Soldering hints

[yaqube]

Recently I have bought a one of these: http://www.ersa.com/art-0ic1100a-358-1970.html

In my opinion this is the best soldering station I have ever used.

Also PACE and Weller are worth paying for.

[JackTheKnife]

Any thoughts about that one:

http://www.web-tronics.com/cispdeesdsas.html

[Zetr0]

@JackTheKnife

looks okay by me if all you want is to solder, howmuch was it?

for around £85 you could get a full blown hot-air rework and solder station (the strength of the dollar really has raised these prices, I got mine for £60 including postage (same one) last year.

anyway... I have to sware by the fact that once you have had hot air, you wont go back... its like going back to the dark ages LOL!!!

however a good robust variable soldering station, with a ceramic core iron will server you well indeed

[JackTheKnife]

I'm looking for something to do this (NTSC version) http://eab.abime.net/showthread.php?t=30752 and try to fix my problem described here http://eab.abime.net/showthread.php?t=34822

Anyway I can spend money on that http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll...m=360113908773

PS.
I never heard about hot air + iron 2-in-1. Is it really good?

[Zetr0]

@Jack

ahhh up late i see

well the unit you have specifed would do you well for the cause of purchase, however for the wont of $50 more and you could get the full hot-air smd rework station as well... but with christmass comming up... somethings have to give

besides it gives you something for the missues / family to get you for your birthday

[JackTheKnife]

Originally Posted by Zetr0

for the wont of $50 more and you could get the full hot-air smd rework station as well

Can you give me pros/cons of that Kada 852D+? Also has it spare (where to buy) tips for soldering iron? I see only hot air nozzles.

[JackTheKnife]

Back to the soldering stations. Which one I should to pick? Always I used soldering gun but is not good for computer purposes. I have those choices:

http://www.web-tronics.com/cispdeesdsas.html

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll...m=390000564217

and this one wht did you suggest

http://cgi.ebay.com/Kada-852D-Solder...3A1%7C294%3A50

I need only to make that RGB 2 S-Video adaptor and fix my problem with AdRam 540. Later maybe I will do some more mods, but not often just for hobby purposes

Thanks again

[Magno Boots]

I would recommend the KADA 852D+ as Zetr0 suggested.

I bought one last year off ebay and it's a great tool.

Get some solder paste/cream and you'll find yourself having a go at most jobs you wouldn't have considered previously.

Regards

[JackTheKnife]

Has it spare (where to buy) tips for soldering iron? I see only additional hot air nozzles.

[Zetr0]

yes it comes with three spare tips and to replace them will set you back $10 for 10 of them... easy peasy

[stanlong]

put the lessons on utube

[Shadowfire]

Originally Posted by JackTheKnife

Any thoughts about that one:

http://www.web-tronics.com/cispdeesdsas.html

Fair warning - my ex-employer purchased three of these units, and two of the three had the heating element short out in under two months. Also, the tips they sell and supply are crap. Hakko is a much better value.

[Dimlow]

I like the Kada 852D i have it, done a few 1240/1260 with it and almost a real of solder and still on the first tip!

[klx300r]

Originally Posted by Jope

...Do not push hard! If the component doesn't move with a gentle push, the solder is not hot enough. Pushing hard will lead to lifted solder pads on your motherboard and ugly looks from the person that ends up repairing it for you. ;-)

Don't use a solder sucking pump for anything other than through hole components. It won't be as effective and it could even cause damage to surface mount components from the recoil kick the pump gives.

ahh shit I rushed a cap replacement in my 1200 tonight and when I was desoldering a cap lead I bloddy pulled out a solder pad...soooooo now what to do ??

[Jope]

Originally Posted by klx300r

ahh shit I rushed a cap replacement in my 1200 tonight and when I was desoldering a cap lead I bloddy pulled out a solder pad...soooooo now what to do ??

You must follow the track to the next via or component and replace it with a jump wire.

[klx300r]

Originally Posted by Jope

You must follow the track to the next via or component and replace it with a jump wire.

thanks Jope..anyone done this lately that can give me some advice..maybe pics

[twizzle]

what jope means, is solder a wire from the cap`s leg too the major component that the broken track goes too.
thus, bridging the gap of the broken track

[Jope]

Yep. Can't really give any specific tips here. Be careful when soldering if the track terminates in a small place. :-)

[Shadowfire]

Originally Posted by Jope

Take a jeweller's screwdriver and your soldering iron. If you have desoldering braid, it will be useful.

If you have it, suck up as much solder as you can from the ends of the cap using the desoldering braid.

Then alternately heat both ends of the cap and apply gentle force with the screwdriver to the side of the component.

Eventually it will heat up enough and you can gently push the component off it's place.

Do not push hard! If the component doesn't move with a gentle push, the solder is not hot enough. Pushing hard will lead to lifted solder pads on your motherboard and ugly looks from the person that ends up repairing it for you. ;-)

Don't use a solder sucking pump for anything other than through hole components. It won't be as effective and it could even cause damage to surface mount components from the recoil kick the pump gives.

If your iron (and the design of the board) permits, a MUCH MUCH MUCH faster solution is to hold the iron low to the board and heat up both ends of the cap by touching it along an edge of your tip (the sides leading up to the point, that you normally wouldn't consider using), adding solder to flow & melt the existing solder (on both sides of the cap), then flicking the cap off once the solder has melted. This does, however, require that your iron have a clean side instead of the very edge. Cleanup the pads with a wirebraid.

And of course, make sure you have decent quality solder. For home usage, I recommend rosin-core lead-based solder* (* I am on that side of the pond), rosin flux is really good, the residue won't eat the copper away if you miss cleaning some of it up, heck you don't even *need* to clean up rosin residue if you don't want to and the only thing bad will be the board's appearance. What this really means, is pay the extra to get electronics solder, not plumbing solder. Fluxed plumbing solder contains acid that will eat away your board if you don't clean up every last bit of the flux. Solid, flux-free solders are inconvenient since you need to make sure the contacts all get fluxed up before you begin, or your work is crap (i.e. ruined).

All the organic flux core solders I've seen tend to make you run through tips like they're going out of style (you will need some superactive flux solder to clean up your tips, like some of the water soluble ones, and that kind of flux will literally destroy cheap tips). Don't go there unless needed.

Water soluble fluxes MUST be cleaned off the board properly (Suponifier Interflux is by far the best for this, but expensive) or you will be dealing with hideous board damage six months afterwards.

[Shadowfire]

Originally Posted by Jope

You must follow the track to the next via or component and replace it with a jump wire.

Jope's advice is the recommended way, but if there is some reason that is unworkable, you can scrape away the solder mask on the trace with a hobby knife, exposing 1/4" of the copper track, then take some 30 gauge wire, tin the wire & the track, and solder the wire to the track. I have had to do this with a few boards where installation of the board would be impossible otherwise.