Soldering
Soldering
What it is
- Soldering (“sah-dering”) is the the process of melting metal (also called solder) to create connections between components
- Solder serves both to make electrical connection and provide some attachment of components
Why do I care?
- Soldering is a critical skill in working with electronics
- Many breakout boards and components come soldering without headers
- Soldering allows us to design custom PCB to create more permanent projects (as opposed to using the breadboard)
Safety Tips
- The tip is very hot! Don’t touch it, and always return it to stand when not using
- Use clamps or vise to hold wires because they will get hot
- Wear eye protection (especially when cutting the ends of components)
- Keep food and drink away when soldering, and wash hands thoroughly when done
How to Solder
- Make sure iron has reached desired temperature
- “Tin” the solder by applying a small amount of solder to tip
- Use tip to heat board and pin evenly
- Apply solder to other side of pin
- Avoid putting solder directly on tip
- A good solder joint will resemble a Hershey’s Kiss
Resources
For much more in-depth information and tips, checkout
- How to Solder Metal (thanks to Brendan and Grace from the Tech Ed Lab for the suggestion!)
- Adafruit Soldering Guide (features common mistakes, useful tools)
- Sparkfun Soldering Guide