Soldering and Desoldering help?

[KK Moloney]

Hi! I want to make portable gaming systems. Making a Nes portable seems to be one of the easiest ones to make. I have no soldering skills and want to learn how. I am not sure what type of soldering and desoldering equipment I should get, so could anyone guide me in the right direction? Also, if anyone has any tutorials or videos explaining what is soldering and how to do this would be a great help!

KK

[humakabula1]

Here is a list of things you will need.
- soldering iron (if you plan to continue, look into stations too)
- solder, leaded is easier to work. Harder to find.
- desoldering pump/braid, whatever you can get your hands on
- 'helping hands' are great for beginners
- flux. The solder will probably have a flux core but it's good to have extra.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I_NU2ruz ... ata_player" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

[KK Moloney]

Thanks a lot!!!! I appreciate your help.
Should the soldering iron be the pencil type thingy, cause thats what I heard somewhere.

KK

[humakabula1]

yep. just not a butane/gas powered one, they are harder to control

[com64]

Thanks a lot!!!! I appreciate your help.
Should the soldering iron be the pencil type thingy, cause thats what I heard somewhere.

KK

You can also use a flat tip or a pointed tip. I use both of those.
Also, make sure you get at least a 50 watt soldering iron, or you won't be able to melt the big globs of solder that hold the RF modulator in place. I think they usually go for around $50.

If you just want a cheap soldering iron, you can get a $10-15 25 watt, Chinese-import, intermittent soldering iron from your favourite electronics shop, but you can't leave them on for too long, and they will probably break on you. I've had one for a year, and it's still holding up. I wouldn't recommended it, however.

Edit:
I have never used a solder wick, but they're supposed to be really handy. I've only used a vacuum plunger.

[KK Moloney]

How about this station? Is 45 watts enough? I know you said 50 watts but.....

http://www.amazon.com/Aoyue-937-Digital ... 950&sr=1-2" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Do you see the combo of three different items? With the solder sucker and the solder? Is that a good deal?

Also, what is a solder sucker and should I get that?
And what is a solder wick and what do they do??

Thanks so much!!! Sorry for asking so many questions!!!
Thank you Thank you Thank you

KK

[com64]

How about this station? Is 45 watts enough? I know you said 50 watts but.....

http://www.amazon.com/Aoyue-937-Digital ... 950&sr=1-2" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Do you see the combo of three different items? With the solder sucker and the solder? Is that a good deal?

Also, what is a solder sucker and should I get that?
And what is a solder wick and what do they do??

Thanks so much!!! Sorry for asking so many questions!!!
Thank you Thank you Thank you

KK

45 Watt will probably work. If it doesn't work, you could possibly use a drill, drill press, or dremmel to cut out the solder joints that hold in the RF modulator.

That combo seems like a good deal to me. Go for it.

A solder sucker is a device that you use to remove solder. First, push down the plunger on the solder sucker, melt the solder with your soldering iron, place the tip of the solder sucker near the solder, then press the button on the solder sucker to suck up the solder.

A solder wick is another thing you can use to remove solder. You'd put the wick between the soldering iron and the solder, then the wick absorbs the solder.

You'd need either one of those two; it's your choice. Since that combo has a solder sucker, go for that.

[KK Moloney]

Thank you very much com64!
This helped me a lot!!

KK

[com64]

Thank you very much com64!
This helped me a lot!!

KK

No problem! Happy soldering/modding!