How To: Solder

FourT6and2

Well-known member
Maybe make this a sticky?

There are right ways and wrong ways of doing everything. Who determines what's right and what isn't? As much as it pains me, it's not I :LOL: :LOL: . Guitar amps aren't MRI Machines or space shuttles or mass-produced industrial equipment. But it's still a good idea to do things the best we can. Soldering is an art. I'm not an engineer. I don't know how to design amplifier circuits. I'm just a DIY hobbyist. But I do know how to solder electrical components fairly well (I've had training). Guitar amps don't really need to be built to "mil-spec" standards or anything. But hey, as long as we're trying to perfect our craft, why the hell not.

I try to adhere to IPC-A-610 Standards when working with guitar amps. The IPC is a governing/regulating body that creates "standards" and "best practices" when it comes to stuff like this. You can find a PDF outlining all the best-practices online somewhere. But again, it's not really super important when it comes to building a clone of a Marshall from 1968. These standards are really for commercial and industrial applications. But hey, I don't see a reason why a guitar amp should be any different (whether built by you or by Bogner or Diezel or Marshall or Mesa). And the standards are different depending on the country (for example, I think the EU dictates lead-free).

But there are reasons why you want a specific distance of clearance between a wire lead's insulation and a solder joint. Or why you want a certain degree of wrap around a turret. Or why you still want to be able to see the component lead or wire strands through a solder joint instead of having the joint be a giant blob or solder. Or why you want a nice shiny joint instead of a dirty, oxidized blob. Will the amp work either way? Probably. But that's not the point.

Anyway, here are some good videos that show good soldering technique for anybody who is interested and who might want to learn how to solder a little better. These aren't the end-all-be-all bible videos of soldering. But maybe someone somewhere will find this useful. Enjoy.





 
There's definitely good technique but there are so many situations of getting your iron into tight places that only come with experience such as lifting boards, moving leads in certain ways to get to a connection.
Soldering on a pcb is another area that requires experience. In most PCB cases I will not desolder a joint with braid. I find it better to flow the joint and carefully remove the old component. Traces seem to do much better with this method. There are tricks in doing this as well.
I've been soldering for over 20 years and very much enjoy it. I know what I am doing and it is satisfying to do a great job. :rock:
 
glip22":wglais2y said:
I've been soldering for over 20 years and very much enjoy it. I know what I am doing and it is satisfying to do a great job. :rock:

It really is a lot of fun and very satisfying when you get all the joints perfect :LOL: :LOL: It's addicting. These are probably the best joints I've ever made lol:

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I find that using the right iron and correct heat one of the most important thing to creating a good solder joint. Type of solder also has an affect on the joint. Like silver solder... it has a higher melting point than lead solder and thus heating silver to proper temperature can fry components for unknowledgeable people.
 
psychodave":2qhq09nr said:
I find that using the right iron and correct heat one of the most important thing to creating a good solder joint. Type of solder also has an affect on the joint. Like silver solder... it has a higher melting point than lead solder and thus heating silver to proper temperature can fry components for unknowledgeable people.

I like 63/37 eutectic solder. It sets faster, over a smaller range of temps. Helps prevent cold joints due to movement.
 
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