How to Solder [comic] | Hacker News Reader

How to Solder [comic]

log.andie.se

71 pointsdanw11 comments

Another thing: good tools matter (just like with software). Don't try to solder electronics with a RadioShack iron. It can be done, sure, but it's frustrating. Get a temperature-controller solder station and a fine tip for the iron. This will cost about $100, but will last years and produce much better results.

Another nice thing to get is a circuit board holder so you don't have to lay the board upside down on the table as shown in the comic. A good holder will help you work with surface-mount stuff too.

I also have a fan with a carbon filter to help with the fumes. Much nicer than blowing smoke out of your way yourself :)

Great suggestions. A nice Weller station will make your life infinitely better.

Another thing that helps make beautiful, clean solder joints is flux. I used to stuff PCBs with surface mount components, and my general practice was to just swab flux over everything before soldering. Then, when you're done, you need to scrub the board in hot water to remove the flux, but it's worth the trouble.

He forgot what I think is one of the most important steps. Before heating the pad and the component lead, touch the solder to the tip of the iron just to wet it a little. The little bit of solder on the tip of the iron really helps in conducting heat to the components. And only use 60/40 lead/tin solder (Radio Shack brand solder works the best.) Save the lead free stuff for when you are in production and someone else is doing the soldering, it is much harder to work with

63/37 solder is even easier to use. And if you can find it, tin/lead solder with a slight silver content (note: this is NOT the same thing as the "silver solder" that plumbers and jewelers use) will help you get nice shiny joints every time.

Another thing left out is solder flux. Some surfaces might be too small or too hard to reach and heat with the iron so I put flux onto the surface first and it causes the solder to flow into that area more easily. For instance, if you want to solder a thin wire into a small hole getting the solder to flow into the hole around the wire is difficult. If you put some flux onto the wire first and then slide it into the hole the solder will flow along the wire and will fill the hole nicely.

I saw Mitch at an event. He said that 'it's easy to solder. the hard part is unsoldering'.

That being said, he gave some amazing impromptu demonstrations of unsoldering. Stuff like heating up the soldered bit and turning the PCB upside down and hitting it not too hard but still firmly (with the flair and skill of a chef pan flipping a soufflé) to get the solder out of a hole.

My soldering iron seems to make inconsistent heat. One minute it will melt the solder instantly and the next anywhere on the iron I touch the solder to, nothing will happen.

Any idea what could be going on there?

Also I seem to be going through tips really fast.

You need to "tin" your tips, that is keep them covered with a thin layer of clean solder. I normally touch a piece of solder to the tip then wipe it off lightly with a clean, dry rag just before I unplug my iron each time I use it. Doing it after you finish helps insure against corrosion in storage, plus it is all ready to go the next time.

I wish I had read this, or something similar, when I learned how to solder. I initially was doing "cold soldering" by just melting the solder and using it like glue. Soldering became much easier once I learned the right way.

Anyone have a good tutorial on soldering really small surface mount components?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3NN7UGWYmBY This is really good. He does harder and harder stuff, ending with a 208 pin chip.

Reply on news.ycombinator.com