Any tips for practicing soldering?

[benf]

I've got a PS1 PCB I want to wire up to some buttons and a stick I've got, but I'm awful with a solder iron!!!

I tried to desolder a Hori EX2 PCB recently, and I ended up ruining it in the process.

I've got a spare PS1 pcb laying around that I can practice on before I try to solder the actual one, anybody got any suggestions on how to practice?

[3GenGames]

Older trash TV boards from CRT's have lots of parts, maybe even a chip or two you can practice on.

[CRTGAMER]

Make sure you have Rosin Flux Core solder. Have a clean "tinned" with melted solder tip on the solder iron. Maybe try practicing soldering two wires together first. Melt the solder on the wires not the tip of the iron.

For PCB work, a pencil iron works the best.

[Hobie-wan]

Hold my beer and watch this.



Wait, I don't drink beer. Well watch that anyway. An old PC motherboard would be good to practice on. Desolder and solder items. If you have a multimeter you can check for continuity and make sure no cross solders on tiny wire solders.

[benf]

Hold my beer and watch this.



Wait, I don't drink beer. Well watch that anyway. An old PC motherboard would be good to practice on. Desolder and solder items. If you have a multimeter you can check for continuity and make sure no cross solders on tiny wire solders.

Big thanks, I looked at bunches of stuff on youtube but this one looks great

[leeperry]

anybody got any suggestions on how to practice?

yes, watch those tutorials...and do as the man says: http://tangentsoft.net/elec/movies/

[Ziggy]

Hold my beer and watch this.

Ah, Hobie, you beat me to it this time!

[Hatta]

Yes, use flux-core solder, and have some extra flux to apply to your wires/pins/pads before you solder. You can get flux in a felt tip applicator which is really convenient. Use lead based solder (60/40 or 63/37) if at all possible.

Keep your tip clean, if it's not shiny melt a bunch of solder on the tip and wipe it off on a moist sponge. The tarnish should dissolve in the liquid solder which is wiped off leaving you a nice shiny work surface.

Also, a hotter tip for shorter times is better than a cooler tip for longer times. I usually work with mine at around 415 degrees, that's well above the melting point (~375) so it will melt solder almost instantly. The downside to higher temperature is shorter tip life but if you keep yours clean it shouldn't be a problem.

[Shogun]

I have a cheapie high wattage solder iron I got from Harbor Freight for $5 but I've been wanting to get a proper set up going with a lower wattage iron. I've read 15w is good for electronics. Is this a good one to get considering price and quality?

[Bikeage]

I have a cheapie high wattage solder iron I got from Harbor Freight for $5 but I've been wanting to get a proper set up going with a lower wattage iron. I've read 15w is good for electronics. Is this a good one to get considering price and quality?

I was in a similar situation, and after a bit of research I got the WLC100, and have not been disappointed. The many positive reviews convinced me to give it a shot, and It's handled every project i've thrown at it... basic stuff, but always "enough tool for the job".

And it being a reasonable price makes me less hesitant to upgrade at some point, because as you progress you may tackle projects that require higher quality equipment. But for basic circuit board soldering i've been very happy with it.

One last thing, make sure you get the ST7 conical tip from Amazon also! The SLC100 only comes with a "flathead" tip, which is usable, but I found the conical tip MUCH easier to use when precision was essential. You may be able to use another brand tip, but I played it safe and just ordered the Weller brand.