The Learning Circuit - Basic Soldering Tools

Ben joins Karen to discuss soldering. Soldering is used in electronics to make permanent connections as opposed to a temporary electrode connection. Visit Karen at The Learning Circuit: bit.ly/2HNVsrw
Hack Like Heck Competition: bit.ly/2HSmWMC
Visit the sudo Sergeant: bit.ly/2CMmXyf
Visit the Ben Heck Show: bit.ly/2BTrdPy
Visit Community Feedback: bit.ly/2FCIvAq
The main soldering tools you have as options are your soldering pencils and soldering stations. If you’re just getting started soldering or if you’re on a budget, you can start with a cheap handheld soldering iron. Ben cautions going to cheap on a soldering iron. They start at around 15 watts and go up to 80 watts which is bigger than you’d want to use for electronics. According to Ben, 20 to 40 watts is probably the sweet spot. Wattage refers to the current it draws, which lets you know how much power it has in order to melt solder. The higher the wattage, the more solder it can melt or the faster it will melt it. One thing you need to check for is that the plug for your soldering iron has a ground pin. If a device has exposed metal then it’s good for it to have a grounded plug because that allows static to discharge into the earth instead of building up on your tool. Reasons you’d want to get a soldering pencil is that they are cheaper, they are easier to store, and they come with a stand which you want to be sure to use. You don’t want to set a soldering pencil on the table. Some of the drawbacks include the fact that they don’t have a variable temperature control.
Ben and Karen take a look at three different models of soldering stations. If you’re using a soldering station, you always have a place to store your soldering iron, and many of them come with a place to put a sponge or a brass pad. Each station has some sort of temperature control, how fine that is will depend on the model. The 21-7945 Tenma Soldering Station uses knob control that goes from yellow up to red, so you don’t get the exact temperature. The 21-10115 Tenma Soldering Station has a digital display. Karen likes it because it gives you three preset temperatures but also allows you to fine-tuning of the temperature. Ben notices that it has a transformer in it. This is good because a transformer allows you to have higher current faster, allowing it to heat up quickly. If a soldering iron is “heavy” that means it has a nice transformer in it which is going to get you up to temperature quickly. The next soldering station that they look at is the Weller WD 1000. Ben uses a Weller with digital knob control at his desk because he likes the tip options on it. He appreciates the digital readout on the Weller WD because oftentimes he will go back and forth between set temperatures.
Once you select your soldering tool, you’re going to want to make sure you get some spare tips. Its important to have a good clean tip when soldering and if you’re a beginner, it’s really easy to accidentally corrode and ruin your tips. But it’s not just about replacing tips if they go bad. You’re going to also want to have different tips for different applications. A finer point tip can be used for detailed work while a larger tip is used to transfer heat more quickly. Recently, Felix has been using a tip that is tapered and kind of like a blade. This is nice because it offers more surface area and heats pads really well. Karen goes over some additional things you should look for when selecting your soldering tip. Make sure you get a tip that matches the tool you have because tips can vary wildly by manufacturer.
As mentioned earlier, keeping your soldering tip clean is important in soldering. There are two main products you can use to do this. You can get a sponge which you can get damp or you can get a brass pad. Ben prefers to use a sponge because he can actually see everything coming off. If you need more than a sponge or a brass pad you can purchase tip tinner and cleaner. You could also use soldering paste flux on the tip. You can also purchase solder that has flux in it.
There are two main types of solder are leaded solder and lead-free solder. Leaded solder is kind of the old fashioned way of doing it’s sometimes a little bit easier because lead has a lower melting point than the lead-free solder. However, there’s a slight health risk as lead is not good for you. If you’re going to be using it then make sure you’re not touching your face, eating or drinking while using it, and wash your hands when you are done.

[@chantafreak]

Hey guys, thanks for the vid! Always enjoy these tutorials thanks for making them (and props for not breaking up when talking about keeping your tip clean, I know I had a hard time keeping a straight face....yeah Im immature like that, sorry) Big like for y'all!

[@erikcire7809]

Wow! I didnt think I needed this course, but I did and learned a lot. Thanks!

[@outlawlaw]

thank you for these beginner videos guys. I appreciate them

[@lolmysteries]

The main reason to use brass pads is to maintain a constant temperature and reduce tip cracking. Where a wet sponge creates a sudden and drastic tip temp drop, having to wait for the temp to come back up and can potentially crack or soften the tips over time.

[@iamsmartacus]

The primary reason for having that third prong on your power plug is not to drain away static electricity on the exposed external metal parts of an appliance, but to protect against electrocution. If you had a faulty appliance with an internal short that connected the hot (120V) conductor to the appliance's metal case and you were to touch it, and simultaneously to touch something else in the room that was grounded, current would flow to ground through your body and possibly electrocute you. The appliance's case has been intentionally wired to that third prong, which plugs into a dedicated ground connection at the outlet, in order to prevent electrocution by guaranteeing that if a faulty appliance with such a unintentional internal hot-conductor-to-case short were plugged in, a large current would flow through the case and back to the outlet, and the upstream circuit breaker would pop open and shut off the power.

[@scotttovey]

I love tutorials like this. They remind me of stuff I learned years ago and forgot because It was just a passing fancy. I just recently did a small project and could not figure out why the solder would not stick to the wires. A few days after I watched a video about modeling small items and the parts were soldered together. The individual used liquid flux and as I watched the video I thought: Oh yeah, I forgot about the flux part of soldering. A-a-a-nee-hoo; the soldering was just a secondary after thought precaution to maintain contact. I had threaded the wire through the pin holes twice like you would when sewing leather together. It didn't need the solder.

[@SinisterPuppy]

Thanks for the tips. This is one of those skills I'd love to pick up some day. My old Sega Gamegear needs new caps and I've been scared to ruin it. I'll reference this video if I ever build up the will power to fix it. :)

[@MrLiamDobson]

1: DO NOT BUY A SOLDERING IRON THAT PLUGS DIRECTLY INTO A POWER OUTLET, you're just making it harder for yourself - you'll be struggling to get the solder to melt one minute and burning holes through your board the next, they are inconsistent as hell. Get a temperature controlled iron. That Tenma one with the yellow-red dial will do and is around $25, and contrary to what Karen says, those yellow-red bands around the dial actually do map to temperatures, she just hasn't bothered to read the manual to see what they are. 2: The only tip you need is a small chisel shaped tip, about the shape / size of the end of a precision screwdriver. This tip is good for 99% of everything you're ever likely to solder. If the one that came with your iron is a conical one that comes to a point at the end, replace it. 3: There are 2 types of flux core used in solder - rosin & acid - the acid stuff is for plumbing and will wreck your electronics, so it's important you get rosin core solder. 4: When using a new tip for the first time, tin it with solder as soon as the solder will melt on it. This protects the tip and helps with heat transfer to the thing you're soldering. 5: Every time you're finished with your iron, re-tin it (generously) as you turn it off. Your tip will love you for it, and you shouldn't ever have to resort to dipping it in a tub of flux like Ben does as this damages it. 6: Leaded solder is pretty much all around better than the lead free stuff, just don't eat it. It's also not completely illegal in Europe like Ben implies, you just can't sell commercial consumer goods that contain it. You can buy and use it for your own projects perfectly fine, and it's particularly good for repairing consumer electronics that have stopped working because their shitty lead free solder joints have cracked. 7: Flux fumes are harmful, make sure you're in a well ventilated room. It's a good idea to have a fan blowing across your desk to keep the fumes out of your face as you're soldering.

[@EGOS42]

Thanks for the tips

[@allluckyseven]

Great episode, you guys.

[@AJB2K3]

I have a rebadged tenma, love it. Maplins *spits on floor* sold rebadged Tenma irons.

[@igorzherebiatev5751]

From my almost 30 years of experience, it is the very first time in my life I have seen a soldering iron with a ground pin.

[@ZaneDaMagicPufferDragon]

Sweet!!!! Soldering with Karen and Ben was Awesome!!! 😎😎😎

[@c0ffeeman]

Thanks for all of the "HOT TIPS"

[@larrykozlowski6305]

Reminds me of the episode where Ben taught Alyson how to solder when Felix was on vacation.

[@johntrauger68]

I use rosin core solder and keep the tip clean by wiping with a dry cotton cloth then tinning. A wet sponge works well but cools the tip slowing you down.

[@Uejji]

When I first got into soldering two decades or so ago, soldering pencils had the drawback that they would rapidly lose heat (from sinking into joints), so after flowing a joint you would have to stop for a while to let the pencil reheat. Maybe ones you can buy today don't have that drawback. But I would recommend a cheap used old Weller off ebay or something far before even the most expensive pencil, even for a newbie.

[@zaprodk]

I don't agree with that "your laptop power brick will get hotter at 230V than 110V" - Actually it's quite the opposite since the current is double at 110V, and the losses in the rectifier and switching circuit will be higher.

[@mypersonalbiblestudies]

However leaving flux on PCBs and components can assist in developing of corrosion. Great video! SN95 solder with lead is highly superior to silver solder due to its short eutectic state

[@Lou-eye]

While soldering you want to wear safety glasses.I had an incident where i was going to remove a soldered wire off a terminal, as i pulled off the wire after heating up the solder it flung a little blob of solder at my eye, had i not had my safety glasses on it would have put my eye out,as the solder melted into the lens of the safety glasses right where the middle of my eye was. Safety First.

[@EdwinNoorlander]

What about ESD on de so(l)der station

[@AJB2K3]

Never mind the tips, Can someone point out a supply of the tip retention screws!

[@james77011]

when i use lead solder, i have a small desk fan to blow the smoke the other direction away from me. and i clean my hands many times

[@KomradeMikhail]

Not a single mention of ventillation in a soldering video ?

[@phatdunny]

KomradeMikhail they are soddering, not soldering. It's fine.

[@maker_karen1785]

This video was intended to talk about the tools and materials needed to begin soldering. Another video will come out with technique and best practices. We talk about ventilation in that video.

[@RobeenaShepherd]

I had the Atten branded version of that Tenma, it was really awful. Actual temperature of the tip was way off from the display, it didn't actually even read the temp of the tip (not enough wires to do that!) and just guessed. And it's thermal power was dreadful. I gave it away on Freecycle and got a Hakko, obviously a lot more expensive but worth the money as it will last years. Before that I had a temp controlled Antex which was not flashy at all but lasted me for a few years of occasional use before it broke.

[@RetroAmateur1989]

what about using copper for PCB traces? Or is this too advanced?

[@philoffhistree6700]

what is soder ??

[@tinkmarshino]

solder

[@mattfisher1916]

I use a Hakko Tip just like Felix's, for everything.

[@DAVIDGREGORYKERR]

What about using a WELLOR 8200D and a roll of 64%/40% lead/tin solder, The best solder-station would keep your roll of solder inside the solder-station and feed the solder up the umbilical to the heated tip of the iron and would have a foot pedal that when pressed by your foot would feed more solder to the tip of the iron.

[@maker_karen1785]

Soldering guns have large tips that are difficult to use for the intricate soldering done on electronics. Soldering guns tend to be used more for plumbing. I do like the idea of automatically feeding solder, similar to a MIG welder. In a MIG welder, the wire is quite stiff, whereas solder is rather flexible and soft. The feed tube would have to be a fairly precise fit around the solder to reduce jams. Also with MIG welders, the wire is pushed from the spool rather than pulled near the handle. It would take some experimentation to find a drive mechanism that could pinch and push the solder wire without crushing it and jamming the machine. It would likely be cost prohibitive to a hobbyist, but would be a very cool tool for someone that solders on the regular. You would need different diameter tubes to match different diameter solder, though. Intriguing...

[@DAVIDGREGORYKERR]

I has been done just google for a solder-station that keeps the solder reel inside the solder-station.

[@Pap9]

come on. from such a solder masters i was expecting you would say something about the soldering stations that they either show desired temperature. and some show the actual real temperature of the tip. this is kinda good to know, not all digital stations have the real tip read outs

[@Eckserah]

Ben, your lips look so blue/purple! Make sure you take care of yourself! All in all a great video! Doing a lot of soldier work myself and i have been using a usb soldiering iron lately as mine died and i found this one in a bin of stuff i had. Any idea of how good/bad the USB soldiering irons are?

[@raheeljessa]

Really surprised no one mentioned the TS-100 soldering iron...

[@raheeljessa]

hackaday.com/2017/07/24/review-ts100-soldering-iron/ @karen and ben!

[@valorantcommie8829]

I suggest you wet by water the cleaning foam. Use paste flux and clean tip on wet foam, but you didn’t show. Thanks.

[@paulosullivan3472]

Really love these vids and both Karen and Ben but _please please_ it's sol-der-ing not sod-er-ing

[@magicmel02]

Love your videos (and will miss you, Ben!), but could you PLEASE put a de-esser on Karen's mic? :(

[@james77011]

i use a sponge and brass pad for better cleaner

[@LittleRainGames]

My soldering pen has a temp control, it was really cheap too, $30 but it came with a desoldering pump, wick, an exaxto pen, solder, a case, a bunch of blades, a bunch of different ends for the gun, 2 tweezers and even more

[@LittleRainGames]

Thats 30 cad too

[@austincarter9523]

Is a soldering gun ideal for soldering wires to circuit boards?

[@johntrauger68]

Over kill.

[@austincarter9523]

@@johntrauger68 I was asking because I didn't have an iron back then lol

[@johntrauger68]

@@austincarter9523 Well you probably know by now then.

[@adonisaseem]

"L" is silent in Solder. That's a huge learning for me. 😄

[@lignitedaze]

The EU should be applauded for their ban on lead solder. Like the US, it's still widely available and used here in Australia. I'm sure a lot more people would switch to lead free solder here if it wasn't for the price difference e.g. 200g of 0.71mm lead-free solder is around AUD$26 at our largest electronics chain whereas the lead version only costs around $16.00. :-( Great tutorial. Thanks. :-)

[@sylviam6535]

Many people use lead solder because they are not that good at soldering and lead solder is more forgiving. Large manufacturers are fine with lead free solder because it is applied by robots.

[@CL-ty6wp]

EU is ghaye

[@jaeb2078]

I have one that uses batteries is that good or i need to buy one that plugs in?

[@SnarkyPosters]

Chisel tip and 63/37 FTW

[@andrascsirmaz3043]

What about soldering tools/tips that don't look like sharp pencil, but rather like a dress safety-pin?

[@whitey6380]

I want to do soldering with Karen :D

[@mobilecare-jayhriata]

What a beautiful woman doing the most interesting work

[@TimSavage-drummer]

Watch the Woz soldering! (he holds the solder in his mouth)

[@Omnituens]

I love your videos, but you need to sort out Karen's mic - recently her S's have been very distorted, and in this video her necklace got caught on it and was causing audio issues. But the content is good, guys!

[@AJB2K3]

Solder without flux is pewter!

[@torimarland2201]

I know it's only a language thing and it is fine, but is there an interesting reason why our American cousins pronounce 'soldering' the way they do? These electronics tips are great, by the way! Give Karen her own maker show....

[@JakonDeluxe]

Alright.

[@The.Doctor.Venkman]

Isn't soddering something naughty?

[@chrisjericho7123]

Ah, a taste of the future....... Sold(ering) off baldrick! LOL, did ben Mansplain what she meant after she said it? Im teasing. Bravo Karen! Does everyone burn themselves once on their iron and then never again?

[@salmanfaruuq2745]

This video is 2 years old.... Please bring us the latest videos

[@brianbrown4965]

is it cold where you are , as you are allways wrapped up in jumpers and gloves .

[@phatdunny]

Oh! So that's what soddering is

[@jeffkrupke3810]

Ben looks so burned out.

[@TrollingAround]

OMG Ben - you look like the world has died ... Hope you're ok man.

[@LittleRainGames]

TrollingAround he looks fine to me. Hes ready to go get a wife and make something for production

[@strangevision99]

I only watched this to hear sodder over and over again.

[@i_smoke_ghosts]

Yes kazza is so hot. Why yal not say solder properly?

[@tonyfoster61]

Yes, I know It's spelled soldering - I was just emphasising the word

[@sasasasa1591]

nice woman

[@Johnnyafc]

Ben has a short tip 😂

[@funkyuk1]

Sardering? Arrrrgh. The clue may be the O and the L

[@samurphy]

I bet you call a lung infection "PUHNEUMONIA" too?

[@Uejji]

What a fucking pedant. People in other countries pronounce and sometimes even spell things differently, you knob.

[@AJB2K3]

I thought she was saying Sod-her

[@KiwiHelpgeek]

You mean like how state names are pronounced the way they are spelt, such as Arkansas with the last S sounded, you bell-end?

[@malelonewolf80]

«Fun» fact, in Norway you can purchase lead-solder, but it is preferred that you use lead-free solder. But thanks to our «environmentally concious» government you could also purchase leadbased shotgun pellets / ammunition, and shoot wildlife and disperse lead into our nature. Thank you Norwegian government for ensuring our nature is not lacking in lead. 😖

[@SuperMechaCow]

Man dug it out of nature. It's only responsible to put it back, right?

[@AJB2K3]

Fun fact 2 Lidl and Aldi sell leaded solder quite a bit. Useful fact, Avoid silver based solder, it sucks!

[@tonyfoster61]

Sole - der - ing... Sole - der - ing..... not soddering!!!!!!!!

[@LittleRainGames]

Tony Foster silent L foo

[@tonyfoster61]

It isn't a silent L... soLder, soLdering, to soLder, that wire has been soLdered

[@Hudee1985]

In the US the "L" is silent: dictionary.cambridge.org/pronunciation/english/solder

[@electriccomics]

Yeah I pronounce it "sodder" and will continue to.

[@tonyfoster61]

If you must!

[@SuperMechaCow]

Isn't Karen pretty talented with CNC and fabrication or something? Shouldn't she be teaching that, instead?

[@phrankus2009]

Not any useful info