Build Your Own Clone Message Board

Just picked one up. It's the one byoc offers. What's a good temp setting? Do I clean the tip after every joint?

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Degradation is my sound~Nels Cline

I always have mine between 350 and 450... hot? yes... but I'm only on any given joint for a couple seconds and the solder flows to the components/board quickly, so I use less solder with less globs (you want puddles, not globs/bulbs).

I tin every few components - less if I'm doing a large number of them at a time, but this is probably bad practice (hey, just gotta be real, right?).

I also keep a small wad of steel wool nearby and wipe the tip of the iron, then tin, before and after my work session.

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I set it to middle of the 450* range and use a copper pad instead of a sponge. I never need to re-tin the tip.
-P

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Copper pad? And should the sponge be wet?
I'm trying to relearn my technique, lol. I could feel the heat in the wires I was tinning

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Degradation is my sound~Nels Cline

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If you use a sponge, it should be wet.

But I never use a sponge. The copper pad does a much better job of cleaning off the tip. You can get a hakko brass tip cleaner set with holder for less than $10. Money well spent, IMHO.

Sweet, thanks guys... I have one build, and a rehouse under my belt.. I've bought a bunch of pcbs and have some stuff coming in. I have enough time that I shouldn't rush. So I've been reading and waiting

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Degradation is my sound~Nels Cline

I'm also building my indoor build station... It will be awesome!!!

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Degradation is my sound~Nels Cline

Yea, wires and components get very hot at those temperatures. I got a set of helping hands (I'm not sure what else they're called, but that should come up in a google image search) for holding wires or boards while I tin or need something held in place, but... the helping hands will do QUITE a number on hand-etched boards if you're not carefully (scratching off traces, etc.).

for tinning wires, I'd make some kind of contraption if you don't have helping hands - maybe some alligator clips attached to a wire hanger that's bent into a stand of sorts?

If you want practice, go to STUPID radioshack (sorry, I just have to put that before I type that word no matter what) and get a piece of perf board with copper eyelets for a few bucks. Solder 1/4 of them without anything in them so that you get used to how solder will flow and puddle instead of glob, and then do a bunch of the rest with some resistors. (if you don't have many extra resistors, just don't put the leads in all the way - solder it, and then clip the leads on the other side and the resistor is still perfectly useable).

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Well, my first build was on a non etched pcb.. Im a pro! But then came the etched board.. And if you read my help thread, well, you know.. I have a black 65,and a shin el that are etched and I'm determined not to screw them up! I also had a few busted boss pedals, and I desoldered them.. Got some caps and a bunch of resistors. And some tant caps, and some blue ones, lol.

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Degradation is my sound~Nels Cline

and while you are at "stupid radio shack" pick up a can of flux.
dart your wires in it before you tin them.....its much easier and quicker !
flux just makes the world better