solder question

[darryl2113]

ok,I feel like a total idiot. I just put together a big muff bored by soldering the wrong way, I was putting the solder on the iron tip. I have been seeing that what you are supposed to do is heat the component up itself. This makes me very nervous though, how tough are resistors, transistor, diodes, etc......how carefully should I be as not to burn this stuff???

[Slurry]

You don't necessarily need to heat up the component your soldering. All you should really do is lightly touch the component with your iron, touch the solder to the iron, and lift off. It should be a 1-2 second process. This is the preferred method because it lets the solder melt off of the tip and flow directly onto the component, as opposed to dipping a big blob of solder.

The parts you're soldering will take heat, but you shouldn't intentionally heat them up. Resistors and most capacitors are just series of metal plates inside (I think), so they can take a lot of heat. Just be careful with things like electrolytic capacitors because they have a small amount of liquid inside (salt water) and they can pop.

[metalmariachi]

That technique is correct. , I flow the solder between the iron's tip and the component.

Your descriptions of components on the other hand...

Caution tech talk coming.

Resistors;

There are 4 common types.
Wire wound are just what the say, resistance wire is wound around a ceramic form until the desired resistance is reached.

Metal film and carbon film are a thin film applied to a cylinder and then grooves are cut through to form the resister so it looks similar to a wire wound under a microscope but much more accurate.

Carbon comps are made up of a carbon paste that is molded into shape.

Caps are way cooler. Lots of different types.

Paper foil is essentially 2 sheets of metal foil separated by a sheet of paper all neatly rolled up.
Mylar, polyester, polypropylene, paper in oil are all pretty much similar in construction to the old paper foil.

Electrolytics usually are basically a can and tube separated by a non conductive substance.

Neat nasty, oily, smelly, tar like gook. but can be just oil. the electrolytic breaks down after 40 years or so.

Tantalums are made from a solid magic substance that doesn't break down.

Don't forget air gaps, They are plates separated by air.
The old TV and radio tuners were just big variable air gap caps.

They are usually huge compared to their value in farads.


Ok you would need a lot of heat to fry any of these.

Where the heat problem arises is with transistors and chips (opamps etc.) they are sensitive to excessive heat.

Way too much time on my hands.

MM

[ifeellikeatourist]

Everyone here is so helpful and patient when it comes to answering people's questions. I love the Devi Ever Forum. You people rock.

[darryl2113]

ok, now I am a little confused....what I was doin was sticking the component in the holes, putting a good bit of solder on the tip, then trying to rub the solder off the tip and on to the component..the results I got where exactly what I have read that you don't want-dull solder joints,strange solder shapes, solder touching other components. I saw a video online that said one should tin the tip, then get where the joint and the component meet heated, then tin the tip again, then touch the tip of the iron on the component's lead wire right above the joint while taking the solder and touching it right to the joint until it melts onto the joint then pull both the iron and the solder off. I tried that and got very neat solder joints that were very shiny and seemed a lit sturdier. I am using the lead free solder, so I am having to heat the stuff up for a little longer than 1-2 seconds...should I not be using lead free solder? Is this technique not the best way?

[metalmariachi]

Sounds like you got it.
Yes the the lead free does take a bit longer to heat up.
Not a bad choice, and I hear it's the only thing you can get in some countries now.

It probably seems like it is taking longer than it really is..
Now if you smell burning then that is a bit long.

MM

[darryl2113]

oh , ok..so by "that technique" you meant the technique I was referring to from the video I saw...ok..I just really want to find these 1 pin sockets so I can just socket all my diodes without worrying too much, I can find the 3 pins(for transistors) ...just not the 1 pins...

[metalmariachi]

Don't worry too much about the diodes, They get very hot in rectifier circuits in tube amps.

Never burned one up myself.

MM

[hazelwould]

Is "tining" your leads really necssary?

[Slurry]

Is "tining" your leads really necssary?

I only "tin" my leads when I don't have a third hand. I use it to make a quick connection, then go back with solder in one hand and my iron in the other to do it properly. It's especially handy when connecting two leads together.

[metalmariachi]

No I don't tin the leads.
I do tin stranded wire, and the connections on the jacks.

MM

[Caesar]

I'm gonna give a looper project a shot soon, so just to make sure I have this. You should not touch the solder to the iron tip? You heat the joint to the temp of the iron and touch the solder to the joint.

[Fuzzmaster Zero]

This is a GREAT video...I recommend you take the 6 minutes to watch it. It will answer most any question that you have about soldering.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I_NU2ruzyc4

[darryl2113]

yes..thats the video I watched... the way I have been doing it is the way it says in that video...basically putting a small amount of solder on the iron tip(tin the tip) then heat the joint up a little, then grab the solder and take the iron to the joint, put the iron on the lead of the component right above the joint and when it heats up touch the solder to the joint itself...