Drawing and Animation for Live Performance – on Stage, on the Street and on the Net.
Table of Contents
What is solder?
John Hewes 2009, The Electronics Club
Solder is an alloy (mixture) of tin and lead, typically 60% tin and 40% lead. It melts at a temperature of about 200°C. Coating a surface with solder is called ‘tinning’ because of the tin content of solder. Lead is poisonous and you should always wash your hands after using solder.
Making soldered joints
- Hold the soldering iron like a pen, near the base of the handle. Imagine you are going to write your name! Remember to never touch the hot element or tip.
- Touch the soldering iron onto the joint to be made. Make sure it touches both the component lead and the track. Hold the tip there for a few seconds and…
- Feed a little solder onto the joint. It should flow smoothly onto the lead and track to form a volcano shape. Make sure you apply the solder to the joint, not the iron.
- Remove the solder, then the iron, while keeping the joint still. Allow the joint a few seconds to cool before you move the circuit board.
- Inspect the joint closely. It should look shiny and have a ‘volcano’ shape. If not, you will need to reheat it and feed in a little more solder. This time ensure that both the lead and track are heated fully before applying solder.
Desoldering
At some stage you will probably need to desolder a joint to remove or re-position a wire or component.
1. With a desoldering pump (solder sucker)
- Set the pump by pushing the spring-loaded plunger down until it locks.
- Apply both the pump nozzle and the tip of your soldering iron to the joint.
- Wait a second or two for the solder to melt.
- Then press the button on the pump to release the plunger and suck the molten solder into the tool.
* Repeat if necessary to remove as much solder as possible.
* The pump will need emptying occasionally by unscrewing the nozzle.
After removing most of the solder from the joint(s) you may be able to remove the wire or component lead straight away (allow a few seconds for it to cool). If the joint will not come apart easily apply your soldering iron to melt the remaining traces of solder at the same time as pulling the joint apart, taking care to avoid burning yourself.