PCB soldering

[JamesJmcGEE]

I want the hobby cnc board but I have never tried anything like PCB soldering, wires yes, welding yes. Is it hard to do? Any special tools? I'm not a klutz, I can do a lot of things I have just never attempted it. Is there a tutorial or something somewhere? Have any of you tried it as a first attempt?
Should I try something else first? Any help will be greatly appreciated.
Thanks
J,

[fkaCarel]

The trick is as always in the tools. If you approach soldering from a plumbers point, such as high power soldering iron and big soldering wire, you can create shorts and damage the PCB. If you can afford it, buy a regulated solder station, they keep the tip at a constant temperature. Buy one with replacable tips and if possible nickel plated tips. Nickel plated lasts longer. Use a fine tip and thin solder wire. I use 0.7mm (0.0275") flux core wire. For removal of excess solder use desoldering wire, least risk of damage.

[diarmaid]

Hey, this is really good. Any more soldering suggestion from anyone?

Im waiting for my HobbyCNC Kit to arrive, already bought it. I've only done a very little amount of soldering and I dont even own a soldering iron, but likewise with James regarding I should be able to do it ok I think.

James, if you haven't gone ahead and bought it before I've done mine I'll post pics and keep you udated on how it goes.

[fyffe555]

Carel's covered it. Right tools, right solder, keep it clean, practice till the joints are shiney.

There are some good soldering tutorials on the web, do a search. Here's one of the better; http://www.epemag.wimborne.co.uk/solderfaq.htm

[pminmo]

If you can weld, solder is a piece of cake.

If your not doing any really fine stuff, and I don't think it's required with the new HobbyCNC board. A simple 25watt soldering iron will do with a normal tip for electronics. (very fine to plumbers :-) ) A RadioShack http://www.radioshack.com/product/in...entPage=family will do fine. Or for a few bucks more: http://www.mpja.com/listitemsdirect....item4=15141+TL

Invest more if your going to do more soldering and want something for 15 years or so.

get a piece of copper perfboard and some 22 gauge wire and practice before you start on the kit.

[diarmaid]

lol. when I opened that radioshack site the first thing that loaded was their advertisement for something worth $300. When I just saw the $300 I nearly had a heart attack!!!

[fkaCarel]

When I just saw the $300 I nearly had a heart attack!!!

But if that was the price for the soldering iron for your pacemaker, it would'nt be a problem, not?

[JamesJmcGEE]

I have a heavy duty weller pencil 80 watts I think, I also hav a cheaper 15 watt pencil, I belive eithier will work, the 80 is like 900 degrees.the other is 750 or so. I am going to place my order and hope I can pull it off, Thanks for the links and tips!

[smarbaga]

some older components get corrosion or get tarnished.
the cleanest pc board, solder ant tip won't fuse these.
the leads would have to be sanded with 400 grit emery.
older solder gets dirty as well and may have to be cleaned.
it is very importana to get the proper solder.
60/40 flux core. ( kester or multicore )
and 27 to 35 watt iron for component leads.

[NC Cams]

PCB soldering is both a skill and an art that uses science as a critical part of the process. Practice does make perfect

Digikey and Mouser sell soldering irons that are suitable for PCB use. I like the Weller brand and you can get new tips for them - not the case with the Radio Slack stuff as it is mostly imported. Besides, the way Radio Slack is going anymore, you never know if the electronics stuff will be replaced with cell phones or RC models the next time you go in.

A 15-20 watt iron will do a nice job on PCB's providing that you use the proper grade and size of rosin core solder suited for electronic work. The small diameter 0.030" or so diamter stuff melts readily and you don't have to heat the board super hot to get it to flow. WIth care & practice, a 30 watt iron is a bit quicker and easier but it is NOT for beginners.

When soldered, the joint should look shiney and almost wet - not globbed or hazy or frosted.

A neat trick to desolder thru hole solders that is less stressful than the wicking tape/braid involves the use of compressed air.

Tape off the area around the joint to mask it. Then heat the joint with a hot iron on the pin side OPPOSITE the part to be removed. When the joint is still hot/wet/liquidy, hit it with a blast of compressed air from the pin side of the joint (the masking helps cleanup of solder blown from the hole).

This should blow the solder up into the part to be removed. If you do it right, the pins should be solder free, the joint should be solder free (asside from the tinned area) and you can lift the part free by gently prying it up and out of the board.

A badly oxidized solder joint won't melt easily. Sollution: add new fresh solder until it is shiney and silvery again. It will then 'blow free' with the heat/air jet trick quite readily.

[martinw]

Originally Posted by NC Cams PCB soldering is both a skill and an art that uses science as a critical part of the process. Practice does make perfect .

This is through-hole advice only. NOT SMT.


First of all, clean up the copper track on the PCB with a fibreglass rubber. You can buy these from electronics suppliers. You can also get fibreglass- tipped pencils for the same purpose.

Most through-hole components are pre-tinned. There is no need to prepare them.

All you have to do is to heat up the copper PCB track and the component lead at the same time. Then you apply solder. Do not put solder on the tip of the iron. Just apply solder to the pre-heated track and component lead.

Job done. NC Cams is right. Practice makes perfect.

Best wishes,

Martin

[Megahertz]

I also try to touch the copper solder pad and the component lead at the same time. When the joint is hot, I touch my solder wire on the opposite side of the component lead and let molten solder flow into the joint. (Molten solder follows the heat). I also prefer 63/37 tin-lead ratio solder.