Bench Soldering Equipment / Tools Suggestions

[audiomaster]

get yourself a decent DMM $50 to $75 range would be great...a soldering Iron about 50 Watts....you can either buy a temp controlled unit or you can make your own from a regular light bulb dimmer control...that is what I did....as long as the iron is NON-INDUCTIVE...do not use a soldering gun with the dimmer.....for the same reason as you can't use a dimmer with a ceiling fan.....

a cheap oscilloscope around the $100 range should be good...there are tons of them out there.....a good set of hand tools...a capacitance meter , esr meter is also a good thing to have....or, you can get what they call a component tester for dirt cheap and that will test a number of components as well...maybe $10 to $20.....if doing smd then you will need a cheap hot air station to get you started...mine was under $100.......and watch a lot of YouTube videos....there is one guy there who has Learn Electronics Repair channel on YouTube...check that one out...he is based in the Canary Islands off the coast of Spain........he also has a video of what tools you need for a repair shop setup....and he goes into great depth.....

I have most of that and have for 50 years or more. All good, but if you don't have eyes that can still see what you are doing and hands that are steady and nimble, all this doesn't help much. My Tektronics 465 scope still works fine, but the eyes not so much!

 

[mandrix]

I have most of that and have for 50 years or more. All good, but if you don't have eyes that can still see what you are doing and hands that are steady and nimble, all this doesn't help much. My Tektronics 465 scope still works fine, but the eyes not so much!

I understand that completely!

 

[Michaelteg24]

Just avoid inhaling leaded solder fumes.

Im 73 years old so I guess that makes me OG in the lingo of the modern age. But because of having used 60/40 Rosen core lead solder since I was a young lad of 15 I just have to say that I love the smell of solder in the morning always have and always will!

 

[Michaelteg24]

Oh krap, I've been soldering electronics with lead for many decades - are you saying I'm losing my mind for different reasons? [Don't answer that.]

I'm 73 years old and I don't believe that using 60/40 rosen core lead solder since I was a young lad of 13 has harmed my mind in any way! I don't eat eat it I don't lick the old paint off the walls and I don't eat yellow snow!
Just get me out of this nuthouse!

 

[gene_stl]

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[mandrix]

I know...strange for me to say since I'm known to wreck threads. But let's get back to suggestions for the man to help guide him through.
He's an adult, he can decide whether or not to use solder with lead.
Thanks.

 

[LB-V]

I know...strange for me to say since I'm known to wreck threads. But let's get back to suggestions for the man to help guide him through.
He's an adult, he can decide whether or not to use solder with lead.
Thanks.

LOL...if lead is easier for a first timer...lead it is!

I appreciate, and am quite enjoying all the discussion and recommendations! I knew of a couple QQrs that DIY, but now I see there are many more than I realized!

Good stuff...

 

[bsco]

I worked at a facility where all the circuit boards were dipped/coated/sprayed (don't remember the process) in some sort of plastic substance. I handled thousands of them but don't know as any of it was harmful.

that could have been some form of conformal coating to insulate the boards from dust and moisture...usually found in food processing equipment such as you would find in a supermarket or deli... or equipment that is normally operated outside.....

 

[Sonik Wiz]

[

My thoughts exactly.

 

[seoman27]

Uhm i wanna make a remark on the soldering tips.
The iron becomes irrelevant when you set the temperature wrong!
Lead: 330-350°C (is still allowed when used for repair and such (in europe) )
lead free: 350-375°C

 

[barfle]

I worked at a facility where all the circuit boards were dipped/coated/sprayed (don't remember the process) in some sort of plastic substance. I handled thousands of them but don't know as any of it was harmful.

“Conformal coating”? I recall some of that happening at Hughes although not in my department. I think it was used in missiles that were on ships, but that might have been beyond my clearance level.

 

[mandrix]

“Conformal coating”? I recall some of that happening at Hughes although not in my department. I think it was used in missiles that were on ships, but that might have been beyond my clearance level.

Yeah this was on telecom equipment so as a protective layer. Not sure exactly what the substance was but in the room where it was applied the people were wearing hazmat type suits/respirators.
Made sort of a pita to troubleshoot the boards.

 

[barfle]

I have most of that and have for 50 years or more. All good, but if you don't have eyes that can still see what you are doing and hands that are steady and nimble, all this doesn't help much. My Tektronics 465 scope still works fine, but the eyes not so much!

Damn shame that we get enfeebled just as we get independent enough to be able to make our own decisions. I had cataract surgery a couple of years ago, and it worked wonders for distance, but close-up stuff now needs multiple lenses at times. I think my hands are still steady. They need to be with all the woodworking I’m doing.

 

[seoman27]

Yeah this was on telecom equipment so as a protective layer. Not sure exactly what the substance was but in the room where it was applied the people were wearing hazmat type suits/respirators.
Made sort of a pita to troubleshoot the boards.

https://www.kontaktchemie.com/KOC/KOCproductdetailV2.csp?product=PLASTIK 70
I used this a lot

 

[mandrix]

Since 99% of what I do is pc related now, I can't use any coatings...already fighting heat enough with a graphics card, a SAS card and an Expander board all populated closely on the Pcie slots. I even mounted 40mm fans on the two SAS boards on the heatsinks as they run so freaking hot all the time.

 

[seoman27]

Since 99% of what I do is pc related now, I can't use any coatings...already fighting heat enough with a graphics card, a SAS card and an Expander board all populated closely on the Pcie slots. I even mounted 40mm fans on the two SAS boards on the heatsinks as they run so freaking hot all the time.

Yes you can! We getting way off-topic but there are a lot of epoxy materials designed to conduct heat (and isolate the electronics).

 

[zdjh22]

The iron becomes irrelevant when you set the temperature wrong!
Lead: 330-350°C (is still allowed when used for repair and such (in europe) )
lead free: 350-375°C

Temperature is also important depending on how fast you need to solder (e.g., without warming up the surrounding bits excessively) or how much heat capacity you are fighting (e.g., with a heavy ground plane or nearby heatsink). In both cases you might need to boost your iron to a higher temperature. Folks who have done any sweat soldering for plumbing know exactly what I’m talking about.

On the other extreme, the Chip Quik low temperature alloys are amazing for SMD reworking. Their lowest T alloy melts at less than 80ºC! Magical for removing a badly mounted component, particularly those with a large number of pins. Great for removing flash memory chips if you have an annoying router that doesn’t allow you to change out the firmware.

 

[seoman27]

Temperature is also important depending on how fast you need to solder (e.g., without warming up the surrounding bits excessively) or how much heat capacity you are fighting (e.g., with a heavy ground plane or nearby heatsink). In both cases you might need to boost your iron to a higher temperature. Folks who have done any sweat soldering for plumbing know exactly what I’m talking about.

On the other extreme, the Chip Quik low temperature alloys are amazing for SMD reworking. Their lowest T alloy melts at less than 80ºC! Magical for removing a badly mounted component, particularly those with a large number of pins. Great for removing flash memory chips if you have an annoying router that doesn’t allow you to change out the firmware.

Yeah but i thought this setup was something for a starter not a pcb technician.

 

[zdjh22]

Yeah but i thought this setup was something for a starter not a pcb technician.

Clearly this thread morphed a lot!

Still, if you are replacing big electrolytic caps on a ground plane, or voltage regulators or power transistors, a hotter iron can help a lot (speaking from experience).

I had a hell of a time just last year swapping out a bad power relay because of the heat capacity and conductivity of the ground connections.

Sometimes low T solder is very helpful in clearing an old solder joint or the through holes. As it melts it mixes with the older higher T solder and it can be easier to use a solder sucker or wick. Not that 80ºC stuff, though, it’s as pricy as gold.

 

[seoman27]

Clearly this thread morphed a lot!

Still, if you are replacing big electrolytic caps on a ground plane, or voltage regulators or power transistors, a hotter iron can help a lot (speaking from experience).

I had a hell of a time just last year swapping out a bad power relay because of the heat capacity and conductivity of the ground connections.

Sometimes low T solder is very helpful in clearing an old solder joint or the through holes. As it melts it mixes with the older higher T solder and it can be easier to use a solder sucker or wick. Not that 80ºC stuff, though, it’s as pricy as gold.

If the component can be replaced i start with cutters (DIP, SOT and a like) anything that can be cut off makes the desoldering more easy.
*Elcos I keep tipping over, back and forth, until only the pins are in the PCB left. Also easy de soldering. But Im not shure all elcos can be handled this way.
If not, yeah bring on the heat big time, because al the capacitive 'winding' can absorb enormous amouts of heat.

Still, heat will delaminate the copper from the board. So i prefer mechanical stress while everything is still soldered.
Desoldering components that have to be safed is not my thing, that should be left to others.

Edit: *mistreating an elco like mentionend above, only works with tru-hole types!!!