hak...
  - blackfawn 4y ago
    "Brass wool", basically a clump of brass shavings, is quite popular as well. I sometimes use that, sometimes use a damp sponge and I don't find any giant difference between the two. Some people say the brass type are better (more thorough cleaning, less thermal difference, etc.) and some say they are worse (wears the plating off the tips faster)
    - nimajneb 4y ago
      I actually forgot about the brass you're talking about. I've seen it used, but never used it myself. I only occasionally solder though, just a few times a year either to fix something or to make a simple electronic project kit. I rarely do it correctly, I usually just heat my iron up and solder the item, the only thing I do generally is "tin" what I'm soldering first.
  - lbayes 4y ago
    Brass wire sponge works great.
dustinsterk 4y ago
I would recommend starting with a kit so that you also get the benefit of feeling like you created something valuable as your practice/learn. Something like this is great for the price! https://www.amazon.com/dp/B08X13KY6S https://www.amazon.com/dp/B08X13KY6S
- TurkishPoptart 4y ago
  have you used this one? I'd like to buy it, I'd just want to hear that someone used this successfully.
  - dustinsterk 4y ago
    Yes, my son built is a few weeks ago, no issues and works great!
    - TurkishPoptart 4y ago
      can you recommend any starter soldering iron to go with it? I guess all we would need is a starter solder iron and some solder to complete the clock. Looks like fun!
  - bobsmooth 4y ago
    I use it as a clock for my workbench and power it from a USB port. Fun little kit.
TrackerFF 4y ago
Whenever I teach soldering to someone, I try to keep it short - and tell that the only things they really need to know is 1) Keep the surfaces of the two metals you want to solder clean. That means removing rust, oxidation, dirt, etc. If possible, make a mechanical connection. 2) The three metals (surface A, surface B, solder) need to be equal temperature. 9 out of 10 times, the solder errors I see are due to the above points. It is important to purchase an iron that can get hot enough for the things you want to solder together, and which can control the temperature well enough.
- atoav 4y ago
  Yeah the most common mistake is actually not cleaning well and not heating all things up that need to be heated (e.g. trying to use the soldering iron like a "brush").
  - CarVac 4y ago
    When I instruct people to solder, I emphasize that heat transfer improves when you press very firmly with the soldering iron tip. Too bad most PCB holders are flimsy. I recommend a solid metal vise instead of those contraptions.
atahanacar 4y ago
I used to "suck" at soldering, until one day I was recommended a Louis Rossmann video by Youtube and decided to watch it. Once I saw how much flux he used, I started to use more flux and as it turns out, that was my problem. That is my problem with this article. Flux is only superficially in a sentence. So my tip to beginners: Cleaning flux is way easier than struggling to solder with little/no flux.
- replygirl 4y ago
  learning that way will also have you relying on flux for through-holes, though. you can get really good without flux, just takes some tip cleaner and a brass cleaning pad, and you'll end up wasting less on the smd jobs
  - atahanacar 4y ago
    >learning that way will also have you relying on flux for through-holes, though Is that really a problem, especially for a beginner? I can understand if you are soldering a lot, you will be faster without the need to constantly add flux and save resources but at that point, I think the repetition will let you get better over time anyway.
- sbolt 4y ago
  Do you have a link to the video by any chance?
  - atahanacar 4y ago
    Not really, it was around spring 2018. He was joking about how one can never have enough flux.
- dboreham 4y ago
  Hmm. Soldering since before I could talk, then professionally for a couple decades, and I never used flux once. It's in the solder.
  - 4y ago
deleted 4y ago
[deleted]
perilunar 4y ago
Of course the first thing to learn is how to pronounce the sodding word /s
eschneider 4y ago
As a strictly software person who's been living in the embedded world for a while, developing adequate soldering skills will make your life hella easier. Lots of setup/debugging problems get easier if you can just make the connectors you need or stick a lead in just the right spot. Being self-reliant for stuff like that is basic productivity stuff.
- jrib 4y ago
  any good resources you recommend to someone who is a software person not living in embedded world?
  - eschneider 4y ago
    As a few people have mentioned, YouTube is a treasure trove of instructions on how to use test equipment like multimeters/oscilloscopes/etc. to see if stuff's alive and responsive. Ins and outs of JTAG is also handy and practical. If you want to go deeper, intro books on electronic circuits and some of the online MIT electronics classes are great.
rwaksmunski 4y ago
Yeah, don't cheap out on the soldering iron. If you have to, at least get yourself a t12 clone. For $50 you should be able to find a decent one with extra tips and accessories. Anything less is a waste of money and will bring frustration.
kronk 4y ago
This Youtube playlist helped me immensely. https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL926EC0F1F93C1837 https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL926EC0F1F93C1837
shortrounddev 4y ago
For me the issue wasn't learning to solder, it was learning about electricity and the kinds of things I wanted to solder in an intuitive way
Yhippa 4y ago
The first -- and only -- time I ever soldered was on a job interview! The company was making gastric pacemakers and wanted to see if I could do it. One of my favorite job interviews for some reason. I have a tough time with the "code in front of the interviewer"-style interviews but this was actually kind of fun. That said, I don't feel like I've had the need to bust one out since then. I'm sure there are useful times for it, but for me, I typically replace the item or pay someone to fix it and move on with my day.
mgaunard 4y ago
I was taught soldering in middle school. Probably did it three or four times in my life outside of that. Didn't do a great job, but it worked. If I cared about it being done well, I would have gotten a craftsman.
squarefoot 4y ago
If I may, I would complete a few points in the article. Soldering iron: Get a decent one. That doesn't mean you must throw a boatload of money, just avoid the crappy ones, which almost always are the cheaper ones. A notable exception is the Pinecil by Pine64.org, which is truly a great iron despite being cheap. Pinecil aside, you can snatch a used Weller or Hakko on ebay without spending too much, but beware of the many fakes. I had for a while a Hakko clone, and although well built, it was garbage: the heater-tip contact makes all the difference, and that was its weak point. Solder: Get leaded solder when possible. It's easier to use and joints are a lot less subject to tin whiskers. Sponge: Very useful, but don't forget to buy one that is suitable for soldering. A kitchen/bathroom one made of synthetic material will melt as soon as you put the heated tip on it. In the meantime, a damp strip of cotton cloth rolled into a coffee cup can be similarly effective. Work surface: I don't use a specific one, so don't have direct experience, however I doubt one could use a rubber doormat with heated tips. A oven silicone mat would probably be safer, but again, I never used them. Other items the article doesn't cover: -Flux. You will need it. No matter if the solder already contains rosin flux, having a way to put some extra flux on the surface to be soldered will help immensely. -Brass wool sponge. Some see it as complementary to the wet sponge, but I find having it handy because it is best at removing tin residuals from the tip, while the wet one helps cleaning it. -Solder wick. Very useful to remove tin in excess from old joints, therefore also for desoldering parts. Buy a couple rolls of different sizes and practice using it. -Sal Ammoniac. An almost forgotten item which can make a tip shine almost like new. It's cheap and a single tablet will last years. Oh, and practice, practice, practice.
- i_am_a_peasant 4y ago
  There is no such thing as too much flux :) I would also recommend wearing protective glasses not to splash stuff on your eyes.
  - spiderxxxx 4y ago
    Oh, there definitely is such a thing as too much flux. I have some active flux that works really well on old and oxidized boards, but it's a pain to clean. I try to use only the amount necessary to do the job. No-clean flux still needs to be cleaned, but it's a lot easier to clean up, and with that I will say that I agree with your statement, conditionally. Having a swimming pool of flux or more flux than solder is not good.
agumonkey 4y ago
Soldering taught me how physical engineering and chemistry were oh so subtle. And how even simple circuits we rely on daily are kinda work of art.
sureglymop 4y ago
Thank you, this is great! On another note, what to solder? I've been playing around with arduinos and esp 32s but so far I've just used breadboards and didn't have to solder. Any recommendations for an easy project to take on?
- floating-io 4y ago
  Adafruit tends to sell things like their feather boards with loose headers, leaving the buyer to solder them. If you like playing with stuff like that it would give you an excuse to buy more boards. Timely; I just finished soldering headers to a Feather about 30 minutes ago. :)
- opan 4y ago
  A mechanical keyboard is a decent project to learn on. I built a Pinky4 kit when I was starting out, since you can't easily buy a keyboard like it already assembled. (Ergodox/Moonlander have bad thumb clusters)
aequitas 4y ago
If you ever get the chance, solder under a (say 40x) stereo microscope. The soldering station at my internship was this kind of setup and it literally gave me a whole new perspective on soldering. I got to see exactly how the flux and solder flow, how the heat spreads through the material and at what moment the heat was too high that it would melt or release the tiniest coper traces on the board. Also how well solder sticks and flows once everything is properly heated.
- buescher 4y ago
  It's fun, too! Even through-hole, where you really don't need a 'scope, is oddly satisfying when you can see every detail.
brailsafe 4y ago
Damn, paywalled. Seems timely though, I was just about to start with an incredibly basic iron a friend game me that seems to have no temp control, unleaded solder, flux
llamataboot 4y ago
My hands simply shake too much and always have to do detailed soldering work - my kingdom for a simple and inexpensive automatic solderer!
giankam 4y ago
The article doesn't actually teach how to solder. Just a few tips but not practical instructions to follow. As an example this sentence: "so we’re going to start by adding solder to both the wire and the pad that it’s being soldered to—this process is often referred to as tinning." Doesn't give a single hint on how to do it...
ptero 4y ago
Good article (although I would also add my vote to "do not buy the cheapest iron" group). It would be great to include a few ideas on what to try in this "how to get started" guide. It can be anything from an artsy soldering of a few small metal pieces to a custom switch to a simple electronics contraption. Or even a link to a few Make magazine mini-projects. This could move the needle from reading a cool article to actually trying it. My 2c.
varispeed 4y ago
The article doesn't mention any protective eyewear. When soldering use safety glasses - the heated flux flies everywhere and it's not fun when a hot droplet hits you in the eye. I am not soldering without safety glasses, lab coat and nitrile gloves. May seem like an overkill, but the flux really goes everywhere and it's not good for your health. Also don't forget to have a fume extractor! - you don't want to breathe the fumes! If you can't get one, at very least ensure you have a fan that will blow it away from your face.
nlnn 4y ago
As a very occasional solderer, one thing I don't see written about much in beginner guides is ventilation. With lead-based solder, I'm never sure what I should be doing, especially in a small room/workshop. Keeping windows open or having good airflow isn't always possible. Things like: should I avoid leaning over or breathing in while leaning over something I'm soldering? Do I need to air the room afterwards? Would a small carbon fume extractor help? Anything to worry about from other chemicals in lead-free solder? Or is even lead harmless enough for someone that's not soldering ever day?
- derkades 4y ago
  The fumes are from flux (usually rosin), not lead. They are mostly safe, just breathe out while you're soldering. Soldering should hardly leave a bad smell. If the room does smell bad after soldering, you might be accidentally burning something else, like plastic insulation.
- bityard 4y ago
  Lead does not vaporize at the temperatures being soldered, there is basically zero risk of breathing it in. However, when soldering you will end up with little balls and blobs of solder as waste. Don't just throw them in the trash. These should be collected and disposed of properly, as hazardous waste so that they don't end up in a landfill polluting your grandkids' water supply.
wintermutestwin 4y ago
No mention of toxicity of the fumes? No mention of needing a 3rd hand for many soldering you will want to do?
- midoridensha 4y ago
  That's because the fumes aren't toxic, they're just an irritant. 3rd hand? If you need to secure the workpiece, get a vise.
puredata 4y ago
Some tips for soldering beginners that helped me when I first started building FPV drones. -Get good solder. Kester 63/37 is my favorite. Stay away from lead-free solder, it's harder to work with. Soldering temperatures are too low to vaporize lead, just wash your hands after handling leaded solder. -Buy good flux. If you have a problem soldering, flux will probably fix it. No, the flux inside the solder wire is not enough. -Apply flux on the pad, heat the pad, lay your wire on the pad. While applying heat to the pad with your soldering iron, start feeding the solder onto the point where your pad and wire meets. It should start melting immediately and create a shiny connection. If it's not melting immediately, your soldering iron might be too cold. I like 380-420 range. Higher the iron temperature, quicker you should be. Don't rest the soldering iron for a prolonged time on the pad, it will burn it. Nothing on a flight controller (including XT-60 power connections) require more than a couple of seconds to heat up. On a side note, if you're not going for a specific build, don't buy rebranded brushless motors with pilot names on them. The same motor usually can be found cheaper, with the factory branding. Same goes for solder. TBS doesn't manufacture solder, they just probably rebrand Kester or some other similar brands with a margin. Joshua Bardwell's FPV shopping list should mention every one of those brands so you can look it up. Also as an additional step, consider conformal coating after you're done with all your connections.
- deleted 4y ago
  [deleted]
atum47 4y ago
Do you have any of these for welding? I'd like to get started on welding. Soldering is cool though, thanks for sharing.
Animats 4y ago
What, no pre-cleaning? No flux remover spray? Lead solder with no exhaust fan? Using lead solder is kind of retro. There are good lead-free solders now. If you get the kind with 3% silver, you pay $5 instead of $3 for a small spool, but it's much easier to get good results. Also, that stuff is no-clean, which simplifies things.
thewebcount 4y ago
Am I missing something? The article says: > As you’re applying heat with your soldering iron, it’s important to have the metal tip heating both the pad and the solder that’s going onto it—note the location where I’m placing the iron. But there's no picture to "note the location where I'm placing the iron" in? Was this article written somewhere else and repurposed and they missed a picture?
analog31 4y ago
At my workplace, I've taught a number of younger colleagues how to solder. They come in with laboratory science degrees but varying levels of manual skills. I try to explain what makes a better soldering iron, and I think the 3 key ingredients are: 1. High quality plated tips with a reliable supply chain for replacements. Find a catalog supplier for the tips before ordering the iron. 2. A timer greatly promotes tip life if you're forgetful like me, and also placates colleagues / family members who are concerned about safety. Newer units have a built-in timer, older ones can use a cheap Belkin outlet timer. 3. Temperature control, which most soldering "stations" come with. As for solder, lead-tin is easiest to use, but if you're committed to using lead-free, some alloys work better than others. I recommend Kester K100 as being the closest to "almost like lead-tin" due to a relatively low melting point and decent flow properties. A magnifying visor or inspection microscope is extremely valuable for soldering fine pitch IC's. Learning to be quick about forming a joint saves on melting the insulation of wiring and some delicate connectors.
- midoridensha 4y ago
  Personally, I found high-powered reading glasses to be really helpful for soldering. They're cheap, available at any dollar store, and much more comfortable to use than visors.
  - analog31 4y ago
    I'll give them a try. Also while on the subject, I'm mildly nearsighted and find when I'm working on some kinds of tools, taking off my glasses and wearing non prescription safety glasses is just right.
    - midoridensha 4y ago
      If you're mildly nearsighted, you'll probably want low-power reading glasses then (in the +1 to +2 range). Bring a circuit board with you when shopping for glasses and see which power works for you. High-power (+5) glasses will probably be too much. Higher-power magnification gives you more zoom, but at the expense of field-of-view, and can just be annoying.
bfrog 4y ago
If you enjoy it I recommend a curie point thermaltronic or maybe metcal. I love mine, never having to calibrate the tip is wonderful. Having the power draw ramp up quickly on a big ground plane is a joy. Not fussing with a bullshit temp setting is utter simplicity. Truly is a joy to use.
- lukego 4y ago
  Metcal e.g. MX500 is built like a tank and often available cheap on eBay. I picked up a bargain priced unit on a whim and it's been great. Used it to get the controller out of an ebike battery yesterday :D
chasd00 4y ago
I do a lot of hobby level soldering. If the iron has a stand, temp dial, and a sponge it’s plenty good to get started with. Don’t spend more than $75. A real panavise is also a wise investment, you can find them second hand pretty easily.
macropin 4y ago
Fumes are best avoided. They contain mercury. True story: I was testing the quality of the water from a property I was thinking of buying and got a hit for high levels of mercury. I called the test manufacturer and asked for a few more tests to confirm the levels and the guy asks "done any soldering in the area within the last TWO WEEKS", I had been soldering the taillight / trailer connections on my van about two or three weeks prior and that was enough to leave detectable levels of mercury lingering in the undercover outdoor area where I conducted the tests.
- panic 4y ago
  I've never heard of solder with mercury in it. I'm surprised anyone would sell something like that.
user3939382 4y ago
Louis Rossmann recommends this one https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01B4CLAKG https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01B4CLAKG

358 points by evo_9 4y ago

Yeah wouldn’t go ultra cheap on first iron. Something like the pinecil is a good compromise especially if you have a power source on hand that can power it (eg some laptop bricks work)

someweirdperson 4y ago

> It’s a metal alloy comprised of tin and lead (often 60 percent tin and 40 percent lead) used to bond items together. No more lead in the EU, with few exceptions.

smiley1437 4y ago
Learning on lead-free nearly turned me off of soldering until a buddy gave some Kester eutectic, that is a freaking joy compared to lead-free
- CarVac 4y ago
  Lead-free is fine. Lead-free with poor quality flux is abhorrent to use. Get good quality lead-free with good flux from a reputable manufacturer (Kester is good, as you mentioned) and it's fine. In fact, I prefer how thin and quick to wet out SAC305 is over the lower melting point of Sn63Pb37.
- microtonal 4y ago
  I have made quite a few keyboards (including handwired) and a few other electronics projects with lead-free solder and it has never been an issue. I use lead-free solder with a resin core, set the iron to the recommended temperature, and make sure to tin the tip.
nsheridan 4y ago
Lead solder is totally attainable for hobbyists - I bought a 100g spool a few weeks ago.
Havoc 4y ago
Yeah tbh I’d rather struggle a bit more than have lead in the mix. Lead is for life
- userbinator 4y ago
  If you're getting lead poisoning from soldering, you're doing it very, very wrong...

lukego 4y ago

see also whitequark's soldering mistakes troubleshooting guide: - beginner: not using flux - intermediate: not using enough flux - advanced: not using the right flux and visually: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tfIwHuGzUEk https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tfIwHuGzUEk

pcurve 4y ago
Very satisfying to watch. Good soldering job feels so good!
microtonal 4y ago
I don't know, I use lead-free solder with a resin core and my joint looks much cleaner than most I see on /r/ErgoMechKeyboards , where people generally apply liberal amounts of flux.
- lukego 4y ago
  Great work and great choice of flux-cored solder wire!
severino 4y ago
After seeing the video, I wonder if someone could recommend some flux like the one shown there, the one that looks like a yellow-orange paste. Just so I don't end up "not using the right flux" ;)
- lukego 4y ago
  My $0.02 is to choose name-brand solder wire (e.g. Kester/Multicore/ChipQuik) with "RA" or "RMA" flux core. That will flow well and be gentle on your tips. The "not right" flux is often a nasty no-clean flux core in solder wire. Many don't flow well and leave a horrid residue on your tips that's hard to remove. (The bad reputation of lead-free solder seems to come not from the alloy but from solder wire with lousy choice of flux core.) The "not enough" flux is often reworking something where the flux has been vaporized leaving only the solder. Then you need to add some new flux like in the video. The gold standard seems to be Amtech tacky fluxes like https://www.amazon.com/Amtech-Solder-Flux-NC-559-V2-TF-16150 https://www.amazon.com/Amtech-Solder-Flux-NC-559-V2-TF-16150

thakoppno 4y ago

https://archive.is/R4mJs https://archive.is/R4mJs

foobarian 4y ago

A tip I got here a while ago is to use dry brass/copper sponges instead of wet sponges to clean the iron, because water stresses it too much. Like this one https://www.amazon.com/Soldering-Iron-Tip-Cleaner-Non-slip/dp/B08SLBSLK4/ref=sr_1_5 https://www.amazon.com/Soldering-Iron-Tip-Cleaner-Non-slip/d...

smiley1437 4y ago
it's better, but still abrades More importantly, the lesson I learned was to get a soldering system\station where you can get replacement tips easily\cheaply

was_a_dev 4y ago

> Much like the ability to drive a car with a manual transmission, read a map, or write a check, Gen Z is learning less and less about how to work with their hands—and it’s time for that to change. Ugh. Let's talk down the youngest generation of adults to justify a basic tutorial article. Ironically no one of Gen Z, that I know of, is unable to do any of those examples.

kjhgfdfg 4y ago
[flagged]
pyb 4y ago
Gen Z will be one of the most practical generations in history, thanks to Youtube.
teelelbrit 4y ago
The author is 25 (gen z) and has done multiple car reviews / car product reviews that feature his own car which is a manual...
nocman 4y ago
While I can see why you might take that as "talking down the youngest generation of adults", I don't think that is necessarily the author's intention. All three of those examples are things that many people from Gen Z often don't ever do. They are also all still valuable skills that I believe are still worth knowing. I agree that it is bad to talk down to people just because they are young. It is also bad to dismiss people because they are significantly older than you are. Both parties miss out when those things happen. Younger people often have more energy and free time, and their excitement about what they are learning can be energizing. Older people often have experience that is tremendously valuable. You can learn a great deal from someone with years of experience in a field in which you have interest. I think one of the unfortunate things about the internet is it is far too easy to default to being combative, and assume the worst about what others are saying. And yes, I include myself in that as well as others.
- csydas 4y ago

smiley1437 4y ago

Pace's videos on youtube are old timey but charming and useful for basic soldering https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vIT4ra6Mo0s https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vIT4ra6Mo0s

agumonkey 4y ago
By far my favorite. I'd pay even if they were given to me for free.

doublepg23 4y ago

> Much like the ability to drive a car with a manual transmission, read a map, or write a check, Gen Z is learning less and less about how to work with their hands—and it’s time for that to change. If only there way some way to obtain this ancient knowledge. Perhaps a video repository of sorts. But I’m sure the hand wringing about new generation is justified THIS time for sure.

abfan1127 4y ago
youtube can help maps and checks... but its not easy to find manual transmissions anymore.

sb618 4y ago

Aaah, this is really not a good beginner's guide to soldering! Cranking up to max temperature might work a lot of the time but runs the risk of frying ICs and causing PCB traces to come off. Also using a wet sponge can cause the tips to rust. It's much better to clean them with a brass "sponge" leaving the tip tinned to protect it. Finally the real key to easy soldering is solder flux (and leaded solder if you're allowed).

CarVac 4y ago
A wet sponge doesn't cause rust, it's occasionally blamed for cracking plating when you use a high temperature. If you use a moderate temperature (650°F/340°C) it's a gentler way to clean flux residue off the tip. Brass wool I reserve for scrubbing oxidation off the tip, but this eventually wears through the plating so I don't do this often. Leaded solder is both toxic and completely unnecessary for hobbyist use. I like SAC305 but SN99.7 works well too—the key is a good quality flux core. No-clean flux is convenient but if you do want to clean it, it's gummy and makes a mess. "Yes-clean" flux leaves conductive residue so it must be cleaned, but it is easier to clean. As far as temperature goes, the better your iron is at transferring heat, the lower the tip temperature you can use, which improves tip life and, as you mention, reduces the chance of part damage. I am a lead dev on an open-source hardware project (PhobGCC) and I've seen damage caused by bad soldering irons time and time again. Don't cheap out. I recommend a Weller WE1010.
- jnovek 4y ago
  I use leaded solder and have for years but I’d love to replace it with something less toxic. The trouble is that lead-free solders I’ve tried require high temp and flow very differently from leaded solder. Does SAC305 (for example) flow and cool in a similar way to good old 63/37?
  - CarVac 4y ago
    SAC305 melts at a slightly higher temperature but has a lower melted viscosity than Sn63. So it takes a smidge longer to heat a joint than for leaded, but you don't need to hold the heat there as long once it flows. It's slightly not eutectic, though, so you must immobilize parts as the joint solidifies. Sn99.7 is eutectic but has a still higher melting point. I find SAC305 to solder well at 340°C/650°F.

kloch 4y ago

The most important thing: Put the heat where you want the solder to flow to, not where it's starting from. This also applies to soldering/brazing copper pipes.

retrac 4y ago
To add to that, you add the solder to the heated part and it will flow into the point you're soldering. Don't try to transfer it from the iron or paste it on the spot semi-melted.
rimunroe 4y ago
I did some electronic soldering in my teens and in college. I've occasionally done it since then to do minor repairs like replace part of a mouse I liked when it wore out after years of clicking. This past week I discovered that one of the spigots on the outside of my house had failed over the winter. The spigot (sorry, "spillcock") and the piece it screwed into had both been damaged by ice and caused a leak inside the wall. I took a picture of the joint and accompanying piping and sent it to my dad for advice. He was pretty horrified at the quality of the surrounding joints, so he strongly suggested replacing more than just the two parts that were causing the leak. I went out and bought some lead-free solder and flux, but didn't think to look up anything about flux or solder quality. I was having trouble getting a joint I was happy with, until I finally gave in and asked my neighbor (a plumber) for some advice. He give me some very useful advice (give the excess flux a wipe once it starts bubbling, start applying solder at the bottom to let steam escape out the top of the joint and then work your way up, among others). He also gave me his favorite (lead-free) solder and flux to use. The flux looked really grody, and unsurprisingly made a huge difference in how well everything flowed. In the end, I replaced the suspicious section with my much less janky piece and it's now dry as a bone.

photochemsyn 4y ago

Build a ventilation system for your soldering area, it's more than worth it if you're going to be doing much soldering (and is also useful for many other purposes). The best option is a fan connected to vent tubing leading outside, I doubt 'smoke extractors' are that effective, e.g. https://ribbeckeglass.com/ventilating-soldering-fumes/ https://ribbeckeglass.com/ventilating-soldering-fumes/

mcshicks 4y ago

I found the eevblog tutorial videos very helpful in setting up my office for soldering and getting comfortable doing through hole soldering, connecting wires etc. Part 1 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J5Sb21qbpEQ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J5Sb21qbpEQ Part 2 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fYz5nIHH0iY https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fYz5nIHH0iY Part 3 is surface mount which I don't do much. A friend I had who is a skilled assembler turned me on to chipquik flux and kapton tape to hold down the parts and that helped immensely

bambax 4y ago

> just be careful not to overspend on your first iron. I first learned how to solder on an ultra-cheap hardware-store unit, and you should, too I beg to differ. I used to suck at soldering, and while I'm still no expert, swapping my €20 basic soldering iron for a serious Weller unit (starting at €150) changed everything. The Weller heats up almost instantly, goes up as high as you want, and stays at a constant temperature. When using bad tools you don't know if it's you or the tools that are bad, and the path to improvement is unclear.

whstl 4y ago
I agree. I don't personally think it's necessary to go up to €150, but a low-quality entry-level soldering iron will cause a lot of problems, and you'll be blaming yourself for the lack of progress. I learned on a crappy one and always thought I sucked. On university I used one that was alright and it was night and day. It is important that the soldering iron provides the correct amount of heat, and with entry-level irons it's always a gamble, in my experience. On the other hand, spending the €150 from the start will save you a lot of time testing irons.
- jjoonathan 4y ago
  Those $130-$150 Aixun branded JBC clones on aliexpress make a compelling argument for the price point IMO.
  - rasz 4y ago
    You can start with a little DIY $40 JBC handle + C245 tip + panel controller, add $20 24V/8AA supply and you are good to go.
CarVac 4y ago
I 100% agree. They say "a good craftsman doesn't blame his tools" but when you start out you need good tools. A non-temperature-controlled soldering iron is a huge impediment to learning because the temperature varies with usage and so its behavior is hard to predict for a new solderer. Even between temperature-controlled ones there can be a large difference in ability to conduct heat into a part: my Pinecil takes far longer than my Weller (I recommend the WE1010) to heat a joint to the point where solder will melt. (the Pinecil is still nice to have as a mobile soldering setup) More heating duration results in more part damage: overheated ICs and traces popping off the PCB.

the__alchemist 4y ago

- No mention of tip types/quality - No mention of flux outside that embedded in the solder - No mention of braid etc - Recommends a wet sponge to clean (This shocks the tip) - Defaults to leaded solder without mentioning the risks (I admit this is hot-take territory!)

nimajneb 4y ago
What do you suggest other than wet sponge to clean the tip? I usually try and use a damp sponge, instead of a wet one. This is how I learned like 20-25 years ago as a kid though. I never learned how to professionally solder.
- anamexis 4y ago
  This type with a brass or copper scrubber work great: https://www.amazon.com/Soldering-Cleaner-599B-Water-free-Hakko/dp/B000AQQFMG/ https://www.amazon.com/Soldering-Cleaner-599B-Water-free-Hak...
- blackfawn 4y ago
  "Brass wool", basically a clump of brass shavings, is quite popular as well. I sometimes use that, sometimes use a damp sponge and I don't find any giant difference between the two. Some people say the brass type are better (more thorough cleaning, less thermal difference, etc.) and some say they are worse (wears the plating off the tips faster)
  - nimajneb 4y ago
    I actually forgot about the brass you're talking about. I've seen it used, but never used it myself. I only occasionally solder though, just a few times a year either to fix something or to make a simple electronic project kit. I rarely do it correctly, I usually just heat my iron up and solder the item, the only thing I do generally is "tin" what I'm soldering first.
- lbayes 4y ago
  Brass wire sponge works great.

dustinsterk 4y ago

I would recommend starting with a kit so that you also get the benefit of feeling like you created something valuable as your practice/learn. Something like this is great for the price! https://www.amazon.com/dp/B08X13KY6S https://www.amazon.com/dp/B08X13KY6S

TurkishPoptart 4y ago
have you used this one? I'd like to buy it, I'd just want to hear that someone used this successfully.
- dustinsterk 4y ago
  Yes, my son built is a few weeks ago, no issues and works great!
  - TurkishPoptart 4y ago
    can you recommend any starter soldering iron to go with it? I guess all we would need is a starter solder iron and some solder to complete the clock. Looks like fun!
- bobsmooth 4y ago
  I use it as a clock for my workbench and power it from a USB port. Fun little kit.

TrackerFF 4y ago

Whenever I teach soldering to someone, I try to keep it short - and tell that the only things they really need to know is 1) Keep the surfaces of the two metals you want to solder clean. That means removing rust, oxidation, dirt, etc. If possible, make a mechanical connection. 2) The three metals (surface A, surface B, solder) need to be equal temperature. 9 out of 10 times, the solder errors I see are due to the above points. It is important to purchase an iron that can get hot enough for the things you want to solder together, and which can control the temperature well enough.

atoav 4y ago
Yeah the most common mistake is actually not cleaning well and not heating all things up that need to be heated (e.g. trying to use the soldering iron like a "brush").
- CarVac 4y ago
  When I instruct people to solder, I emphasize that heat transfer improves when you press very firmly with the soldering iron tip. Too bad most PCB holders are flimsy. I recommend a solid metal vise instead of those contraptions.

atahanacar 4y ago

I used to "suck" at soldering, until one day I was recommended a Louis Rossmann video by Youtube and decided to watch it. Once I saw how much flux he used, I started to use more flux and as it turns out, that was my problem. That is my problem with this article. Flux is only superficially in a sentence. So my tip to beginners: Cleaning flux is way easier than struggling to solder with little/no flux.

replygirl 4y ago
learning that way will also have you relying on flux for through-holes, though. you can get really good without flux, just takes some tip cleaner and a brass cleaning pad, and you'll end up wasting less on the smd jobs
- atahanacar 4y ago
  >learning that way will also have you relying on flux for through-holes, though Is that really a problem, especially for a beginner? I can understand if you are soldering a lot, you will be faster without the need to constantly add flux and save resources but at that point, I think the repetition will let you get better over time anyway.
sbolt 4y ago
Do you have a link to the video by any chance?
- atahanacar 4y ago
  Not really, it was around spring 2018. He was joking about how one can never have enough flux.
dboreham 4y ago
Hmm. Soldering since before I could talk, then professionally for a couple decades, and I never used flux once. It's in the solder.
- 4y ago

deleted 4y ago

[deleted]

perilunar 4y ago

Of course the first thing to learn is how to pronounce the sodding word /s

eschneider 4y ago

As a strictly software person who's been living in the embedded world for a while, developing adequate soldering skills will make your life hella easier. Lots of setup/debugging problems get easier if you can just make the connectors you need or stick a lead in just the right spot. Being self-reliant for stuff like that is basic productivity stuff.

jrib 4y ago
any good resources you recommend to someone who is a software person not living in embedded world?
- eschneider 4y ago
  As a few people have mentioned, YouTube is a treasure trove of instructions on how to use test equipment like multimeters/oscilloscopes/etc. to see if stuff's alive and responsive. Ins and outs of JTAG is also handy and practical. If you want to go deeper, intro books on electronic circuits and some of the online MIT electronics classes are great.

rwaksmunski 4y ago

Yeah, don't cheap out on the soldering iron. If you have to, at least get yourself a t12 clone. For $50 you should be able to find a decent one with extra tips and accessories. Anything less is a waste of money and will bring frustration.

kronk 4y ago

This Youtube playlist helped me immensely. https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL926EC0F1F93C1837 https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL926EC0F1F93C1837

shortrounddev 4y ago

For me the issue wasn't learning to solder, it was learning about electricity and the kinds of things I wanted to solder in an intuitive way

Yhippa 4y ago

The first -- and only -- time I ever soldered was on a job interview! The company was making gastric pacemakers and wanted to see if I could do it. One of my favorite job interviews for some reason. I have a tough time with the "code in front of the interviewer"-style interviews but this was actually kind of fun. That said, I don't feel like I've had the need to bust one out since then. I'm sure there are useful times for it, but for me, I typically replace the item or pay someone to fix it and move on with my day.

mgaunard 4y ago

I was taught soldering in middle school. Probably did it three or four times in my life outside of that. Didn't do a great job, but it worked. If I cared about it being done well, I would have gotten a craftsman.

squarefoot 4y ago

If I may, I would complete a few points in the article. Soldering iron: Get a decent one. That doesn't mean you must throw a boatload of money, just avoid the crappy ones, which almost always are the cheaper ones. A notable exception is the Pinecil by Pine64.org, which is truly a great iron despite being cheap. Pinecil aside, you can snatch a used Weller or Hakko on ebay without spending too much, but beware of the many fakes. I had for a while a Hakko clone, and although well built, it was garbage: the heater-tip contact makes all the difference, and that was its weak point. Solder: Get leaded solder when possible. It's easier to use and joints are a lot less subject to tin whiskers. Sponge: Very useful, but don't forget to buy one that is suitable for soldering. A kitchen/bathroom one made of synthetic material will melt as soon as you put the heated tip on it. In the meantime, a damp strip of cotton cloth rolled into a coffee cup can be similarly effective. Work surface: I don't use a specific one, so don't have direct experience, however I doubt one could use a rubber doormat with heated tips. A oven silicone mat would probably be safer, but again, I never used them. Other items the article doesn't cover: -Flux. You will need it. No matter if the solder already contains rosin flux, having a way to put some extra flux on the surface to be soldered will help immensely. -Brass wool sponge. Some see it as complementary to the wet sponge, but I find having it handy because it is best at removing tin residuals from the tip, while the wet one helps cleaning it. -Solder wick. Very useful to remove tin in excess from old joints, therefore also for desoldering parts. Buy a couple rolls of different sizes and practice using it. -Sal Ammoniac. An almost forgotten item which can make a tip shine almost like new. It's cheap and a single tablet will last years. Oh, and practice, practice, practice.

i_am_a_peasant 4y ago
There is no such thing as too much flux :) I would also recommend wearing protective glasses not to splash stuff on your eyes.
- spiderxxxx 4y ago
  Oh, there definitely is such a thing as too much flux. I have some active flux that works really well on old and oxidized boards, but it's a pain to clean. I try to use only the amount necessary to do the job. No-clean flux still needs to be cleaned, but it's a lot easier to clean up, and with that I will say that I agree with your statement, conditionally. Having a swimming pool of flux or more flux than solder is not good.

agumonkey 4y ago

Soldering taught me how physical engineering and chemistry were oh so subtle. And how even simple circuits we rely on daily are kinda work of art.

sureglymop 4y ago

Thank you, this is great! On another note, what to solder? I've been playing around with arduinos and esp 32s but so far I've just used breadboards and didn't have to solder. Any recommendations for an easy project to take on?

floating-io 4y ago
Adafruit tends to sell things like their feather boards with loose headers, leaving the buyer to solder them. If you like playing with stuff like that it would give you an excuse to buy more boards. Timely; I just finished soldering headers to a Feather about 30 minutes ago. :)
opan 4y ago
A mechanical keyboard is a decent project to learn on. I built a Pinky4 kit when I was starting out, since you can't easily buy a keyboard like it already assembled. (Ergodox/Moonlander have bad thumb clusters)

aequitas 4y ago

If you ever get the chance, solder under a (say 40x) stereo microscope. The soldering station at my internship was this kind of setup and it literally gave me a whole new perspective on soldering. I got to see exactly how the flux and solder flow, how the heat spreads through the material and at what moment the heat was too high that it would melt or release the tiniest coper traces on the board. Also how well solder sticks and flows once everything is properly heated.

buescher 4y ago
It's fun, too! Even through-hole, where you really don't need a 'scope, is oddly satisfying when you can see every detail.

brailsafe 4y ago

Damn, paywalled. Seems timely though, I was just about to start with an incredibly basic iron a friend game me that seems to have no temp control, unleaded solder, flux

llamataboot 4y ago

My hands simply shake too much and always have to do detailed soldering work - my kingdom for a simple and inexpensive automatic solderer!

giankam 4y ago

The article doesn't actually teach how to solder. Just a few tips but not practical instructions to follow. As an example this sentence: "so we’re going to start by adding solder to both the wire and the pad that it’s being soldered to—this process is often referred to as tinning." Doesn't give a single hint on how to do it...

ptero 4y ago

Good article (although I would also add my vote to "do not buy the cheapest iron" group). It would be great to include a few ideas on what to try in this "how to get started" guide. It can be anything from an artsy soldering of a few small metal pieces to a custom switch to a simple electronics contraption. Or even a link to a few Make magazine mini-projects. This could move the needle from reading a cool article to actually trying it. My 2c.

varispeed 4y ago

The article doesn't mention any protective eyewear. When soldering use safety glasses - the heated flux flies everywhere and it's not fun when a hot droplet hits you in the eye. I am not soldering without safety glasses, lab coat and nitrile gloves. May seem like an overkill, but the flux really goes everywhere and it's not good for your health. Also don't forget to have a fume extractor! - you don't want to breathe the fumes! If you can't get one, at very least ensure you have a fan that will blow it away from your face.

nlnn 4y ago

As a very occasional solderer, one thing I don't see written about much in beginner guides is ventilation. With lead-based solder, I'm never sure what I should be doing, especially in a small room/workshop. Keeping windows open or having good airflow isn't always possible. Things like: should I avoid leaning over or breathing in while leaning over something I'm soldering? Do I need to air the room afterwards? Would a small carbon fume extractor help? Anything to worry about from other chemicals in lead-free solder? Or is even lead harmless enough for someone that's not soldering ever day?

derkades 4y ago
The fumes are from flux (usually rosin), not lead. They are mostly safe, just breathe out while you're soldering. Soldering should hardly leave a bad smell. If the room does smell bad after soldering, you might be accidentally burning something else, like plastic insulation.
bityard 4y ago
Lead does not vaporize at the temperatures being soldered, there is basically zero risk of breathing it in. However, when soldering you will end up with little balls and blobs of solder as waste. Don't just throw them in the trash. These should be collected and disposed of properly, as hazardous waste so that they don't end up in a landfill polluting your grandkids' water supply.

wintermutestwin 4y ago

No mention of toxicity of the fumes? No mention of needing a 3rd hand for many soldering you will want to do?

midoridensha 4y ago
That's because the fumes aren't toxic, they're just an irritant. 3rd hand? If you need to secure the workpiece, get a vise.

puredata 4y ago

Some tips for soldering beginners that helped me when I first started building FPV drones. -Get good solder. Kester 63/37 is my favorite. Stay away from lead-free solder, it's harder to work with. Soldering temperatures are too low to vaporize lead, just wash your hands after handling leaded solder. -Buy good flux. If you have a problem soldering, flux will probably fix it. No, the flux inside the solder wire is not enough. -Apply flux on the pad, heat the pad, lay your wire on the pad. While applying heat to the pad with your soldering iron, start feeding the solder onto the point where your pad and wire meets. It should start melting immediately and create a shiny connection. If it's not melting immediately, your soldering iron might be too cold. I like 380-420 range. Higher the iron temperature, quicker you should be. Don't rest the soldering iron for a prolonged time on the pad, it will burn it. Nothing on a flight controller (including XT-60 power connections) require more than a couple of seconds to heat up. On a side note, if you're not going for a specific build, don't buy rebranded brushless motors with pilot names on them. The same motor usually can be found cheaper, with the factory branding. Same goes for solder. TBS doesn't manufacture solder, they just probably rebrand Kester or some other similar brands with a margin. Joshua Bardwell's FPV shopping list should mention every one of those brands so you can look it up. Also as an additional step, consider conformal coating after you're done with all your connections.

deleted 4y ago
[deleted]

atum47 4y ago

Do you have any of these for welding? I'd like to get started on welding. Soldering is cool though, thanks for sharing.

Animats 4y ago

What, no pre-cleaning? No flux remover spray? Lead solder with no exhaust fan? Using lead solder is kind of retro. There are good lead-free solders now. If you get the kind with 3% silver, you pay $5 instead of $3 for a small spool, but it's much easier to get good results. Also, that stuff is no-clean, which simplifies things.

thewebcount 4y ago

Am I missing something? The article says: > As you’re applying heat with your soldering iron, it’s important to have the metal tip heating both the pad and the solder that’s going onto it—note the location where I’m placing the iron. But there's no picture to "note the location where I'm placing the iron" in? Was this article written somewhere else and repurposed and they missed a picture?

analog31 4y ago

At my workplace, I've taught a number of younger colleagues how to solder. They come in with laboratory science degrees but varying levels of manual skills. I try to explain what makes a better soldering iron, and I think the 3 key ingredients are: 1. High quality plated tips with a reliable supply chain for replacements. Find a catalog supplier for the tips before ordering the iron. 2. A timer greatly promotes tip life if you're forgetful like me, and also placates colleagues / family members who are concerned about safety. Newer units have a built-in timer, older ones can use a cheap Belkin outlet timer. 3. Temperature control, which most soldering "stations" come with. As for solder, lead-tin is easiest to use, but if you're committed to using lead-free, some alloys work better than others. I recommend Kester K100 as being the closest to "almost like lead-tin" due to a relatively low melting point and decent flow properties. A magnifying visor or inspection microscope is extremely valuable for soldering fine pitch IC's. Learning to be quick about forming a joint saves on melting the insulation of wiring and some delicate connectors.

midoridensha 4y ago
Personally, I found high-powered reading glasses to be really helpful for soldering. They're cheap, available at any dollar store, and much more comfortable to use than visors.
- analog31 4y ago
  I'll give them a try. Also while on the subject, I'm mildly nearsighted and find when I'm working on some kinds of tools, taking off my glasses and wearing non prescription safety glasses is just right.
  - midoridensha 4y ago
    If you're mildly nearsighted, you'll probably want low-power reading glasses then (in the +1 to +2 range). Bring a circuit board with you when shopping for glasses and see which power works for you. High-power (+5) glasses will probably be too much. Higher-power magnification gives you more zoom, but at the expense of field-of-view, and can just be annoying.

bfrog 4y ago

If you enjoy it I recommend a curie point thermaltronic or maybe metcal. I love mine, never having to calibrate the tip is wonderful. Having the power draw ramp up quickly on a big ground plane is a joy. Not fussing with a bullshit temp setting is utter simplicity. Truly is a joy to use.

lukego 4y ago
Metcal e.g. MX500 is built like a tank and often available cheap on eBay. I picked up a bargain priced unit on a whim and it's been great. Used it to get the controller out of an ebike battery yesterday :D

chasd00 4y ago

I do a lot of hobby level soldering. If the iron has a stand, temp dial, and a sponge it’s plenty good to get started with. Don’t spend more than $75. A real panavise is also a wise investment, you can find them second hand pretty easily.

macropin 4y ago

Fumes are best avoided. They contain mercury. True story: I was testing the quality of the water from a property I was thinking of buying and got a hit for high levels of mercury. I called the test manufacturer and asked for a few more tests to confirm the levels and the guy asks "done any soldering in the area within the last TWO WEEKS", I had been soldering the taillight / trailer connections on my van about two or three weeks prior and that was enough to leave detectable levels of mercury lingering in the undercover outdoor area where I conducted the tests.

panic 4y ago
I've never heard of solder with mercury in it. I'm surprised anyone would sell something like that.

user3939382 4y ago

Louis Rossmann recommends this one https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01B4CLAKG https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01B4CLAKG