Solder and Soldering Irons

Never tried the toothpick trick but for that particular pcb it was a pita; the factory leads were bent, almost hooked, right onto the pads. When I tried cutting and bending without heat is when I ripped off the pads And yes, fresh solder every time onto the old joint first!

First time I had to do this jumper stuff to deal with lifted pads:

 

This.

 

+1 for adding leaded solder before desoldering, especially for manufactured lead-free boards. More thermal mass and hopefully lower melting temperatures when the solders mix.

I upgraded to a Hakko FX-888D. I noticed a big difference upgrading from an "adjustable temperature" station (Aoyue 469) to a "temperature controlled" station (Hakko 888D). Solder melts faster so less dwell time. I can also use a lower temperature since the 888D will react much faster to the drop in tip temperature than the 469. Also, the 888D is so fast in ramping up temperature, it has allowed me to change my workflow.

The interface on the 888D is horrible as has been pointed by so may others. Even trying to adjust the settings required going to the internet to download the digital manual since the page you need is omitted from the paper manual! If had to use the station in normal mode, I would go insane. I am very happy with its Preset Mode, though. I've got 3 presets in mine and if I need a minor adjustment, I can use the normal crappy method to change temps. My presets are

1. 160 C - Low temp standby. I solder, clean the tip, place the iron in the holder and activate this mode (up, up, up enter). Also, the Hakko does not auto-shutdown or auto-sleep, which is one reason why I made this preset.
2. 270 C - Normal solder mode. From preset 1, it is just up,up, enter. Ramps up to temperature in about 1 second. I picked 270C after some trial and error as the temperature seems to fit well with the way I solder.
3. 330 C - High temp/desolder mode. I frequently change the temp on this preset depending on what I am trying to desolder.

I got a solder tip cleaner like Sal ammoniac (google it, available super cheap on amazon or get the small tins of it for much higher price). Instead of using my solder, which contains flux, to re-tin the tip between soldering, I just roll my tip in this stuff before putting the iron in the holder and setting preset 1. Since Sal ammoniac doesn't have flux, there is no flux to corrode your tips, but it does re-tin the tip very nicely. Also, rolling the tip and watching the Sal ammoniac melt and seeing the tip become nice and shiny is kind of a nice break during lengthy soldering projects. Sal ammoniac + preset 1 has kept my solder tip looking very shiny and unpitted. Comparing this to the same Hakko tip on my 469 shows a huge difference. My tip on the 469 is blackened with some pits already showing and I have used the 469 less than the Hakko. Also, at least to me, does not smell like ammonia. While melting something does vaporize, but it is not a strong smell (to me).

I also picked up a Velleman VTDESOL3U "vacuum desolder pump with heater, 30 W" (I actually own the Tenma version of this). This is pretty much the love child between a vacuum desolder pump and an iron. I am too uncoordinated to use them independently (found this out trying to desolder a ZIF I fully soldered to the wrong side of the board). This works well on leaded solder (only type I've tested on, fixing my own mistakes!) and can clear through holes. Nothing like a dedicated desolder station, but it costs <$8 USD on amazon... I use this first to get rid of most of the solder and then go in with solder wick for final clean up. I used this on all 28-pins without needing to clean out the pump so a very handy tool for me.

 

Just surfing... watched a couple of youtube videos on micro-soldering recently. Stuff that has to be done through a microscope. The example specimen was an ipad board, single component repair.

Just amazed that people can do this stuff!

 

Seriously? My hands/eyes get grumpy with SMD soldering as it is. Heck, today I fumbled buttoning up my shirt.

 

Well, for that you need a microscope and a mirror. Tough job even for a dentist!

 

My buttons are roughly 85mm apart and sometimes I misalign them. What's the pitch on those chips again?

 

My progression of tools over the last 20 years - started with a butane torch. Still have the original spool of 67/37 that im using today.
Used a fake 936 which i used for most of my builds up until this year. Bought a used 2702 station for the hotair pen for SMD work to make my Gamma3 build easier to fix booboos.

 

Any post-purchase thoughts on 70W Blackjack? I am going to get a soldering station to start modding the TCC TC750.

 

Works well, but I have no point of reference. No complaints, though.

 

I've done most of my soldering work using an Aoyue 937+ ($60). It's digital, heats up quickly (~a minute), and replacement tips are easy to find. I know that there have been a couple of longevity issues with some Amazon reviewers, but I've had my unit for almost a decade and it's still going strong. I have only used it for a couple of headphones and cables, mostly discrete circuit building/ modification/ repair, but I've found it to be outstanding compared to the cheaper models available.

Or be traditional and pick up a Weller anything. That's what my neighbor's electronics company has been using exclusively for 25+ years with no issues.

 

You soldered electronics with a flame? Wow.

I suppose... real men solder with a brazing torch

 

I know people don't really like lead free solder but I wanted to try lead free. Does anyone have any experience of the various different lead free alloys, any specific recommendations?

 

This is a good place to start.

I tend towards SAC-based product here (for hand-soldering) w/ 2% flux and run the iron around 720F in most cases. I'll also use a slightly larger tip than I would for leaded applications, if the work I'm doing allows it. And when not, for fine-pitch stuff, I'll up the temperature to help compensate for the smaller transfer area.

 

Thanks for the excellent tips...I have no experience with kits yets but I think I am going to start out by building the new version of the SEX amp or perhaps the T1. I want an amp suitable for both low and high impedance headphones

 

Hello. Not sure if this is the right thread and I am trying to repairing my Autrisonic Rocket IEM by cutting off 3.5mm jack and connect with custom 3.5mm jack. It has same color of cable (red & black) for both sides so not 100% sure which one to solder to where etc.
My guess is that black ones are ground so put them together and each red goes to each channel. Is this correct? This is my 1st time soldering cable so 100% sure what to do and any help from experienced person would be great help..

 

Generally the black will, indeed, be the ground and red will be the signal and, yes, assuming a standard 3.5mm TRS plug you put the two grounds together.

Assuming you still have the connector you cut off, you can verify this by doing a simple continuity check with the remaining wire on it. Tip is left, "ring is right", and the sleeve should be ground.

Some good info, and interesting examples, for cables specifically, in this thread.

 

Thank you so much.

 

Any recommendations on tweezers for smd work? I'm thinking probably something with a slight curve to it and very rigid.

 

While I firmly believe that using GOOD tools makes work both much easier and a lot more enjoyable, I wouldn't go overboard here. Unless you're working with stuff that requires augmented-vision to deal with properly, start with something like this. Beyond which, you'll likely want a vacuum pick-up anyway.

If you want to go a bit higher in the food chain, the Sipel stuff is rather good.