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How To Get Started In Soldering

popularmechanics.com

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Re: How To Get Started In Soldering

#211

Post by userbinator »

bambax wrote: post #24

> 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 temper…

Price isn't the main differentiator, it's temperature control and an iron that isn't so big it's hard to maneuver.

$20 is enough to buy a decent temperature-controlled iron these days (mainly clones based on the Hakko 936 design).

Re: How To Get Started In Soldering

#212

Post by userbinator »

Havoc wrote: post #30
someweirdperson wrote: post #4

> 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.

Yeah tbh I’d rather struggle a bit more than have lead in the mix. Lead is for life

If you're getting lead poisoning from soldering, you're doing it very, very wrong...

Re: How To Get Started In Soldering

#213

Post by analog31 »

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.

Re: How To Get Started In Soldering

#214

Post by Dalewyn »

nibbleshifter wrote: post #138
bambax wrote: post #24

> 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 temper…

Its the rule supposedly came up with by Adam Savage - buy cheap tools, use em til you break em, then replace the ones you break with expensive, good tools. The idea of that rule is so new makers can work out what tools they actually are using, so they don't waste a shitload of money. In practice? Some tools are just worth spending the money on upfront, inferior tools will often lead to frustration and failure early o…

I'd say the truth lies somewhere down the middle.

Get run-of-the-mill tools if you're starting out on something new. Not too cheap because you'll be miserable, but not too expensive because you can't appreciate them.

Once you start doing whatever it is you started doing, if you end up using a tool only once every blue moon, you didn't waste money on a tool you won't appreciate. If you end up using a tool all day and feel annoyed by its limitations, you've learned what aspects to appreciate in that line of tools and you are now better informed to make your next real purchase.

Re: How To Get Started In Soldering

#215

Post by Robotbeat »

nibbleshifter wrote: post #138
bambax wrote: post #24

> 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 temper…

Its the rule supposedly came up with by Adam Savage - buy cheap tools, use em til you break em, then replace the ones you break with expensive, good tools. The idea of that rule is so new makers can work out what tools they actually are using, so they don't waste a shitload of money. In practice? Some tools are just worth spending the money on upfront, inferior tools will often lead to frustration and failure early o…

Yeah, I generally agree with that rule, but a crap soldering iron is super frustrating and makes you think you suck at soldering.

Re: How To Get Started In Soldering

#216

Post by sokoloff »

fsckboy wrote: post #195
nibbleshifter wrote: post #138

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Its the rule supposedly came up with by Adam Savage - buy cheap tools, use em til you break em, then replace the ones you break with expensive, good tools. The idea of that rule is so new makers can work out what tools they actually are using, so they don't waste a shitload of money. In practice? Some tools are just worth spending the money on upfront, inferior tools will often lead to frustration and failure early o…

> In practice? Some tools are just worth spending the money on upfront, inferior tools will often lead to frustration and failure early on. no, you can't undermine the idea with this trick. For example (grabbing examples from other comments in this thread), while an expensive soldering iron might be much better than a cheap one, there is no way you know before you start whether you're going to be soldering a lot. I k…

The problem with wire-wrapping is that it’s so far from standard practice now (because of the migration to mostly SMD) that it’s not going to be near as easy to prototype with wire-wrapping exclusively as it used to be, and won’t even be easy to find the square-post sockets as when it was a common means of prototyping.

Re: How To Get Started In Soldering

#217

Post by Waterluvian »

nibbleshifter wrote: post #138
bambax wrote: post #24

> 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 temper…

Its the rule supposedly came up with by Adam Savage - buy cheap tools, use em til you break em, then replace the ones you break with expensive, good tools. The idea of that rule is so new makers can work out what tools they actually are using, so they don't waste a shitload of money. In practice? Some tools are just worth spending the money on upfront, inferior tools will often lead to frustration and failure early o…

It’s also great advice for people starting things because most people don’t follow through. There’s a survivorship bias in seeing it as bad advice, I think. Those who stick with a new hobby wish they had bought the good tools to begin with.

I think it’s a good thing to be able to comfortably try out lots of new things. Spending money can make you feel bound to the hobby that you might not enjoy after all.

Re: How To Get Started In Soldering

#218

Post by mmoskal »

squarefoot wrote: post #104

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 m…

> Get leaded solder when possible.

I've had good results with SnBi soldering wire - it has low melting temperature and you don't have to be so careful with hand washing (I think ;) I got mine from LCSC shipped from China, but it seems [0] you can now get it in US.

[0] https://www.walmart.com/ip/Mechanic-Lead-Free-Low-Temperatur...

Re: How To Get Started In Soldering

#219

Post by midoridensha »

gav wrote: post #161
nibbleshifter wrote: post #138

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Its the rule supposedly came up with by Adam Savage - buy cheap tools, use em til you break em, then replace the ones you break with expensive, good tools. The idea of that rule is so new makers can work out what tools they actually are using, so they don't waste a shitload of money. In practice? Some tools are just worth spending the money on upfront, inferior tools will often lead to frustration and failure early o…

I also think he's talking about tools where inferior means build quality vs. performance. You can go buy a bunch of cheap wrenches from Harbor Freight and they'll be just fine compared to Snap-On. > Quality is an issue, true. But for beginning makers there is often no cheaper alternative. Back in the day I’d “test buy” a tool from HFT and then if it was useful I’d invest in a more substantial version. Also browsing t…

>You can go buy a bunch of cheap wrenches from Harbor Freight and they'll be just fine compared to Snap-On.

Harbor Freight wrenches are actually really good, and an excellent value for the money. I've even met pro mechanics that used them.

Harbor Freight power tools are a different deal though.

Re: How To Get Started In Soldering

#220

Post by bfrog »

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.

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