Soldering Tutorial for Beginners: Five Easy Steps

If you've ever wondered how to solder electronic components, you've come to the right place! This video breaks down soldering technique into five steps. I'll show you how to solder through-hole components as well as how to solder wire.
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[@_s_9920]

finally a tutorial where the uploader doesn't drone on for hours about how they first saw a soldering iron back in the 60s and then stops mid-video to rant about lead-free solder.

[@5LoZeRzPrO]

Rant about lead free solder lol. That’s all I heard in my class.

[@tvheadcontent]

Funny

[@AE-bm4no]

Back in my dad we didn't have fancy shmancy solder. Our solder was made from baby dolphin genitalia and it was the best!

[@michabula5763]

@@AE-bm4no "Back in my dad"? Umm... Okay...

[@hectorgaldo5465]

This written instruction get in the way.

[@chuckconrad1125]

As an electronics instructor at the high school level, I appreciate the beginner level tutorial. I think my students got more out of your video than an hours worth of my instruction. Good job

[@Albanez39]

I've been to a professional high school for Electronics. Unfortunately, it sucked and didn't teach us much. We basically just put solder on the boards, and sucked it up with a pump...we did only a couple of projects, and they were collective...so I learned nothing and did nothing. I've been trying to solder these few years, to fix LED bulbs, cables and other things. I've never managed to succeed. I am using lead-free solder and a 60W (450degrees) iron. I'm cleaning the tip and using flux, but I can't manage to solder ANYTHING. The solder sticks to the iron, or the small sphere falls on the table. Solder WILL NOT stick to copper wires or circuit contacts. The tip of the iron takes 8-10 seconds to melt the solder, and the only way to work is to use the body or base of the iron tip to melt the damned solder. What the hell am I doing wrong? Is it the solder's fault, the iron's the flux's???

[@Albanez39]

I've been to a professional high school for Electronics. Unfortunately, it sucked and didn't teach us much. We basically just put solder on the boards, and sucked it up with a pump...we did only a couple of projects, and they were collective...so I learned nothing and did nothing. I've been trying to solder these few years, to fix LED bulbs, cables and other things. I've never managed to succeed. I am using lead-free solder and a 60W (450degrees) iron. I'm cleaning the tip and using flux, but I can't manage to solder ANYTHING. The solder sticks to the iron, or the small sphere falls on the table. Solder WILL NOT stick to copper wires or circuit contacts. The tip of the iron takes 8-10 seconds to melt the solder, and the only way to work is to use the body or base of the iron tip to melt the damned solder. What the hell am I doing wrong? Is it the solder's fault, the iron's the flux's???

[@BIGREDnotw]

@@Albanez39 i think the main issue is you're using Lead-free solder. Lead-free solder is much harder to heat up and requires a preheater. Try using some 60-30 leaded solder with rosin core. much easier to heat and to work with.

[@BIGREDnotw]

@Adam White rosin core leaded solder, 60-40 ratio is fine. Probably fine in diameter. Depends on how big your pads are.

[@Real88Mad]

Same here, it’s easy, simple & direct which is a wonderful effort

[@chrismichaelis7880]

I wish more how-to videos were like this. Clear, concise, and right to the point. Beautiful!

[@geoffnoller3135]

Couldn't agree more. Outstanding!

[@kayleighwhitehurst6037]

Brilliant! 8 years on and you're still teaching new people. I was taught to solder at school but forgotten most of it over the intervening decades. This is a brilliant reminder. Thank you.

[@karen5776]

This will be my first attempt at soldering and I really appreciate you taking the time to explain how to do this correctly. Thank you!

[@techpriest4347]

One thing that really messed me up as a beginner was no one had told me that you're not supposed to apply solder to the iron, but to the piece the iron heats up. Wish that had been spelled out, would have saved a few early projects

[@GeddyRC]

Brand new to the concept of soldering here, but looking to take on a Raspberry Pi project that will require a little bit of it. I assumed the purpose of the iron was to melt solder as well -- glad I found this video!

[@urgamecshk]

She says it two minutes in

[@techpriest4347]

I wasn't talking about her, I was talking about how people who had taught me electronics repair in the past had failed to mention that

[@demoinja3695]

i know that feel bro Q.Q

[@brieflycake]

yeah but she says it two minutes in

[@VideoCesar07]

I just wanted to give you a huge hug and thanks for posting this. My soldering always looked sloppy because I did everything you are NOT supposed to do. After seeing your video I finally tackled a project I had been dreading and by following the simple things you mentioned it was really quick, painless and...it worked. Thanks!

[@BraddockB]

Exactly what I needed to know. I don’t know how I went so long without doing this myself but you just gave me all the confidence and knowledge I need to do it right the first time.

[@PROcrastiDRIVESVofficial]

This tutorial is so perfect, I don't think the internet needs another soldering for beginners tutorial. Cheers!

[@cheasea]

+PROcrastiDRIVE SV There was one major flaw in how she attached the wires. They should be tied together. Good video though

[@PROcrastiDRIVESVofficial]

+cheasea Ok, didn't notice that. I needed to solder a new DC jack onto an ASUS laptop motherboard (never tried anything of the sort before). The tip on heating the metal plate and wire, then feeding in the solder made it so damn easy. Except when one especially thick pin on the Jack wouldn't get hot enough. That was the only sketchy bit, I didn't want to turn up the iron too much for fear of melting a very expensive board lol. I eventually used the force or something but there's definitely enough solder on it now.

[@cheasea]

gotta watch out for that temp!

[@derekmartin7171]

You answered every question i had after unsuccessfully attempting to solder for the first time. Thank you for doing that in such a direct manner. It makes me feel as if my intelligence and time were respected. Cheers!

[@noel4715]

Your voice is really comforting. Nice vid!

[@ClearAlera]

Fantastic video - short, sweet and to the point! I had a course in college where they had us solder components to a board but I only knew the most basic objective, which was somehow getting the melted solder into place and then letting it cool to harden. I had a tough time because I kept trying to just melt the solder directly from the iron onto the component; I never knew you were supposed to heat the component first and use that to melt the solder. Live and learn!

[@arslanxelan9606]

This is the best introduction to soldering I have seen yet. Straight to the point and very clear. Thank you!

[@illioptopede]

I'm brand new to soldering, so this is super helpful! I have a little beginners manual and it was kinda confusing, but you've helped immensely!

[@MindOverEverything]

I watched it twice and now soldering is no longer a mystery to me. Thank you!

[@Sawta]

I hadn't thought about taping components down. Thanks for the tip!

[@Qinti101]

Thank you for making videos like this. I am starting to dabble in electronics and learning how to solder is a must in this case. This video is a great starting point before practicing on some test boards.

[@stardustrelaxingvibes]

I’ve always had reservations about soldering mainly due to many failed attempts as a teenager (pre-KZbin, lol) I followed this beginners tutorial, absolutely spot on with the advice given & managed to repair my work tool 👌

[@goatsticks101]

This is an amazing tutorial!! I really appreciate how you described the chemistry and techniques so simply, Thank You!

[@Fiddler104]

Great video. Short and sweet with just enough info. Thanks

[@robinsperanza1117]

ty that was very informative and I actually feel like I learned something

[@JeroenLapre]

Thank you for this tutorial. Getting back into electronics after many years. Your tutorial is an excellent refresher. =)

[@TisEyerish1]

Excellent video, oneTesla! Thank you so much for teaching us exactly what we need to know...no "fluff" to take up time needlessly. I can't tell you how much I value that! Kudos to you!

[@LOTIL62]

This is an example of a tutorial done right. Examples are clear, explainations are quick and to the point. This is possibly one of the best and quick lessons around!

[@alexyadron6609]

I found this video-clip very helpful to me👍

[@luchighwalker7524]

I was totally gonna make a joke about cleaning the tip, but this video was so good and informative, I refrained from doing that. thank you

[@andrewford80]

Good thing you mentioned it though, nice work.

[@anon4854]

just the tip?

[@hankchinaski4651]

That's what she said.

[@wifiunlocker3182]

kzbin.info/www/bejne/a2rFfqOFmLRliKc

[@mugiherrscherofstronk8149]

Lmao

[@idgafa6872]

Thank you oneTesla! Your video is clear, easy to understand and gave me the courage to do some simple soldering on my own.

[@TheRationalPi]

I took a short class on soldering technique a long time ago, but I've hardly used it since. This was a great refresher on the basics for someone who's skills have gotten rusty!

[@penelopemcconnell8769]

I love your voice! It's like I'm soldering with my best friend or sister... it makes me feel confident and comfortable, specially because I'll be soldering jewelry as a really great aficionada since I know nothing about either soldering or jewelry... Ha! I got this!

[@nivekkled]

oneTesla well done. I love how you get right to the point. My soldering station is coming UPS today. Will practice what I've learned from you. Thanks

[@heyitsmeian]

This is the most concise, accurate and informative video on soldering I've found online. Kudos to you! I'm including it as a reference in a tutorial video I made about repairing an obscure Austrian sports timing clock. Thank you so much!

[@MatthewMcClellan]

Terrific tutorial. This was a huge help for me. Put it right to work repairing a speaker cable tonight. It went beautifully. 👍🏻

[@jSkaffaa]

Haha the “what not to do” part, that resistor was hanging on for dear life.

[@deganni2688]

very helpful - thanks

[@oneTesla]

ric m You're welcome!

[@NossyDrelich]

+oneTesla thanks I learned alot. How did you make this video?

[@00tonytone]

+oneTesla im trying to fix a plasma tv that shuts off like in 20 minutes found out its the soldering points under heat sinks. i put a soldering iron on those pins but the solder doesnt melt.

[@00tonytone]

+oneTesla im trying to fix a plasma tv that shuts off like in 20 minutes found out its the soldering points under heat sinks. i put a soldering iron on those pins but the solder doesnt melt.

[@00tonytone]

+oneTesla im trying to fix a plasma tv that shuts off like in 20 minutes found out its the soldering points under heat sinks. i put a soldering iron on those pins but the solder doesnt melt.

[@eatdrinkgaming]

I am brand new to soldering. I had watched a few how-to videos directed at beginners before finding yours, and I am glad I did! I think I have a better understanding of soldering now. Thank you!

[@simonaioanadarok1927]

I haven't done soldering for eight years and today I have an interview for a job where I will have to do soldering for a while 😅 this video refreshed my memories , thank you!

[@hangugeohaksaeng]

Very well made video. Your voice is easy to listen to. Thanks. :)

[@chapal2548]

Ditto

[@victor8685]

Just a tip, twist the wires together before soldering them please.

[@Rain1]

This is quite useful. I'm about to do my first project by replacing the micro switches in my mouse within the next month or so and have been looking up tips for soldering. Pretty much the most concise and summarized beginner tutorial to soldering. Thanks

[@jaiar12]

This is an amazing tutorial. Concise, clear, very helpful high-quality visuals, even shows what not to do. 10/10 all around

[@kmcdash9755]

I love how you said (this example is exagerrated) gahahshs like you guessed my mind hahaha

[@joyon1340]

I love your voice,

[@signalscout6020]

A couple of “whys” mentioned here about tip-cleaning that I have not seen in other tutorials. Good quality, thank you.

[@WTomMeier]

Excellent presentation. Quick accurate and no nonsense. Many thanks and I hope you make more instructional videos.

[@robertpohli5601]

the thing they don't tell to beginners is that the copper board lies in electronic shops four month and years and builds a very nice copper oxide layer which makes the surface tension higher for the solder tin and when you use some cheap equipment the results will not be to good - so to begin you should use cream cleanser in order to remove that form the copper

[@speed2998]

When I took the NASA soldering course years ago they recommended a typist's ink eraser (the white stuff) to clean the trace before soldering. These are still available at the better stationery stores.

[@shyam.invests]

What is flux and what is it used for

[@oneTesla]

Flux is a mild acid that eats away at the oxide layer on the surface of metals. It helps solder stick to pads and wires.

[@AMalas]

oneTesla FLUX IS NOT ACID. I REPEAT, NEVER USE ACID BASED FLUX ON ELECTRONICS. USE ROSIN OR YOU ARE GOING TO HAVE A BAD DAY

[@qwanom]

ShoeGame use colophony (rosin) flux, based on tree resin! Acid flux sould be cleaned by using a pure alcohol. Acid fluxes are used for soldering an iron based wire, etc. You can find also cream like soldering paste based on rosin, liquid - rosin dissolved in alcohol and pure colophony, like a rock, yellow or red transparent. For surface mount (SMD) there is a paste with low temperature melting solder and flux, but this kind of soldering is made by hot air soldering gun or infrared stand (which is expensive).

[@Iliek]

lol the amount of disinfo out there about about soldering is just insane

[@AMalas]

Iliek Tehbut if i said something wrong correct me

[@mmedina]

Total beginner here. Your video is very good! Straight to the point, and easy to follow. I'll use it later today to do my first attempt.

[@amgadghaly6218]

A very concise, straight to the point, pleonasm-free video, thx from Hurghada, Egypt

[@xiadui7209]

Can i use soldering on people? Will it hurt?

[@oneTesla]

Do not solder people. Solder is very hot and will burn the skin (not to mention that most solder contains lead, which is toxic).

[@slumberlust]

Yes, you can solder two people together, but make sure you do not use Rosin based flux for people to people connections.

[@fathmasameer7523]

Tyler Parrott lol

[@xiadui7209]

thanx

[@renragged]

You should only every solder your own eyes shut to get a good nights sleep. Other than that, never solder on people.

[@mmast1898]

Sounds like asmr

[@MrCucitrice]

I’m glad I decided to look this up on a whim. Your “what not to do” segment is how I’ve been trying to solder this whole time. Granted, I’ve not been soldering very long, but still.

[@7snowdog]

Short, simple, straight to the point. I love it! Thank you. I needed to learn soldering for my diy christmas ornaments.

[@paulvanderveen1986]

great video!!! (by the way you have a beautiful voice:-)

[@appbigeasyreachtop]

yes,good voice

[@malasharma9427]

I just think that's...umm Tech Voice.. cuz!! Heard the exact same sound on tonnes of other videos.. plus it's so flawless.. and is almost neutral (doesn't actually have a specific accent)

[@mark_cox]

protip twist the wires together before applying soder, don't just have them side by side like in the video

[@garybeard2109]

Actually, she did it the exact way NASA recommends soldering two wires together (laying the wires next to each other without twisting them together). Tested and proven to be the strongest connection by NASA ;)

[@evilklown55]

LOL @ it's stronger to do them side-by side rather than twisting them together -- that makes zero sense. Lucky for us our intellectual betters are here to save the day.

[@kagomesg7]

@@evilklown55 idk. If NASA tells us not top dip something, I rather trust them than internet majors.

[@Afootpluto]

@@garybeard2109 not completely true. NASA has many other ways to solder two wires together, the most common is the lineman splice. The splice in this video is the lap splice and the splice in the video is not done correctly.

[@garybeard2109]

@@Afootpluto @afootpluto My comment is completely true, though it is also true, there are other ways NASA recommends soldering two wires. My reply was directed at the comment which directed people to twist the wires together before soldering. I, in no way made reference to whether the creator of this video did anything correctly or incorrectly. I simply made reference to the demonstrated method being the strongest method as per NASA. According to NASA-STD-8739.4A - 2016-06-30 page 69 line #: d. The conductors to be spliced shall not be twisted together.

[@mrwishe]

This was wonderfully clear. Thank you for your time spent on teaching this to us newbies. Lots of great info I didn't get from watching others!

[@Valcuda]

Yesterday was my first time soldering, and I just assumed you out the solder on the iron itself. Honestly, this video is an amazing help! And I'm sure if I watched it before I soldered yesterday, it would've looked a lot better XD Thanks so much for the video!

[@Roger__Wilco]

Why do Americans say "sodder", always seems so weird to hear.

[@Miggy_Migg]

I’m American and whenever I say “Soul-der” I’m correct to “sodder” by others lol. I’ve wondered this as well.

[@evildiesel1709]

same reason they say aluminum - just to be awkward:)

[@emelle1283]

Why do American;s pronounce it SODDER instead of SOLDER. Is the army full of SODDIERS too?

[@hazoomeh]

Consult an English dictionary and you will have your answer. Good day.

[@stuartg40]

@@hazoomeh In the UK, the 'l' in solder is pronounced. If you discover how the Americans came to believe it was silent, please let me know. "Sole-der", as with "sole-juh" (soldier) is the norm where the English language was created, although it can occasionally be heard pronounced as "sol-der", with a short 'o'.

[@KnuckleHunkybuck]

Are you saying that Americans don't know how to talk correctly? If while reading that sentence, you didn't pronounce the word "talk" the same as you would pronounce the word "talcum", you aren't terribly consistent with your pronunciation either. If you're going to talk the talk, you should walk the walk.

[@stuartg40]

@@KnuckleHunkybuck Clearly not. I merely expressed a knowledge of the linguistic divide created by the span of the Atlantic. As you ought to know, the English language is rife with pronunciation discrepancies, so your example is void. Don't get defensive: I stated a fact and asked how it came to be that the American pronunciation differs from that of the English that gave the USA its (now bastardised) language.

[@KnuckleHunkybuck]

+Stuart Black Uh, I was replying to Em Elle's original comment. My very point was that there are discrepancies, therefore her(?) ascertainment that "solder" should be pronounced the same as "soldier" was moot. If you don't pronounce the "l" in "talk", "walk", "balk", or "stalk", clearly a silent "l" is very much a part of the English language.

[@Lilliputian63]

Excellent tutorial!! You mentioned things other tutorials completely neglect...simple, but important things such as in what order to remove the solder and gun. Nice! Thanks for your time.

[@stevesohl8249]

Such an excellent, concise video! Thank you so much. So many people make long unnecessarily complicated videos and it's always appreciated to see a great, to the point tutorial.

[@dertwerst]

Great info, delivered quickly. You even talked about how long it takes to properly heat a joint, which seems to be missing from other tutorials I've watched. Thanks.

[@FinnGamble]

Excellent tutorial. That's a lot of info condensed into four minutes, yet very clearly presented!

[@richardtripp4308]

I like this video as it covers simple basic soldering technique. Easy to understand and easy to implement.

[@ValgniTehki]

I'm new to soldering and have watched several videos showing people how to solder. They never have the camera close enough so I can never see what being done. Also, they don't half go on and on about a lot of crap. This video was simple, to the point and filmed so we could actually see how to solder. Much appreciated!

[@Youll_Love_It_At_Levitz]

Thanks for the straight forward tutorial.😃

[@TartanOfficial]

I’ve started repairing broken controllers, soldering is something I knew I needed to learn to be able to get the most out of the broken parts and pieces I have. Thank you for the great tutorial :)

[@groggysword33]

Thank you for explaining what Rosin Core Solder does. No other videos that are beginner oriented that I’ve seen, have done that.

[@jayc3110]

An excellent lesson. Very clear and crisp. Thank you.

[@LookingIntently]

That was really helpful. I'm about to solder wire leads to speaker connectors - and I've never soldered before! I feel pretty confident after watching this. Thanks!!

[@mikey19468]

I literally just decided to pick up Soldering to work on electronics and this cleared up SOOOO much for me! Thank you a ton!

[@beebopcola]

Thanks for the close up views! A tricky bit of work, but as a viewer, it really enhanced my understanding!

[@Johnwould1]

What a perfectly explained and succinct tutorial. Thank you!

[@deniseherud]

Ty for making a very clear and concise video for newbs.👍🏻 I’ve been doing some jewelry soldering but working on electronics seems intimidating..this was super helpful!

[@paulgeare6035]

Great tutorial. Clear, concise, and useful.

[@tomlinsonmichaels2040]

Perfect. Short and succinct. Got what I needed to know, pleasantly, quickly and efficiently. Thanks

[@redstickham6394]

I haven't soldered in a long time and this was a nice refresher. Thanks!

[@fleetgoddess21]

Well done. Thx for doing this.

[@freshgresh]

Excellent video. You actually get to the point! Really appreciate the close ups also. 10/10

[@blessedmeadow9624]

Great video and very concise. I agree with some of the other comments about how other sites drone on and on. No one wants to hear that; we just want the information we came for. You gave us what we were looking for and still had time to show us some pitfalls to avoid... all within a few minutes. Great job again!

[@jacobernardo7065]

Easily understood and well explained! Thank you!

[@virginiaray2145]

Thank you for your step by step precise instructions. I feel confident as a first time user of a soldering tool, that everything will turn out well.

[@jayuihlein1664]

Excellent tutorial! Thank you. Now, I think I can do this effectively. Best wishes!

[@katherinejankowski1997]

Great video, well explained, and I especially appreciate that you show a wrong way example at the end with an explanation of why. Thank you!

[@52McCoy]

Thank you for this video!! I will be doing some soldering for the first time and your video cleared up most of the confusion from what my buddies were explaining to me

[@kalimortwood]

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ I've never soldered before & I was very nervous, but I followed this video to a tee & it worked! The capacitor works, my Prius is fixed! Thank you, thank you, thank you for this video. Easy, clear, very helpful. A+ video.

[@zzoinks]

Somebody on Reddit told me these additional tips: 1. Prepare your working area. Make sure you like the table you are working at. Rehearse the soldering with a cold soldering iron at the table, that way you know how you'll have to hold the iron when you are actually soldering, and this is when you make sure your cord is long enough. Also prepare in advance for when you are finished soldering. Decide where to set the soldering iron to safely cool off. (Also don't forget the component you were soldering will still be hot) Having a stand for your soldering iron is good because it can help you avoid grabbing the hot end of it and burning yourself good, and stay in "careful mode" until the iron has cooled down. That is, stay alert and be careful while the iron is still hot. If you become too relaxed you may have accidents from not paying attention like accidentally grabbing the hot iron and burning yourself or moving your finger too close to the iron when moving the circuitboard being soldered.

[@trudat1498]

I appreciate this video more than I can possibly say. Thank you so very much, you are a lifesaver 💜

[@alexanderdeschutter8820]

Rad. Clearly and concisely communicated what I needed to know. Great video , thank you

[@DerpypawsProductions]

This simple approach with no overthinking allowed me to learn basic soldering and do a successful project. Thanks!

[@6lu5ky86]

Thanks for this! I recently got a job assembling guitar effects pedals, exciting. I've improved a lot!

[@slvpd]

Excellent concise information. Thank you! I have a digital clock kit delivering this week as my first soldering project. Looking forward to learning. Your video was very helpful to me, miss.

[@katateochi]

Excellent tutorial. Short, clear and concise. Nice.

[@EddieHernandez-lv6we]

This was a great video. I look forward to seeing more.

[@peterzinia3767]

I've been at this soldering thing off & on for many years. I still have no skills & I'm a mechanic. I've got to forget what I've been doing & start at the beginning if I ever want to get it right & this video is just what I needed to do that. REVOLUTION!!

[@dntlss]

I'm in the same boat,i can rebuild a engine blindfolded but when it comes to soldering I'm pretty hopeless,to tell you how much i know about soldering.... i thought that ashtray looking thing was a different type of solder,lol, it was only after looking online for it that i figured out what it does,she explains it in the video but super briefly, basically its just another cleaner for the tip,id rather use that then the sponge.

[@L0stH0riz0n21]

That was so well explained. I wish I have that ability. Amazing tutorial!

[@bobbypropes5346]

Hey, this was SUPER helpful. Great video. Thanks for being so clear & concise. The “what not to do” example as also super helpful. Cheers!

[@lettherebepiece7184]

Hi,You have done a brilliant soldering tutorial here,This has been one of the clearest close ups `with clear instructions also covered a few issues that put things in a most understanding way. Well done this is how a video should be done.

[@mikeabernathy6201]

Plain, simple and to the point. THANKS.

[@cldel66]

Excellent - just what I was looking for! Thank you.

[@californiaguy530]

Thank you for the great tutorial! Well done!