Soldering Iron Introduction
From CoMakingSpace Wiki
This is the content required for an introduction to our soldering irons - reading this does NOT replace the mandatory session with a tutor! It will make it even quicker though ;-)
Let's begin! First off, make sure you have read the tool's manual, if available.
Safety
Dangers
- the tip gets very hot (over 300 °C)
- toxic fumes are be generated when soldering or overheating neighboring components
- hot flux or solder can splash towards you during soldering, e.g. when a springy wire gets loose
- the solder may contain poisonous lead
Precautions
splashing solder is rare, but dangerous - wear goggles!
- only touch the handle, rest the iron in its stand when not using it
- take care of good ventilation and don't inhale the fumes, use a fume extractor with carbon filter
- protect your eyes with goggles
- get familiar with the type of solder you're using - for instance, does it contain poisonous lead?
- wash your hands after handling solder
Demonstration
Our electronics bench is set up in a master/slave fashion to reduce the risk of accidentally leaving soldering irons on over night - the black outlet bar only works when the desk lamp is on.
Suggested Reading
If you're new to soldering: mikrocontroller.net - "Löten" (DE)
