Soldering Resources
You will likely need to solder components during the course, particularly for the final project. Your instructors and TAs are happy to help, but the resources below will help you get started.
Before soldering, review the soldering safety guidelines on the Lab Safety page.
The Basics
A good solder joint is shiny, smooth, and volcano-shaped — it wets both the pad and the component lead completely. A bad joint looks dull, blobby, or cracked. The most common beginner mistakes are:
- Not heating both surfaces. Touch the iron tip to both the pad and the lead simultaneously, then feed solder into the joint. If you only heat one surface, the solder won’t flow properly and you’ll get a cold joint.
- Too much solder. You need less than you think. A small, concave fillet is ideal. Large blobs can bridge adjacent pads and create shorts.
- Moving too soon. Hold the component steady until the solder solidifies (about a second). Moving the joint while it cools creates a dull, unreliable cold joint.
- Overheating. Don’t hold the iron on a joint for more than a few seconds. Excessive heat can damage components and lift pads from the board.
Recommended Videos
- How to Solder – Through-Hole Soldering by EEVblog — a thorough walkthrough of through-hole technique (11 min).
- Beginner’s Guide to Soldering by GreatScott! — covers tools, technique, and common mistakes (8 min).
Reference Guides
- How to Solder Guide from Makerspaces.com — illustrated step-by-step guide.
- NASA Workmanship Standards – A Pictorial Reference — the gold standard for what good (and bad) solder joints look like.