Soldering Question, I need help!!!

[gabe94]

Hello,

I am trying to build the $50 robot, but the only thing stopping me is trying to bridge the Header's to the IC with the Solder. I don't know what i am doing wrong. It shows that you are supposed to make a solder link from the Header to the IC and linking all of the header's together. I am stuck here and can't go on. Please Help!!! Thanks in advance!

[sonictj]

There are a couple of different ways to do this.  If you are new to soldering I would suggest this method.  Find some stranded wire and strip it to where an inch of wire is showing.  Cut off these strands and use them for solder bridging.  The wire strands are very thin and easy to bend around the headers and solder tails of the ic socket.  Once you place/bend that wire you can solder it.  This method is a bit tedious but it works well.

The other way is to solder the ic socket and the headers.  After that you apply the iron to one connection, and add solder while moving the iron to the other connection.  This takes a bit of technique.  Temp and a clean iron tip play a large part in your success.  This method is faster, but inexperienced solderers tend to use too much solder, making shorts a high probability.

If you need a visual explanation let me know.  I understand that a written explanation can be difficult to follow.

[SmAsH]

there is an easier way that i use..
solder all the pins correctly for that row only, then add some solder to the iron and touch in between the connections.
this works for me every time i try it!

[gabe94]

i've done that, but it doesn't work. it always makes to big of a solder joint which will short

[galannthegreat]

Here is a method that may work for you then. Solder the headers in, and with a small piece of wire clipping, measured to just bridge across, and some tweezers or needle-nose pliers, put the piece of wire between the two connections and very carefully heat up the one point where it meets the socket, and then heat up where it meets the header. From there keep heat on it , then add some solder to the wire and there you have it, a good method I use to bridge the connections.

P.S. If you have helping hands (the part holder with alligator clips on it) it helps to hold the board on a slight angle so that when the connections are heated up the wire falls back onto the pins of the headers and the socket.

Hope that may be of help to you. 

[sonictj]

I have a picture/ procedure I drew in paint, but I'm confused on how to attach it.  If you want you can send me a personal message with your email, and I can send you the pic.

[galannthegreat]

Click on "additional options", then click "Browse" beside the Attachment box, and find your pic.

P.S. Make sure it is saved as a .jpg.

[sonictj]

Here is the pic/instructions.

[galannthegreat]

That's almost like my method, but I like to use some 26-30 gauge thin wire and let gravity do some work. But personally if you're having a hard time with this, look at sonictj's method, set-up all of the conections then go 'round with an iron and heat up all the connections and pop some solder down.

Good luck!

[sonictj]

I'm not recommending using all of the 22/24 gauge wire only a strand.  The gauge of the strand would be 32 or smaller.  I think we really are talking about the same thing.  This method is also useful for when you have to solder a power bus (many headers in a row).  Instead of pre bending the wire though I would weave it back in forth between the headers.  This is easiest if only a few headers in the row are soldered.