Simple guide to soldering thru-hole and surface mount Eurorack kits

An overly long and conversational introduction to soldering Eurorack kits including what gear to get, lead vs lead-free solder, how to solder and desolder thru-hole components and how to manually solder surface mount components. I also build a Cereal Instruments Swerve module by way of example.
Swerve: cerealinstruments.reverbsites...
EG1 ADSR: www.infinitemachinery.com/
Index
Intro - 0:00
Gear you need for soldering - 2:33
Soldering and desoldering thru-hole components - 20:58
Cereal Instruments Swerve build - 30:05
Soldering surface mount components by hand - 42:16
Final thoughts - 50:57
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[@pheotus]

Thank you for this. I have a few things and made a mult a few weeks back. Was so easy and fun to make. I felt like I was a mad scientist. Can’t wait to try another kit.

[@andrewkaiser]

very useful...I've never even known how to apply solder, it all seemed to evaporate. Watching you, I feel confident in trying again.

[@laidman2007]

This video gave me the information I needed to solder on an smd component with infinite legs. Big thanks!

[@markhodgson2348]

You have a good way explaining the process, so many people on KZbin dont im new to your channel but not to this subject matter, ive been working in the industry since 1988 but soldering 1983

[@kalubandali2241]

My hero! THe DiY Synth Wizard. Thanks mate. I just made my first diy kit last week. Thanks for all the great info and funny bussiness.

[@amerkhafagiable]

I wish if i would watched this video earlier rather than i learned most by experience. Great video, Thanks for sharing.

[@paulbrocklehurst7253]

*Thanks Robin!* Just what I needed to learn now I have a soldering iron!

[@humanerror3139]

Excellent Robin, I've purchased a Zlob Entropy from Thonk and I'm going to give it a go. I may of started in the deep end but hay ho, at least I'm trying 👍🏻👍🏻

[@brianrodman1033]

That smoke will cause the ultimate headache. The part about using a fan (best yet an in-line fan with a little ducking to suck the smoke away from you and out of the room. Also three glasses, didn’t think about using them til I almost took a load of hot solder right in the eye. Great video! Cheers.

[@jimithjameth]

my destino has just arrived so thats my starter for ten :) great video

[@Sadsoft]

Thanks for the tips.

[@LlewynDaviesTheThird]

Great. Helpful. Thank you

[@Ro-Bucks]

I use the cheap blue one but I find getting better tips for it helps

[@Ro-Bucks]

the funny part is not putting good tips on cheap iron, I learnt the after burning 3-4 good tips to clean them and they don't durn so fast lol

[@turtlemouth]

Great video, Robin. Very informative.

[@wishbonebrewery]

I think for my sanity I'll steer clear of SMD! Great little intro to soldering though, cheers

[@brianrodman1033]

Wishbone Brewery it’s so aggravating yet rewarding at the same time...just a little lighter on the rewarding aspect

[@wishbonebrewery]

@@brianrodman1033 haha, my stress levels were through the roof after building the Befaco STMIX as my first Eurorack kit, very compact design! I've soldered old Maplin Kits years back Amplifier, Radio transmitter and a Theremin Kit I got from ebay...

[@Cantrip1957]

Thanks for this. I struggle with the helping hand too.

[@GilgaFrank]

I need to get that Thonk desolder pump. Wick is better for tight pin-pitch SMD IC's.

[@rmanpojo8485]

Thanks I duck duck go it> ic leg straightener ... Handy . I did it just by hand with a plier. Great tool.. The handy hands is just terrible I use this only for soldering cables. A Clamp for PCB is very useful here and not expansive.

[@markwilliamson6884]

I get the hamming it up over the helping hands BUT as someone who now (age related ) needs reading and distance glasses and even then I NEED the magnifying glass and I quite like the helping hands on. I still put the item on the surface but the clips can be useful to hold it roughly in place . I've tried various head mounted or other magnifiers and the helping hands works for me best

[@MoltenMusicTech]

Yep, that's fine - my dislike of something doesn't mean I'm hoping to prevent other people from using it :D and the magnifying glass is always useful.

[@SouthpawShorts]

Helping hands are perfect for when you’re working with wire. In Eurorack is rarely unless you’re making patch cables or working from the odd kit which uses wired pots or jacks.

[@brianrodman1033]

SouthpawShorts it was essential for me when building I started soldering building pedals. It’s also going to come in handy for some 4U builds and a few frac builds on my wish list.

[@brianrodman1033]

SouthpawShorts agreed. It was essential for me when building I started soldering building pedals (always at least a few things to wire even under the best circumstances). It’s also going to come in handy for some 4U builds and a few frac builds on my wish list.

[@discophone_6214]

Btw. It makes me feel to try some soldering too.

[@andrewmarshall195]

The one previous module i built, i screwed the face-plate on when doing the pots and the sockets to keep things inline....then again i used my helping hands to "some" success

[@laidman2007]

Thanks!

[@MoltenMusicTech]

Yay! Thanks

[@discophone_6214]

Damn i laughed so much! Good television indeed 😂😂😂😂

[@InvertedPopesMusic]

Can't wait for this series to start had a few of the LMNC modules on the bench for ages, mind you I better get the BOM sorted! Where did you get the components from?

[@MoltenMusicTech]

Oh I just followed the BOM and bought everything without thinking - we’ll talk a lot about that I think 😁

[@InvertedPopesMusic]

@@MoltenMusicTech Yer that would be good. I was going to try to get the bits before you started next week so could build along. Just wondered if you had a company you used or just random?

[@MoltenMusicTech]

Yeah, as i say, i just followed the links on the BOM - Rapid electronics or something i think it is.

[@MoltenMusicTech]

Part of it is that i've really not given it any time or headspace and so the livestream will mostly be me working it all out :D

[@CroixMedia]

I've had my eye on a used skiff for about a week and this might just push me to pull the trigger. My wallet hates and adores you.

[@wishbonebrewery]

Is it a Lup-ay? or just a 'Loop', I'm kind of used to Printers referring to a printer's Lupe. (loop)

[@MoltenMusicTech]

Suit yourself, I’m a romantic

[@sCealt]

i've always found SMD soldering much easier, quicker, safer and less messy than through-hole; put solder paste on all pads, put components, heat pcb on hot plate. done. you don't even have to be extremely precise and don't even need to hold a 300+ degrees iron rod at any time :)

[@MoltenMusicTech]

Yeah, hot plates and paste are cheating! :D

[@thewolfin]

Cool! Deckard's Dream.

[@Si_G]

I can recommend spending a little more than the cheapest iron - mine melted/set fire to things and gave me electric shocks. A £30-40 solder station works great.

[@immoreel522]

Hey there, I haven't yet watched it, but is there a bit in there about sourcing components? Maybe a list of websites (thonk, mouser tayda etc) and / or list of commen needed components? Matbe I should watch it first :)

[@MoltenMusicTech]

Nope, not a sausage on sourcing components because i'm talking about kits, not PCB/Panel sets. Kits are usually available from modular shops and direct from manufacturers. Thonk is the best source of kits the UK.

[@immoreel522]

@@MoltenMusicTech Sourcing sucks anyway, I always seem to miss that one resistor or jack ;-)

[@kalubandali2241]

"bad things happen all the time" i need that slogan on a t shirt lol

[@andrewmarshall195]

I would defo buy a molten T shirt with that written on!

[@maikrobin]

@@andrewmarshall195 me too!!!!

[@electricarchaic]

Whats that close up camera you're using?

[@MoltenMusicTech]

It's a Sony Handycam

[@electricarchaic]

@@MoltenMusicTech oh! I thought it was some fancy up close zoomy camera thingy :)

[@alfredbriffa1692]

What is the temperature of the soldering iron, please?

[@MoltenMusicTech]

In this instance i'm not entirely sure but it's probably somewhere between 340 and 380 degrees C

[@alfredbriffa1692]

@@MoltenMusicTech Thanks

[@jvf6257]

Add a microscope to those can’t see those colors tiny lines a flux pen helps too

[@QrchackOfficial]

Everyone has access to a multimeter and these days it's quicker to set it on your desk and measure before soldering in - especially with 1% resistors and the 5-band code these days. Not to mention most beginner kits have individually bagged resistors.

[@jvf6257]

Arkadiusz Rozmus Agreed but once you cross with a bad batch of resistors with different color coding and value you just want to double check see it better more when you reach 50+ with a microscope can see it on a 7” display as well a 21” easy to the eyes not need to force the vision

[@QrchackOfficial]

@@jvf6257 I'd argue it's the colors that can be wrong, not the multimeter. And it's easier to see your multimeter screen than color codes through a microscope and then looking at your color code chart. And then praying it isn't a bad batch. So I'd say unless you want to inspect your joints precisely for troubleshooting, or do fine pitch SMD, the kind with QFP microcontrollers when you're scared if you soldered that $20 part correctly, you don't really need a scope for reading resistors. Cheaper, faster and less error prone to use your meter for that.

[@jvf6257]

Arkadiusz Rozmus Understand use the multimeter every time, but Display microscope to soldering and again not need to force your vision for $40 you buy a decent one, again more when you are 50+ ... plus can fix a cellphone

[@johnhardig9754]

I think the glasses ARE sexy 12:08

[@MoltenMusicTech]

Thanks John

[@QrchackOfficial]

For anyone watching, the FX-888D is not worth it anymore. Its successor, the FX-951 from Hakko is much better because it uses what the very expensive JBL stations had earlier - the heating element directly inside the tip. This gets you from power on to melting solder in 8 seconds, and offers much better heat transfer, plus nice to haves like motion sensor in the iron for auto standby mode. The tips are also just shoved in instead of being screwed in - you can exchange tips while they're hot using a silicone mat that's included. Now here's the kicker: the Chinese have cloned the latter, and you can get it for $100 instead of $250 for the FX951. So if you want to up your game, get the KSGER TS12 soldering station. It's all over youtube if you want to see it in action. Do not get the FX-888D in 2020, it's old technology and things have moved on - you can have stations pretty much as good as the $600-700 ones back when the FX-888D was the cool thing, for $100. If you want to upgrade, do it this way, please.

[@QrchackOfficial]

Also you know, you can get nice PCB holders for $20 that allow you to flip the board easily. Handy to have. They are spring loaded and hold your board by the sides. Way better than the crocodile clip and leaves no marks.

[@barrierloss]

I'd honestly just reccommend solder wick instead of solder sucker. it's way way easier and you're less likely to break shit with the dumb solder sucker that pops and jolts around.

[@DaraM73]

I don’t get these KFC ads, what will “get it before it’s gone” be ever applicable to a chicken shop?