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How many here can actually solder?


Deang

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I can't say exactly how much stuff I've soldered over the years, but several years ago we got an order for 6,000 surge protectors and I went through 5 pounds of multicore and 8 pounds of solid core, about 42,000 solder joints, on that one project alone.

Edited by Don Richard
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I like to think I can, I solder something in middle school  a cube of wires.  The instructor then yanked on all the wires, this was the test.  If nothing failed then you passed, in my case nothing failed. I have been following those guides ever since and haven't had many problems.  I probably could be a little cleaner.

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I know what I'm doing.  That doesn't mean I'm good at what I'm doing however.

 

I soldered copper pipe for years as an apprentice, then as a journeyman plumber.  Many of the principles apply to both methods.  Clean material, flux of some sort, good connection and heating the piece that's being soldered all the way through which for me is heating on the opposite side of where you apply solder.  My board or wire connections aren't photo worthy but they're solid and flow current like they're supposed to.

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Recently I've been soldering a few 3.5mm mono connectors making some nice custom trigger and IR cables. They came out very nice I am very happy with them, otherwise I hadn't soldered since my slot car days as a kid.

 

 

Did you race the bigger cars like the Cox, etc. ? My grandfather had a huge 4 lane track that covered the entire basement when I was a kid. Still have some of the cars :)

 

Roger

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I built a couple dozen Heathkits while in high school. And yes, they all worked.

But a few years ago I got a Weller temperature controlled soldering station and eutectic solder. These really helped.

BTW, the father of the moderator of the high school radio club built prototypes of radios and the like for a living. His work was beautiful.

WMcD

Edited by WMcD
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I'm winding things down over here. I'm down to three AA builds and then I think I'm done. I have a half dozen emails that I haven't answered yet because I really don't want to take the work, but can't seem to say no. So I started thinking about kits again, but this could be a potential nightmare. So I was curious to see how many could actually solder.

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Recently I've been soldering a few 3.5mm mono connectors making some nice custom trigger and IR cables. They came out very nice I am very happy with them, otherwise I hadn't soldered since my slot car days as a kid.

 

 

Did you race the bigger cars like the Cox, etc. ? My grandfather had a huge 4 lane track that covered the entire basement when I was a kid. Still have some of the cars :)

 

Roger

 

I use to go to a slot car shop called Hot Slots in Lakewood California, they had two huge tracks its been so long I can't say for sure but I think they were 6 lanes wide. Between Hot Slots and the billards place right next to them I spent a lot of time and pretty much all of my paper route earnings.

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I'm winding things down over here. I'm down to three AA builds and then I think I'm done. I have a half dozen emails that I haven't answered yet because I really don't want to take the work, but can't seem to say no. So I started thinking about kits again, but this could be a potential nightmare. So I was curious to see how many could actually solder.

 

I must be 1 of those "half dozen" that are waiting to hear back. :rolleyes:

 

I can do a bit of soldering, but I have "a guy" for when I want to make sure things are A1. :)

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