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Sold
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by: Mitch Altm
m)
(soldering wisdo
en
Andie Nordgr
on)
(Comics adaptati
Distribute widely!
iron.
This is a soldering
to melt
ing
Solder
lly useful skill.
is a rea
It is also
way easy!
REally, it is!
Youll see.
Soldering is also
lots of fun!
Safety tip #1
(of 3):
(sim bows fo
make ).
y
stick
The Metal
follows
shortly
thereafter
the e
l
Sn an ements
d Pb
This is solder.
Safety tip #2
(of 3):
If you dont wash your hands after soldering, the lead may
get in your body, where it gets stored in your brain
e made up
c circuitsdar
Electronipar
gether.
to
te
ec
nn
ts co
of electronic
PCB or
just
"TH
Bo E
ar
d"
For a circuit
to work
correctly, we
together ever
need to conn
ect
ything that sh
ould connect
not connect
togeth
together.
anything that
er, and
should not be
connected
(pronounced leedz)
leads
irst
ke our f
Lets ma onnection!
solder c
then
This is because the board connects everything that
should be connected, and nothing that should not be
connected.
resistor.
For most PCBs, all of the parts are placed through the pads
on the printed side of the PCB (which well call the top of
the board), and well solder all of the pads on the bottom
of the board.
Since the word resistor starts with the letter R, the PCB
usually marks places where resistors go with an R,
followed by the resistors number, such as R3
Then you turn the PCB over so we can solder the two pads.
As you turn the PCB over, you
will need to hold the resistor
with your finger so it doesnt
fall out of the board.
As I said earlier, soldering irons
get hot enough to melt metal.
That means that the tips get hot
enough to oxidize quickly, which
basically means that they get
connections.
scrape the
tip across the sponge gently,
then rotate the iron and scrape gently
across the sponge again.
This should make the tip silvery and somewhat shiny ready
to solder. Remember to clean the tip like this
before each connection you make the tips oxidize
quickly!
Then add
of solder
both
Dont add it above the tip, since that melts the solder
only onto the tip, where it doesnt do any good.
in your lap!
blow gently
on the connection as
you solder to keep
the smoke away from
your lungs.
you can
can see
any of the
hole or pad
If you
the
o,
Alslder
so kes a
ma all
or if
the solder
is flat along
the board
sm mp.
bu
If it does, no problem!
just clean the tip, hold the
nd
uch a
oo m
a
een t
is
w
t
r
e
In b
solde .
ittle
too l
ewayn why
e
l
f
o
easo
lot is
one r easy.
is
This
g
in
r
solde
Both
good!
you may
to wea want
r
glasse safety
s!
good too!
excess leads.
deep groove.
projectile
that hits
you right in
your eye!
Safety tip #3
you may
also
want
to wea
r
safety
glasse
s!
it is totally OK.
All mistakes are fixable (though some
If you make a mistake,
And
do.
As you solder
many tips and
Youll need a
soldering iron
stand that fits a
wet sponge,
things
you can buy a decent soldering station, complete
with a stand and sponge for about US$60
of
rt
pa
is
c
mi ut
e
co a b o
ak s
is o k
h
M
T
g
o
ab
to in -
Distribute widely!
w l Thicroerso
o
H o M ll Wh
Coith ro ple ng)
w ntPeo thi
an ,
co r No
Enjoy!
o
tm r
(F ow
Al yze y
h
b
e
s.
Kn
c
it f K hed res
M ef lis P
by d J pub ch
an be tar
S
to
Andie Nordgren
No