Recommend Solder kit for keyboard Assembly

[steve.v]

Hello, I've decided to participate in the gb at massd for an ergodox. I would like some recommendations to solder items and accessories. I have a budget of $200. This will be my first time soldering smd. I plan to get some of the items on this list. My goal is to have enough tools at my disposal to complete the assembly successfully, easily and rework if necessary. I was highly considering the geekhack solder edition, but it may overrun in cost to some of the things I would like to have. I am considering the following:

** UPDATE **

http://amzn.com/w/YQQSA9E7Q8H3

Please let me know if I'm missing anything.

[Pacifist]

mkawa's starter kit is probally the best

if some things are too expensive Im sure you can sell the stuff you don't need

[margo baggins]

mkawa's starter kit is probally the best

if some things are too expensive Im sure you can sell the stuff you don't need

except you can't solder SMD with it.... well I guess you could but it would be a right pain - easier to use hot air.

solder: don't use lead free it's nasty, i use 60/40, some people like kester which is I think 63/37 (about that) - I tend to use 0.8 or 1mm (I have 500g of each ) thickness.

Solder wick is a must, I use the same stuff all the time but you might not be able to get it over there, it's all much of a muchness though I have read that the radioshack one is not so good (but I have never used it myself)

My hot air station is a cheapie, but so far hasn't let me down, and I have used it quite alot. I have a decent 35w digital soldering station (I really, really, don't think you need more load than this for working with leaded solder) and i have a 70w vacuum powered desoldering station (you probably won't need this, and it's expensive).

I think my air station is called Atten 858D+ - like I say it's a cheapie, but I have used it for SMD work on at least 15 boards I would of thought, and I use it for reflowing electronics (mainly gpu's). You probably don't need a heat controlled station. and you can easily get everything you need for under $200. I do plan on getting a better air station as I am doing more and more work but for the occasional user that station is fine.

for doing a dox I don't think you would need a flux pen, I mean they are good to have about, but you might benefit from having actual flux for that. I only really use pens for doing controllers with tiny legs. PCB cleaner is nice to have about as well, as flux goes nasty and yellow when it's burnt, won't show up that much on the blue dox pcb, but where the yellow build up happens it looks a bit like you have melted the pcb until you clean it off.

FWIW: I built/modded a huge number of boards using an iron that cost me less than £5

[daerid]

I've put together 3 ErgoDoxes with a Hakko FX-888D (stock tip) from amazon, and 60/40 solder and soldering wick from radio shack. All 3 were SMDs.

Granted, the Hakko isn't the cheapest, but it's well worth it IMO.

[CPTBadAss]

I recommend trying to find a Hakko 936 (should be cheaper than an FX-888D but that's not a bad option either) or Weller WLC100. Weller WES51 is a good beginner's option as well but a bit pricier. Then get some 60/40 solder and an Edsyn Soldapult.

[steve.v]

Thanks so much for the replies. Due to the amount of SMD i'll have to solder on the ergodox, I'm thinking of getting a station with a hot air. Although I've seen whitedragonfire done the smds using just a solder tip; doesn't look too hard but its time consuming. My only fear is that the station comes broken with cheap parts; therefore I'm unsure of Aoyue's quality. I may even just get the hakko 888D and use the rest on accessories. Thanks for recommending the Edsyn Soldapult; it looks very useful incase I go kapult on the assembly. Only thing left for me is finding a tool that could cut open the usb wire that's required with the build; I have no idea what to use other than some sharp pliers to pry open the thick rubber.

Any good recommendations on quality solder paste?

[nacitar]

I used a Weller WLC-100 ( http://www.amazon.com/dp/B000AS28UC/ref=wl_it_dp_o_pd_nS_ttl?_encoding=UTF8&colid=28EJTUH0M3INZ&coliid=I1X6ZAPENMHJQ9 ) and a fine tip ( http://www.amazon.com/dp/B000B607OC/ref=wl_it_dp_o_pC_nS_ttl?_encoding=UTF8&colid=28EJTUH0M3INZ&coliid=I3TKANZBK4VCMB ).

I had no real issues, I couldn't have done it without that fine tip though.    Also, electronics tweezers made the SMD diodes easier ( http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00BG8WW2Y/ref=ox_ya_os_product_refresh_T1 )

I also used this solder: http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B004X4L076/ref=oh_details_o05_s00_i00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

[steve.v]

amazing links, sounds like a pretty affordable route; love those tweezers!

[nacitar]

Thanks so much for the replies. Due to the amount of SMD i'll have to solder on the ergodox, I'm thinking of getting a station with a hot air. Although I've seen whitedragonfire done the smds using just a solder tip; doesn't look too hard but its time consuming. My only fear is that the station comes broken with cheap parts; therefore I'm unsure of Aoyue's quality. I may even just get the hakko 888D and use the rest on accessories. Thanks for recommending the Edsyn Soldapult; it looks very useful incase I go kapult on the assembly. Only thing left for me is finding a tool that could cut open the usb wire that's required with the build; I have no idea what to use other than some sharp pliers to pry open the thick rubber.

For that purpose, I used http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000JNRQJ6/ref=oh_details_o04_s00_i01?ie=UTF8&psc=1
However, other people ( WhiteFireDragon included iirc) have used dremels with great success.

Also, people may advise against it but for me this was easy, once I got down to the wires themselves, I stripped them by barely touching my soldering tip to the shielding on each side of the wires, then the shielding pulled right off.

[steve.v]

I can't seem to find any smaller quantities of the Kester 44 63/37 .015 solder; I think I will be fine with .5lbs or smaller. Any other brand suggestions with smaller quantity?

Would these work?

http://www.amazon.com/Alpha-AT-31604-60-40-Solder-Ounces/dp/B00030AP48/ref=pd_bxgy_hi_img_z

[CPTBadAss]

I can't seem to find any smaller quantities of the Kester 44 63/37 .015 solder; I think I will be fine with .5lbs or smaller.

Think mkawa can sell you some. Try PMing him.

[mkawa]

you can solder SMD with the standard learn to solder kit about as well as you can with any other hot stick it includes a 1mm spade tip (the small tip) that is a nice gentle introduction to precision soldering. cup tips for slide soldering are also available, although i don't know the part number offhand. i still recommend a loupe. the fan favorite non-bank-breaker is: http://www.amazon.com/SE-MH1047L-Illuminated-Multipower-Magnifier/dp/B003UCODIA/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1395948412&sr=8-1&keywords=headband+magnifier

it looks like it is a cheap piece of junk, but it's actually really really nice. the LED light _is_ a piece of junk, but you can always put a task light on your desk to do the same thing more effectively.

hot air is still preferred, but high quality hot air stations are very expensive. aoyue stations have very mixed feedback in that the breakage rate is higher than other brands and the QC is general doesn't seem to be fantastic. but you certainly don't have to take my word for it.

i am trying to get techkeys stocked with solder. the bottleneck at the moment is that i only have about 6 plastic spools left. i am trying to find some time to produce more, but i need to get the printer back up and printing properly, and then run it 24/7 for a few days without it breaking in order to produce enough plastic spools to get techkeys properly stocked. i have to hold onto most of those 6 spools i have right now for soldering kits so that those are ready to send out on short notice.

[steve.v]

pmed

[strict]

Ive been using Cardas Quad Eutectic Leaded solder lately and I have to say its easily the best solder I've ever used. I've tried many, many brands of solder over the last 15 years or so (Kester, RadioShack, Alpha, etc) and I don't see myself ever using another solder at this point. I used it to build my Phantom and could not have been happier with the quality or workability of it.

[mkawa]

what the hell? first of all, cardas does not manufacture this. second of all, proprietary alloy my ass. this is an Ag2 or 2.5 snpb mix that isn't quite eutectic. the silver eutectics are only kind of eutectic as it is. they have a non-zero glass period. the addition of the Cu ****s it. it's pretty obvious from the specs, as a true eutectic has a single melt point, not a range.

there is zero reason to add Ag into your soldering alloy, frankly. the only reason is for slightly lower lead content, but it adds a huge amount of cost and makes the basically snpb alloy non-eutectic.

it seems like people "think it sounds better" in audio circuits, which i find to be absolutely hilarious. sorry, clean joints have negligible resistance unless you're working with incredibly low signals, in which case, what you need is a differential amplifier, not silver.