logo
logo
Sign in

Select The Correct Soldering Iron for Electronics Work

avatar
Advance Tech
Select The Correct Soldering Iron for Electronics Work

Soldering iron has a built-in "damp sponge" to clean off excess solder between uses. In the past, we have used regular paper towels to do the same job, but a dedicated sponge with a circular hole cut in the middle really works best.

 

Bench Vice/Vise

We bought one of these 2 years ago and it's proven to be invaluable. The brand we use is "PanaVise" and they come with a range of bases and options - Fry's carries them, and they are available online. You can put the whole PCB you are working on into the vice, insert the components and then just flip it over to solder.

 

Flux Pen

Flux is a substance that encourages the solder to flow. If you find that you are having trouble getting a good solder joint then it's probably because the heat transfer isn't working correctly, or the components are dirty. Applying some solder flux to the joint area will really help - I've been using a flux pen for years and wouldn't want to be without one. An alternative is flux paste-like toothpaste it comes in a tube and can be applied with the fingers.

 

Tip Tinner and Cleaner

When you first fit a new soldering iron tip it will be bright, shiny, and very difficult to work with. The solder will not stick to it and so you cannot "tin" the tip properly. Some people will use fine sandpaper to break in a news tip. This starts the process nicely. It's also a good idea to dip the soldering iron after you are finished, and before you switch off. We find that it really helps to prevent the tip from wearing out prematurely.

 

Fume extractor

If you do a lot of soldering, then you need to get something installed on your bench to divert the fumes away from your face. It's not recommended to breathe in solder fumes at all. We use a small fan, but a proper extractor is a very good idea.

 

Wire Cutters

The final piece of essential equipment is a pair of sharp, flat-bottomed wire cutters. These are used to trim off the excess component wire (the "leg") after soldering. The flat bottom is important to get the cut as close to the PCB as possible. Don't go too cheap with these.

 

That just about covers the basics of Soldering Iron, we would also think about getting a loupe (magnifier), some solder wick and solder "sucker" for removal, wire strippers, and isopropyl alcohol, and an old toothbrush for flux removal.

collect
0
avatar
Advance Tech
guide
Zupyak is the world’s largest content marketing community, with over 400 000 members and 3 million articles. Explore and get your content discovered.
Read more