i know i can google/youtube, im just asking in case there's a Canonical Resource that i might miss otherwise.
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in reply to @tati's post:
I recently learned how to solder! I bought a pinecil https://pine64.com/product/pinecil-smart-mini-portable-soldering-iron/ and a couple "learn to solder" kits off amazon, a lil bee thing and a small piano with a lot of buttons on it and also other soldering stuff off amazon that my partner told me to buy
so you recommend i get a learning kit? i actually had my eye on one, i'll take this as a sign to get it.
yes definitely! also I would say DEFINITELY GET a fan+fume filter, I kinda forgot to get one and had an awful headache the rest of the day because uh, ur not supposed to breathe that stuff!
oh i dont know if i can get a fan in this space but i can do it outside or next to an open window? i'll make sure to mask too
no like a soldering fan they're very small and not too expensive, definitely get one
I made a bunch of shitty guitar pedals for fun when I was learning.
I don't really have a ton of resources but I have a couple of tips. 1. Use leaded solder it is waaaaay easier to work with 2. Find something to practice on first even if it's just soldering a few wire together. 3. If you don't already have an iron I highly recommend getting a pinecil. It's cheap and very good. All other cheap irons are a pain in the ass to use and take AGES TO HEAT UP.
+1 for the pinecil
+1 for wearing a mask (and soldering outside, esp. with pets) and eye protection (if you don't have glasses)
I have never used a fume fan that worked without being so close it was in the way
I'd recommend a set of helping hands (I have one with 4 clips on bendy arms, rather than the traditional)
SN100C™ (and any lead-free tin-copper-nickel solder doped with Germanium) has finally put to rest the old arguments in favor of lead solder, imo. i use Chip Quik's CQ100Ge but it's sold by the pound. always use flux core, whichever you decide.
get a flux pen, or syringe. extra flux fixes almost any soldering/desoldering issue
always wash your hands after
also solder diameter: .8 mm (0.031") will get you kind of a lot quickly, .5 mm (0.020") will require you to feed a bit to get enough. most ppl go bigger but i like to have more control.
if you want to desolder, get the ENGINEER pump (i got mine from adafruit). so much better than the plastic ones. some folks also use desoldering braid to clean up, but if you only get one the pump is better than braid.
you deciding to make a fightstick is me, 5 years ago, joining a makerspace determined to build myself a dactyl keyboard.
speaking of, if its at all feasible, join a local makerspace! they will have a soldering class, all the tools you might need for a variety of projects, and other experienced ppl to talk about you project with. plus make friends, maybe.
im looking it up rn that seems fun ! The closest one is an hour away but i think it’s worth for the extra equiment c:
sometimes they are called hackerspaces or fab labs.
i was driving 50 minutes away to one for most of the past year, then I bought a 3D printer, lol. but its definitely worth to start out, and its harder to get a laser cutter.
I've been eyeing the engineer brand pump, but I'm curious about 'better than braid' just because braid feels almost magical whenever I use it.
Can you actually get pads flat and clean with the pump? I've only ever used the nasty cheap ones.
hmmm. I've not had great experience with braid, i have trouble getting it to lay flat, it doesn't wick beyond the area I directly heat, and if I have a sizeable amount of solder it only removes a fraction of it. It has not been effective for me on through holes. maybe I need to find a higher quality product.
the ENGINEER is metal and has a silicone tube that is safe to place in direct contact with the iron. so you can form a seal and remove the actively heated contents of a through hole in one go. or most of a medium sized pad.
I got some pads very clean with it a while back (found out the contacts were actually two pads each with a very small divider), but I may have finished the job with braid. generally I'm not going for like-new because I'm aiming to stick something else down.
and yeah, every plastic pump I've used has been worthless...
Not much to add to what's been said already. For learning, I really love these OOOOLD videos- some of the advice is dated, but the explanations are great and the aesthetic is unmatched: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vIT4ra6Mo0s
The "make a clock / light blinker / noisemaker" kits with PCB + components in the various online stores are all good starting points. Some even have surface-mount components, which you may or may not want to learn to work with.
PS love the Spider Jerusalem glasses in your pfp.
Lovely ! These kind of videos was just what I was looking for :) I already got a beginner soldering kit so I'm set on that front!
And thank you :) I love how expressive yours is.
a (optionally split) keyboard ! that's how i learned to solder. i have a good solder station, but i hear the pinecil is good too.
i recomend getting a nice silicon mat so you don't break something, and some nice music while you slowly learn how much heat, how much solder, and how long.
also hair ties if you don't want to burn your hair and smell burnt hair
also if it's not already illegal in your country, please by solder without lead
araly, a split keyboard* is the reason i got into this in the first place! thank you for your suggestions :)
*: leverless fighting game controller, which is functionally a keyboard