Soldering Fundamentals: Iron, Solder, Flux & Safety

The iron is your most dangerous tool

Soldering is the skill that separates console swappers from console technicians. A proper joint conducts, looks shiny and never fails; a cold joint looks dull, conducts intermittently and comes back to bite you. Start with the fundamentals and practise on scrap.

Choose your equipment

• Soldering station - temperature controlled (around 350C for most console work)
• Solder - 60/40 tin/lead or a good lead-free alloy with flux core
• Flux - liquid or gel flux makes joints flow and cleanly wet
• Desoldering braid (wick) - removes old solder cleanly
• Fine-tip bits - a chisel tip for general work, a finer tip for small joints

Making a good joint

1. Clean the iron tip on a damp sponge or brass tip cleaner
2. Tin the tip with a little fresh solder
3. Heat the pad and component lead together, not just the solder
4. Feed solder into the heated joint, not onto the iron
5. Remove the iron and let the joint cool without moving it
6. A good joint: shiny, smooth, wetting both surfaces - a fillet, not a blob

Warning: A good joint is not a pile of solder. More solder does not fix a bad joint - proper heat and flux do. Cold, dull, balled joints cause intermittent faults that are worse than the original problem.

Safety first

• Always work in a ventilated area and wash your hands after - solder fumes are harmful
• Use a soldering stand; never rest a hot iron on the bench
• Unplug or rest the iron when away from the work
• Use a lead-free or lead-safe solder and dispose of waste correctly