Society of Robots - Robot Forum

Electronics => Electronics => Topic started by: Justin on May 12, 2011, 10:23:15 PM

Title: Am I butchering these connections?
Post by: Justin on May 12, 2011, 10:23:15 PM
I'm not feeling very confident about my soldering skills...  Searched everywhere for tips on how to create connections like this, but no luck!

(https://dl.dropbox.com/0/view/0w3cqeh79oayyjj/Photos/From%20phone%205-5/Photo%20May%2012%2C%209%2005%2052%20PM.jpg)
Title: Re: Am I butchering these connections?
Post by: Billy on May 13, 2011, 12:07:58 AM
I'm not feeling very confident about my soldering skills

Looks fine to me. It's an art that will come with practice.
Carefully inspect for shorts prior to powering it on.
Title: Re: Am I butchering these connections?
Post by: VegaObscura on May 13, 2011, 03:47:48 AM
No, those connections look picture perfect.
Title: Re: Am I butchering these connections?
Post by: corrado33 on May 13, 2011, 03:43:32 PM
I think that picture is one he found online, saying he was trying to get his to look like them.

It just takes patience. 
Title: Re: Am I butchering these connections?
Post by: MikeK on May 13, 2011, 03:45:16 PM
Patience.  And flux. :)
Title: Re: Am I butchering these connections?
Post by: Justin on May 13, 2011, 05:32:19 PM
I think that picture is one he found online, saying he was trying to get his to look like them.

It just takes patience. 
No, it was mine, just didn't feel confident as it is my first circuit and I had to use techniques listed as poor in the tutorials I watched.  Ie melting soldier directly with the iron.
Title: Re: Am I butchering these connections?
Post by: kl22 on May 14, 2011, 01:29:28 AM
Just try it out, and if you fail use a solder wick (or desoldering tool) to remove the solder and try again :D

Here are what I'm talking about :

http://www.rpelectronics.com/tools-soldering/soldering-tools-accessories/desoldering-supplies (http://www.rpelectronics.com/tools-soldering/soldering-tools-accessories/desoldering-supplies)
Title: Re: Am I butchering these connections?
Post by: Soeren on May 14, 2011, 05:59:54 PM
Hi,

[...] I had to use techniques listed as poor in the tutorials I watched.  Ie melting soldier directly with the iron.
The secure way to make the connections is; either bend a component pin down to touch all the pads you need to connect or use a wire if the pins aren't long enough.
Doing it with solder alone is much weaker and may break and when you need to change something after some time, they may be a little harder to re-make.
Title: Re: Am I butchering these connections?
Post by: Justin on May 14, 2011, 09:06:35 PM
The secure way to make the connections is; either bend a component pin down to touch all the pads you need to connect or use a wire if the pins aren't long enough.

Thanks Soeren, I need a good mount to hold my circuit board, and some gentle clamps to hold things like wires in place, right now, i'm balancing my board between my solder roll, and my solder wick roll, and balancing and soldering at the same time.  I actually tried to lay wires, but it was too hard to keep them from touching wrong pads.  Gotta try and spread out the purchases though, my $50 robot is already close to $300 :).

Title: Re: Am I butchering these connections?
Post by: Soeren on May 15, 2011, 07:48:51 AM
Hi,

Thanks Soeren, I need a good mount to hold my circuit board, and some gentle clamps to hold things like wires in place,
The "mount" I use most often is a simple homemade device and here's the recepie:
You need...
1 all metal glue clamp
1 gooseneck as used on some lamps
1 table clamp as used for architect lamps
1 nut and spring lock washer for the gooseneck

Enlarge the hole in the glue clamp to fit snugly on the thread of the gooseneck. Bolt the glue clamp to the gooseneck with the spring lock washer (a plain washer on each side will make it possible to move it while tightened).
If the gooseneck doesn't fit the table clamp, make a bushing to adapt it.
Not exactly a design masterpiece, but it works better (for me at least) than any other holder I have bought dearly.
You might need to file the jaws to get the entire width of them to clamp.

I do have fancy holders made for PCBs, but this is what I use most often - when not just holding the PCB and solder in my left hand and support the far end on my knee.

For the wires...
Take a long piece of non-stranded wire and put the end just 1mm through the hole (from the solder side) if there's room. Solder the end down. Pull the wire the way it should go and cut and form it to bend up into the hole. Solder this as well.
A bit of thin aluminum wire (or a tweezer) can be used to keep the wire in place if needed - common solder don't stick to aluminum, but keep it thin, as it also work as a heat sink.


I actually tried to lay wires, but it was too hard to keep them from touching wrong pads. 
Did you use stranded wire?


Gotta try and spread out the purchases though, my $50 robot is already close to $300 :).
You can make some of the tools needed yourself and tool costs shouldn't be part of the robot cost, but the bottom line will of course depend on how much you fit and whether you buy eg. expensive wheels, cheap ones or make them yourself etc.