Gradually Improving my Soldering Skills

PDC

PDC

Well-known member
I’ve never been particularly ‘handy’ with a soldering iron. Having returned from plug-n-play EMG pickups back to passives, I pretty much had to become ‘competent.’ I got pretty decent at 1 pickup 1 knob - but adding a switch was like a whole new world. I wonked this up so badly when I first tried that I gave up and loaded her with EMGs, but decided to give it another go today. Maybe not too ‘pretty’ in the control cavity - but everything works!!! No buzz, no hum, no crackle. (And the passives just sound SO much better than actives)

Duncan 59/Custom Hybrid in the Bridge and Duncan Lil’ 59 in the neck.

Musikraft Swamp Ash San Dimas body with 81/81 Pro Mod Quartersawn Maple Neck, 10-16 Compound Radius, 6100 Stainless Frets.
 

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LP Freak said:
Spend the money on a decent soldering iron and you’ll get good at it fast. Heat first then add solder that’s all there is to it
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And alligator clips can be a huge help to hold things in place while keeping both hands free to work the iron and the solder. My wife will readily say that the phrase she here’s most often during one of my projects is ‘I need another goddam hand!!!’
 
If you are using leaded solder get a solder fan with a filter. I use a solder fan with a filter, open the window above my bench and wear a painters mask.
 
I never used aligator clips, but always wished i had them. Can get a bit tricky. made the wife be my third hand a couple times. But the Seymour duncan custom/59 is a great pickup. And one humbucker 1 volume is the holy grail
 
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scottosan said:
The right heat and the right tip. This is a great iron for the money

X-Tronic Model #3020 Digital LED 75 Watt Soldering Iron Station - 10 Minute Sleep Function, Auto Cool Down, C/F Switch, Solder Holder, Brass Tip Cleaner w/Cleaning Flux https://www.amazon.com/dp/B079VVHPP...abc_F0AV8MMF0SB9KQMFQ67X?_encoding=UTF8&psc=1
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This is excellent - with the adjustable alligator clip arms built in. You’re right, I don’t think there’s a smarter $60 buck investment out there!
 
The single biggest tip about soldering I can give that will instantly make your life easier and save you from overheating/destroying parts when starting out(I would add a good quality soldering iron as suggested above)....is to TIN THE TIP OF THE IRON with some solder and don't be excessively shy about how much solder you tin to your tip. Makes an instant heat bridge/transfer to whatever you're soldering to. You want to spend as little time as possible heating a part so you're not destroying parts/lifting solder pads/traces.

IMO, 650°F is the ideal temp for soldering.....for large ground planes/large traces/heavy cable and parts I'll crank it to 700°F.

Other things I like is a flux pen and get you a soldapllt starting out. After you get some skills and a good soldering station, a decent desoldering/rework station is a wonderful thing to have.

Added: Ditch a sponge for cleaning tips, cools the temp too much and puts more wear on your tips.....invest in a brass mesh type tip cleaner. I have never had to retire any tips using them.
 
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[ Donnie B. ] said:
Should also do this right before shutting the iron off. Protects the cold tip.

re: ditch the sponge (cooling) - duh, so obvious I don't know why I never thought of it.
gonna get some brass mesh. Thanks!
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Agreed :) Np!

Another thing I'll add...when I first learned years and years ago the tricks like I said it really changed my world for soldering....I was doing everything so easy and super clean looking.....then I moved to making my own cables, then doing repairs on electronics that died around the house like computer monitors ect.....then I was repairing some amp stuff, synthesizers and music electronics.....then I was really into collecting/restoring/repairing classic crt arcade machines...this has been years and years ago........Once you get bit by the soldering bug, you won't mind investing in good soldering equipment.....it has more than payed for itself many times over with all I've repaired through the years......it's FUN!
 
[ Donnie B. ] said:
Agreed. BUT, don't ever let world class soldering chops ever trick you into thinking
you're ok to work around amp circuits. For that you have to have the basic electronics
safety stuff down pat first.

I know I'm preaching to the choir @Purpleibby
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I agree with you....and believe me working on rebuilding and repairing crt monitors in arcade games when the voltages can be between 19-25kV...you don't fuck around if you don't know what you're going lol;)
 
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