Hrmm about Soldering

[robbied]

So I'm a total newb when it comes to soldering. I've watched the video tuts and given it a try on some spare parts.

I just soldered my DIP socket onto my board, and it looks decent. But... I'm supposed to solder each pin individually right? I have a few pins that are 'globbed' together... will that be a problem when it comes time to power things up?

- to keep the tip clean, can I use a damp sponge?

- my soldering seems to become 'globbish', i assume this is due to my tip not being clean? Or is my the lack of skill?

- if I was want desolder my DIP socket and try again, I can use a braid or something to remove the solder? Is my board screwed or the DIP if I do this?

Any help and guidance is appreciated.

thx
robbied

[kpmcgurk]

each pin individualy is correct.

you will need to make sure there are no shorts in your solders. with these shorts that you have, the board will not work right(or fry the chip)

 to clean: Use a damp sponge, and then apply solder to the tip, and use a wire mesh to clean the tip. (there is a video on that one post.)

-It could be either one. or it could also be the type of solder you are using!!

to desolder, you could use a braid or a pump, its more of personal opinion. and if you do it right, your board will not be screwed.

-Kyle

[jakx12]

Here are a few tips i always use, after every 'solder' or every attempt i always clean the tip, i think its just habit. Remember to use the flat side. If your unsure as whether to go straight in and solder or to practice bit first always practice, as it saves alot of time (and money) fixing dodgy 'globs'.
Hope that helped a bit
jakx12

[galannthegreat]

Brass shavings works wonders when you need to clean a tip, I'd definatley recommend getting some of that stuff.

Here is an example:
http://www.sparkfun.com/commerce/product_info.php?products_id=8965

[robbied]

thanks all! I bought the gold thingy for cleaning and a braid wick from Sparkfun. I'm taking it day by day - just scared to mess up - but that's all a part of learning something new

thx
robbied

[SmAsH]

don't worry about messing up...
almost everyone on this forum has been there...

[robbied]

So the brass shavings thingy is used to clean the tip? And I can use it when the soldering iron is hot? I just poke it in there and out - and the tip will be cleaned? Sweet!

Then I wet the tip with solder, and I'm ready to go for the next part to solder?

thx
robbied

[SmAsH]

yup, you got it!
the wet sponges can be bad because they cool the tip down and sometimes this can warp the iron...

just a side note: you don't have to clean/tin the tip for every component...
sometimes i solder about 5-10 components with one wipe.
its mainly a matter of preference...

[robbied]

So I got my brass shavings and solder wick from Sparkfun. Today (after a 2wk delay) I started soldering again. I've watched a bunch of videos and see that 'less is more' works when soldering. I'm become extremely proficient with the solder wick - I cleaned up my 14 pin thingy and the connections look good. But I'm still getting globby solder... looking for advice.

I even bought magnifying glasses that you wear on your head (I look like RoboCop). My eyes aren't that old, but dang these component pins are small - and I want to make sure my solder isn't touching.

A few questions about soldering

1. Does the solder have to coat the entire copper ring on the board?

2. Are bubbles, or 'Dairy Queen' funky tips ok, or just bad practice

3. Any tips on soldering an entire row of header pins? I just seem to make a massive mess and spend 20 mins removing all the solder and starting again

I almost want to go breadboard with no solder just to get started. I feel like I'm spending more time fixing mistakes than actually moving fwd with development.

Also, got my first 'soldering boo-boo' today. I was wearing the glasses to see my pins and solder them, had the soldering iron in my left, the solder coil in my right, and went to switch hands (a curse of being ambidextrous) and touched the metal soldering iron post with my knuckle... Ow! lucky no kids were within earshot. Just a burn, it'll blister - and I learned. "Tilt the glasses up when going to check the iron. Object are closer than they appear!"

I'm having a great time getting started, but looking for some soldering tips. I'm worried I'm applying too much solder, or not enough - and is that bad for connectivity? and the 'blobs' - sure wish I could beat them!

thx
robbied

p.s: the burn is on the first knuckle of my middle finger - lucky I don't use it for typing, but man it hurts when I bend it...

[RoboChan]

Get the smallest tip for the solder and some small solder. I started using thick solder and a big tip and i thought i sucked but then i got some .22 solder and a new tip. Now i feel i can solder anything.

[SmAsH]

one tip is to touch the solder to the component leg close to the pad.
never touch it to the iron. for the headers, its easier to go by rows of 5 or 6 instead of 3. so use one row for a bus.

for soldering in the buses, solder each pin on its own then put a fair bit of solder on the iron (not too much) and place it so it is touching both pins, this should join them.

it will all come with practice. it takes me about ~1-2 seconds per header pin touch and go.

[RoboChan]

i got some .22 solder

i mean .032"

[Joesavage1]

I always use steel wool, although no one told me about this I just guessed it needed cleaning when I started... Now I wipe with the spounge after every solder, and after I have done a couple of joints (or waited long enough for the iron to go weird and not work properly) I just turn it off then give it some steel wool

[SmAsH]

you should only wipe the iron when its turned on!
otherwise you may just be scratching it!

[Hydrogen]

what kind of solder are you using? is it rosin core? if not you need to use some flux, it will make the solder flow and stick to the pad and lead.


you should always wipe your iron, and tin the tip to keep it from oxidizing. If you are putting the iron in its holder for some extended time while you add components to the board, you should tin the tip with extra solder, and just wipe and tin before you start you next joint.

you need to fix those shorts, desoldering braid works great for that.

How are you soldering the joint? are you heating the pad and lead, and then applying solder to the opposite side of the lead? or are you trying to melt the solder on the iron? If you are doing the later, then the flux in the solder boils off before it touches the pad or lead.

What kind of iron are you using and what tip size?

[robbied]

Hello all!

My weekly update it seems to discuss soldering I seem to only get time to work on the robot on Monday due to life and kids etc.

So today was amazing! No burnt fingers, no blog blobs of solder (ok maybe one - but easily fixed), so I was very pleased! I found soldering much easier today - I guess the 'less is more' works when you concentrate.

I don't know what size my tip is, it just came with the soldering iron. The solder is .62 in, so I guess it's pretty beefy. But going easy on it when I apply it. I found I can borrow solder from other pins in the row to connect the pins, and then just gently add a touch more solder to finish it off.

Looks nothing like Admin's soldering job - but I'm getting there.

Finger Update: Man, is looks nasty. Pretty deep, and I'm constantly keeping it clean. Don't try soldering your knuckle, kids!

Question: I'm at the part in the $50bot tutorial where I put in the resistor and the LED. If I understand correctly, I am supposed to bend the leads and then solder them onto the board based on the photo.

My question is, how much solder do I need to apply to the leads when connecting them to the other already-soldered connections?

2nd Question: I have a multimeter, and feel like a total newb when using it (like some sick game of Operation). How do I test my existing soldering job for conductivity?

thx
robbied

[galannthegreat]

Multimeter with a continuity mode would work perfectly.

[SmAsH]

[quote[My question is, how much solder do I need to apply to the leads when connecting them to the other already-soldered connections?[/quote]just enough so it feels like its gonna stay there... i find adding a bit of solder to the iron the pushing the lead down with pliars and heating the connections works great.