iFixit's Soldering 101: Beginners Guide（原声文稿）

Learning to solder is an essential step to leveling up your repair skills and it's your gateway to some really awesome maker projects like this fusion powered anti -grav thingamadoodle.

In this video we'll cover the bare minimum you'll need to get started including tools and gear, safety precautions and of course some basic soldering skills.

To get things started you're going to need some specialty tools but don't worry, you don't need to break the bank for any of this stuff. First and foremost you're going to need a soldering iron.

Unsurprisingly the soldering iron is your main tool in soldering.

This brings us to what you'll be melting, lead -free solder.

You have several options for solder, and we generally categorize them into lead -free and leaded solder.

Lead -ed solder is easier to work with, mainly because it has a lower fixed melting point. On the downside, it contains lead, which is a toxic chemical.

Lead -free solder is safer to handle, but it has a melting range instead of fixed melting point. That can make it a little harder to work with as a beginner.

A fume extractor is essential as even though we're using lead -free solder, the process of soldering still produces some fumes that are better left un -inhaled.

We'll also need some flux which helps to remove oxidation from the contacts and ensures we get a strong bond between the solder and whatever we're soldering.

Most solder these days already contains flux at its core but we'll need more to ensure a solid solder joint.

We're also going to need some solder wick braid for desoldering and a wet sponge or solder tip cleaning ball to clean the iron tip.

And lastly a soldering splinter helping hands do the very important job of holding things nice and steady while we do our work You can get everything we just mentioned here for less than a hundred dollars And if you get a bit creative you can get it for half that or less now on to safety Soldering is pretty safe so long as we take a few precautions Let's start with the soldering iron soldering irons can reach temperatures in excess of 400 C or 800 F So you'll want to avoid contact with the skin and consider any fire hazards in the area area, both when using the tool and when left unattended.

On rare occasions, you'll see solder ball up and jump from the tip of your iron and tinning globules.

These balls are small enough to cool down almost immediately while traveling through the air, but it's always a sensible precaution to wear safety glasses to protect your eyes.

This should also incentivize you to create a suitable area for your soldering projects.

A hardwood surface is perfect, your flammable vacuna rug, not so much.

Last but not least, consider ventilation and fume extraction very carefully.

While soldering, you may be exposed to toxic chemicals, which can cause anything from moderate to severe health issues with prolonged exposure.

Now unfortunately, fume extractors are one of the more expensive tools on our list, but they don't have to be.

Depending on what you have lying around at home, you could make your own for next to nothing.

Check out our guide for a DIY fume extractor that won't break the bank. Let's get on to the fun stuff.

We're going to be doing some through -hole soldering, mainly because the components are large enough to see and easy to handle that ideal for learning soldering.

First I'm going to prepare the patient by creating a stable, hands -free operating table.

Use what works for you, but I prefer a combination of helping hands and a soldering splint.

This allows me to free both my hands, one of which will be holding the iron and the other will be feeding into the solder.

Next up I want to place some flux on the contacts I'd like to solder.

solder always wants to move towards and bond with copper.

The only reason it doesn't is because of a thin layer of oxidation that occurs when copper is exposed to air.

That's where flux comes in.

Flux cleans that contact, removing the oxygen layer and allowing a clean bond between the solder and the copper contact.

Not using flux will create a brittle and weak connection.

With our components in place and our flux applied, it's time to turn on the soldering iron and the fume extractor.

There's lots of ways of testing to see if the iron is hot enough.

I'd recommend feeding some of the solder to the tip. When it melts you'll know the iron is ready.

Now this is also a good time to talk about tinning the tip of our iron, something that should be done before and after every soldering session.

Soldering iron tips have an iron plating that's great for outputting heat but they are prone to oxidation and corrosion.

Solder is resistant to both oxidation and corrosion so coating the tip with a bit of solder or tip cleaner is a great way of protecting that vulnerable iron plated layer. Alright, let's get to soldering.

Apply your iron to the copper contact on the board and the component pin for just a few seconds.

The goal is to heat the copper pad and the component pin evenly so they can accept the solder.

If the copper pad and pin are too cold, the solder will just ball up.

You'll know if you've done it right if your solder forms a wide base on the board and smoothly tapers to a point. Kind of like a Hershey's Kiss but without the diabetes.

Now that we've successfully added our solder point, we need to begin cleaning.

Flux is corrosive, so we'll want to apply little isopropyl alcohol to the board and clean the area with a cotton swab.

The flux we used may claim to be no clean, but that's not strictly true.

Now that you've made your first soldered connection, let's talk about how we can get rid of it.

Desoldering is essentially the same as soldering, just with slightly different tools.

As with soldering, to desolder a joint, we need to heat the copper braid and the solder we want to remove evenly across the surface.

Remember when I said solder is attracted to copper, add a little flux to the braid to deoxidize it, place the braid over the solder and apply the iron directly to the braid.

Just like magic, the solder flows away from the board and into the copper braid. It's that easy. As with everything in life, practice makes perfect.

So here are a few tips to help you on your soldering journey.

Pay attention to how much solder you're feeding in. Too little and you won't get a good connection. Too much and you'll potentially short the pins.

For through -hole connections you're looking to create a Hershey's teardrop shape joint.

It should be smooth and conical without excess solder or any balling of the solder. Don't underestimate the importance of flux.

You can solder without flux and it may look fine but the oxidation on the copper contact means you're guaranteed a weaker connection. De -soldering can be a frustrating exercise at times.

Using Making different tips and special tools can help make the process less painful. And finally, if you're struggling, don't blame yourself.

It's far more likely that you have a bad iron or crappy solder.

Take a look at your equipment and consider investing in a better iron or just better consumables.

I hope this will just be the start of your soldering journey, and who knows, maybe Soon you'll be upgrading the Ramoneer RRG Ally or fixing MacBooks like a Pro.