Soldering Technique Question

[gearhead]

I am not a pro-builder and am still learning. My soldering has significantly improved over what it once was (pickup swaps and stompboxes), but some things still have me stumped.

What do you do if you have a wire or component lead you can't/don't want to physically secure to where you want to solder it to. Especially if it's "flying" (not supported by anything else).

Need a third hand; one for solder iron, one for solder to feed in, and ? for holding wire/component.

Thanks, oh fellow inhaler of the fumes.

[labb]

Tin both pieces, then put them together and flow solder from both together.

[Gibsonman63]

I use alligator clips or wooden clothespins to hold things in place when I need another hand.

[jelle]

This may sound harsh but I'm by taking time to write you this, so please bear in mind that I'm trying to help you.

Why would you want to do this? Solder is not glue nor a great conductor. It's a sealant to protect your physical connection from corrosion. I wrap a wire around the lug, pull it tight with pliers and then secure the connection with solder.

My amps sound quality has improved a lot since I started doing this years ago. Why spend all the money on quality parts and then make questionable connections between those expensive parts? Just my 2 cents....

jelle

[Andy Le Blanc]

jelle is right, but most soldering in manufacture these days done as fast and as cheap as possible, at least have the wire thru a hole and surround it with solder. even extend a hole to it, a solid copper pig tail with the other end
mechanically fixed before soldering. I've been inside some nice old stuff.
fender and the eyelets were always cheap and fast to make, p to p in the old
"standard" dress is as jelle pointed out, the wire is mechanically fixed before solder.

[Gibsonman63]

There are a couple of spots on my express build that do not lend themselves to lugging. For example, the diodes on the power tubes.

But I agree that a good mechanical connection is important, otherwise things may move while the solder is cooling and create a cold solder joint.

For all my lugged connections, I put about a wrap and a half on each one before soldering.

[C Moore]

Doug Roccaforte told me several years ago, "Your amp should function 100% with No Solder!"
That is theoretical of course, but you can understand the point he was making.
Good Luck

[Phil_S]

If there is no other practical way to tie the wires together, at the very least, you can make a pair of hooks, clamp them on each other, solder and put heat shrink over them. As other have already noted, a solder bridge is not good practice for many reasons. A solder bridge is no more than a temporary tack, and is maybe OK for a short test, but is not a lasting reliable joint. There is always a way to make a physical connection.

Edit: I forgot to mention that I keep a small ceramic tile on the bench and place it under work like this, sometimes braced with chpsticks or other wood pieces, so that I can hold the work by simply pressing it down on the tile with the iron and feeding the solder. I hope this is a clear enough image.

[Aurora]

Iron in right hand ( assuming a right handed person),
Now leftie ; wire between thumb and little finger - solder between the index and long finger....It actually works, with some practice.......
otherwise - there's always the croc clip on a goose neck........

[Cygnus X1]

Bah, newbies!


I hold the solder in my teeth.

[Aurora]

Nah... had to do that a few times, but then there's the lead........
Not a problem with the new solders, though, - which BTW I hate, and don't use if I don't have to......... SMD paste stuff is mostly lead free....
Have enough solder to last the rest of my spare time...

[Sonny ReVerb]

Typically, if you have components connected to the tube socket you should add a short tag strip to connect the 'flying' end:

[img:662:562]http://img529.imageshack.us/img529/1072/forum1m.jpg[/img]

You could probably (not ideally) use a short piece of skinny brass or copper tubing. Stick one component in one end, one in the other, crimp if you like, and solder it up. That way you don't need a third hand.

[Bob-I]

+1 on the aligator clips. Jelle is right that the connection should be sound, but you also need to hold it steady so you can apply heat and solder, then let it cool without moving.

I have a paper holder someone gave me awhile ago, it's a little block of plastic with an aligator clip on it. It doubles as a roach clip.

[Cygnus X1]

Sonny I like your idea.

BTW, I was of course kidding about solder in the teeth.
I'm a safety pro and although I love the way 60/40 works, I don't mess with even the fumes.

If I can smell it, then I alter my setup.

[Structo]

I hope we didn't scare off the OP.

I guess we are all saying basically the same thing. A good solder joint starts with a good mechanical joint.

BUT, if you are just tack soldering stuff together trying this or that, I for one don't think you have to go whole hog and perform a military operation just to try a different cap or resistor for a tone tweak.

Find what you like then by all means, mil spec it.