I wish I knew this when I was first starting...

[drezdn]

If you don't have right angle pots, you can make them using component leads.

[Liustucru]

Build and use a testing rig*.

I am SO...SO building this.

Consider to include a road rage into your test rig for even more flexibility.
Mine is based on Beavis' one too:
http://www.madbeanpedals.com/forum/index.php?topic=3837.0

I just use it for all my builds with no exception.

[billstein]

Learn to properly desolder sooner rather than later 

Josh

Any tips on desoldering pcb mount pots? One of my least favorite things in the world.

[drezdn]

Learn to properly desolder sooner rather than later 

Josh

Any tips on desoldering pcb mount pots? One of my least favorite things in the world.

I'm a big fan of using a desoldering iron.

[Govmnt_Lacky]

Any tips on desoldering pcb mount pots? One of my least favorite things in the world.

Desolder pump is one of the most effective tools in the DIY arsenal! And you can find them cheap too!

[gtr2]

Learn to properly desolder sooner rather than later 

Josh

Any tips on desoldering pcb mount pots? One of my least favorite things in the world.

I'm a big fan of using a desoldering iron.

I've used one of these for the last year or two but it was the radioshack one.

But I caved and finally bought a Hakko 808 desoldering gun 

Josh

[Droogie]

Remember that troubleshooting involves one of three possibilities on fabbed boards:
1) Soldering error—cold joint, solder bridge, forgot a pad, etc.
2) Part error—placement, orientation of polarized caps/ICs/diodes, wrong value
3) Part malfunction—bad pot, bad IC

I always assume 1 or 2 before I look at 3 (infrequent over 50 builds or so)

Other than "did I plug everything in and turn the volume up?" did I leave anything out?

[pickdropper]

Learn to properly desolder sooner rather than later 

Josh

Any tips on desoldering pcb mount pots? One of my least favorite things in the world.

I'm a big fan of using a desoldering iron.

I've used one of these for the last year or two but it was the radioshack one.

But I caved and finally bought a Hakko 808 desoldering gun 

Josh

I've been tempted to get a desoldering gun, and I will at some point.  I did pick up a really nice set of desoldering tweezers.  With the blade attachments, I can desolder a through-hole IC.  The other day, I used it to take off an HDMI cable.  All 19 pins simultaneously: it was wonderful.  :-)

As far as desoldering pumps go, I wished I had learned earlier how much better a good one is.  I used one of the Radio Shack ones for years.  I finally bought a Solda-Pult for $12-13 and it was considerably better. 

[gtr2]

Yeah, I resisted until last week.  The desoldering gun is expensive for occasional use but I'll save money just desoldering all the PCB mount pots on unused prototype and never to be boxed builds...

[davent]

Blu-tack. It's even better than masking tape.

Learn to hold the roll of solder in the palm of your hand while you solder with it, don't cut off lengths. You just wind up with a million 5mm lengths of solder, which is a waste. A 250gram roll fits in my palm nicely.

For a solder holder i simply stand the 1lb. roll of soder on a small lazy-susan bearing and it easily unspools as it gets used. Put a piece of non-slip drawer liner atop the bearing before setting the solder spool on it so it won't slide off. We'll see how much solder i have to use up before the spool weighs too little for this to be effective.

dave

[pickdropper]

A couple other comments:

BluTack - I completely agree.  I think many engineering departments would shut down if they stopped making that.

Another tool that I wish I knew about in the beginning is a hole deburring tool.  Those things are really useful.

[drezdn]

What do you use to debur holes? I've used countersink bits, or bigger drill bits to debur holes, but I would love to hear a better way.

[davent]

What do you use to debur holes? I've used countersink bits, or bigger drill bits to debur holes, but I would love to hear a better way.

Little tool in bottom left corner, can do 1/8" holes on up, works great. Other necessary tools, forceps, callipers, dental pick a myriad of uses. The third hand as-is, is garbage but can be modified to at least make useful.



Dental mirror comes in handy as well and lots of magnitying tools, jewelers loupes, magnifying glasses, headband magnifiers...

dave

[pryde]

T-Handle Reamer. $5 at HF tools.

Use it all the time to open up enclosure holes for tighter fit of LEDs and 9v jacks, etc

[aballen]

I use this desoldering iron.  It takes a few minutes to heat up, but it's works really well and the price is great too.

http://m.radioshack.com/radioshack/product/detail.do?itemId=2062731&op=%22http://www.radioshack.com/product/index.jsp?productId=2062731%22