Mini Soldering Lesson

[Centallica]

One of my pinball sites that I frequent has a soldering lesson on their website, thought it may be of interest here too:

http://www.pinballnews.com/learn/soldering/index.html

Brian

[Schema]

Excellent page, thanks.

I follow those steps as best I can when I'm soldering, and I've had a reasonable amount of practice. However, my solder joints are always a dull grey, not shiny like the page says they should be.

They work OK, but I'm sure I'm doing something wrong. Any recommendations?

[rork]

One of my pinball sites that I frequent has a soldering lesson on their website, thought it may be of interest here too:

http://www.pinballnews.com/learn/soldering/index.html

Brian

Awesome! Thanks for posting this!

[Centallica]

If you found this one useful, this link is my bible. This is the basics of electronics section and there's other sections that dive into the different board systems used in pinball machines.

I like it as it's very thorough and walks a newbie through easily. He has videos too which are very useful and humourous

Try here:
http://www.marvin3m.com/begin/index.htm#intro2

Brian

[Jeff-20]

I have a jittery hand... I'm the world's WORST at soldering!

[Centallica]

I have a jittery hand... I'm the world's WORST at soldering!

You have to keep from inhaling the smoke from the solder to prevent the hand shakes Jeff

Brian

[Jeff-20]

It always ends with shiny clumps everywhere... under my nails, in my hair, stuck between my teeth... and of course, burns... burns everywhere...

[the dude of dudes]

Excellent page, thanks.

I follow those steps as best I can when I'm soldering, and I've had a reasonable amount of practice. However, my solder joints are always a dull grey, not shiny like the page says they should be.

They work OK, but I'm sure I'm doing something wrong. Any recommendations?

I'm NOT a soldering expert by any means, but I can relate to what you are talking about. Its called a cold joint, and is exactly that. The lead/pad was not hot enough to burn away all the crap that makes the joint dull (from what I understand). I find joints with thin guage wire (caps, resistors, IC sockets) provide best results, while larger guage wire (I use 24 guage solid) and components with bigger leads (voltage regulators for instance) are slightly duller, since they sink more heat. It's a trade-off for me, I'd rather have a joint that may or may not fail over time than a fried component. The 5 second rule in the soldering tutorial link seems a bit too long for most components. I think you'd burn the insulation off your hookup wire in that time. I also use a 20watt iron. I think anything over 30 watts is too much for most electrionic components.

[Shaggy]

I agree with the Dude of Dudes, its most likely a cold solder joint. Another option is that your solder is contaminated. Make sure your solder tip is clean, that you use plenty of flux and that all leads, pad, whatever your soldering is clean, with no oxidation on it. I repair circuit boards everyday for a living and find that using plenty of Flux will cure this problem most of the time. It helps clean off everything and it helps in heat transfer. Use as much as you need, then clean it off!! I hate it when I find flux on an old repair. All Flux is acidic and will eventually cause problems. So, clean it off with alcohol within 30 minutes.

[Centallica]

I agree with the Dude of Dudes, its most likely a cold solder joint. Another option is that your solder is contaminated. Make sure your solder tip is clean, that you use plenty of flux and that all leads, pad, whatever your soldering is clean, with no oxidation on it. I repair circuit boards everyday for a living and find that using plenty of Flux will cure this problem most of the time. It helps clean off everything and it helps in heat transfer. Use as much as you need, then clean it off!! I hate it when I find flux on an old repair. All Flux is acidic and will eventually cause problems. So, clean it off with alcohol within 30 minutes.

Is this the same Shaggy from the pinball community

[Shaggy]

Is this the same Shaggy from the pinball community

Nope, that's not me. I picked up the nick in the military, where my first intial and last name got stuck together.

[nbla000]

Nope, that's not me.

Thank God!

[Centallica]

Nope, that's not me.

Thank God!

It's actually a wig on the dude to add some humour to the repair shows he tapes...

[eslapion]

...I think anything over 30 watts is too much for most electrionic components.

Hey I have a 50 watts soldering iron. Yet I never overhated a single electronic component. Maybe its because its temperature controlled...

The 5 second rule in the soldering tutorial link seems a bit too long for most components. I think you'd burn the insulation off your hookup wire in that time.

No its not! If you burn the insulation then you either have a too powerful iron for the thermal mass of what you're soldering or what you're soldering can't stand the temperature at which the solder melts.

...I can when I'm soldering, and I've had a reasonable amount of practice. However, my solder joints are always a dull grey, not shiny like the page says they should be.

They work OK, but I'm sure I'm doing something wrong. Any recommendations?

Use a temperature controlled soldering iron and put a drop of solder flux on the area that you're trying to solder. Don't EVER deposit the solder on the tip of the iron to then apply it on the area to solder.

First, once your iron has reached about 350 celcius, wipe it clean using a small wet sponge so that the tip is clean and shiny. If you can do that, get a new solder tip on your iron.

Next, once you've got a clean and shiny tip, put a VERY SMALL amout of solder on the iron only for the purpose of making a better heat transmission.

Touch the lead to solder with the iron's tip to heat that part and THEN apply solder to the lead until enough solder has been applied to make a good junction. Keep heating for a second or two to allow the solder to spread on the contact surface then remove.

Since it takes a second to heat up the lead, another second or two to apply the solder and you add another 2 seconds for spreading, there are your 5 seconds in all. Remove your soldering iron's tip horizontally to the surface of the board to avoid making cone shaped solder buds.

[nbla000]

Nope, that's not me.

Thank God!

It's actually a wig on the dude to add some humour to the repair shows he tapes...

thanks, my reply was just for laugh