Electronic Lunch: How to Solder #1

Practicing Joining Wires by Soldering...

Soldering- connecting pieces without losing electric conductivity.

You need:

- soldering iron

- soldering wire

- damp sponge (to keep tip of iron clean)

- wire to join (we used old speaker cable)

- wire stripper

- something to hold the pieces while you work

- electrical tape

Tips:

- heat the work not the solder

- solder melts QUICKLY, much faster than material you are connecting

- avoid Cold Joints: didn't use enough heat- won't conduct signal and might physically come off.

Steps:

1- Strip the jacket off the wire, don't cut into the wire.

2- Tin the wire.

- this is putting some solder on the wire before you connect them so that connecting them goes smother.

- If the solder stays a ball on the wire than its not hot enough

- put solder on until wire ends are covered, turn silver

- work towards the tip

- once it flows it goes

3- Twist the wire together

-twist ends together and fold back on itself (make sure both ends get twisted)

4- Solder this joint

5- Cover in electrical tape