Tips on soldering
10-21-2014 | 04:59 PM
#1
Thread Starter
Tech Apprentice
Joined: Sep 2014
Posts: 97
Tips on soldering
I am really not good on that. Always ask the seller to make this for me.So i seldom change them if they are connected!
Any body who has suggestions if i want to make it by myself?
Any body who has suggestions if i want to make it by myself?
10-21-2014 | 05:30 PM
#2
Soldering is really an learned skill. It take a while to get hang of it. I spend about 40-50% of my time soldering ( its my job in the military to fix electronics) and I have become pretty good at it. But I wasn't always good. I took me about 4 years of doing it 2-3 times a week for several hours a day. Now I am an instructor on the subject for the new kids who come in. Here is my advice and lessons learned....
1. Take your time. Rushing will cause little mistakes. Little mistakes build up into big ones. Big ones cost money!
2. START with good equipment. You cant make chicken pie out of chicken poop. The right tool for the right job. A good 60 watt iron will be perfect for any soldering in RC. I suggest investing in a good station. They run from $75 on up. Spend a little more now and you wont have to worry about it again. At least for a long while. Ive had my Hakko for about 14 years.
2B. Get good solder. 60/40 from the hobby store or Radio shack is good stuff. Use a lead base as it is easier to work with. If you want to go "green," you can get the silver solder but you have to have a higher heat range for it to work well.
3. Start fresh. Reusing wire can be difficult. Try to use a new piece until you get the hang of it. Its better to have a little extra length than not enough.
4. Tin your wires and the tabs/post you are going to solder( Tinning means to coat the wire or post with solder before you "attach" it to what ever) using a "3rd" hand. I use a pair of needle nose pliers with a rubber band to hold the wire.
5. When you go to attach the 2 pieces, put a touch of solder on the iron, then heat the larger piece first. Keep the iron on that piece while you hold the other to it. You will see the metal turn shinny and liquidy. When that happens remove the iron and give it a good blow to cool and harden it. Be careful not to move the pieces as it will cause a weak joint.
6. Clean up with a little rubbing alcohol and Q-tip. The flux that is in the solder along with the heat causes micro corrosion. This can make the joint weak and possibly break on you. Not to big of a worry on RC but just a practice I have gotten into.
Good luck. check out some videos on you tube if you would like to see it instead of just reading it.
1. Take your time. Rushing will cause little mistakes. Little mistakes build up into big ones. Big ones cost money!
2. START with good equipment. You cant make chicken pie out of chicken poop. The right tool for the right job. A good 60 watt iron will be perfect for any soldering in RC. I suggest investing in a good station. They run from $75 on up. Spend a little more now and you wont have to worry about it again. At least for a long while. Ive had my Hakko for about 14 years.
2B. Get good solder. 60/40 from the hobby store or Radio shack is good stuff. Use a lead base as it is easier to work with. If you want to go "green," you can get the silver solder but you have to have a higher heat range for it to work well.
3. Start fresh. Reusing wire can be difficult. Try to use a new piece until you get the hang of it. Its better to have a little extra length than not enough.
4. Tin your wires and the tabs/post you are going to solder( Tinning means to coat the wire or post with solder before you "attach" it to what ever) using a "3rd" hand. I use a pair of needle nose pliers with a rubber band to hold the wire.
5. When you go to attach the 2 pieces, put a touch of solder on the iron, then heat the larger piece first. Keep the iron on that piece while you hold the other to it. You will see the metal turn shinny and liquidy. When that happens remove the iron and give it a good blow to cool and harden it. Be careful not to move the pieces as it will cause a weak joint.
6. Clean up with a little rubbing alcohol and Q-tip. The flux that is in the solder along with the heat causes micro corrosion. This can make the joint weak and possibly break on you. Not to big of a worry on RC but just a practice I have gotten into.
Good luck. check out some videos on you tube if you would like to see it instead of just reading it.
10-21-2014 | 06:29 PM
#4
Tech Fanatic
Joined: Jul 2013
Posts: 762
From: somewhere near Japan
There is big sticky topic right in this forum section about good soldering, no need to make another thread.
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