Beginner Dos and Dont's

[smallbearelec]

Or maybe it should be the other way around, but the phrasing would be awkward.

I have posted a few times when I saw people starting first builds in ways that I thought sure to be troublesome. So I collected and organized my thoughts into an article that I hope will be a useful reference. Suggestions very much welcome!

https://www.smallbearelec.com/HowTos/BeginnerArticle/BeginnerDos.htm

SD

[CodeMonk]

This needs to be stickied IMO.

BTW, thanks for your quick email replies Steve.

[MaxPower]

Good idea.

An option I'd recommend for early builds is to build projects from electronics magazines or books. The circuits have been built and tested in almost all cases so the odds are high that the circuit presented works. However, the best reason imo is that the author walks you through the build and offers some troubleshooting tips in case your build doesn't work. Last but not least, they often describe how the circuit works and what the main stages/components are doing (amplifying, voltage dividing, impedance matching, etc.).

The old electronics magazines had some great guitar FX projects. Poptronics of August 2001 had the Tremulous Bear for example. The Poptronics July 2002 had The Tubester which was one of my first project builds (and which I still use). So go to your local library (hopefully the old electronics mags are archived) and dig up some great old projects.

[amptramp]

Wear pants when you are soldering.

[mistahead]

Don't EVER get into the habit of "FLICKING" a soldering iron for ANY reason.

(Spelling correction)

[defaced]

^guilty of that one.  That's how I clean my iron alot of times.  Not really the safest thing to do. 

[mistahead]

^guilty of that one.  That's how I clean my iron alot of times.  Not really the safest thing to do. 

   Every flick can have an equal and opposite back-flick

I'm guessing you're like me and only (if at all) have a set of magnifiers as eye protection, mouth slightly open...

[psychedelicfish]

Having solder splashed on to skin isn't actually too bad, I find. It tends to cool down very quickly and my skin doesn't seem to conduct much heat. Maybe I should start wearing some kind of eye protection while soldering...

[mistahead]

Having solder splashed on to skin isn't actually too bad, I find. It tends to cool down very quickly and my skin doesn't seem to conduct much heat. Maybe I should start wearing some kind of eye protection while soldering...

Sounds like you're aware of the "Molten Cheese" rule - just let it cool down in place and don't smear the slash, its more in the eyes, face skin is soft, mouth etc. that worries me...

[CodeMonk]

Don't EVER get into the habit of "FLICKING" a soldering iron for ANY reason.

(Spelling correction)

Actually, I do that all the time.
But I flick it into the soldering iron's base tray (The one that usually hold extra tips and such), very lightly.
But I was soldering before some here were even born (1981).
I have a few tips and tricks.


Hey, maybe we should have a "tips and tricks" thread/sticky.

My first contribution:
A pencil eraser can be used to clean lightly corroded leads.

[mistahead]

Actually, I do that all the time.
But I flick it into the soldering iron's base tray (The one that usually hold extra tips and such), very lightly.
But I was soldering before some here were even born (1981).

So was my EE father who carked it in '91 around ten years after I was born, didn't stop him requiring a large amount of surgery because of damage done to his eye from molten solder flicking, that is without commenting on other scars and injuries to the face, forehead, and hair/scalp. I'm not safety obsessed (pants? there's a desk between my junk and my other junk, hold my beer and watch...) - this is just plain silly.

Do you mean tap or flick? Flicking requires drawing the iron back/to the side and an accelating motion through the arc, and usually rebounds (lightly would help the rebound).

[CodeMonk]

Yeah, just a light tap on the soldering iron's base tray to get excess solder off of the tip.

I've burned myself with solder a few times.
But not from a soldering iron.
I used to run wave solder machines and got splashed a few times. (Actually only happened to me twice).
Hey, it gave me a trip to the Occupational urgent care for some treatment, a bottle of Vicodin and the rest of the day/night off.

[mistahead]

Yeah, just a light tap on the soldering iron's base tray to get excess solder off of the tip.

Hahah fwwwwweew - you had me scared there, you don't generally sound reckless at all!   

[CodeMonk]

Yeah, Like I said, I've been at this for awhile.
And I ALWAYS wear Levis (or other denim pants), because there are times when at the end of the day/session, I'm picking off tiny bits of solder from my pants.

I actually learned how to solder at an occupational school. The instructor was a former JPL/NASA tech.
Seven years after I took those classes, I got a job JPL myself.
As soon as I got hired there, I went back to the class and told the instructor. That put a big smile on his face.
That's something I tend to brag about a bit because its something i'm very proud of.

I actually did some work on the Galileo Space probe and a few space shuttle modules.
Damn, that was such a cool job.
And ALL SMD stuff. in 1987 - 1988, All soldering on PCBs was done under a microscope.

[mistahead]

Yeah, Like I said, I've been at this for awhile.
And I ALWAYS wear Levis (or other denim pants), because there are times when at the end of the day/session, I'm picking off tiny bits of solder from my pants.

I actually learned how to solder at an occupational school. The instructor was a former JPL/NASA tech.
Seven years after I took those classes, I got a job JPL myself.
As soon as I got hired there, I went back to the class and told the instructor. That put a big smile on his face.
That's something I tend to brag about a bit because its something i'm very proud of.

Something to brag about for sure mate - it is an achievment indeed, all props and congratulations!

Didn't mean to give the impression I was being irreverant - I'm a younger fella with more balls than brains often, but you are one of the guys up here that is almost universally listened to!

[CodeMonk]

Damn, that put a big smile on my face (And I've had a rough day today).
But I'm an idiot compared to most of the others here.

Thanks, I needed that.

[aron]

People, please realize that there is also a FAQ forum with lots of very useful info, like this thread:

http://www.diystompboxes.com/smfforum/index.php?topic=23386

Here is the FAQ forum:
http://www.diystompboxes.com/smfforum/index.php?board=10.0

[mistahead]

Don't forget your Wiki DIY Aron:
http://www.diystompboxes.com/wiki/index.php?title=Frequently_Asked_Questions_(DIY_FAQ)

[CodeMonk]

Thanks for the reminder aron.
I added my pencil eraser bit to it.

[Keppy]

I have a suggestion, Steve: Don't use a tiny enclosure for a first build. My first build was a Green Ringer, and I insisted on etching a PCB and stuffing it into a 1590G. That was a real pain.