Author Topic: Soldering HELP! :)  (Read 2745 times)

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Offline MC Qwerty

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Soldering HELP! :)
« on: Mon, 26 March 2018, 11:27:20 »
Hey guys got a few questions:
Is their any solder that does not release any noxious fumes or contain lead that is good for soldering keyboards,
Thanks guys
and have a nice day
MC Qwerty

Offline Blaise170

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Re: Soldering HELP! :)
« Reply #1 on: Mon, 26 March 2018, 11:42:59 »
All solder will release fumes, the majority of which is flux contained within the solder which helps to clean the soldering points. Lead is dangerous, sure, but if you take proper precautions such as washing your hands after soldering you won't have much to worry about. If lead really bothers you, you can get lead-free solder, but be aware that it is much more difficult to work with since the melting point is much higher. If you go the lead-free route, you will need to ensure that you have a very good soldering station (preferably with temperature control) that can reach at least 425F (220C), though 450F (232C) would be preferable. This is in contrast to leaded solder which melts at 361F (183C) for 63/37 or 370F (188C) for 60/40.

The other issue with flux fumes cannot really be solved unless you find a specialized solder, but there are none that I know of and if they do exist they will likely be very expensive. It's far more beneficial to just get a fume extractor which will suck up the fumes and filter the air (I use a $20 dehumidifier with charcoal filters... works great!). I also recommend using either a dedicated workspace for soldering, or making sure that the space you are using is properly covered, e.g. plastic tablecloths will work well.
I proxy anything including keyboards (キーボード / 鍵盤), from both Japan (日本) and China (中國). For more information, you may visit my dedicated webpage here: https://www.keyboards.es/proxying.html

View my current and past keyboards here: https://deskthority.net/wiki/User:Blaise170

Offline MC Qwerty

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Re: Soldering HELP! :)
« Reply #2 on: Mon, 26 March 2018, 12:20:19 »
(this was a mistake dont know how to delete :P  :-\)
MC Qwerty

Offline MC Qwerty

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Re: Soldering HELP! :)
« Reply #3 on: Mon, 26 March 2018, 12:20:54 »
All solder will release fumes, the majority of which is flux contained within the solder which helps to clean the soldering points. Lead is dangerous, sure, but if you take proper precautions such as washing your hands after soldering you won't have much to worry about. If lead really bothers you, you can get lead-free solder, but be aware that it is much more difficult to work with since the melting point is much higher. If you go the lead-free route, you will need to ensure that you have a very good soldering station (preferably with temperature control) that can reach at least 425F (220C), though 450F (232C) would be preferable. This is in contrast to leaded solder which melts at 361F (183C) for 63/37 or 370F (188C) for 60/40.

The other issue with flux fumes cannot really be solved unless you find a specialized solder, but there are none that I know of and if they do exist they will likely be very expensive. It's far more beneficial to just get a fume extractor which will suck up the fumes and filter the air (I use a $20 dehumidifier with charcoal filters... works great!). I also recommend using either a dedicated workspace for soldering, or making sure that the space you are using is properly covered, e.g. plastic tablecloths will work well.

Thanks Man Really use full cant tell you how much this helped me,
I was thinking of picking up this soldering iron: Soldering Iron Kit, 60W Adjustable Temperature Soldering-iron Gun Kit with 5 Soldering Tips, Desoldering Pump, Tin Wire Tube, Soldering Iron Stand, Tweezers, Wire Stripper Cutter and 2 Electronic Wire, https://www.amazon.co.uk/Adjustable-Temperature-Soldering-iron-Desoldering-Electronic/dp/B06Y5HVCMG/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1522081271&sr=8-1&keywords=de+soldering+iron

would you have any recommendations that don't go over 40$ (note I live in UK :) )
MC Qwerty

Offline Blaise170

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Re: Soldering HELP! :)
« Reply #4 on: Mon, 26 March 2018, 12:54:13 »
Personally I think most of the addons for the kit are mostly useless. I'd go with something like this instead, should serve you much better.

https://amzn.to/2G94KkW
I proxy anything including keyboards (キーボード / 鍵盤), from both Japan (日本) and China (中國). For more information, you may visit my dedicated webpage here: https://www.keyboards.es/proxying.html

View my current and past keyboards here: https://deskthority.net/wiki/User:Blaise170

Offline seva1385

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Re: Soldering HELP! :)
« Reply #5 on: Mon, 26 March 2018, 13:23:27 »
When I was very young and afraid of hot soldering iron, I would considered something like this, only it was no as readily available back then. There must be a reason though this did not replace the solder to date, greater resistance perhaps?
« Last Edit: Mon, 26 March 2018, 13:27:30 by seva1385 »
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Offline Blaise170

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Re: Soldering HELP! :)
« Reply #6 on: Mon, 26 March 2018, 13:27:23 »
Soldering glue is good for minor repairs but it's relatively useless for when you need a solid electrical connection. Also, I'm assuming that you can't remove it like you can solder if you need to replace a component.
I proxy anything including keyboards (キーボード / 鍵盤), from both Japan (日本) and China (中國). For more information, you may visit my dedicated webpage here: https://www.keyboards.es/proxying.html

View my current and past keyboards here: https://deskthority.net/wiki/User:Blaise170

Offline MC Qwerty

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Re: Soldering HELP! :)
« Reply #7 on: Mon, 26 March 2018, 13:57:51 »
 Which solder should I use in ratio for soldering keyboards? and thanks
MC Qwerty

Offline Blaise170

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Re: Soldering HELP! :)
« Reply #8 on: Mon, 26 March 2018, 14:00:44 »
I highly recommend 63/37 since it flows so easily. It's a bit more expensive than 60/40, but I think it's worth the cost. I bought a 1LB roll a couple of years ago for like $10 and I still have plenty left, even after several boards worth of soldering.
I proxy anything including keyboards (キーボード / 鍵盤), from both Japan (日本) and China (中國). For more information, you may visit my dedicated webpage here: https://www.keyboards.es/proxying.html

View my current and past keyboards here: https://deskthority.net/wiki/User:Blaise170

Offline phorx

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Re: Soldering HELP! :)
« Reply #9 on: Mon, 26 March 2018, 19:15:14 »
You can also get a small fan with a carbon filter to help with fumes.

Offline TalkingTree

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Re: Soldering HELP! :)
« Reply #10 on: Tue, 27 March 2018, 03:38:40 »
As phorx suggested, consider getting yourself a fumes extractor if you're going to solder on a regular basis.
I bought for myself a ZD-153 which is fairly good but only sucks in fumes that are in a certain range. It's worth noting, though, that keyboard PCBs are usually massive compared to other electronic wares, you might need to either move the board or the extractor around during a single soldering session.
My opensource projects: GH80-3000, TOAD, XMMX. Classified: stuff

Offline kmba

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Re: Soldering HELP! :)
« Reply #11 on: Tue, 27 March 2018, 05:09:57 »
Leaded solder is easier to work with and releases less harmful fumes than lead free.  The fumes still aren't good for you, so I'd suggest a fan or fume extractor.  I use a cheap $10 fan.  Personally I work in a dedicated location (not at my desk like some people) and wash my hands a few times after to get rid of any lead on my hands.  No problemo.
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Offline MC Qwerty

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Re: Soldering HELP! :)
« Reply #12 on: Tue, 27 March 2018, 05:32:56 »
Thanks so much everyone this is such good information
MC Qwerty

Offline jimirolln

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Re: Soldering HELP! :)
« Reply #13 on: Wed, 28 March 2018, 06:38:08 »
https://www.amazon.com/Soldering-110-240V-Including-Portable-Temperature/dp/B074V28ZVS/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1522236754&sr=8-1&keywords=tokego+soldering+iron

expansion rate...just because it heats up in 8 sec...i would recommend letting it warm up to the lowest setting before cranking it up to about 316c

good luck
« Last Edit: Sat, 31 March 2018, 16:46:45 by jimirolln »

Offline jimirolln

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Re: Soldering HELP! :)
« Reply #14 on: Wed, 28 March 2018, 06:50:04 »
forgot the stand...its really nice and only 12...science purchase

rapid temp change is tuff on things...im sure it doesn't make to much of a difference than the sponge but you won't be rapid temp changing the tip

the heating element in the tip design is better imo but they might not last as long if you are not careful with the physics
« Last Edit: Wed, 28 March 2018, 07:04:04 by jimirolln »

Offline ScottPaladin

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Re: Soldering HELP! :)
« Reply #15 on: Wed, 28 March 2018, 09:18:49 »
GreatScott has a quick and dirty fume extractor build that I can recommend. A 12v dc power suppy and an old PC case are the two biggest components and most people have or can get a hold of those free. I added an adjustable buck/boost converter to mine just so I can control the fan speed but that's a luxury. After that all you need is a carbon filter and some zip tie. It's an easy build; perfect for someone just getting into electronics work.


Offline jimirolln

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Re: Soldering HELP! :)
« Reply #16 on: Wed, 28 March 2018, 09:42:07 »
that was a good watch i really enjoyed it...for sure gonna check the channel...it is a good point about the fumes...i don't solder 24/7 so carbon masks do well enuf and they are cheap as hell...but the extractor is a good idea if the end game doesn't exist for you...#f_the_endgame...lul

Offline MC Qwerty

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Re: Soldering HELP! :)
« Reply #17 on: Wed, 28 March 2018, 14:33:27 »
Thanks guys
MC Qwerty

Offline Blaise170

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Re: Soldering HELP! :)
« Reply #18 on: Wed, 28 March 2018, 14:36:05 »
Make sure that if you buy parts separate to get an all-metal iron stand. I got one of those metal and plastic stands before, walked away for 3 minutes and came back to a pool of plastic on the iron.
I proxy anything including keyboards (キーボード / 鍵盤), from both Japan (日本) and China (中國). For more information, you may visit my dedicated webpage here: https://www.keyboards.es/proxying.html

View my current and past keyboards here: https://deskthority.net/wiki/User:Blaise170

Offline MC Qwerty

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Re: Soldering HELP! :)
« Reply #19 on: Wed, 28 March 2018, 14:38:19 »
Thanks for the important info man
MC Qwerty