Soldering Tools and Technique

Making a clean joint.

You need a temperature-controlled iron, a damp sponge or brass wool for the tip, a stand, flux-core solder and a small pair of cutters. Set the iron to roughly 320 to 370 degrees Celsius and tin the tip with a thin layer of solder so heat transfers well.

Touch the tip so it heats both the pad and the component lead for a second or two, then feed solder to the joint, not to the iron. Remove the solder, then the iron, and hold the part still while it cools.

• Heat the joint, not the solder.
• Keep joints small and shiny.
• Trim the lead after the joint cools.

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