TWiT Throwback (Video)

Know How... 7: Soldering

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Soldering is an essential skill to learn if you like to mess with hardware. The best way to learn soldering is by doing it. Practice, practice, practice.

What is Soldering?

You're joining two metals by melting a filler metal. That's the solder itself.

Materials List

  • Soldering Iron
  • Solder (lead free) (Rosin core, NOT acid core)
  • Wire
  • Wire stripper
  • Helping hands (optional, but helpful)

    • Alternatively, you can get a kit like the Elenco AmeriKit Learn to Solder Kit. It's roughly $15 and comes with everything you need to start practicing.

    Safety

    • Assume the soldering iron is hot.
    • Be in a well ventilated area.
    • Wash your hands after handling solder

      • Practice!

      • Heat up your soldering iron

        • In line splice

        • Grab some wire and remove some insulation with your wire
        • Twist the exposed wire together
        • Tin the soldering iron with a small amount of solder.
        • Remove excess, retin as necessary
        • Twist the exposed wire together
        • Heat the wire with the soldering iron
        • Place the solder on the wire, not on the soldering iron. The solder will flow onto the wire.

          • Good luck with your soldering!

          Hosts: Leo Laporte and Iyaz Akhtar

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