• Soldering Basics
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• Jaguar F Pace Handbook

In Accordance With NASA-STD-8739.3 December 1997 NASA Training Program Student Workbook for Hand Soldering December 1998 National Aeronautics and.

Soldering is process of joining two metals together with soldering iron by the use of a solder to form a dependable electrical joint. This is a basic soldering guide for beginners about hand soldering with a soldering iron. I hope that it will be good help for most of your DIY projects from electronics. If you are experienced in soldering, your comments are welcome in 'comments' area. In this instructable I will cover the following topics: - safety precautions before we start soldering operation -choosing appropriate soldering iron and solder - preparing for soldering -soldering -inspection of solder joints.

Most of solder wires or solder paste contain lead (solder alloy is mixture of tin and lead). During soldering operation lead may produce fumes that are dangerous for your health. In addition, soldering wire usually has a flux in the middle of wire. There are different types of cored solder with different solder to flux rate. Flux containing rosin (colophony) produces solder fumes that, if inhaled, can be hazardous. Soldering should be performed only in a well-ventilated area.

Use smoke absorber. Soldering iron is very HOT (for most of soldering operation temperature of iron is 350 -400 degrees Celsius). Never touch tip of the soldering iron with your hand. Never leave your hot iron down on anything other than an iron stand. Keep flammable liquids and materials (such as alcohol, solvent etc.) away from the work area.

Wear eye protection. Do not cut off a grounding prong on an iron plug to make it fit an ungrounded receptacle. Hold wires to be heated with tweezers, pliers or clamps to avoid receiving burns on your fingers from objects that are heated. Wear ESD (Electro-Static Discharge) protection if you are going to solder electro-static sensitive components such as CMOS components. For most of DIY projects it will be good enough to wear ESD wrist straps (shown on the picture below). Wash your hands with soap and water after soldering.

Main requirement in the process of soldering is heat. Soldering iron is tool that generates heat. There are wide selection of soldering stations, soldering irons and soldering guns. They come in a wide variety of shapes, sizes and wattages.

Which soldering iron is the best soldering iron for you depends on the types of soldering projects that you plan to do. Click here if you wish to read reviews about some most popular soldering irons. For every soldering project you need enough heat to quickly melt the solder and apply it to solder joint, but at the same time you do not want too much heat that can burn or melt delicate electronic components on circuit boards. If you do not pay attention on temperature of iron you can accidentally ruin your soldering project by applying too much heat. Too much heat from soldering iron can damage or even lift and break copper conductors and pads on circuit board as well. Electronic temperature control means that you will always know if the tip of the soldering iron is hot enough for the material you are soldering. It makes your soldering process a whole lot easier.

Temperature of iron can be adjusted with the front panel temperature control knob - you can precisely control the temperature of soldering iron within 9 degrees Fahrenheit. This means that you can rest assured that your soldering iron is hot enough and ready for soldering, and at same time you know that it is not too hot to burn components on circuit board. This is main reason why I always recommend a temperature controlled soldering iron. In this instructable I am using 50 Watts Weller WESD51 temperature controlled soldering iron.

For soldering operation we also need a solder. One of the most commonly used solder alloys is solder that is 60% tin (Sn) and 40% lead (Pb). Another commonly used solder alloy is solder that is 63% tin (Sn) and 37% lead (Pb) – this works especially well on small electronic parts. Recently, there is big increase in use of lead-free solder since lead fumes can be dangerous for health. Solder is usually in form of solder wire (with flux in the middle of wire). Solder wire is available in different sizes but in soldering of electronic circuits we usually use solder wire which thickness is 010” 020' and 030”.

In this project I am using a solder wire 030” which is 60% tin (Sn) and 40% lead (Pb). Turn on power switch on soldering station. Set desired temperature of soldering station by turning knob on front panel. Most of good soldering stations take 1-2 minutes to reach to desired temperature. Use distilled water to dampen the sponge in the stand (sponge should be damp, not soaking wet). The iron tip should be cleaned before every use by wiping it on wet sponge (when tip is hot enough).

A brand new tip needs to be coated, heated, and then covered with solder before its first use (this technique is called “tinning“of the tip). The purpose of tinning is to form a thin layer around the tip which provides the better transfer of heat from the tip to the solder joint. Only clean iron tip transfers heat well. Clean properly the soldering area and all components as well. All components must be clean and free from oxidation or any other contamination.

You cannot make a good solder joint on a dirty soldering surface – solder simply will not stick to dirty component or dirty pads on printed circuit board. The copper pads on circuit board should be wiped with a solvent such as isopropyl alcohol to remove any grease and if needed with abrasive stick. Then, some flux should be applied. Flux is mixture of natural and synthetic rosins. Flux removes oxide film and keeps removing it during soldering process.

This oxide film forms very quickly on the surface of heated metal. Insert component in circuit board by using a pair of tweezers. If soldering iron is hot enough, take it from stand and hold it as a pen. Place a tip of soldering iron to the solder joint and hold for a couple of seconds. Make sure that iron tip touches at the same time both the copper pad on circuit board and the component lead. Heating the only one part but not the other will result in poorly created joints.

Thermal linkage is the area of contact between the iron tip and surface of solder joint. The contact between the iron tip and surface is usually very small straight line along iron tip.

Thermal linkage can be significantly increased by adding a small amount of solder to the line of contact between iron tip and surface. Molten solder forms a heat bridge between the tip and the solder joint. This solder bridge provides the better and quicker transfer of heat into the solder joint. Continue heating and then apply some solder to the solder joint, not to the tip of soldering iron. Solder should melt and flow smoothly onto the copper surface of pad filling a gap between component lead and copper pad.

Two most common problems with soldering are adding too much or not enough solder. All soldering operation should be completed in less than 2 seconds. The time of soldering operation depends on the temperature of your iron and size of the joint. If we keep applying heat longer than 2 seconds, this can break the pads or conductors on circuit board or damage temperature-sensitive components.

Remove the soldering iron while keeping the joint sill - do not move circuit board for a few seconds to allow the joint to cool down and solder to solidify. Clean flux residues with ethanol alcohol or some other solvent. Immediately after soldering, start visual inspection of solder joint. Good magnifying lamp (or a microscope) is required for proper and thorough inspection. Use an ohm-meter to test a solder joint for continuity.

Adjacent components may be bridged together or the joint may need additional solder for good electrical continuity - too much solder will cause bridging and too little solder can cause weak solder joints. Good solder joint should be smooth, volcano-shaped, shiny and bright. Bad solder joints are cold solder joints, solder bridges, solder balls. Click here for more details about hand soldering with soldering iron.

A few additional details to an excellent guide; 1-A cheap or low powered soldering iron can be very frustrating. A 40 watt can be good for normal #14 and smaller wire 60 watt for bigger stuff-it should quickly (= less than 1 second) melt the solder. After a while an iron can lose power but often simply taking the cold tip out and putting it back in will renew it. 2-Lead free solder can be hard to use-A small fan can blow the little bit of leaded solder smoke away from you. 3-It is easy to over heat the wire which makes it brittle and prone to breaking down the road. Because of this it is now illegal to solder many joints in Aerospace and transportation where vibration and movement occur. Getting a good hot iron to quickly heat up the joint then getting it off quickly is the trick.

In aerospace Anderson connectors are often used-they require a special crimper but eliminate the need to solder connections and provide a superior joint. They are a plug and are very good for some applications. 4-Constantly (every 20-30 seconds) wipe the tip on the wet sponge mentioned to keep the tip smooth and shiny looking-prevents the tip from deteriorating. This is why most iron holders have a sponge holder built in.

I cant get the solder to melt. I'm using a 117v 25W solder iron. I melt a little solder on the tip of the iron like you and all the other tutorials say, but even that takes longer than 2 seconds. It takes about 3 to 4 seconds. I then apply the iron to the wires that I am soldering (I'm not soldering a circuit board. I soldering wires together.

But other tutorials confirm that the process is the same as you described) for a few seconds, then apply the solder to the other side of the wires as you recommend and other tutorials recommend as well. NOT to the iron tip. It doesn't matter how long I leave the iron or solder applied to the wires or how still I hold either, nothing happens. I have not been able to get any solder to melt onto any wires.

It is becoming very frustrating. Any help would be appreciated.

​ 01 Mar 1998 This written guide will help beginners and novices to obtain effective results when soldering electronic components. If you have little or no experience of using a soldering iron, then we recommend that you practice your soldering technique on some fresh surplus components and clean stripboard (protoboard), before experimenting with a proper constructional project. This will help you to avoid the risk of disappointment when you start to assemble your first prototypes. If you’ve never soldered before, then read on! Types of Iron Topics in this section include: Voltage, Wattage, Temperature Control, Soldering Stations, Anti-Static Protection, Bits (Tips), Spare Parts, and Gas-Powered Irons.

The most fundamental skill needed to assemble any electronic project is that of soldering. It takes some practice to make the perfect joint, but, like riding a bicycle, once learned is never forgotten! The idea is simple: to join electrical parts together to form an electrical connection, using a molten mixture of lead and tin (solder) with a soldering iron.

A large range of soldering irons is available – which one is suitable for you depends on your budget and how serious your interest in electronics is. Electronics catalogues often include a selection of well-known brands of soldering iron. Excellent British-made ones include the universally popular Antex, Adcola and Litesold makes. Other popular brands include those made by Weller and Ungar. A very basic mains electric soldering iron can cost from under 5 UK Pounds (8 US Dollars), but you can expect a reasonable model to be approximately 10 to 12 UKP (16 to 20 US Dollars), and it’s quite possible to spend into three figures on a “soldering station” if you’re really serious!

You can check suppliers’ catalogues for some typical types of iron. Certain factors you need to bear in mind include: Voltage: Most irons run from the mains at 240V (110V in the US). However, low voltage types (e.g. 12V or 24V) generally form part of a “soldering station,” and are designed to be used with a special controller made by the same manufacturer. Wattage: Typically, soldering irons may have a power rating of between 15-25 watts or so, which is fine for most work.

A higher wattage does not mean that the iron runs hotter – it simply means that there is more power in reserve for coping with larger joints. This also depends partly on the design of the “bit” (the tip of the iron). Consider a higher wattage iron simply as being more “unstoppable” when it comes to heavier-duty work, because it won’t cool down so quickly. Temperature Control: The simplest and cheapest types don’t have any form of temperature regulation.

Simply plug them in and switch them on! Thermal regulation is “designed in” (by physics, not electronics!). These irons may be described as “thermally balanced” so that they have some degree of temperature “matching,” but their output will otherwise not be controlled. Unregulated irons form an ideal general purpose iron for most users, and they generally cope well with printed circuit board soldering and general interwiring. Most of these “miniature” types of iron will be of little use when attempting to solder large joints (e.g. Very large terminals or very thick wires) because the component being soldered will “sink” heat away from the tip of the iron, cooling it down too much.

Soldering Basics

(This is where a higher wattage comes in useful.) A proper temperature-controlled iron will be quite a lot more expensive – retailing at say 40 UKP (60 USD) or more. Rapidshare ms office 2003 deutschland. This type of iron will have some form of built-in thermostatic control, to ensure that the temperature of the bit (the tip of the iron) is maintained at a fixed level (within limits). This is desirable, especially during more frequent use, since it helps to ensure that the temperature does not “overshoot” in between times, and also guarantees that the output will be relatively stable. Some irons have a bimetallic strip thermostat built into the handle which gives an audible “click” in use: other types use all-electronic controllers, and some may be adjustable using a screwdriver.

Yet more expensive still, soldering stations cost from 70 UKP (115 USD) upwards (the iron may be sold separately, so you can pick the type you prefer). Soldering stations consist of a complete bench-top control unit into which a special low-voltage soldering iron is plugged. Some versions might have a built-in digital temperature readout, and will have a control knob to enable you to vary the setting. The temperature could be boosted for soldering larger joints, for example, or for using higher melting-point solders (e.g. Silver solder). These are designed for the most discerning users, or for continuous production line and professional use. The best stations have irons which are well balanced, with comfort-grip handles which remain cool all day.

A thermocouple will be built into the tip or shaft, which monitors temperature. Anti-Static Protection: If you’re interested in soldering a lot of static-sensitive parts (e.g. CMOS chips or MOSFET transistors), more advanced and expensive soldering iron stations use static-dissipative materials in their construction to ensure that static does not build up on the iron itself. You may see these listed as “ESD safe” (electrostatic discharge proof). The cheapest irons won’t necessarily be ESD-safe but never the less will still probably perform perfectly well in most hobby or educational applications if you take the usual anti-static precautions when handling the components. The tip would need to be well earthed (grounded) in these circumstances. Bits: It’s useful to have a small selection of manufacturer’s bits (soldering iron tips) available with different diameters or shapes, which can be changed depending on the type of work in hand.

You’ll probably find that you become accustomed to, and work best with, a particular shape of tip. Often, tips are iron-coated to preserve their life, or they may be bright-plated instead.

Copper tips are seldom seen these days. Spare Parts: it’s nice to know that spare parts may be available, so if the element blows, you don’t need to replace the entire iron. This is especially so with expensive irons.

Check through some of the larger mail-order catalogues. Gas-Powered Irons: You will occasionally see gas-powered soldering irons which use butane rather than the mains electrical supply to operate. They have a catalytic element which, once warmed up, continues to glow hot when gas passes over them. Service engineers use them for working on repairs where there may be no power available, or where a joint is tricky to reach with a normal iron, so they are really for occasional “on the spot” use for quick repairs, rather than for mainstream construction or assembly work. And Finally: A solder gun is a pistol-shaped iron, typically running at 100W or more, and is completely unsuitable for soldering modern electronic components: they’re too hot, heavy and unwieldy for micro-electronics use. Plumbing, maybe.!

Soldering irons are best used along with a heat-resistant bench-type holder, so that the hot iron can be safely parked in between use. Soldering stations already have this feature, otherwise a separate soldering iron stand is essential, preferably one with a holder for tip-cleaning sponges. Now let’s look at how to use soldering irons properly, and how to put things right when a joint goes wrong How to Solder Topics in this section include: Quick Summary Guide, Cleanliness of Components, Temperature, Time, and Amount.

Quick Summary Guide: Turning to the actual techniques of soldering, firstly it’s best to secure the work somehow so that it doesn’t move during soldering and affect your accuracy. In the case of a printed circuit board, various holding frames are fairly popular especially with densely populated boards. The idea with a holding frame is to insert all the parts on one side (this may be referred to as “stuffing” or “populating” the board), hold them in place with a special foam pad to prevent them from falling out, turn the board over, and then snip off the wires with cutters before making the joints.

The frame saves an awful lot of turning the board over and back again, especially with large boards. Other parts could be held firm in a modeller’s small vice, for example. Solder joints may need to possess some degree of mechanical strength in some cases, especially with wires soldered to, say, potentiometer or switch tags, and this means that the wire should be looped through the tag and secured before solder is applied. The down side is that it is more difficult to desolder the joint (see later) and remove the wire afterwards, if required. Otherwise, in the case of an ordinary circuit board, components’ wires are bent to fit through the board, inserted flush against the board’s surface, splayed outwards a little so that the part grips the board, and then soldered. In my view – opinions vary – it’s generally better to snip the surplus wires leads off first, to make the joint more accessible and avoid applying a mechanical shock to the printed circuit board (PCB) joint. However, in the case of semiconductors, I often tend to leave the snipping until after the joint has been made, since the excess wire will help to sink away some of the heat from the semiconductor junction.

Integrated circuits can either be soldered directly into place if you are confident enough, or better, use a dual-in-line socket to prevent heat damage. The chip can then be swapped out if needed. Parts which become hot in operation (e.g.

Some resistors), are raised above the board slightly to allow air to circulate. Some components, especially large electrolytic capacitors, may require a mounting clip to be screwed down to the board first, otherwise the part may eventually break off due to vibration.

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The perfectly soldered joint will be nice and shiny looking, and will prove reliable in service. I would say that the key factors affecting the quality of the joint are: o) Cleanliness o) Temperature o) Duration o) Adequate solder coverage A little effort spent now in soldering the perfect joint may save you – or somebody else – a considerable amount of time in troubleshooting a defective joint in the future.

The basic principles are as follows. Really Clean: Firstly, and without exception, all parts – including the iron tip itself – must be clean and free from contamination. Solder just will not “take” to dirty parts! Old components or copper board can be notoriously difficult to solder, because of the layer of oxidation which builds up on the surface of the leads. This repels the molten solder and this will soon be evident because the solder will “bead” into globules, going everywhere except where you need it. Dirt is the enemy of a good quality soldered joint! Hence, it is an absolute necessity to ensure that parts are free from grease, oxidation and other contamination.

In the case of old resistors or capacitors, for example, where the leads have started to oxidise, use a small hand-held file or perhaps scrape a knife blade or rub a fine emery cloth over them to reveal fresh metal underneath. Stripboard and copper printed circuit board will generally oxidise after a few months, especially if it has been fingerprinted, and the copper strips can be cleaned using an abrasive rubber block, like an aggressive eraser, to reveal fresh shiny copper underneath. Also available is a fibre-glass filament brush, which is used propelling-pencil-like to remove any surface contamination. These tend to produce tiny particles which are highly irritating to skin, so avoid accidental contact with any debris. Afterwards, a wipe with a rag soaked in cleaning solvent will remove most grease marks and fingerprints.

After preparing the surfaces, avoid touching the parts afterwards if at all possible. Another side effect of having dirty surfaces is the tendency for people to want to apply more heat in an attempt to “force the solder to take.” This will often do more harm than good because it may not be possible to burn off any contaminants anyway, and the component may be overheated. In the case of semiconductors, temperature is quite critical and they may be harmed by applying such excessive heat. Before using the iron to make a joint, it should be “tinned” (coated with solder) by applying a few millimetres of solder, then wiped on a damp sponge preparing it for use: you should always do this immediately with a new bit, anyway. Personally, I always re-apply a very small amount of solder again, mainly to improve the thermal contact between the iron and the joint, so that the solder will flow more quickly and easily. It’s sometimes better to tin larger parts as well before making the joint itself, but it isn’t generally necessary with PCB work. A worthwhile product is Weller’s Tip Tinner & Cleaner, a small 15 gram tinlet of paste onto which you dab a hot iron – the product cleans and tins the iron ready for use.

An equivalent is Adcola Tip-Save. Normal electronics grade solder is usually 60% lead - 40% tin, and it contains cores of “flux,” which helps the molten solder to flow more easily over the joint. Flux removes oxides which arise during heating, and is seen as a brown fluid bubbling away on the joint. Acid fluxes (e.g. As used by plumbers) must never be applied.

Other solders are available for specialist work, including aluminium and silver-solder. Different solder diameters are produced, too; 20-22 SWG (19-21 AWG) is 0.91-0.71mm diameter and is fine for most work.

Choose 18 SWG (16 AWG) for larger joints requiring more solder. Temperature: Another step to successful soldering is to ensure that the temperature of all the parts is raised to roughly the same level before applying solder. Imagine, for instance, trying to solder a resistor into place on a printed circuit board: it’s far better to heat both the copper PCB and the resistor lead at the same time before applying solder, so that the solder will flow much more readily over the joint.

Heating one part but not the other is far less satisfactory joint, so strive to ensure that the iron is in contact with all the components first, before touching the solder to it. The melting point of most solder is in the region of 188°C (370°F) and the iron tip temperature is typically 330°C to 350°C (626°F to 662°F). Now is the time: Next, the joint should be heated with the bit for just the right amount of time – during which a short length of solder is applied to the joint. Do not use the iron to carry molten solder over to the joint! Excessive time will damage the component and perhaps the circuit board copper foil too! Heat the joint with the tip of the iron, then continue heating whilst applying solder, then remove the iron and allow the joint to cool.

This should take only a few seconds, with experience. The heating period depends on the temperature of your iron and size of the joint – and larger parts need more heat than smaller ones – but some parts (semiconductor diodes, transistors and integrated circuits), are sensitive to heat and should not be heated for more than a few seconds. Novices sometimes buy a small clip-on heat-shunt, which resembles a pair of aluminium tweezers. In the case of, say, a transistor, the shunt is attached to one of the leads near to the transistor’s body. Any excess heat then diverts up the heat shunt instead of into the transistor junction, thereby saving the device from over-heating.

Beginners find them reassuring until they’ve gained more experience. Solder Coverage: The final key to a successful solder joint is to apply an appropriate amount of solder. Too much solder is an unnecessary waste and may cause short circuits with adjacent joints.

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Too little and it may not support the component properly, or may not fully form a working joint. How much to apply, only really comes with practice.

A few millimetres only, is enough for an “average” PCB joint, (if there is such a thing). How to Desolder A soldered joint which is improperly made will be electrically “noisy,” unreliable, and is likely to get worse over time. It may even not have made any electrical connection at all, or could work initially and then cause the equipment to fail at a later date! It can be hard to judge the quality of a solder joint purely by appearances, because you cannot say how the joint actually formed on the inside, but by following the guidelines there is no reason why you should not obtain perfect results. A joint which is poorly formed is often called a “dry joint.” Such a joint usually results from dirt or grease preventing the solder from melting onto the parts properly, and is often noticeable because of the tendency of the solder not to “spread,” but to form beads or globules instead, perhaps partially.

Alternatively, if it seems to take an inordinately long time for the solder to spread, this is another sign of possible dirt and that the joint may potentially be a dry one. There will undoubtedly come a time when you need to remove the solder from a joint: possibly to replace a faulty component or fix a dry joint. The usual way is to use a desoldering pump which works like a small spring-loaded bicycle pump, only in reverse! (More demanding users using CMOS devices might need a pump which is ESD safe.) A spring-loaded plunger is released at the push of a button and the molten solder is then drawn up into the pump. It may take one or two attempts to clean up a joint this way, but a small desoldering pump is an invaluable tool especially for PCB work. Sometimes, it’s effective to actually add more solder and then desolder the whole lot with a pump, if the solder is particularly awkward to remove. Care is needed, though, to ensure that the boards and parts are not damaged by excessive heat; the pumps themselves have a P.T.F.E.

Nozzle which is heat proof but may need replacing occasionally. An excellent alternative to a pump is to use desoldering braid, including the famous American “Soder-Wick” (sic) or Adcola “TISA-Wick” which are packaged in small dispenser reels. This product is a specially treated fine copper braid which draws molten solder up into the braid where it solidifies. The best way is to use the tip of the hot iron to press a short length of braid down onto the joint to be desoldered. The iron will subsequently melt the solder, which will be drawn up into the braid. Take extreme care to ensure that you don’t allow the solder to cool with the braid adhering to the work, or you run the risk of damaging PCB copper tracks when you attempt to pull the braid off the joint. I recommend buying a small reel of de-soldering braid, especially for larger or difficult joints which would take several attempts with a pump.

It is surprisingly effective, especially on difficult joints where a desoldering pump may prove a struggle. Summary Here’s a summary of how to make the perfect solder joint:.

All parts must be clean and free from dirt and grease. Try to secure the work firmly. “Tin” the iron tip with a small amount of solder. Do this immediately, with new tips being used for the first time. Clean the tip of the hot soldering iron on a damp sponge (many people then add a tiny amount of fresh solder to the cleansed tip). Heat all parts of the joint with the iron for under a second or so. Continue heating, then apply sufficient solder only, to form an adequate joint.

Remove and return the iron safely to its stand. It only takes two or three seconds at most, to solder the average PCB joint. Do not move parts until the solder has cooled.

Troubleshooting Guide The solder won’t “take”: If grease or dirt are present, desolder and clean up the parts. Or, the material may simply not be suitable for soldering with lead/tin solder. The joint is crystalline or grainy-looking: The parts forming the joint may have been moved before being allowed to cool, or the joint was not heated adequately (too small an iron or too large a joint). The solder joint forms a “spike”: The joint was probably overheated, burning away the flux. First Aid If you are unlucky enough to receive burns which require treatment, here’s what to do:. Immediately cool the affected area with cold running water, ice, or even frozen peas, for ten minutes. Remove any rings etc.

Before swelling starts. Apply a sterile dressing to protect against infection. Do not apply lotions, ointments etc., nor prick any blisters which form later. Seek professional medical advice where necessary. Photo Gallery Soldering is a delicate manual skill which only comes with practice.

Remember that your ability to solder effectively will determine directly how well the prototype or product functions during its lifespan. Poor soldering can be an expensive business - causing product failure and downtime, engineer’s maintenance time and customer dissatisfaction. At hobbyist level, bad soldering technique can be a cause of major disappointment which damages your confidence. It needn’t be like that: soldering is really easy to learn, and like learning to ride a bike, once mastered is never forgotten! These ten photos illustrate the basic steps in making a perfect solder joint on a PCB. If you’re a beginner, our advice is that it’s best to practice your soldering technique using some clean, new parts with perhaps some new stripboard (protoboard).

Be sure to avoid using old, dirty parts; these can be difficult if not impossible to solder. – Alan Winstanley. Boards must be clean to begin with, especially if they’re not previously “tinned” with solder. Clean the copper tracks using e.g.

An abrasive rubber block. Clean the iron “bit” (tip) using a damp sponge.

The iron featured here is an Ungar Concept 2100 Soldering Station. A useful product is Multicore’s Tip Tinner Cleaner (TTC) - a 15 gramme tin of special paste which cleans and “tins” the iron, in one go.

Insert the components and splay the leads so that the part is held in place. It’s usually best to snip the wires to length prior to soldering. This helps prevent transmitting mechanical shocks to the copper foil. Apply a clean iron tip to the copper and the lead, in order to heat both items at the same time.

Continue heating and apply a few millimetres of solder. Remove the iron and allow the solder joint to cool naturally. It only takes a second or two, to make the perfect joint, which should be nice and shiny. Check the Guide for troubleshooting help. An example of a “dry” joint - the solder failed to flow, and instead beaded to form globules around the wire.

“Solder Wick” is a cheap and very effective way of desoldering a joint. Take care not to overheat the board. Alternatively, use a desoldering pump. Contacting the Author This guide was written by Alan Winstanley, email Copyright Notice & Disclaimer The Basic Soldering Guide is © 1996/7/8/9 Wimborne Publishing Limited, publishers of Everyday Practical Electronics/ ETI magazine, Wimborne, Dorset, England and reproduced by permission. The Basic Soldering Guide photographs are © 1999 Copyright Alan Winstanley and reproduced by permission.

You are welcome to download it, print it and distribute it for personal or educational use. It may not be used in any commercial publication, mirrored on any commercial site, nor may it be appended to or amended, or used or distributed for any commercial reason, without the prior permission of the Publishers. Every care has been taken to ensure that the information and guidance given is accurate and reliable, but since conditions of use are beyond our control, no legal liability or consequential claims will be accepted for any errors herein. The British mains voltage supply is 230V a.c. – you should amend ratings for local conditions. For any interested photographers: the photographs were taken by the author using a Minolta X-700 SLR with 50mm Minolta MC manual-focus macro lens at f11-16, coupled to a Minolta Auto 80PX macro ring flash gun.

Film was Kodak Gold 200. The prints were scanned using an HP Scanjet 4C flatbed scanner, and enhanced using JASC Paintshop Pro 4.1.