1. MAKE: AN ELECTRONICS WORKSHOP
SAMI Makerspace
MAKE: AN ELECTRONICS WORKSHOP

2. Soldering 101

3. Why solder? Required materials. Safety Maintenance
In this presentation:
Why solder?
Required materials.
Safety
Maintenance
Step-by-step process

4. Why Solder?

5. Why solder?
Breadboards, alligator clips, and twisted wires are only temporary ways to electrically connect points of a circuit.
Soldering allows you to make a strong, electrically conductive connection between two points.
Allows for a more durable, compact circuit.
Looks better!

6. Required Materials

7. Materials
Soldering iron with fine tip (not a soldering “gun”) Stand to hold the hot iron. Material to clean solder from the tip of the iron (brass wool or wet sponge) Solder (lead free solder has more toxic fumes) “Third hand”

8. safety

9. Solder safely The iron is HOT! Do not…
… touch the metal part of the iron
… touch the stand that the iron has been sitting in.
… let the iron touch power cords (SHOCK!)
Protect yourself!
Always wear eye protection (liquid metal flicks at your face)
Always ventilate the work area.
Never inhale the fumes.
Wash your hands if you used leaded solder.

10. Solder responsibly Only touch metal!
The soldering iron is not a “wood burner.” Do not use it to melt plastic
Always unplug your soldering iron
Even if you’re only getting up to grab a tool.
Clean up after yourself
Throw away excess solder and wire scraps.
Return usable materials to their proper locations (once cool)

11. maintenance
Yuck!
Good!

12. It is very important to maintain the tip
A happy iron is a shiny, silver. Solder should flow over the whole surface, not “bead up” into drops.
Never leave the soldering iron on for long periods of time
Plan your work, execute quickly.
Clean the tip in the brass wool or sponge
Be AGGRESSIVE!
Do it before, between, and after every use, every time.
Use “tip cleaner” if available.

13. Step-by-step

14. Get set up
Have wires stripped, soldering surfaces clean.
Twist wires together
Gather materials.
Put on safety glasses and ventilate the area.
Plug in the iron and let it heat up.
Once hot, clean the tip of the iron vigorously in the brass wool/wet sponge.
Melt a small amount of solder onto the hot tip. On a clean tip, the solder should flow over the whole surface, not form drops.
Hold the hot iron tip against the wires (or whatever you are soldering.
You are trying to get the object HOT!
Take some more solder, and with the hot iron tip still on the other side of the object, touch the new solder to the other side of the object.
If you got the object properly hot the new solder should flow into the wires like water.
Don’t “paint” or “drip” the solder!
Return the iron to the holder and wait just a couple seconds for the solder to cool.
That’s it!