This works, I guess

[EBK]

If I need to remove solder from a hole, I hold the board up high, dip my iron in some flux and heat the board from underneath.  Gravity is my solder sucker.

[madbean]

We talked about a solder bath at one point, but it never seemed like a good option since there are pot/wire holes that would get solder in them.

[Ekimneets]

EBK,

I'll try it.

-Mike


Typo'd from my iphone

[Ekimneets]

I just bend them over and cut them short after they are soldered. Is that a bad/rookie way to do it?

That's actually the more mechanically reliable way to do it.  You can always get a job soldering parts for NASA if you get tired of building pedals.  ;-)

The only downside is that the parts are a bit harder to remove if you need to rework them.

All I can see in my minds eye is that pic. You know the one I'm talking about.

-M


Typo'd from my iphone

[EBK]

We talked about a solder bath at one point, but it never seemed like a good option since there are pot/wire holes that would get solder in them.

Plus, you wouldn't want the boards to get all pruney.   

[culturejam]

I slightly bend the leads "outward" to keep the parts from falling out. I place like 8-10 parts at a time, then solder just one side of each part (or the center lead of a transistor). Then I flip the board back over and make sure alignment is good, etc. If I need to adjust, it's easier if only one side is soldered. Then I flip back over and solder the other side. Goes pretty fast once you get used to it.

[Leevibe]

I just take every part on the BOM, bend all the leads, put them in a paper bag with the PCB and shake it like crazy until every hole on the board has a lead in it and then I solder it all up and add some wires. Works like a charm.

[Ekimneets]

Anarchist!

[Leevibe]

Actually I use blu-tack to hold stuff really straight and do a few components at a time. Lately I've been doing like CJ and soldering one leg on each component first, flipping to check that parts are lined up, and tacking down the other side. I enjoy the slow pace for some reason.

[Ekimneets]

I tried that and it would take a whole day to populate a moderately complex board. Keep in mind I'm slow to begin with.

Then I tried populating everything of a similar height and just used painters tape to secure everything and just rotated the PCB in the in the vise and soldered them. While fast it does not look very pretty the way I did it.

That's when I switched to the tape and blu-tack combo. It takes a little longer than just flipping it in the vise, because you take a little time to press the tack into the nooks and crannies. However, you don't get blu-tack on anything as once you flip it over and place it on the work surface, then you can really press down and get everything right snug to the PCB. You can also adjust all of the dead cockroach legs to make sure they are straight up and down before you solder.

As I solder I bend the leads towards me of the ones I've already soldered. This allows access to the next row and you can pretty much work your was across the entire board.

Everybody is different, but I actually get better results in a shorter amount of time.

-M

[peterc]

Hi Brian

Any reason you dont just solder from the component side? If the holes are through plated it should be the same as soldering from the underside?

Thanks Peter

[sjaustin]

Weird, I thought everybody bent the leads and then flipped it over. The only time I use poster tack on the topside is on IC sockets and similar, stuff that you can't bend leads on to keep them in place when you flip the board.

Fun to see how many different ways there are of doing this.

[Aentons]

Weird, I thought everybody bent the leads and then flipped it over. The only time I use poster tack on the topside is on IC sockets and similar, stuff that you can't bend leads on to keep them in place when you flip the board.

Fun to see how many different ways there are of doing this.

Same here

Actually I use blu-tack to hold stuff really straight and do a few components at a time. Lately I've been doing like CJ and soldering one leg on each component first, flipping to check that parts are lined up, and tacking down the other side. I enjoy the slow pace for some reason.

I slightly bend the leads "outward" to keep the parts from falling out. I place like 8-10 parts at a time, then solder just one side of each part (or the center lead of a transistor). Then I flip the board back over and make sure alignment is good, etc. If I need to adjust, it's easier if only one side is soldered. Then I flip back over and solder the other side. Goes pretty fast once you get used to it.

What's all this alignment business!... Are we talking a presentation/neatness type thing or have I been missing something?

[peAk]

If I need to remove solder from a hole, I hold the board up high, dip my iron in some flux and heat the board from underneath.  Gravity is my solder sucker.

Haha.... brilliant. As long as I avoid dripping hot solder on my $#@π

[Leevibe]

What's all this alignment business!... Are we talking a presentation/neatness type thing or have I been missing something?

Yeah. It's just for looks. Dropping the parts through and bending the leads works just fine. Best practice is to clip before you solder to avoid cracking the joint but I don't even worry about that.