How hard is it to solder?

[MaxDSP]

Im thinking of putting a couple of these kits and others like them together. Seems like an interesting hobby, so is soldering hard for a newbie that doesnt know the difference between a transistor and a capacitor?

 

[deerslayer]

I did a bit of soldering in my Intro To Electricity class in high school. Don't remember it being all that hard, but it sure was fun!

 

[MaxDSP]

Originally posted by: LyNx01
I did a bit of soldering in my Intro To Electricity class in high school. Don't remember it being all that hard, but it sure was fun!

Ive got a couple of useless PCBs lying around, maybe I should buy one just for the fun factor...

 

[yellowperil]

I've only used a soldering iron twice, once to rewire a guitar and another to mod a guitar pedal. The pedal had a PCB which wasn't that difficult to work with because you just stick the wire in the hole and fill it with solder. The guitar was a bitch though.

 

[Evadman]

not really hard to learn, but difficult to master. I am to the point where I can hand solder some SMT components, but they take a long time.

 

[hans007]

with steady hands and temp adjustable hakko iron you can do anything.

unfortunately that describes my father, and well me i just am terrible at it.

 

[Analog]

not hard, keep the tip clean, and use quality solder. I find a fine tip to be easier to manipulate than the fat ones.

 

[Scarpozzi]

Unique design incorporates the battery into the robot to allow it to sland on just about anything.

Obviously, you don't have to win spelling bees to know how to solder.

 

[kamiam]

Originally posted by: yellowfiero
not hard, keep the tip clean, and use quality solder. I find a fine tip to be easier to manipulate than the fat ones.

true...I solder every day...mostly SMT...memory chips and resistors/caps....don't try smt right off the bat, you need lots of practice before you tackle surface mount devices...I've been soldering for 30 years...the hardest ones are the 64 leg++ smt cpu's, they're a bitch!

 

[Hayabusa Rider]

Originally posted by: kamiam

Originally posted by: yellowfiero not hard, keep the tip clean, and use quality solder. I find a fine tip to be easier to manipulate than the fat ones.

true...I solder every day...mostly SMT...memory chips and resistors/caps....don't try smt right off the bat, you need lots of practice before you tackle surface mount devices...I've been soldering for 30 years...the hardest ones are the 64 leg++ smt cpu's, they're a bitch!

I ought to have you solder a cable I repeatedly try to. It is to connect an amateur radio to a gps. Pretty cool, but the wires are verry verrrry verrrrry thin and the plug terminals close. Man I wish I could buy this thing. Soldering BAH!

 

[IGBT]

Ole navy guys used to say "bigger the blob ..better the job". Well not really...unless you work in a radiator shop.

 

[kamiam]

Originally posted by: Hayabusarider

Originally posted by: kamiam

Originally posted by: yellowfiero not hard, keep the tip clean, and use quality solder. I find a fine tip to be easier to manipulate than the fat ones.

true...I solder every day...mostly SMT...memory chips and resistors/caps....don't try smt right off the bat, you need lots of practice before you tackle surface mount devices...I've been soldering for 30 years...the hardest ones are the 64 leg++ smt cpu's, they're a bitch!

I ought to have you solder a cable I repeatedly try to. It is to connect an amateur radio to a gps. Pretty cool, but the wires are verry verrrry verrrrry thin and the plug terminals close. Man I wish I could buy this thing. Soldering BAH!

funny you should mention that...I got my amateur radio license in 1974

 

[Danman]

Hey, if I can do it, you can definitely do it.

 

[Maverick]

its not that hard...but it does take time to master. Don't go trying to solder an X-box modchip after doing this easy little robot

 

[MaxDSP]

naw, Im not gonna try the hardcore stuff, but I just wanna do it for fun. Buidling some of the kits on the website I linked above seems like fun and a good way to learn about electronics at the same time.

I can only imagine what havoc I can wreak on my family with the noisemaker kits.

should I go for it?

 

[freeway]

I learned how to solder in less than a week by reading a lot on the web and getting a lot of practice. Get a bunch of cheap caps from radio shack and just keep repeating until you get it right. My first few tries were horrible, but now I am pretty good. I have built several complicated pieces. I made my own PCBs with pressnpeel sheets and etched with ferric sulfate. Make sure the holes are not too large. This will not be an issue if you have a kit. I tried everything from a 40 watt to 15 watt soldering iron. I settled on a 15 watt iron and .032 dia. solder. I also like to use radio shack tip tinner and cleaner. I found this combo is good for small sockets - BTW always use sockets instead of soldering expensive chips right to the board. If you solder larger pieces you can use more heat and larger solder - experiment. When I solder, I always let the iron heat up fully, then tin the tip of the iron. I touch the tip and paer of the side to the copper pad on the board and the wire from the part I am soldering. I touch the solder to the other side. Do not touch the solder to the iron. The solder should flow around thie piece. When it starts to flow I pull the iron away first and then the solder a split second later. This works great for me. Use a sponge to keep the tip clean. I just started playing with this a few weeks ago, so I am still a beginner, but if you have steady hands good eyes and a lot of patience, it is a fun hobby.

 

[Linflas]

Building Heathkits as a kid was a great way to learn how to solder. Too bad they are gone now.

 

[freeway]

I forgot to mention that I did not know the difference between a transistor and a capacitor when I started either. Don't worry, you will pick it up pretty fast.

 

[Pepsei]

5 ps1

1 ps2

and something else... the thinner the tip, the easier....

 

[MaxDSP]

Originally posted by: freeway
I forgot to mention that I did not know the difference between a transistor and a capacitor when I started either. Don't worry, you will pick it up pretty fast.

the question is, do you know the difference now?




<----off to work I go