Omnimaga

General Discussion => Technology and Development => Other => Topic started by: fb39ca4 on July 25, 2011, 03:15:14 pm

Title: Can you solder stuff?
Post by: fb39ca4 on July 25, 2011, 03:15:14 pm
Just wondering how many people here can solder staff stuff. I just learned last week :P
Title: Re: Can you solder stuff?
Post by: AngelFish on July 25, 2011, 03:16:27 pm
Don't solder me to an Nspire!

EDIT: Yeah, I can solder. I like to think I can do it pretty well.
Title: Re: Can you solder stuff?
Post by: Munchor on July 25, 2011, 03:16:51 pm
Yeah I can solder staff. Oh wait, no I can't solder stuff.
Title: Re: Can you solder stuff?
Post by: chattahippie on July 25, 2011, 03:33:43 pm
I can't either but i plan to learn in order to do some neat projects, mainly overclocking of various electronics
Title: Re: Can you solder stuff?
Post by: Juju on July 25, 2011, 03:58:55 pm
Noooo don't solder me to stuff and/or other staff I'm scared D:

No but seriously I soldered something once with a soldering iron and metal wire at school.
Title: Re: Can you solder stuff?
Post by: leafy on July 25, 2011, 04:03:59 pm
I solder a lot but that doesn't mean I like it oO I've burned myself more times than I care to remember.
Also for future reference don't melt styrofoam with a solder iron.
Title: Re: Can you solder stuff?
Post by: chattahippie on July 25, 2011, 04:52:48 pm
I solder a lot but that doesn't mean I like it oO I've burned myself more times than I care to remember.
Also for future reference don't melt styrofoam with a solder iron.

Toxic Fumes? Or is molten styrofoam just bad in general?
Title: Re: Can you solder stuff?
Post by: leafy on July 25, 2011, 04:54:46 pm
Well it's pretty awesome when you melt styrofoam. Under a solder iron it melts like butter but doesn't run - it just kinda compresses in on itself until it becomes a compact styrofoam ball that gives off toxic fumes such that we had to vacate our garage for a week before the smells went away.
Title: Re: Can you solder stuff?
Post by: chattahippie on July 25, 2011, 04:57:58 pm
You should dissolve styrofoam in acetone.  It tries to melt, but instead forms this goo that you can mold into whatever, then dries after a while.  And the best part is, no fumes :D
Title: Re: Can you solder stuff?
Post by: leafy on July 25, 2011, 05:00:04 pm
Acetone is the tool of the gods. If you dissolve styrofoam in acetone and then mix it up with gasoline, you get napalm. Wait, you didn't get that from me.
Title: Re: Can you solder stuff?
Post by: chattahippie on July 25, 2011, 05:02:27 pm
Dissolving non-polar substances in acetone is so much more fun than dissolving polar substances in water.
Title: Re: Can you solder stuff?
Post by: AngelFish on July 25, 2011, 05:03:05 pm
No you don't. You get a substance that's similar to Napalm. Real Napalm needs Benzene too
Title: Re: Can you solder stuff?
Post by: chattahippie on July 25, 2011, 05:06:50 pm
Just as chilling isopropyl alcohol with dry ice creates a substance similar to liquid nitrogen, but completely different
Title: Re: Can you solder stuff?
Post by: thepenguin77 on July 25, 2011, 05:09:26 pm
I've gotten pretty good at soldering. I just tried it one day and after a few years, I can solder just about anything.

After filing my tip back to a point several times though, it was starting to get pretty small. So I went to home depot, got 5 feet of steel rod for $4, and now I have 8 brand new soldering tips. A much better option than buying 2 tips for $8.


But, my most impressive soldering job for the difficulty was probably soldering 4 wires to the back side of a mini usb female end, the leads were super tiny and it took me a long time.
Title: Re: Can you solder stuff?
Post by: leafy on July 25, 2011, 05:10:30 pm
You soldered a female end? WHatttttttttttttt
Title: Re: Can you solder stuff?
Post by: chattahippie on July 25, 2011, 05:12:04 pm
After filing my tip back to a point several times though, it was starting to get pretty small. So I went to home depot, got 5 feet of steel rod for $4, and now I have 8 brand new soldering tips. A much better option than buying 2 tips for $8.

Good idea.  I'll have to remember that if I start soldering.
Title: Re: Can you solder stuff?
Post by: thepenguin77 on July 25, 2011, 06:09:25 pm
Yeah, if you have the tools, that's the way to do it. Just cut off little chunks with a hacksaw, thread one end with a threading tool, then take it to a grinding wheel to make a nice point. If you don't have the tools, you can probably use the hacksaw to make threads and use a file to make the point, but it will just take a lot longer.

The only downside to this technique is that steel is not as heat conductive as copper, so your tip will take about twice as long to heat up, but considering this is only a change from 1 minute to 2 minutes, I think it's worth it.
Title: Re: Can you solder stuff?
Post by: LincolnB on July 25, 2011, 06:17:46 pm
Eh, I can solder. Ish. It's not that hard.

Soldering well, though, that's something else.
Title: Re: Can you solder stuff?
Post by: TIfanx1999 on July 25, 2011, 07:12:17 pm
My answer would have to be I don't know. I've never tried. :p
Title: Re: Can you solder stuff?
Post by: Scipi on July 25, 2011, 07:15:17 pm
I've soldered before so I can do it. I believe that, nowadays, if I tried I could easily do it well because I can weld. :P
Title: Re: Can you solder stuff?
Post by: Michael_Lee on July 25, 2011, 08:34:32 pm
I once took a metals class in school.  I can solder in a pinch (although feel a little nervous about doing it, given my relative lack of experience).
Title: Re: Can you solder stuff?
Post by: JustCause on July 25, 2011, 09:59:58 pm
Can I solder? You betcha! Can I solder without burning myself? Not a chance!
Title: Re: Can you solder stuff?
Post by: annoyingcalc on July 25, 2011, 10:12:19 pm
No I can not solder oh man
Title: Re: Can you solder stuff?
Post by: fb39ca4 on July 26, 2011, 12:22:24 am
I learned when I took the electronics merit badge at boy scout camp last week. I had to solder together this kit (http://electronicsmb.com). Apparently the microcontroller is programmable but they don't include the connector to go on the circuit board for plugging in to a serial port. It's a shame, I wanted to make some really trippy light patterns :(
Title: Re: Can you solder stuff?
Post by: willrandship on July 26, 2011, 12:26:01 am
I do more hardware-style projects than programming, actually.
Title: Re: Can you solder stuff?
Post by: Spyro543 on July 26, 2011, 10:20:32 am
Can I solder? You betcha! Can I solder without burning myself? Not a chance!

Me too.
Title: Re: Can you solder stuff?
Post by: MPoupe on July 26, 2011, 10:26:45 am
The question is too common. It is (I think) very easy to solder wires and components with wire connection, but what about SMD ? :-)
Title: Re: Can you solder stuff?
Post by: willrandship on July 26, 2011, 11:35:01 am
No kidding. thru-hole is easier, but the best is free-hanging with a good pair of helping hands, letting the wires support themselves.
Title: Re: Can you solder stuff?
Post by: Jim Bauwens on July 26, 2011, 03:25:47 pm
I can solder, and I have done a few smd stuff :)
My latest project was a serial voltage to TTL voltage converter.