Soldering is the mainstay of any electrical and electronic project. The simple welding technique binds metals together to form electrically conductive joints in a way where you can easily detach them later if necessary. You can solder any metal objects together, even wires to other wires. The process for soldering 3 wires together is the … Continue Reading
When soldering, good soldering iron tips are essential for a successful experience. While selecting the right tips is part of the battle, maintaining those tips is just as important. Using sandpaper to keep your soldering iron tips is a hotly contested subject. Some are adamantly opposed, and others encourage its use. Sandpaper can be a … Continue Reading
With vital electrical equipment, it is crucial to keep circuits from faulting and to keep the machine at an optimal production level for as long as possible. That’s where solder flux comes in. Solder flux works to reduce oxidation during the soldering process and improves electrical contact. Solder flux can be conductive depending on the … Continue Reading
When joining metals, the three methods available are welding, brazing, and soldering. Welding offers joints the most potential tensile strength, while soldering tends to offer joints with the weakest tensile strength. That is unless you are using silver solder, which is closer in technique to brazing and is said to provide tensile strength comparable to … Continue Reading
For people who are not experienced plumbers, doing your own plumbing work can be a little nerve-racking. After soldering, you may be concerned about turning your water on too quickly and ruining the joint causing water to leak all over the place. So, how long should you wait to turn your water back on after … Continue Reading
In order for a soldering iron to work properly, it needs to be heated to a very high temperature. Not waiting long enough for your soldering iron to reach the necessary temperature will cause it to function, poorly. For this reason, it is important to know how long it will take for a soldering iron … Continue Reading
After finding some old solder lying around, you may be wondering if it is still good to use. Can solder go bad? Knowing the answer to this question can be the difference between a quality soldering joint and a faulty one. Solder can go bad, but a specific solder’s shelf life depends on several factors: … Continue Reading
Salvaging electronic parts from old circuit boards is a time-tested means of saving money and recycling old electronics into new projects. Removing old electronic parts requires removing the solder connecting the parts to the circuit board. If you are out of desoldering braid, what is a good desoldering braid substitute? You can make functional substitutes … Continue Reading
Flux is an essential component in ensuring the soldering process goes off without a hitch. Used to prevent oxidation before and during soldering, flux should be kept on hand whenever working on electronic circuit boards. But can you use too much of the material? There is no set amount of flux that should be used … Continue Reading
Soldering is a complicated process. It joins together many different materials, which means soldering irons useful for many professions as well as crafty individuals. High temperature is the key component in fusing metal, glass, and wires and creating a bond that is long-lasting and strong. The best temperature range for a soldering iron is anywhere … Continue Reading