Hi . Thank you for your support . I will try to upload a bit more frequently , I'm just really busy at the moment , but I still have plenty to show so there will definitely be more videos in the near future . Thanks again 👍
Great advice! I have a great tip I haven't seen in your video - Use an empty plastic soldering wick spool to contain solder. I wind up various sizes of solder in the empty soldering wick spools, write size/type on it so I can tell them apart and keep them handy. Makes handling easy and it also keeps your hands from touching the solder constantly (gotta pull some more out sometimes though)
Hi , thank you for your comment, much appreciated. Always good to get other people's ideas , we can all learn from each other . Good luck with all your projects , and thanks again 👍
My hands are a bit shaky and I was thinking that maybe that will stop me from getting great at soldering so its nice to see that yours seem to shake a bit as well yet you can still do fantastic work.
Yep, so, been destroying my contacts and traces because I've brute forced soldering without flux. Just never knew quite what it was for or how it was supposed to be used. Thank you - the examples and descriptions in your videos have been so clear and helpful.
Hi , thank you for your comment, much appreciated. I'm glad you enjoy the videos and that they have been of use to you , it makes it all worthwhile for me. Good luck with all your future soldering projects and thanks again for supporting my channel 👍
Wow excellent tutorial on basic soldering. Haven't seen anything like this since i started doing this back in the early 70s in the electronics industry in the USA. Thank you so much for this.
Hi . Thanks for your comment , much appreciated . I'm glad you enjoyed the video . I've done quite a few more RUclips videos showing various soldering techniques etc , so hopefully these can help a few people . My early videos I managed to get the music a lot louder than the tutorial parts but I've now rectified this on my last few because I have better equipment these days . Thanks again , take care 👍
@@mrsolderfix3996 yes your quite welcome. I have a friend who wants to learn how to solder properly i would like to share your videos with him with your permission of course.
Hi .It would be much appreciated if you shared with him . I will be posting more soldering related videos when I can covering more aspects including repairs , cleaning PCB's etc so anyone who watches I would be very grateful . Thank you again and good luck to you all 👍
Hi . Thanks for your support , it means a lot. I'm glad you enjoy the videos , I will try and put them on a little more regularly in the future , just been a bit busy lately. Hopefully they are helping a few people out , thanks again and good luck with any projects you work on 👍
Hi , thank you for your comment + support , much appreciated. I'm glad you enjoy the videos , hopefully they are helping you with certain aspects of soldering . I've tried to improve the quality and clarity as I've gone along ( bit sketchy in the early days ) as I had a dodgy camera but my later videos seem better. The more and more practice you do you get to know about what you need i.e different solder widths , different iron tips etc . Things like these make a massive difference to achieving your targets . Keep going and thanks for finding and liking the channel , take care 👍
Hi , thank you , I'm glad you enjoy them . The quality of my early ones was a bit dodgy but hopefully as I've gone along they've improved a bit . I will always post more when I get some spare time . Thanks again for your support, take care 👍
Thanks for the great video and tips. @ 6:20 - When you were soldering the heavy, stranded wire horizontally onto the PCB pad... You soldered it with a perfectly fine method, but I saw the opportunity for a trick... You applied the side of the hoof tip to the pad and the bottom of the tip to the wire. What if, at that moment, with that arrangement of wire, iron tip and pad, you gave the wire a twist?.. Rotating the heated portion of the wire down into the solder pool on the pad.... Seems like that would be one more way to make sure that there is molten solder underneath the wire... You would need to pay attention to the direction of the twist of the wire and make sure that you turn it in the direction that would not cause it to untwist.
Hi , thank you for your comment . I'm glad you found the video useful , if I can help a few people that's the aim , so glad I could help you . Thanks again 👍
Hi , thank you for your comment , it's very much appreciated . I realize some tools , especially Lindstrom tools are a bit dearer than others but I've had most of my tools for years so it's very much worth it in the long run as they last year's if treated right , unlike cheap tools, especially if your doing a decent amount of soldering . The distance cutters are worth every penny as they really do save time and rule out damaging boards. Thanks again for your support 👍
I really love your videos, they've helped me improve my skills immensely. I'm curious what solder you prefer; particularly in 0.25mm diameter. I've used Kester Sn63Pb37 3.3%/44 .025" (0.6mm) forever for through hole work and love it. That said I'm getting into more SMD designs and think I'd have better luck with a thinner wire like the 0.010" (0.25mm) you suggest but no one seems to stock the Kester 44 at a reasonable price so I'm looking for alternatives. Again thanks for all the great videos!
Hi, I think you are fantastic, you make it look so easy. I am trying to fit an IC it’s a 28pin 232R, only about 10mm square, not every leg of the IC has pads, also have some pads missing with broken tracks. Will have to join track under chip, as track came off with IC, some tracks lifted as very sticky flux under it. Do I just make a joint under ic and put some solder mask on it, should I use glue under pads, if so what sort do you recommend. I am 75 yrs old and always dabbled in repairing things, but this us a whole new ball game. Your videos are just out of this world, and I will follow you, any help you can offer would be appreciated, thanks for your time, Barry
Hi , thank you for your comment , much appreciated. The first thing I generally do is remove the IC , then clean up the situation the best I can then assess the way forward . If I have slightly lifted pads still attached to the tracks I generally leave this because they can be reworked. If I have missing pads or tracks then generally this is not a problem as these can be replaced . If I replace tracks I try and get a sleeved wire to match the width of the track ( very important ) as signals , etc can damage these tracks of you have fitted a way thinner version of the original. If the damage is underneath the IC body I generally repair these first leaving the tracks protruding out to where they have to connect to . I sometimes use a peeled track from an old PCB to repair damage like this as it's very flat allowing the IC to sit back down as it was intended . For missing pads etc I generally lift pads from scrap boards ( size to match ) I show this in other videos ( repair pads , tracks and IC pins ) is one I've done that shows all this . Holding pads down with fine tweezers I quickly do the solder joint with a pre loaded iron ( you get to know the amount you will need ) . Any damage can be fixed , if you watch the video I have just mentioned this will help you . I've also done an early posting on RUclips called the " invisible fix " damaged / missing pads , this sounds exactly your situation . As for glue , I don't glue underneath the pads as I find as soon as you put your iron on these pads they can move . I generally do the soldering then glue around and over the joint , this way encasing it. I use sometimes a 2 part araldite , or a 2 part glue called Tak Pak , which is made for PCB repairs .If you watch the other videos the sound of my voice and the music are at different levels ( I was learning then , I've sorted this now on my new videos ) , hope this helps , also try and get a fine conical soldering tip and 0.25mm solder ( BLT Circuits , in England ) are a good soldering supplier. Good luck and thanks again 👍
Please give us the exact make and model of the distance cutters and tweezers. Even if those brands are not available in our country, we can learn the terminology of the tools' specifications and use that information to find local brands. I take it that you also know the trick of associating with Amazon/etc. and providing a link to tools/products that you like/use to get a little commission. The price does not go up for the buyer, but you get a little income. I hope that helps you get the rewards you deserve for teaching us so well.
Hi . A good tweezer set is available from a company called RS Components . Code is 8211554 . This set comprises 6 different types of tweezer and they are a good precision set . This is what I'd go for as a general set. I will put the names of distance cutters up shortly 👍
Hi , you will really appreciate having a magnifier of some kind. I use just a basic stereo long reach microscope from GT Vision ( based in England ) It's a great scope but is fairly budget compared to some of the named brand ones. Long reach to me is essential as I can get any size board under it . I hope you get on well with yours . Thank you for your support of my channel 👍
Hi , thank you for your comment, much appreciated. Of course you can borrow part of the video , no problem . Good luck with your projects , thanks again 👍
Hi , thank you for your question. The fluid I use mainly is called Ultrasolve , it's the best PCB cleaning fluid I've ever used and its available from companies such as Farnell , RS Components, Mouser , DIGIKEY and other electrical stockists . If I can't get this one I use another one called Flux off, again from the same places. I have posted a complete video on RUclips showing how I do my board cleaning . May be useful to you . The cloths I use are called Gtek dry wipes , available from a company in England called Grove sales . These and the fluid are a great combination. Hope that helps , thanks again , take care 👍
Hi , thank you for your comment . The flux I always use is called SMFL200D . It's a great flux , in fact I've posted a complete video on RUclips showing the benefits of using this flux , all the details if you need them are in this video . Maybe this will help you. Thanks again 👍
Hi , thank you , I'm glad you enjoyed the video. As soldering is worldwide I'm glad I've been viewed in other countries , it's very much appreciated . Thank you for your support 👍
Hi, fantastic videos. In an earlier video, you quoted the flux you used is SMFL200D, but it doesnt seem to availabe anywhere. Do you have an alternative suggestion please?
Hi , thank you for your comment, much appreciated. Unfortunately they seem to have discontinued the SMFL200D flux which I've been using personally for years . I'm still looking into an alternative that's similar. Maybe if anyone else has any recommendations they could post them on here . Thanks again ,take care 👍
Hi , thank you for your comment, much appreciated. I'm glad you enjoyed the video , and hopefully found it useful. If it helps anyone that's the aim . Thanks again 👍
@@mrsolderfix3996 appreciate the follow up. I'm still at the 'soldering headers onto Raspberry PIs' phase but I'm moving slowly but surely towards the 'design and build' of my own PCBs.
Hi , thank you. The iron I use is a fixed temperature iron and the tips that I use in it are roughly designed to get to about 350 degrees centigrade . You can get different numbered tips that take the temperature up a bit but I find 350 - 360 degrees normally works fine . Any large difficult joints I just use a different tip in it . Hope that helps 👍
interesting; I've never seen pcb distance cutters before. Nice! I had to look them up... Astronomical price! Not for a hobbyist. Excellent video. As I mentioned in one of your other videos, What solder FLUX are you using?
Hi , thank you for your comment, much appreciated. I'm sure with practice and the right size solder and iron tip , if you follow how I do it you will get there . Soldering just takes patience and practice and everyone can improve . Also don't forget the flux ( to me the most important ingredient to good soldering ). Good luck with your projects , don't give up , thanks again 👍
Another very helpful video - thanks a lot. Can i ask what you use to apply the flux? I have a bottle with a small brush, but with that it is difficult to apply small amounts, and have also tried a toothpick, but that doesn’t apply enough! So would be interested in what you use.
Hi , thank you for your comment , much appreciated. I use a spray flux called SMFL200D , which I squirt a small amount into a small container ( i.e milk bottle lid ) then I dip a small plastic cable tie into the lid then apply it using this method . It works great and is perfectly safe for the board as it's plastic . I've done a complete video on RUclips showing the flux I use and my methods for applying etc . If you haven't seen it , it may be of interest . Thanks again and good luck with your soldering projects 👍
Hi . No it's normal earth cable , nothing special about it . I didn't show doing that stage as I just presumed people would probably know that . I guess I could have shown it . I just flux my cable , use a big tip and 0.9mm or bigger solder and it tins really quickly . As you can see when I applied it to the board as long as you keep the iron tip away from the sleeving you will be ok . Hope that helps . Thank you for your comment , much appreciated 👍
@@mrsolderfix3996 Thanks for the reply. Whenever I solder wires to boards I have trouble with the insulation shrinking back leaving more copper exposed than I had planned. Guess I need more practice, will try doing it quicker (only been at it 50 years or so!)
Hi . I know what you mean , sometimes the wire you use is near impossible to stop it going back a little . I just tin both the cable and the board , use flux on both then quickly solder together keeping the iron away from the sleeving . It normally works pretty well , but I do understand your comment totally . Thanks again for watching 👍
The only tricks I know of for dealing with receding insulation... 1) Buy wire that is intended to be soldered. Manufacturers do not spend the extra money to make the insulation heat-tolerant in wire that is intended to use crimp connections. 2) After removing the insulation from the end of the wire, apply lots of flux. This helps the solder move more quickly into the strands, reducing the time needed to heat the wire (called "dwell" time.) Less dwell time equals less time for the insulation to recede. Start with your tip in the middle of the bare wire. Sweep the tip to the cut end of the wire, then back to the insulation edge. Rotate the wire, sweeping the tip to fill in any gaps. You may have to chase the insulation edge, a bit. But, step 3 takes care of that. 3) Trim any excess wire that was exposed by the insulation receding.
Hi . The iron I use is a Weller TCP S . There's many different options of tips for this iron . It's available on Amazon , Farnell , RS Components + others ( just Google it ) . The iron plugs into a power supply base unit so you will need this as well . Quite expensive , probably about £200 - £300 for the complete unit but it is a great iron . Good luck with your search , thanks for your support 👍
lol... You have me thinking really hard about distance cutters... I am wondering how that would do in my personal soldering workflow methods. I use the typical method of populating a component on the board, spreading its pins to keep it from falling out, flipping the board, soldering the pin, then cutting the pin at the top of the solder cone. Using distance cutters, I would cut the pins before soldering. So, how do you spread the pin to keep the component from falling out of the board? The cutters come in different distance lengths. How do I determine what distance I need? I am sure there is some standard, based on the pin diameter.
Hi. When I personally fit through hole components I never spread the cut legs out to stop the components falling out of the board before they are soldered. If you do this it makes rework if it's needed in the future so much harder as you have to ease the cut legs up before unsoldering the joints , and if they are bent flat to the board this is not easy. Also I've seen it where cut legs that have been bent over have shorted out on nearby tracks so to me this is not a method I would ever choose. As for the height , most companies I've done work for aim for 1mm - 1.5mm per joint . So this is the height I would use. Also you can buy special jigs that you put your boards in , populate them , close the jig then spin them over and then cut all the pins . The boards are held in with layers of foam , and this is what most companies use where I've been .Thank you for watching , much appreciated 👍
@@mrsolderfix3996 Thank you for your reply. I was thinking that 1.2mm would be about right, for me. Interestingly, that falls in the middle of what you suggest. I have seen the jigs with the foam tops in videos, but I have never seen one for sale. Do you have a make, model and source?
Hi . The jigs that you can use for populating through hole boards are called PCB holding assembly jigs. Try looking up CPC Ideal - Tek PCSA-1. Available from Farnell , RS Components ,CPC and others .This is a common one . You can get various sizes and prices for these jigs . If you just Google this you will find out more places etc where you can get them . Hope that helps 👍
Hi . I reckon there must be some of these jigs available second hand through company auction sites , as when older firms pack up they would have probably used these jigs. I never use them personally as I just hold in the parts as I go , cut the pins and then just tack 1 or 2 legs of each part . This always works for me , no matter how many parts I'm fitting , or what parts. Anyway good luck with all your projects and thank you for your support 👍
Hi , thank you for watching the video and commenting , much appreciated. The flux I used in this video was called SMFL200D . I've been using this for years and love it . I still have a small supply left but unfortunately it has recently been discontinued so I'm looking for a new type at this present time. When I find one I will post about it on RUclips. Thanks again , take care 👍
Hi . Thanks for your question. The cleaning fluid I use is called Ultrasolve . It comes in various options i.e spray cans , pouring containers , 1 litre or larger. Available from Farnell , RS Components , Rapid Online and other electrical retailers . It's in my opinion the best pcb cleaning fluid there is , and I've used lots of different types over the years. I pour some into a small container then use a cleaning cloth dipped into this ( Gtek dry wipes available from grove sales) which are also amazing . About £5 for a pack of 100. Hope that helps 👍
Hi , I presume you mean the small 0603 surface mount capacitors ? If so yes these can easily be removed with a soldering iron . Because these are so small you can just lay your iron up the side of them with solder preloaded on to the tip . This will then melt both ends at once and can easily be lifted off with tweezers . If your looking at larger capacitors i.e Tantalum capacitors I just use 2 irons ( if you have 2 ) put one on each end , this melts both joints at once , simply lift off . 2 irons best thing ever , dedicated a video on RUclips all about 2 irons , I love this method. I've also posted a couple of videos on RUclips showing different removal methods of all types of components.Hopefully I've answered what you need to know . Thanks for your support , take care 👍
What type of flux are you using? I've been using the kind that comes in a puck. It requires cleaning afterwards, which I don't mind. But, it's clumpy and awkward to apply. Thanks for the great videos.
Hi , thank you for your comment, much appreciated. For the last 10 years or so I have used a liquid flux called SMFL200D which came in a spray can . I used to decant a small amount into a small container then use a dipped cable tie to apply it . It was amazing stuff but it looks like within the last month or so it's become discontinued. I'm currently looking for a similar type to replace it with . If I find one I will mention it on my channel . I've posted a video on RUclips all about cleaning flux off with amazing results and how I achieve these results , fluids I use etc , may be useful for you . Thanks again for your support 👍
Hi , thank you for your support , it's very much appreciated. I will be posting more videos when I can covering more aspects from the world of soldering . Thanks again , and good luck with your projects 👍
When you say "small conical tip", what size (model number) are you using? I have conical tips that do not come to the fine point I see in your video. Also, can you shape the tip (sharpen the point) using sandpaper? I am trying to solder a 100 pin chip like the one in your first video and my tip just seems too big.
Hi , thank you for your comment. The iron I use is a Weller TCP S iron . It's quite an old style with a large size handle but it's what I've always liked and they are still sold via Farnell , RS Components etc . The reason I like this iron is because you CAN play about with the tips ( even though some people swear you can't , but they are wrong in this case ). I use 2 main types of tip to get my pointed one you see in the video. The first choice is called a PTP7 and this is a conical tip just slightly to big to start with . I simply use a needle file to take it to what I need . If I can't get this type I then use a PTH7 . Once I've sharpened them to what I need I just simply tin them by melting a large amount of solder on the tip then cleaning off with a damp sponge or a wire wool pad , the tip is then ready to use. I've also recently tried this method on a Metcal iron tip ( I've been told you can't do it on this particular make of iron ) but to my surprise it worked a treat , so food for thought for people there. Hope that helps 👍
Hi , thank you for your comment. I hope you get on well with all your repairing projects , everyone should try and repair things if they can rather than just go and buy new items , hopefully my postings can be of use to a few people . Thanks again and good luck 👍
Hi . Thank you for your comment , much appreciated. I'm glad you enjoyed the video . If it helps a few people learn something new then I'm happy . Thanks again for your support 👍
@@mrsolderfix3996 i definitely would like to more video such as troubleshooring all components on PCB without taking them off. Thanks again for showing us your amzing technique.
Hi . Thanks for watching the video , much appreciated . Try the Tronex 5030 make . These are available with different height blades . Generally I would use 1mm to 1.5mm . Fairly expensive but over time are a great investment. Hope that helps , thanks again 👍
Hi . Thank you for your comment . When I use a new tip on my iron , the particular iron I use allows me to just smooth any rough edges on the tip with a gentle brush of a light needle file . Some iron makes you can't do this . Then I normally melt loads of solder onto the tip causing a big blob on the end . I leave this for a few seconds then clean off . The tips I use are then ready to go as they are nicely tinned and shiny on the end . Thanks again , and good luck 👍
With through hole plated pcbs you can solder on the top side of the board and tack the components onto the board, taking a little care not to apply too much solder. You can then turn the board over without the components falling out. Now clip the leads, close to the board. Now solder the components in. The result is a nice smooth surface that is really easy to clean. If you need to remove any components, it is easier to do than with leads that have been bent to hold them onto the board.
Hi . Thank you , I'm glad you enjoyed the video . I had quite a few people asking me about certain soldering issues so just thought I'd show some of them in this video . Thank you for your support , much appreciated 👍
I don't know how i could i setup right temperature at my soldering station If i put 340 degree not melt very qickly the tin I use 0.4 mm tin Is take by aliexpress,maybe that's why
Hi , thank you for your comment . I always just start with about 330 degrees Celsius for leaded soldering and 360 to 375 degrees Celsius for unleaded soldering . I will up them sometimes if I need to , some components may need another 30 to 40 degrees . Add flux and get a decent solder . Never used AliExpress so can't comment on their solder . Hope you get on ok 👍
Hi , if you mean soldering iron tip , I use a Weller TCP S iron mainly ( also sometimes use a micro Metcal iron ) but the tip in question for the Weller was a conical tip PTP7 . About £6 from Farnell , RS Components etc . Hope that helps 👍
Hi , thank you for all your comments and support , I'm glad you find the videos useful , hopefully I've improved the picture quality and sound etc as I've gone along. I will post more when I get some time , thanks again and good luck with all your soldering projects 👍
Hi . Thanks for your comment, much appreciated. I'm glad you enjoyed the video . I will keep posting new soldering videos when I can so hopefully one day I will get there. Thanks again 👍
@@mrsolderfix3996 no problem! Was looking for some soldering videos since I ruined the PCB of my DIY earphones, a video of yours helped and I'm now listening to it because of the fix.
Hi , thank you so much , comments like this make it all worthwhile. I still have plenty to show so I will keep uploading when time allows me . Thanks again for your support 👍
We missed your great videos so much. please don't take too long to add videos ...thanks
Hi . Thank you for your support . I will try to upload a bit more frequently , I'm just really busy at the moment , but I still have plenty to show so there will definitely be more videos in the near future . Thanks again 👍
Great advice!
I have a great tip I haven't seen in your video - Use an empty plastic soldering wick spool to contain solder.
I wind up various sizes of solder in the empty soldering wick spools, write size/type on it so I can tell them apart and keep them handy.
Makes handling easy and it also keeps your hands from touching the solder constantly (gotta pull some more out sometimes though)
Hi , thank you for your comment, much appreciated. Always good to get other people's ideas , we can all learn from each other . Good luck with all your projects , and thanks again 👍
My hands are a bit shaky and I was thinking that maybe that will stop me from getting great at soldering so its nice to see that yours seem to shake a bit as well yet you can still do fantastic work.
Yep, so, been destroying my contacts and traces because I've brute forced soldering without flux. Just never knew quite what it was for or how it was supposed to be used. Thank you - the examples and descriptions in your videos have been so clear and helpful.
Hi , thank you for your comment, much appreciated. I'm glad you enjoy the videos and that they have been of use to you , it makes it all worthwhile for me.
Good luck with all your future soldering projects and thanks again for supporting my channel 👍
Wow excellent tutorial on basic soldering. Haven't seen anything like this since i started doing this back in the early 70s in the electronics industry in the USA. Thank you so much for this.
Hi . Thanks for your comment , much appreciated . I'm glad you enjoyed the video . I've done quite a few more RUclips videos showing various soldering techniques etc , so hopefully these can help a few people . My early videos I managed to get the music a lot louder than the tutorial parts but I've now rectified this on my last few because I have better equipment these days . Thanks again , take care 👍
@@mrsolderfix3996 yes your quite welcome. I have a friend who wants to learn how to solder properly i would like to share your videos with him with your permission of course.
Hi .It would be much appreciated if you shared with him . I will be posting more soldering related videos when I can covering more aspects including repairs , cleaning PCB's etc so anyone who watches I would be very grateful . Thank you again and good luck to you all 👍
You and I are on the very same level of soldering. I’ve been soldering since 1977.
I've missed your videos and was pleased to see that you have returned, looking forward to more great tips and tricks lovely job explaining as usual.
Hi . Thanks for your support , it means a lot. I'm glad you enjoy the videos , I will try and put them on a little more regularly in the future , just been a bit busy lately.
Hopefully they are helping a few people out , thanks again and good luck with any projects you work on 👍
Thankyou for explaining in detail , in all your videos. Im coming to the party kinda late, im 51 just learning to solder, but always had an interest.
Hi , thank you for your comment + support , much appreciated. I'm glad you enjoy the videos , hopefully they are helping you with certain aspects of soldering . I've tried to improve the quality and clarity as I've gone along ( bit sketchy in the early days ) as I had a dodgy camera but my later videos seem better. The more and more practice you do you get to know about what you need i.e different solder widths , different iron tips etc . Things like these make a massive difference to achieving your targets . Keep going and thanks for finding and liking the channel , take care 👍
Cheers to your ability to make these enjoyably fun and memorable... Woooh!
Hi , thank you , I'm glad you enjoy them . The quality of my early ones was a bit dodgy but hopefully as I've gone along they've improved a bit . I will always post more when I get some spare time . Thanks again for your support, take care 👍
Thanks for the great video and tips. @ 6:20 - When you were soldering the heavy, stranded wire horizontally onto the PCB pad... You soldered it with a perfectly fine method, but I saw the opportunity for a trick... You applied the side of the hoof tip to the pad and the bottom of the tip to the wire. What if, at that moment, with that arrangement of wire, iron tip and pad, you gave the wire a twist?.. Rotating the heated portion of the wire down into the solder pool on the pad.... Seems like that would be one more way to make sure that there is molten solder underneath the wire... You would need to pay attention to the direction of the twist of the wire and make sure that you turn it in the direction that would not cause it to untwist.
Very helpful video. Especially small details like holding the soldering iron method makes everything 💯 %.
Hi , thank you for your comment . I'm glad you found the video useful , if I can help a few people that's the aim , so glad I could help you . Thanks again 👍
Thanking very much for the great tips. 👍👍👍
Hi , thank you for watching the video , I'm glad you found it useful . Good luck with your soldering projects 👍
Aaah another nice relaxing ASMR solder video 👍
Hi , thank you for your comment. Glad you enjoyed the video 👍
Excellent video, as usual. I think your channel is way underrated.
Those special cutters are quite expensive though.
Hi , thank you for your comment , it's very much appreciated . I realize some tools , especially Lindstrom tools are a bit dearer than others but I've had most of my tools for years so it's very much worth it in the long run as they last year's if treated right , unlike cheap tools, especially if your doing a decent amount of soldering . The distance cutters are worth every penny as they really do save time and rule out damaging boards. Thanks again for your support 👍
I really love your videos, they've helped me improve my skills immensely. I'm curious what solder you prefer; particularly in 0.25mm diameter. I've used Kester Sn63Pb37 3.3%/44 .025" (0.6mm) forever for through hole work and love it. That said I'm getting into more SMD designs and think I'd have better luck with a thinner wire like the 0.010" (0.25mm) you suggest but no one seems to stock the Kester 44 at a reasonable price so I'm looking for alternatives. Again thanks for all the great videos!
Thanks for sharing. Very helpful especially that I’m new to this field thanks for sharing 👍
Hi , thank you for your comment, much appreciated. Glad you enjoyed the video 👍
That iron you use looks like it's the same as my Pace 200. Cracking bits of kit.
Hi, I think you are fantastic, you make it look so easy. I am trying to fit an IC it’s a 28pin 232R, only about 10mm square, not every leg of the IC has pads, also have some pads missing with broken tracks. Will have to join track under chip, as track came off with IC, some tracks lifted as very sticky flux under it. Do I just make a joint under ic and put some solder mask on it, should I use glue under pads, if so what sort do you recommend. I am 75 yrs old and always dabbled in repairing things, but this us a whole new ball game. Your videos are just out of this world, and I will follow you, any help you can offer would be appreciated, thanks for your time, Barry
Hi , thank you for your comment , much appreciated. The first thing I generally do is remove the IC , then clean up the situation the best I can then assess the way forward . If I have slightly lifted pads still attached to the tracks I generally leave this because they can be reworked. If I have missing pads or tracks then generally this is not a problem as these can be replaced . If I replace tracks I try and get a sleeved wire to match the width of the track ( very important ) as signals , etc can damage these tracks of you have fitted a way thinner version of the original. If the damage is underneath the IC body I generally repair these first leaving the tracks protruding out to where they have to connect to . I sometimes use a peeled track from an old PCB to repair damage like this as it's very flat allowing the IC to sit back down as it was intended . For missing pads etc I generally lift pads from scrap boards ( size to match ) I show this in other videos ( repair pads , tracks and IC pins ) is one I've done that shows all this . Holding pads down with fine tweezers I quickly do the solder joint with a pre loaded iron ( you get to know the amount you will need ) . Any damage can be fixed , if you watch the video I have just mentioned this will help you . I've also done an early posting on RUclips called the " invisible fix " damaged / missing pads , this sounds exactly your situation . As for glue , I don't glue underneath the pads as I find as soon as you put your iron on these pads they can move . I generally do the soldering then glue around and over the joint , this way encasing it. I use sometimes a 2 part araldite , or a 2 part glue called Tak Pak , which is made for PCB repairs .If you watch the other videos the sound of my voice and the music are at different levels ( I was learning then , I've sorted this now on my new videos ) , hope this helps , also try and get a fine conical soldering tip and 0.25mm solder ( BLT Circuits , in England ) are a good soldering supplier. Good luck and thanks again 👍
Please give us the exact make and model of the distance cutters and tweezers. Even if those brands are not available in our country, we can learn the terminology of the tools' specifications and use that information to find local brands.
I take it that you also know the trick of associating with Amazon/etc. and providing a link to tools/products that you like/use to get a little commission. The price does not go up for the buyer, but you get a little income. I hope that helps you get the rewards you deserve for teaching us so well.
Hi . A good tweezer set is available from a company called RS Components . Code is 8211554 . This set comprises 6 different types of tweezer and they are a good precision set . This is what I'd go for as a general set. I will put the names of distance cutters up shortly 👍
@@mrsolderfix3996 I checked the manufacturer's website. Regrettably, this item has been discontinued.
Ordered a magnifier. ESSENTiAL.
Hi , you will really appreciate having a magnifier of some kind. I use just a basic stereo long reach microscope from GT Vision ( based in England )
It's a great scope but is fairly budget compared to some of the named brand ones. Long reach to me is essential as I can get any size board under it . I hope you get on well with yours . Thank you for your support of my channel 👍
Usefull tutorial. Eye catching. I like so much.
Please allow me to take a snippet of this video, I will include your channel link of course.
Hi , thank you for your comment, much appreciated. Of course you can borrow part of the video , no problem . Good luck with your projects , thanks again 👍
Thank you so much.
Could you please make a video on how to remove a chipset from a laptop motherboard, reballing it and then put it back.
So good nice sharing 👍👍👏👏❤❤
Hi , thank you for your comment, much appreciated . Glad you enjoyed the video 👍
Thanks again for more tips!
Hi , thank you for your support of my channel , it means a lot . I will post more videos whenever I get some spare time. Thanks again , take care 👍
What are you using to clean the flux off the boards? Cloth, cotton ball with alcohol? Thank you. Great videos!
Hi , thank you for your question. The fluid I use mainly is called Ultrasolve , it's the best PCB cleaning fluid I've ever used and its available from companies such as Farnell , RS Components, Mouser , DIGIKEY and other electrical stockists . If I can't get this one I use another one called Flux off, again from the same places. I have posted a complete video on RUclips showing how I do my board cleaning . May be useful to you . The cloths I use are called Gtek dry wipes , available from a company in England called Grove sales . These and the fluid are a great combination. Hope that helps , thanks again , take care 👍
This is so great video tutorial Mr SolderFix, specially for beginners like myself will you please tell me the flux you use in 1:36 video thank's.
Hi , thank you for your comment . The flux I always use is called SMFL200D . It's a great flux , in fact I've posted a complete video on RUclips showing the benefits of using this flux , all the details if you need them are in this video . Maybe this will help you. Thanks again 👍
Good video, thanks! Greetings from Canada.
Hi , thank you , I'm glad you enjoyed the video. As soldering is worldwide I'm glad I've been viewed in other countries , it's very much appreciated . Thank you for your support 👍
Hi, fantastic videos. In an earlier video, you quoted the flux you used is SMFL200D, but it doesnt seem to availabe anywhere. Do you have an alternative suggestion please?
Hi , thank you for your comment, much appreciated. Unfortunately they seem to have discontinued the SMFL200D flux which I've been using personally for years . I'm still looking into an alternative that's similar. Maybe if anyone else has any recommendations they could post them on here . Thanks again ,take care 👍
Excellent. thanks for sharing.
Hi , thank you for watching the video and commenting , much appreciated 👍
Your soldering 'kung fu' is mighty sir. Thanks for the tips.
Hi , thank you for your comment, much appreciated. I'm glad you enjoyed the video , and hopefully found it useful. If it helps anyone that's the aim . Thanks again 👍
@@mrsolderfix3996 appreciate the follow up. I'm still at the 'soldering headers onto Raspberry PIs' phase but I'm moving slowly but surely towards the 'design and build' of my own PCBs.
Hi . Thank you , if my postings help you get there in the end I will be pleased . Good luck with all your projects , I'm sure you will succeed 👍
👌👌
Thanks for another great vid !
Could you please sort of explain at what temperature you usually set your iron.
Hi , thank you. The iron I use is a fixed temperature iron and the tips that I use in it are roughly designed to get to about 350 degrees centigrade . You can get different numbered tips that take the temperature up a bit but I find 350 - 360 degrees normally works fine . Any large difficult joints I just use a different tip in it . Hope that helps 👍
Thanks a lot.
Hi. No problem , thanks again for watching the video , good luck with any projects 👍
interesting; I've never seen pcb distance cutters before. Nice! I had to look them up... Astronomical price! Not for a hobbyist. Excellent video. As I mentioned in one of your other videos, What solder FLUX are you using?
Nice tut! What kind of flux are you using and is usable with lead-free solder?
It takes me half an hour and room full of tools to solder an smd resister. A good day is when I don't destroy the pads.
Hi , thank you for your comment, much appreciated. I'm sure with practice and the right size solder and iron tip , if you follow how I do it you will get there . Soldering just takes patience and practice and everyone can improve . Also don't forget the flux ( to me the most important ingredient to good soldering ). Good luck with your projects , don't give up , thanks again 👍
Another very helpful video - thanks a lot.
Can i ask what you use to apply the flux?
I have a bottle with a small brush, but with that it is difficult to apply small amounts, and have also tried a toothpick, but that doesn’t apply enough! So would be interested in what you use.
Hi , thank you for your comment , much appreciated. I use a spray flux called SMFL200D , which I squirt a small amount into a small container ( i.e milk bottle lid ) then I dip a small plastic cable tie into the lid then apply it using this method . It works great and is perfectly safe for the board as it's plastic .
I've done a complete video on RUclips showing the flux I use and my methods for applying etc . If you haven't seen it , it may be of interest . Thanks again and good luck with your soldering projects 👍
@@mrsolderfix3996 Thanks! Have now watched the flux video…
I’d never have thought of using a cable tie, so appreciate this great tip.
Hi , no problem , thank you for your support , good luck 👍
How did you tin that cable without the sleeving melting and shrinking back? Is it some special type of cable?
Hi . No it's normal earth cable , nothing special about it . I didn't show doing that stage as I just presumed people would probably know that . I guess I could have shown it . I just flux my cable , use a big tip and 0.9mm or bigger solder and it tins really quickly . As you can see when I applied it to the board as long as you keep the iron tip away from the sleeving you will be ok . Hope that helps . Thank you for your comment , much appreciated 👍
@@mrsolderfix3996 Thanks for the reply. Whenever I solder wires to boards I have trouble with the insulation shrinking back leaving more copper exposed than I had planned. Guess I need more practice, will try doing it quicker (only been at it 50 years or so!)
Hi . I know what you mean , sometimes the wire you use is near impossible to stop it going back a little . I just tin both the cable and the board , use flux on both then quickly solder together keeping the iron away from the sleeving . It normally works pretty well , but I do understand your comment totally . Thanks again for watching 👍
The only tricks I know of for dealing with receding insulation... 1) Buy wire that is intended to be soldered. Manufacturers do not spend the extra money to make the insulation heat-tolerant in wire that is intended to use crimp connections. 2) After removing the insulation from the end of the wire, apply lots of flux. This helps the solder move more quickly into the strands, reducing the time needed to heat the wire (called "dwell" time.) Less dwell time equals less time for the insulation to recede. Start with your tip in the middle of the bare wire. Sweep the tip to the cut end of the wire, then back to the insulation edge. Rotate the wire, sweeping the tip to fill in any gaps. You may have to chase the insulation edge, a bit. But, step 3 takes care of that. 3) Trim any excess wire that was exposed by the insulation receding.
Your tip and iron very nice... 👀 Where can buy this
Hi . The iron I use is a Weller TCP S . There's many different options of tips for this iron . It's available on Amazon , Farnell , RS Components + others ( just Google it ) . The iron plugs into a power supply base unit so you will need this as well . Quite expensive , probably about £200 - £300 for the complete unit but it is a great iron . Good luck with your search , thanks for your support 👍
lol... You have me thinking really hard about distance cutters... I am wondering how that would do in my personal soldering workflow methods. I use the typical method of populating a component on the board, spreading its pins to keep it from falling out, flipping the board, soldering the pin, then cutting the pin at the top of the solder cone. Using distance cutters, I would cut the pins before soldering. So, how do you spread the pin to keep the component from falling out of the board? The cutters come in different distance lengths. How do I determine what distance I need? I am sure there is some standard, based on the pin diameter.
Hi. When I personally fit through hole components I never spread the cut legs out to stop the components falling out of the board before they are soldered. If you do this it makes rework if it's needed in the future so much harder as you have to ease the cut legs up before unsoldering the joints , and if they are bent flat to the board this is not easy. Also I've seen it where cut legs that have been bent over have shorted out on nearby tracks so to me this is not a method I would ever choose. As for the height , most companies I've done work for aim for 1mm - 1.5mm per joint . So this is the height I would use. Also you can buy special jigs that you put your boards in , populate them , close the jig then spin them over and then cut all the pins . The boards are held in with layers of foam , and this is what most companies use where I've been .Thank you for watching , much appreciated 👍
@@mrsolderfix3996 Thank you for your reply. I was thinking that 1.2mm would be about right, for me. Interestingly, that falls in the middle of what you suggest. I have seen the jigs with the foam tops in videos, but I have never seen one for sale. Do you have a make, model and source?
Hi . The jigs that you can use for populating through hole boards are called PCB holding assembly jigs. Try looking up CPC Ideal - Tek PCSA-1. Available from Farnell , RS Components ,CPC and others .This is a common one . You can get various sizes and prices for these jigs . If you just Google this you will find out more places etc where you can get them . Hope that helps 👍
@@mrsolderfix3996 I did find these for sale through USA retailers, but they are rather expensive for a retired hobbyist, like myself.
Hi . I reckon there must be some of these jigs available second hand through company auction sites , as when older firms pack up they would have probably used these jigs. I never use them personally as I just hold in the parts as I go , cut the pins and then just tack 1 or 2 legs of each part . This always works for me , no matter how many parts I'm fitting , or what parts. Anyway good luck with all your projects and thank you for your support 👍
Hello thank you for this really great video!
What brand of flux do you use?
Hi , thank you for watching the video and commenting , much appreciated. The flux I used in this video was called SMFL200D . I've been using this for years and love it . I still have a small supply left but unfortunately it has recently been discontinued so I'm looking for a new type at this present time. When I find one I will post about it on RUclips. Thanks again , take care 👍
@@mrsolderfix3996 Thank you for your answer. I look forward to your return!
Best wishes :)
Hi , thank you , take care 👍
great video thanks .what is the brand of your cleaner?
Hi . Thanks for your question. The cleaning fluid I use is called Ultrasolve . It comes in various options i.e spray cans , pouring containers , 1 litre or larger. Available from Farnell , RS Components , Rapid Online and other electrical retailers . It's in my opinion the best pcb cleaning fluid there is , and I've used lots of different types over the years. I pour some into a small container then use a cleaning cloth dipped into this ( Gtek dry wipes available from grove sales) which are also amazing . About £5 for a pack of 100. Hope that helps 👍
How to remove caps etc 17.00 minutes in. Can these be removed with a soldering iron?
Hi , I presume you mean the small 0603 surface mount capacitors ? If so yes these can easily be removed with a soldering iron . Because these are so small you can just lay your iron up the side of them with solder preloaded on to the tip . This will then melt both ends at once and can easily be lifted off with tweezers . If your looking at larger capacitors i.e Tantalum capacitors I just use 2 irons ( if you have 2 ) put one on each end , this melts both joints at once , simply lift off . 2 irons best thing ever , dedicated a video on RUclips all about 2 irons , I love this method. I've also posted a couple of videos on RUclips showing different removal methods of all types of components.Hopefully I've answered what you need to know . Thanks for your support , take care 👍
What type of flux are you using? I've been using the kind that comes in a puck. It requires cleaning afterwards, which I don't mind. But, it's clumpy and awkward to apply. Thanks for the great videos.
Hi , thank you for your comment, much appreciated. For the last 10 years or so I have used a liquid flux called SMFL200D which came in a spray can . I used to decant a small amount into a small container then use a dipped cable tie to apply it . It was amazing stuff but it looks like within the last month or so it's become discontinued. I'm currently looking for a similar type to replace it with . If I find one I will mention it on my channel . I've posted a video on RUclips all about cleaning flux off with amazing results and how I achieve these results , fluids I use etc , may be useful for you . Thanks again for your support 👍
@@mrsolderfix3996 Awesome! Thank you!!
Hi , no problem , thank you for your support of my channel 👍
Perfect. Thanks!
Hi , thank you for your support , it's very much appreciated. I will be posting more videos when I can covering more aspects from the world of soldering . Thanks again , and good luck with your projects 👍
Good job , thank You . I like it
Hi , thank you for watching the video , much appreciated. I'm glad you enjoyed the video and hopefully found it useful . Thanks again 👍
When you say "small conical tip", what size (model number) are you using? I have conical tips that do not come to the fine point I see in your video. Also, can you shape the tip (sharpen the point) using sandpaper? I am trying to solder a 100 pin chip like the one in your first video and my tip just seems too big.
Hi , thank you for your comment. The iron I use is a Weller TCP S iron . It's quite an old style with a large size handle but it's what I've always liked and they are still sold via Farnell , RS Components etc .
The reason I like this iron is because you CAN play about with the tips ( even though some people swear you can't , but they are wrong in this case ). I use 2 main types of tip to get my pointed one you see in the video. The first choice is called a PTP7 and this is a conical tip just slightly to big to start with . I simply use a needle file to take it to what I need . If I can't get this type I then use a PTH7 . Once I've sharpened them to what I need I just simply tin them by melting a large amount of solder on the tip then cleaning off with a damp sponge or a wire wool pad , the tip is then ready to use.
I've also recently tried this method on a Metcal iron tip ( I've been told you can't do it on this particular make of iron ) but to my surprise it worked a treat , so food for thought for people there. Hope that helps 👍
@@mrsolderfix3996 Thank you sir! I appreciate the feedback. Love the videos.
Hi . No problem , thank you for your support 👍
I am repairing a novomatic slot machine that is resting every five minutes
Hi , thank you for your comment. I hope you get on well with all your repairing projects , everyone should try and repair things if they can rather than just go and buy new items , hopefully my postings can be of use to a few people . Thanks again and good luck 👍
Great to see your video
Hi . Thank you for your comment , much appreciated. I'm glad you enjoyed the video . If it helps a few people learn something new then I'm happy . Thanks again for your support 👍
@@mrsolderfix3996 i definitely would like to more video such as troubleshooring all components on PCB without taking them off. Thanks again for showing us your amzing technique.
No subtitle but video is very helpful 🙏
Hi . Thanks for watching the video , very much appreciated . Glad you found it of use 👍
Where do you get those length cutters from I cant find them anywhere?
Hi . Thanks for watching the video , much appreciated . Try the Tronex 5030 make . These are available with different height blades . Generally I would use 1mm to 1.5mm . Fairly expensive but over time are a great investment. Hope that helps , thanks again 👍
@@mrsolderfix3996 thanks got some ordered and sub to your channel :)
Hi , glad I could help . Thanks again for watching 👍
What type of flux do you use?
Hi What kind of flux did you use?
Any special process for prepping a new soldering iron tip?
Hi . Thank you for your comment . When I use a new tip on my iron , the particular iron I use allows me to just smooth any rough edges on the tip with a gentle brush of a light needle file . Some iron makes you can't do this . Then I normally melt loads of solder onto the tip causing a big blob on the end . I leave this for a few seconds then clean off . The tips I use are then ready to go as they are nicely tinned and shiny on the end . Thanks again , and good luck 👍
@@mrsolderfix3996 Thank you for all the tips.
@@lint2023 Tip top tip tips 👍
Hi . Thanks for your comment , I'm glad you found the video useful 👍
Hi . Thank you for your support . Hopefully I can help a few people , then it's all worthwhile . Thanks again , good luck with your projects 👍
really gooooooooooooooooooooood
Hi , thank you for your support, very much appreciated 👍
With through hole plated pcbs you can solder on the top side of the board and tack the components onto the board, taking a little care not to apply too much solder. You can then turn the board over without the components falling out. Now clip the leads, close to the board. Now solder the components in. The result is a nice smooth surface that is really easy to clean. If you need to remove any components, it is easier to do than with leads that have been bent to hold them onto the board.
Love it :)
Hi . Thank you , I'm glad you enjoyed the video . I had quite a few people asking me about certain soldering issues so just thought I'd show some of them in this video . Thank you for your support , much appreciated 👍
excelent
Hi , thank you 👍
I don't know how i could i setup right temperature at my soldering station
If i put 340 degree not melt very qickly the tin
I use 0.4 mm tin
Is take by aliexpress,maybe that's why
Hi , thank you for your comment . I always just start with about 330 degrees Celsius for leaded soldering and 360 to 375 degrees Celsius for unleaded soldering . I will up them sometimes if I need to , some components may need another 30 to 40 degrees . Add flux and get a decent solder . Never used AliExpress so can't comment on their solder . Hope you get on ok 👍
@@mrsolderfix3996 thank you very much
Hi , no problem . Thanks again for your support of my channel 👍
thanks
Hi , thank you for watching the video and for your comment , much appreciated. I'm glad you enjoy the videos 👍
What tip at 14.25
Hi , if you mean soldering iron tip , I use a Weller TCP S iron mainly ( also sometimes use a micro Metcal iron ) but the tip in question for the Weller was a conical tip PTP7 . About £6 from Farnell , RS Components etc . Hope that helps 👍
there is something wrong with me I think: one would spend hours watching football or so, I can spend hours watching you soldering ;-)
Hi , thank you for all your comments and support , I'm glad you find the videos useful , hopefully I've improved the picture quality and sound etc as I've gone along. I will post more when I get some time , thanks again and good luck with all your soldering projects 👍
👌👌👍👍
Hi , thank you for watching the video and commenting, much appreciated 👍
Subscribing, this channel needs to get out there.
Hi . Thanks for your comment, much appreciated. I'm glad you enjoyed the video . I will keep posting new soldering videos when I can so hopefully one day I will get there. Thanks again 👍
@@mrsolderfix3996 no problem! Was looking for some soldering videos since I ruined the PCB of my DIY earphones, a video of yours helped and I'm now listening to it because of the fix.
Hi . Glad I could help you out , and thank you for letting me know. All the best 👍
tip #1 flux
tip #2 flux
tip #3 flux
tip #4 clean up flux with alcohol
Hi , thank you for watching the video and for commenting, much appreciated 👍
😎 🆒
Hi , thank you for your comment , I'm glad you enjoyed the video and hopefully found it of use . Thanks again 👍
@@mrsolderfix3996
Your video series are very great 👍...
Hi , thank you so much , comments like this make it all worthwhile. I still have plenty to show so I will keep uploading when time allows me . Thanks again for your support 👍