For anyone getting started in electronics learning the art of soldering is a must. But don’t worry, with a bit of practice it is easy to do! Hopefully the following tips will help.
You don’t need many tools to start building and soldering electronic projects, some you may already have such as wire cutters and pliers. A soldering iron of about 25W will be suitable for most builds including stripboard soldering using a fine tip. It is worth getting a sturdy soldering iron stand as you don’t want a hot soldering iron on the loose! Apart from this you just need some solder and a small wet sponge for cleaning the soldering iron tip.
When getting started, always allow the soldering iron sufficient time to heat up. First make sure the soldering iron tip is clean by wiping it on the wet sponge. This removes excess solder and flux residue. The next step is to tin the tip, this is simply melting a bit of solder on the tip. By having a small amount of fresh molten solder on the tip allows heat to transfer.
When soldering electronic components be careful not to apply the soldering iron for too long. Cooking heat sensitive components is not advised!
When soldering stripboard components, first crop the component lead so it protrudes 1 to 2mm above the surface of the track. Bring the soldering iron tip to touch the lead and copper track, quickly feed in the solder and watch the molten solder spread evenly around the lead and track. As soon as the joint is made, simultaneously withdraw the solder and soldering iron. A good solder joint should uniformly cover the lead and track and be shiny in appearance. On a stripboard, the joint should resemble a small pyramid with even smooth sides. If the joint looks dull or lumpy leave it for a few seconds to cool and then go back and reflow by adding a touch of additional solder. At first soldering might seem daunting, but with some practice it soon becomes second nature.
