Guide to field Soldering

Step 4 Using the Kit

First you have to twist the wires to be connected together. A good eletrical connetion is impartaive before you can solder. Next place the connection in the helping hand. I like to wrap the solder around the connection prior to heating. This makes the heating process very easy in the field and yields a great distribution of solder over the joint. Fold the joint over and heat shrink it. I couldn't have done it better in the shop.

Comments

[dgerszewskiq]

I think that a quick substitution of a (admittedly more expensive) butane jet lighter for the cheap disposable lighter would provide more pinpoint heat and a lot less wasted heat that ends up heating the entire work area.

Other than that, this is absolutely brilliant. I'm making a pen holder for use all the time.

[tledgerwood]

i love this!! all the essentials for quick repair on the go, and no electricity needed ( apart form in the device, of course!)

[1ofakindwork]

Nice to know!

[pbman123]

might i suggest adding a small amount of electrical tape, i have been in situations where i was out of solder and heat shrink and electrical tape works fine

[blade97]

If you heat up the wires with the lighter first and then rub the wire on it the solder goes deeper into the wires giving a stronger and more lasting connection

[riobpz]

 also adding fine grain sand paper is a good idea so that you can get a better connection

[Project-er]

Why fine grain sand paper? I'm new to the whole soldering thing and I don't quite understand. Could you please explain?

[MaXoR]

Oh yeah, since you are new, there is another point I want to make, soldering copper wire is 50% easier than the aluminum stuff. It also holds solder better in my experience.

1) Solder "Wick" isn't worth your money, a solder sucker IS!
2) Don't use a 60W soldering iron, get a 90W and you'll thank me.
3) Remember to use flux, if you don't already have flux core solder.
(If it smokes when you solder, it contains flux, if it doesn't really smoke to much or at all, then it's flux-less.)

And remember to put your shrink tubing on BEFORE you solder.... sounds funny to say, but you'll be surprised how many times you forget.....lol, memories!

[dog digger]

Even better than a 90w iron: get a soldering station with thermostat temp controll. Best thing I have ever bought!

[tledgerwood]

i agree with the last bit. i onece spent an hour soldering a circuit at school and i then went to get the heat shrink then i asked my teacher wow that must be fairly complicated stuff! i wonder how i get it on the wire! ( my first time soldering)

[MaXoR]

Sandpaper is used to clean the wires before soldering. If there is any grease, or dirt on the wire, including skin oils, it will make a bad connection. Sanding a little on each bare wire will allow a quick, solid connection to form.

[x86Daddy]

Adding to this good suggestion: I stock emery boards (found near nail clippers as disposable nail files) with my soldering gear...  and they'd be easy to break a couple in half to fit in this kit with the added benefit of rigidity.

[stone3408]

Great idea as you can pick these easier than sand paper.

[MaXoR]

tell me "Pick" doesn't mean "steal"

[Roblazed]

I'm hoping he meant "Pack"

[sabr686]

Great emerg fix for the bush, if you don't have a pencil torch.

[Trimzulu]

Why not use the much smaller Western Union splice technique? http://www.tpub.com/content/neets/14176/css/14176_46.htm

[stone3408]

This establishes a very good mechanical connection (perhaps the best).  The addition of solder completes the electrical connection.  At least that was the way that I was trained.  A western union splice also assumes a large amount of wire that is easy to work with.

[mtor]

it's definitely a cool idea, but if you were a tech for a surveillance unit why couldn't you just bring a tool kit with you? Not trying to be a jerk just interested.

[stone3408]

Unfortunately  we all preformed the duties of an agent and had a specialty.  If we planed to go and crush a door I did not carry a full tech kit.  It wasn't supposed to be my job that day but, this would fit in a raid vest.  If we were covertly installing cameras in a location with a pre-built rig a large amount of gear was impossible and we did not expect to need it.  On the other hand your absolutely right I have a full kit that includes both battery and butane powered irons for this task. I have also recently aquired a 12v iron that hooks straight to the battery of a car that is awesome.   

[arty]

I tried to drain a AAA ni-cad battery by shorting it out with a telephone wire. The wire got red-hot, visible thru the insulation. It charred the insulation on the wire before I could drop it. That was 1.25v, but lots of current. How would you make a battery powered "spot welder" for soldering PCBs?

[stephenniall]

Thats how they make lighters in prison Get a aa battery tape wire to the negative terminal off the battery and cut some of the insulaton half way up and cut the insulation off at the end touch the end to the positive terminal short out the wire and heat it up !

[sharlston]

dont bother just use a pencil torch

[Turnpike7a]

interesting technique, but talk about your emergency repair work...

[iambarney155]

 i deffinetly agree, i havent soldered before and i like the idea of the kit but yes in the back of a van on a drug bust, that is emergency

[Kukloprdos]

I remember using laptop battery attached to a lead from pencil ( 3mm thick I think ), it works fine.

[egjr79119]

WHAT U CAN REPLACE IS THE LIGHTER TO A BUTANE LIGHTER. THEY ARE ABOUT THE SAME SIZE AND IT BE PERFECT. NO BURNT FINGERS.

[sharlston]

der that is a disposable lighter

[Colonel88]

isnt they they same thing? AND DON'T CAPSLOCK SPAM LIKE THIS!!!!!!!!!

[K1LLZ U]

Ya thats what i did and I also attached my helping hands to my box and folded them down when I was done.

[cdousley]

im pretty sure all lightrs are butane somone t ell me if im wrong but i know what lighter you are talking about and it would work better

[potterrandy]

 I'm pretty sure what the guy was referring to was a pressurized butane torch, as opposed to a compression disposable low pressure lighter

[cdousley]

yea i knew what he meant that would be much better

[Pocket Universe]

Zippos use slightly modified gasoline which they call "lighter fluid". This has the advantage of having a higher boiling point than butane. If you've ever spilled butane while refilling a lighter, you'll notice that it starts to boil at room temperature.

[csiquet]

Butane is a gas at ambient pressure and temperature.
It is compressed in the canister adopting its liquid phase. When the valve is opened, the gas expends and cools down (it's cold on your hand even though the canister is at ambient temperature). This allows for the liquid form of the gas for a little moment. Then it heats up, boils and takes its gas form.

[cdousley]

other than zippos lol my cusin drew a picture and i kept putting butane on it it diddnt hurt it but she got mad lol

[Noname23]

I think he meant a torch, good instructable!

[cdousley]

great idea! i thought of making a kit two helping hands solder tips built in cleaner some tape

[frodobot]

1 prob. :-( how would you solder PCBs with method? i mean, the lighter would really burn your fingers.

[stone3408]

This would not be very effective on a pcb.