DIY Electronics is a great thing to get into learning! It can save you money, assuming you don't value your time. 😄 If you need to DIY a project, or fixing a broken thing, a soldering iron is your best friend.
Mitch Altman has a great comic called Soldering is Easy, which can also be found on archive.org
I was always intimidated by soldering but I don't have the best manual dexterity in the world. Let's just say being a neurosurgeon was never really an option for me. With some practice though, I have found it to be rather easy. If I can solder, you and your geeklings can solder too. Now you can get some great pointers to help you along in comic book style with Soldering Is Easy. --Wired Magazine
Need a soldering iron?
Pinecil by Pine64 is absolutely phenomenal!
Going for the old school, wired models... 🤷
They can be found at dollar stores, but those lack temperature controls. Personally got started on a Weller, which usually breaks down to:
What do you need for soldering?
- A stand, to set the iron on.
- The soldering iron, which is shaped like a thick pen.
- A temperature controller, which you historically plugged the soldering iron into as a base station, but is not built into more recent models.
- A small sponge, for wiping purposes.
- Tinning agent, depends on what kind of solder you are applying. Classicly involves Rosin.
Tinning: the process of thinly coating
- Rosin Core Solder (Lead) - This is probably the most common solder I've encountered. Yes, it has lead. Yes, lead is toxic to touch.
- Lead-Free & Silver Solder - is what is used exclusively by Peter Blasser to make some of the nicest electronic instruments in the world as Ciat Lonbarde.
At Peter's recommendation, I moved to lead-free and have never looked back. I personally have no need for lead-based solder.
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Thoughts or suggestions? Send them in!