soldercomic
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soldercomic [04/16/2011 09:36] – added hacker news jeff | soldercomic [04/16/2011 09:52] (current) – email jeff | ||
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====== Solder Comic Feedback ====== | ====== Solder Comic Feedback ====== | ||
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+ | ===== Web ===== | ||
[[http:// | [[http:// | ||
- | Jeff V: "One thing I would like to see is information and tips on how to attach objects to a board that don’t have leads to bend (e.g. ICs). They can be difficult to solder on when they won’t stay on the board!" | + | **Jeff V:** "One thing I would like to see is information and tips on how to attach objects to a board that don’t have leads to bend (e.g. ICs). They can be difficult to solder on when they won’t stay on the board!" |
- | Coofer Cat: "I was always taught to clean the soldering iron, then dab a tiny amount of solder onto it. This gives the iron a “liquid edge” which means it touches the pad and the lead with a greater surface, which ensures the heat is transferred (evenly and quickly). In truth, simple joints work either way, but more difficult ones benefit from this technique. | + | **Coofer Cat:** "I was always taught to clean the soldering iron, then dab a tiny amount of solder onto it. This gives the iron a “liquid edge” which means it touches the pad and the lead with a greater surface, which ensures the heat is transferred (evenly and quickly). In truth, simple joints work either way, but more difficult ones benefit from this technique. |
Also, I was taught to look at the shape of the solder join when it’s cold. If the join has a sort of inverted curved pyramid shape around the lead, then it’s good (because the solder has properly wetted the joint), but if it’s sort of a blubous outwardly curved shape, then there’s a good chance the joint is dry (and although it may work now, it’ll probably fail in the future). | Also, I was taught to look at the shape of the solder join when it’s cold. If the join has a sort of inverted curved pyramid shape around the lead, then it’s good (because the solder has properly wetted the joint), but if it’s sort of a blubous outwardly curved shape, then there’s a good chance the joint is dry (and although it may work now, it’ll probably fail in the future). | ||
Either way, this and the one-page version of it are great guides – thanks!" | Either way, this and the one-page version of it are great guides – thanks!" | ||
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+ | [[http:// | ||
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+ | **Byron33196: | ||
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+ | Paraphrased from comic book: | ||
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+ | If you use too much solder, reheat it, then bang the edge of the board, | ||
+ | flinging the extra solder (in its molten state) onto the table, | ||
+ | or whatever else might be nearby (like the hands you are using to bang the board). | ||
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+ | 10 If (Idea=BAD) | ||
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+ | 20 FacePalm() | ||
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+ | 30 Print "Ever hear of desoldering wick?" | ||
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+ | 40 Goto 10 | ||
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[[http:// | [[http:// | ||
- | Mike says: "A great little starter guide. The use of safety glasses should be stressed more. Banging the board on the table is not recommended. I still have a scar from 40 years ago from doing this." | + | **Mike:** "A great little starter guide. The use of safety glasses should be stressed more. Banging the board on the table is not recommended. I still have a scar from 40 years ago from doing this." |
[[http:// | [[http:// | ||
- | Florin: | + | **Florin:** I prefer to cut the leads before I solder them - this way there' |
Another tip: when in doubt, put a little rosin on the pad and lead before soldering them, even though the alloy is supposed to contain rosin already. Again, this reduces the risk of a poor contact. | Another tip: when in doubt, put a little rosin on the pad and lead before soldering them, even though the alloy is supposed to contain rosin already. Again, this reduces the risk of a poor contact. | ||
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Never use cheap unstabilized soldering irons - those are only for rough jobs like soldering the lid on a tin can, and then just use the biggest iron you can find. For electronics, | Never use cheap unstabilized soldering irons - those are only for rough jobs like soldering the lid on a tin can, and then just use the biggest iron you can find. For electronics, | ||
I actually prefer to use a soldering gun instead of an iron for anything except very sensitive multi-pin components that don't like EM pulses. Again, it's a bit of kung-fu to know when to push the trigger and when to release it; essentially, | I actually prefer to use a soldering gun instead of an iron for anything except very sensitive multi-pin components that don't like EM pulses. Again, it's a bit of kung-fu to know when to push the trigger and when to release it; essentially, | ||
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Heating up both lead and pad at the same time is crucial. It bears repeating - crucial. Push the iron or gun against both parts. Don't push too hard, but make sure the thermal contact is good and firm. | Heating up both lead and pad at the same time is crucial. It bears repeating - crucial. Push the iron or gun against both parts. Don't push too hard, but make sure the thermal contact is good and firm. | ||
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Whether you wait 1 second before touching the heated pad+lead with the alloy, or you don't wait, depends on the technique. Whether you wait 1 more second before you retract the iron, or you don't wait, again depends on the technique. But once the liquid alloy has spread out, pull the iron at once, don't tarry. Then blow air over the hot area. | Whether you wait 1 second before touching the heated pad+lead with the alloy, or you don't wait, depends on the technique. Whether you wait 1 more second before you retract the iron, or you don't wait, again depends on the technique. But once the liquid alloy has spread out, pull the iron at once, don't tarry. Then blow air over the hot area. | ||
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Nail clippers work just fine for cutting leads. | Nail clippers work just fine for cutting leads. | ||
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Sometimes you don't want to solder components too close to the PCB. This is true for those resistors, transistors, | Sometimes you don't want to solder components too close to the PCB. This is true for those resistors, transistors, | ||
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All that stuff about toxic metals and rosin fumes - I should probably be a brain dead zombie by now, I never washed my hands afterwards. Rosin smells kind of nice actually, similar to incense, but breathing the smoke directly is not pleasant; I doubt the smoke is more toxic than any other kind of smoke. | All that stuff about toxic metals and rosin fumes - I should probably be a brain dead zombie by now, I never washed my hands afterwards. Rosin smells kind of nice actually, similar to incense, but breathing the smoke directly is not pleasant; I doubt the smoke is more toxic than any other kind of smoke. | ||
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Finally: 2 hands are sometimes not enough. It helps if you're an octopus." | Finally: 2 hands are sometimes not enough. It helps if you're an octopus." | ||
- | drblast: "" | + | **drblast:** "" |
- | gambie: One thing that's rarely mentioned in soldering tutorials is temperature. With good temperature-controlled soldering stations like the Weller WES51 available for <$100, I'd be hard-pressed to recommend skimping on a cheap pencil iron. Trouble is, I've seen very little discussion about what temperatures to use for particular types of solder. | + | **gamble:** One thing that's rarely mentioned in soldering tutorials is temperature. With good temperature-controlled soldering stations like the Weller WES51 available for <$100, I'd be hard-pressed to recommend skimping on a cheap pencil iron. Trouble is, I've seen very little discussion about what temperatures to use for particular types of solder. |
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I find desoldering braid a bit tricker, but the secret there is to prime the braid with a bit of solder to improve heat transfer before holding it to the joint. | I find desoldering braid a bit tricker, but the secret there is to prime the braid with a bit of solder to improve heat transfer before holding it to the joint. | ||
- | Natsu: There' | + | **Natsu:** There' |
Once you get used to doing it right, desoldering braid is awesome. I never did get the hang of those squeeze bulbs, though. The braid was always so much easier to use. | Once you get used to doing it right, desoldering braid is awesome. I never did get the hang of those squeeze bulbs, though. The braid was always so much easier to use. | ||
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I've actually done more desoldering than soldering and I would have gone crazy if I had tried to do it that way. I find braid to be the easiest method by far, but that's just personal preference. I'm sure there are people other than me who can get the suction devices to work well and who don't have to buy braid all the time. | I've actually done more desoldering than soldering and I would have gone crazy if I had tried to do it that way. I find braid to be the easiest method by far, but that's just personal preference. I'm sure there are people other than me who can get the suction devices to work well and who don't have to buy braid all the time. | ||
- | iigs: Neat comic. | + | **iigs:** Neat comic. |
My opinion differs on soldering irons. I find that cheap electric soldering pens tend to give me poor results. For someone starting out I think this could be discouraging. Radio shack has a cheap butane pen that works much better for me. It does cost slightly more, but I find it is usable on a wider range of projects and can even heat shrink tube in a pinch. | My opinion differs on soldering irons. I find that cheap electric soldering pens tend to give me poor results. For someone starting out I think this could be discouraging. Radio shack has a cheap butane pen that works much better for me. It does cost slightly more, but I find it is usable on a wider range of projects and can even heat shrink tube in a pinch. | ||
- | cypherpunks: | + | **cypherpunks: |
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+ | Issues: | ||
1) The solder should always be convex, not concave. It's not that way in the illustrations. A concave ball, as sometimes shown, may be a good connection to the pad, but a cold joint to the wire. It'll work, for a bit, but may eventually fail. | 1) The solder should always be convex, not concave. It's not that way in the illustrations. A concave ball, as sometimes shown, may be a good connection to the pad, but a cold joint to the wire. It'll work, for a bit, but may eventually fail. | ||
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2) Always, always, always keep the tip tinned (covered with a thin layer of solder). The solder acts as a thermal conductor between the iron and the joint, which lets the joint heat up much more quickly. It also prevents the iron from oxidizing. If you don't do this, the iron will oxidize, and you will no longer be able to tin it. | 2) Always, always, always keep the tip tinned (covered with a thin layer of solder). The solder acts as a thermal conductor between the iron and the joint, which lets the joint heat up much more quickly. It also prevents the iron from oxidizing. If you don't do this, the iron will oxidize, and you will no longer be able to tin it. | ||
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3) Feed the solder into the joint, not into the iron. That tells you the joint is hot enough. | 3) Feed the solder into the joint, not into the iron. That tells you the joint is hot enough. | ||
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4) Temperature controlled iron makes a huge difference. Weller WES51 is the minimum you should use ($90 or so). More expensive irons in the Weller line don't make a big difference. Metcals are nicer, but wicked expensive. | 4) Temperature controlled iron makes a huge difference. Weller WES51 is the minimum you should use ($90 or so). More expensive irons in the Weller line don't make a big difference. Metcals are nicer, but wicked expensive. | ||
- | lell: Interesting comic. I was thinking about giving it to my kids, but it gets a bit too complicated starting on page 4. And there are no simple examples. It would be nicer as a longer series that explained how to make some simple circuits in the same down to earth tone. | + | **lell:** Interesting comic. I was thinking about giving it to my kids, but it gets a bit too complicated starting on page 4. And there are no simple examples. It would be nicer as a longer series that explained how to make some simple circuits in the same down to earth tone. |
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+ | **chaffneue: | ||
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+ | [[http:// | ||
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+ | **eubarch: | ||
+ | Also doesn' | ||
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+ | ===== E-mail: ===== | ||
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+ | **flink:** It's a nice guide for beginners. I know that many people are intimidated by soldering. It's a kind of esoteric knowledge and skill for many people. Well, for most people, I guess. | ||
- | chaffneue: It's a fun guide, | + | As you prepare the tips and advice section for the next guide, |
+ | A purely technical note, also explain that the solder is actually bonding metal to metal similar to welding with a brazing rod. A few people I've taught thought solder worked like glue. :-) | ||
+ | Also, to remove the solder, it's probably better to explain how to use solder wicking mesh (" | ||
- | + | I hope you don't mind me butting it with advice. I worked in a few micro-miniature repair facilities (solder shops) while I was in the service. I'm always heartened by seeing younger people hacking at things. It's good that someone is doing it. | |
soldercomic.1302946568.txt.gz · Last modified: 04/16/2011 09:36 by jeff