zaccy001

http://www.gamesx.com/misctech/solder1.htm

Hope this hasn't been posted previously. May it help all you who are new to soldering as much as it helped me

__________________

The Hundred Gunner

Great! I've been looking for something like this but haven't found one quite as good yet. Thanks!

__________________
"I just talk the way I see things... If that's offensive to you... I'm sorry; you're a loser." - Michael Savage

"But you would be amazed by how many people think that the only reason to have a computer is to play games, and that playing games is all that anyone with a computer does." - dangerousHobo

sli_shroom

he has some good points, but there are a couple of other things to consider...

pcbs are very sensitive to heat. alsways use a low wattage iron and learn to place a heat sink (small clip theat absorbs heat readily...sound familiar?) between the point you are soldering and any other component. it is really easy to fry other components when too much heat flows to them

secondly, when soldering wires together, you should always have a mechanical joint first (this is like ther 1st rule of soldering). small loops are the best way to do it. the solder should never be the sole thing holding the wirtes together. it may not be as pretty, but it is the mosty secure way to join wires.

lastly, when buying solder, pick up some flux. it is a paste that you dab on both parts to be soldered. you then heat it before applying solder. it cleansthe parts and they will always take the solder when you use flux. although rosin core solder shouldnt require flux, it does and your life will be about 10x easier with flux. warning, if you live in california, dont breathe in the smoke from flux. because in ca, it has been proven to cause cancer. luckily, i live in colorado

__________________

The Hundred Gunner

I have a 12W 900-degree Weller iron that runs on 4 AAs.

What exactly is a mechanical joint?

And what does it mean to "pre-tin?" Does it mean to just melt some solder on the tip before going to work on whatever component you're working with?

__________________
"I just talk the way I see things... If that's offensive to you... I'm sorry; you're a loser." - Michael Savage

"But you would be amazed by how many people think that the only reason to have a computer is to play games, and that playing games is all that anyone with a computer does." - dangerousHobo

DuckieHo

That makes you immune from cancer?

12w might be a bit too low. For PCB, 20-25w is more common.

As for a mechanical joint, physically connect the wires if possible first. Twist them together or loop them together. Then solder. This makes it easier and helps create a stronger bond.

__________________
To answer most of your questions: (1) a fridge cannot cool a PC (2) 64-bit OS for over 3.4GB (3) If a PCIe card fits, it should work (4) Resolution, not screen size (5) If you have a question, it is not news (6) Report, not respond to Spam (7) Single-Rail/Non-Modular PSUs are not always better than Multi-Rail/Modular

AZNracerx1989

I live in CO too . Why does it only cause cancer in Cali?

__________________
My Guides:
Installing DirectX 9.0c on SP2
Fixing Valve Games for SP2

sli_shroom

it was a joke. if you look at the back it states that it is known to cause cancer in ca. alot of stuff says it, probably because only ca tests it. i dunno

dont injest huge amounts of the stuff (like 3 meals a day) and you will be fine.

i have a 20w soldering iron that has served me well (and it is a cheapy from the shack) which is just about right for pcb abd small gauge wire. tinning is just that, pre-soldering the tip. remember to remove the excess before actually soldering though

__________________

The Hundred Gunner

Hmm, well I've used the iron before to desolder some caps on a motherboard for a laundry washing machine... I've also "practiced" on my dead router's PCB, so I'm guessing it'll do?

lol, it's a joke because CA has all the environmental eco-frauds who are crazy about the environment and stuff.

So to "pre-solder" you just stick the solder onto the tip till it melts a bit and that's a "pre-tinned tip?"

How bout to pre-tin the component you're going to solder to the board? Wouldn't that be actual soldering anyway then?

__________________
"I just talk the way I see things... If that's offensive to you... I'm sorry; you're a loser." - Michael Savage

"But you would be amazed by how many people think that the only reason to have a computer is to play games, and that playing games is all that anyone with a computer does." - dangerousHobo

sli_shroom

yep, that is pre-tinning the tip. as for the component, i use flux, so i dont need to pre-tinn. flux melts instantly and preps the component, so pre-tinning isnt necessary.

i like to use as little heat as possible on the components since it is really easy to overheat them. using flux instead of relying on the rosin core in the solder means that much less heat is used prepping the components. this is just what works best for me.

with wires i also sometimes load up the tip of the iron with solder (dont worry, it will stay on there) and then apply it to the wire joint i have already prepped. yea it is a completely backwards (heating the solder instead of heating the component) and you have to clean the tip more often, but it is alot easier and the solder will spread through the wire just as well. do not use this methiond on a pcb though, it will make a mess

there are great little kits that come with a pcb and all the necessary components and once you put it all together, will do something simple like light up leds or display a small digital clock. anyways, they are pretty cheap and a great platform to learn about electronics and soldering

__________________

FireMarshallBill

The reason to tin the tip of your iron before you goto solder a part is to create a heat bridge to the location you are soldering. This heats up the location and you can apply solder to the part. One thing to add to the guide (I don't think they mentioned it) is to apply solder to the part away from the iron. This way you get good wetting on the parts and not your soldering iron. One last thing is when you use flux, you want to clean the area. I like to use pro clean http://www.all-spec.com/1/viewitem/M...nfo/w3path=cat