Noob Attempts Pedal Build...Coloursound One Knob Fuzz Reissue...Now With Pics!

[burnt fingers]

Hello...
So I am going to attempt to build the One Knob Fuzz using Andy C's layout.
BEFORE I get going, I want to make sure of a few BASIC things...
I am England and have read on here about different forms of solder...I would like to know which one would be 'best' ie 60/40 or the other, 63/37 I think? Also, what is the right diameter? Too thin might take longer and therefore use more heat against parts?
I have an okay soldering station...'Grandma Shark' 937D...Again, I would like to make sure I run it at the optimum heat setting.
Idiot questions I know BUT, I want to get this right from the start.
Appreciate any clues/advice.
Bob 

[Zerro]

Generally, more tin and less led will ask more melting tempeature. This is less good for soldering of pcb copper tracks because of sooner damaging desk from higher temperature. Use more led solder. Optimal diameter for me with pistol solderer is cca 2 mm, with rosin inside. Thinner is for smd concepts, with solder 1-2 mm and lower temperature. Use rosin for good drop finish and better conect. Clear pins, soder pots and wires before soldering (knife, soft metal brush...).

[burnt fingers]

Appreciate that....
I was getting worried after 41 views and no responses!


Lower temperature....can you be more specific please? Using a soldering station...just trying to get this dialled-in correctly from the start.
Is there a favoured brand of solder, bearing in mind I am UK based?
Thanks.

[Zerro]

Generally, lower temp is such a temp, that will melt thinner tin for smd devices as so quickly, as higher temp will do with tin with 2mm diam. Tin must be liquid properly to get good contact, but not to be oveburn. Try it at first at some old pcb, to get praxe. This is not something anybody can define too strictly. UK solder sevices are unknown for me, so I can't give you better advice.

For soldering points at lamp sockets or concept of soldering eyes at some pertinax desk you use higher temp, to heat it all properly. It is not pcb, so you can little raise temp. But allways use rosin. It is cheap but very usefull.

[burnt fingers]

Will do....I just meant isn't there meant to be an optimum temperature? I forget what I saw...350-370? Something like that..being lazy, will go back and try to find it.
I will experiment with a scrap of Vero....not too concerned re the solder flowing, more the heat of the iron damaging the parts if the makes more sense?
Appreciate the responses.

[Zerro]

Surely there is some info at UK vendors for their tin solder temperatures. But I am not from Uk so I have no aim what types of tin you can get here. If you purchase any in some shop, try to info here.

Try to set lower temp from start and work with it. You will see if it makes good contacts and workflow.

[burnt fingers]

No sweat....I think something I am not asking the right question here...Will think of a better way to put it tomorrow.
Appreciate your help.

[Aentons]

I wouldn't worry too much about the actually temperature. You are touching a chunk of hot metal to another piece of metal that you want to heat up. It depends on how much metal is there to absorb and disapate the heat, so depending on what it is, sometimes you go a little hoter and sometimes cooler.

For soldering just a normal pad with something small like a resistor in it, get your tip just slightly hotter than it takes to melt the solder. For bigger items like switches and jacks, there is more metal to heat up so it may take a little longer before the solder melts so you could choose to increase the temp a bit. If you have variable station you should be good. Just experiment with it and tweak it as you go.

It will really come down to gaining some experience and aquiring better and better technique.

[burnt fingers]

Excellent, thanks for that...I will experiment and go from there. I am always worried about 'frying' components with a soldering iron...ie resistors and the like but, I will go carefully.
Have some free time today so, can look around for the temperature I vaguely remember seeing, pretty sure it was 350C.
http://www.bestsoldering.com/best-soldering-iron-temperature-for-circuit-boards/
That would seem to suggest 60/40 becomes liquid at 190C so, 350C seems a bit high to me BUT, as we already know, I don't know a lot.

[burnt fingers]

350C seemed to be good.
Need to tidy-up the tatty edge where I cut this with the hacksaw.
4 cuts to the rear of the board and the 3 'jumpers?' in place.

[matmosphere]

Looking good man! Keep it up.

And I wouldn't worry about that edge. Functionally it makes no difference at all, and you'll never see it once you box everything up.

[burnt fingers]

Thank you....But I know it's in there so, I will sort it.

[burnt fingers]

Sorted 
1M, 10k jumpers and sockets added....getting there.

[burnt fingers]

150k, 1k, 820R, 2K2 and polarised caps added as well...100uF and 10uF.

[Zerro]

Don't forget after work to clean copper side from tin dust, overburned rosin and controll it from unwanted bridges. That's all! Good luck!