The Learning Circuit - Basic Soldering Tools

[@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.

[@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.

[@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.

[@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!

[@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.

[@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

[@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.

[@erikcire7809]

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

[@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.

[@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.

[@outlawlaw]

thank you for these beginner videos guys. I appreciate them

[@ZaneDaMagicPufferDragon]

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

[@AJB2K3]

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

[@RetroAmateur1989]

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

[@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.

[@larrykozlowski6305]

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

[@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

[@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

[@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. :)

[@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.

[@c0ffeeman]

Thanks for all of the "HOT TIPS"

[@adonisaseem]

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

[@philoffhistree]

what is soder ??

[@tinkmarshino]

solder

[@AJB2K3]

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

[@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.

[@allluckyseven]

Great episode, you guys.

[@EdwinNoorlander]

What about ESD on de so(l)der station

[@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

[@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

[@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.

[@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.

[@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?

[@andrascsirmaz3043]

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

[@magicmel02]

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

[@paulosullivan3472]

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

[@mobilecare-jayhriata]

What a beautiful woman doing the most interesting work

[@james77011]

i use a sponge and brass pad for better cleaner

[@mattfisher1916]

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

[@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!

[@jaeb2078]

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

[@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

[@SnarkyPosters]

Chisel tip and 63/37 FTW

[@TimSavage-drummer]

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

[@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....

[@salmanfaruuq2745]

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

[@whitey6380]

I want to do soldering with Karen :D

[@The.Doctor.Venkman]

Isn't soddering something naughty?

[@brianbrown4965]

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

[@AJB2K3]

Solder without flux is pewter!

[@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?

[@JakonDeluxe]

Alright.

[@jeffkrupke3810]

Ben looks so burned out.

[@strangevision99]

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

[@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

[@phatdunny]

Oh! So that's what soddering is

[@sasasasa1591]

nice woman

[@tonyfoster61]

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

[@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?

[@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!

[@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!

[@Johnnyafc]

Ben has a short tip 😂

[@SuperMechaCow]

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

[@phrankus2009]

Not any useful info