Soldering 101 for Recording Studios

	Soldering 101 for Recording Studios Part 1: Getting Started by Dan Richards Page 1 of 1 With a little practice and patience, soldering can become an empowering skill, resulting in more control over your recording environment. Soldering can actually be fun and even meditative. You know you've done the work and can personally control the quality. Take care of simple repairs yourself. Make custom-length cabling for your studio/system. Make cables/snakes with custom connectors specifically for your system. In the process, you'll get a better understanding of the signal flow in your studio. And save money. [an error occurred while processing this directive] The Basic Tools Solder iron [Radio Shack or Weller is up to you.] 40W standard solder iron will do the job. Soldering stand with spong Thin rosin-core from .050 to .062 diameter solder wire Flat 1" thick unfinished wood board approx 1' X 2' for work surface. Wire cutter (diagonal) Needle-nose pliers Wire stripper (self-adjusting recommended) Options would also include heat-shrink tubing, heat gun (a lighter works, too, if you're careful), stand with alligator clips ( AKA "Extra Hands"), solder sucker, Tip Tinner and Cleaner. Soldering Cautions! Never ever use acid-core solder for electronics. Solder contains lead. Area should be well ventilated. Keep the soldering iron tip clean. [use a wet sponge ] Don't try to "paint" the solder on with the tip of the solder iron. Liquid solder as well as the solder iron are hot enough to seriously burn you and damage property. Stay alert! If you're learning to solder for the first time, practice on something you don't care if you goof up – like a busted guitar cable. Tip Tinner & Cleaner will prevent oxide build up and depletion of tin on the tip, prolong tip life, and allow for better heat transfer. Links to Online How-To Solder Guides Soldering Basics – highly recommended Soldering tips Better Soldering – highly recommended How to Solder Electronics – MPEG Videos! Soldering Tips Soldering tips for y'all – Tape Op BBS Soldering Soldering Basics – recommended Soldering Basics – recommended, extensive How to solder – pics Soldering tips for the novice Solder types Solder Alloy Chart – recommended Links to Soldering Tools Weller soldering irons Cooper Tools Soldering Station WLC100 Weller Soldering Stand Radio Shack Solder Tools & Tips Radio Shack "Extra Hands" with magnifier DIY Soldering Station Weller Soldering Stand DIY Soldering Stand – smart! DIY Soldering Station "Extra Hands" Clip Stand – cheap! Dan Richards is a Contributing Editor for Digital Pro Sound and is currently producing The Listening Sessions. Related sites: • Broadcast Newsroom • Corporate Media News • Creative Mac • Digital Post Production • Digital Pro Sound • Digital Producer • Digital Video Editing Related forums: • [an error occurred while processing this directive]