(Part 3) Best welding equipment & accessories according to redditors

I recently got a second pair of headphones for the office and fumbling with cables on my desk when I wanted to switch between the two got old very quickly. My solution was to extend my amp's output to a more convenient location. I chose to use my amp's balanced output because a) I have it, b) XLR is reliable and easy to work with, and c) pro-quality parts are readily available. Here are the parts I used if you want to try building something similar:

1. Neutrik Housing - $13.09
   
2. Neutrik 4-Pin XLR Female Jack - $6.92
   
3. Neutrik 4-Pin XLR Male Jack - $4.88
   
4. Canare 2 Twisted Pair Cable - ~$1.00
   
5. Cardas Silver Solder - $29.95
   
6. TecNec 4-Pin XLR Cable - 6 ft - $25.95
   
   Total cost: $81.79, including the solder and 6 ft interconnect. Only $25.89 if you already have those.
   
   It was really easy to assemble: just strip back the ends of four conductors and solder them into the solder cups of the XLR jacks, pin 1 to pin 1 and so on, and solder the cable shields to the XLR ground lugs. Check your work with a multimeter, then shove it into the Neutrik housing. I mounted the housing to my desk with 3M VHB tape and it is super secure. I made a second one for home where I screwed it into my desk instead of using VHB tape and it is even more solid.

I could google as well as you can, and maybe I could point towards better results, having made countless thousands of solder connections myself, but I would still be googling.

Instead, I will offer a couple more tips, in no particular order:

• Lead-free or RoHS solder is a nightmare for repairs and DIY. While it is really good for the world when it comes to disposable consumer electronics, it's really bad for pro audio. It is the product of a short-sighted policy which, by assuming that all electronics are disposable, almost forces them to all be disposable. Stay away, if at all possible.
  
  
• Really, if you focus on the steps above, especially step 1, it is hard to go too far wrong. Almost all soldering sins come either from trying to use the iron or the solder to hold your connections in place, or from trying to heat the solder directly to force it into a joint that isn't hot enough.
  
  
• Helpful tools include a big enough workbench to take the strain off of cables and wires, and a set of flexible, multi-arm "extra hands" like one of these.
  
  
• Invest in a decent soldering rig. This doesn't have to be very expensive. I have a cheap, adjustable-wattage pencil iron from Amazon that seems to do just as good a job as my $150 Weller soldering station. The trick is a good stand, good solder, spare tips, brass cleaning wool, extra flux, solder-sucker, and various clips, clamps, magnifying glasses and "extra hands", plus enough clear space to work, so that by the time you touch iron to metal, all you have to do is heat it for a second and then touch it with solder.
  
  The technique is basically 99% prep, 1% steady hands. You can google or research all the little pieces as well as I can, and the best videos might even do it better than I do, lol.

I just talked with an elderly gentleman today at the day job about this and his recommendation was to use welders glass as your filter. Said you can get a whole helmet with extra piece of glass at harbor freight for like $20

For settings he said ASA 100 (ISO) no aperture below 3 and somewhere around 1/100-200 for shutter speed.

I'll be checking out the helmet when I get paid and testing it out this next weekend.

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Edit: reporting back.

So initially i bought a welder No. 12 from amazon and it came today. I have a harbor freight nearby but my results are going to stop me from going in and getting more at least for now, so here's what happened:

I present to you: the SUN

I took the welder glass and held it to the lens of my camera and took the picture hand held at the settings you see there. Initially it was much darker, but i brought up the levels a little bit in lightroom.

At 100mm i'm far from good detail on the sun, so probably going to want to go 200-400 at least and probably use a converter. Or, of course, a telescope.

mind you, this is a 12 glass, not a 2, so it's significantly darker than the original recommendation, i just won't be trying the 2 until i have more focal length personally.

If anyone else wants to try this its really cheap... this was the glass i got: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00164VP26/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o00_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

It gave the sun a green tint which i corrected in post. If you try it, tag me and i'll add it to this post.

IF i go out and get a longer lens i'll try this again, but 200mm is pretty much the max i'm willing to buy, i don't shoot sports haha.

So I stand corrected. The definition you see here isn't actual definition from the sun. Guess it'd just strangely shaped artifacts? I think it looks cool, but is jot a representation of the sun at all.

My other shots of just a glowing orb are more on point and you would need expensive specialty filters and a telescope to get any real definition

I used this piece of welding glass (< $6 on Amazon), held to my lens with rubber bands stretched around a reversed lens hood, like this. I used a Canon 24-105 f/4 at 45mm, ISO 400 at f/8 for 181 seconds. The welding glass results in a pretty hideous green tint, so it requires some work in post to correct the colors, but that's part of the fun.

It's not cheap because it's discounted, it's cheap because it's cheap.

It's sold under various rebrands on Amazon for the same price.

Don't fall into the trick of thinking you're saving a lot of money just because there's an inflated MSRP price that's listed.

Just to add a bit of advice. I've been fixing a ton of my old controllers recently (replacing analog sticks mostly) washing and cleaning with 99.9% isopropyl alcohol. 99.9% isopropyl alcohol is your friend! FOR THE LOVE OF HERCULES DON'T DRINK THIS. IT'S NOT ETHYL ALCOHOL YOU FOOLS! Also be sure to read the MSDS, and follow proper safety precautions and disposal.

There is some sort of lubrication (I believe silicone?) on the actual thumbsticks/joysticks. If you're weird like me, make sure you don't spread it all over your controller, or if you do (I accidentally did the first time) to use a pretty tough degreaser. You'd be really surprised how a thorough cleaning brings old controllers back to life. Most of mine felt brand new minus the joysticks that I had to replace and solder on. As a newb I've recently reconditioned/repaired Xbox, PS2, PS3, Gamecube, N64, PS1, Genesis, Saturn, SNES, NES, and Dreamcast controllers, so probably about 35-40 controllers, and I've only borked 1! It's really not that complicated Except for finding the proper lubricant for the analog sticks. Still haven't found it. I have found it's quite time consuming, bu t that could just be due to my inefficiency.

There something extremely satisfying about fixing stuff. I don't know I'm weird.

I'm also looking for replacement lubrication for some of my older analog sticks, if anyone here knows the "proper lubricant" to use.

Get your minds out of the gutter.

It looks like you have a decent soldering station, that is really the main thing. You'll need a small tip, but probably not as small as you think. I like the Weller ETL, but a ~2mm screwdriver style tip works well for SMD in my experience. If you go too small it can actually cause trouble for heat transfer and thermal recovery.

If you've mostly been doing through-hole stuff, you'll want smaller solder. Having small diameter solder makes it easier to feed just the right amount. I like Kester 0.020, some people go even smaller. Of course there are lead-free versions of that, too, if you prefer.

For through-hole, the flux that is inside the solder is usually enough, but for surface mount, you'll need extra flux. You'll probably be fine with a flux pen. You'll probably want some solder wick because mistakes happen, and a solder sucker thingie doesn't work as well with surface mount.

As u/t_Lancer says, you won't need a hot air station and solder paste unless you're planning on doing leadless packages. If you decide to get a hot air station, though, they're pretty cheap. You don't even strictly need solder paste, I've been making do by tinning the pads with regular solder first with my soldering iron before hitting it with the hot air.

For vision, it depends on how your eyesight is. I'm fine eyeballing down to 0603 but I can't read the markings without help. I've started doing all of my soldering under light magnification with the Optivisor DA-3 with a LED attachment which has really helped, but it isn't strictly necessary. You can get those visors with more magnification at the cost of a shorter working distance. Good room lighting and a magnifying glass work fine, too.

And most important thing you need is practice. Watch this video and grab one or two of those SMD practice kits and you'll be knocking out surface mount stuff in no time.

No worries man,

​

--keyboard parts--

Plate, PCB and case

Switches

Keycaps

​

--tools--

Soldering Iron

Solder

​

--build guides--

How to build a 60%

How to use QMK firmware

How to flash your keyboard

​

If you are still needing more help or guidance, shoot me a PM.

If you're in the market for a new cartridge in this price range, it seems like this is the option to go with. As someone who wasn't impressed with the 2M Red, the reviews make it sound like this is a considerable step up.

Prime delivery isn't offered with this one, but it's about $18 cheaper than the option w/o the headshell. Also, it's about $45 cheaper than when I went to purchase one around 5 or 6 months ago.

[Here's the price history.]
(https://camelcamelcamel.com/NAGAOKA-MP-110H-cartridge-Shell-Japan/product/B002SDXZ5O?context=search)

EDIT: It's been about a week since I ordered this, and just yesterday Amazon emailed me to let me know that the shipper has not confirmed shipment of the product and that my credit card was not charged.

If you're still set on getting this cartridge, Amazon currently has it for $105.81 w/ Prime Shipping.

60/40, make sure it's leaded

I just use some stuff I got from home depot a long time ago, but this stuff looks like it would work fine

Unleaded solder is much more difficult to work with, it melts at a higher temperature, and the fumes are much more irritating. I never get headaches when soldering with leaded solder, but the one time I used unleaded I had the worst headache for hours afterward and they felt like they burned my nose a lot more.

Leaded isn't as dangerous as some people like to make it sound. Just don't eat the solder, and you'll be fine.

I'm mainly making things that work over wifi, lots of of sensors, dedicated RF gateways, LED lighting, relay controllers, little screens.

Decent volt meter
Decent Soldering Iron
Home Made soldering stand made with these
Flux, Soldering Iron Tip cleaner Don't use water on your soldering iron.

Component Boxes. I use the Stanley Fatman

Component Drawers for small components and "stuff" like resistors , solid state relays, solder bits, sensors, LEDs etc. These sit on a shelf above my desk for easy access.

CPU Component Box with loads of ESP32, Wemos D1 Mini and Mini Pro (long range garden work), Leftover Raspberry Pis from realising that 99% of what I want to do will work on an ESP (wemos) platform.

A Stack of project boxes bought on clearance including a load of waterproof ones.
Stacks of LED strips, RGB, RGBW, White tuneable etc.

Heatshrink, Tapes, Glues, zip ties ( got a set of sizes in a 1000 pack for something like £10, Epoxy, solvents, respirators, safety goggles, a range of protective gloves.

Storage crate of Epoxy handling and mixing kit.

Reels of cabling mounted under the shelf in front of me.

Huge box of half finished projects that got too complicated.

Stack of breadboards.

Dupont cable maker kit

Various biscuit tins full of dupont cables

Dremel

Enough "Big Tools" to build a house.

Load of 24v - step down regulators, load of pwm controllers.

A0 cutting matt

Soldering Project mat that has raised sections to hold components.

Magnifying Headset

USB Phone flexible borescope thing

About 2,000 lumens of adjustable lighting on my hobby desk.

A separate DIY 2,000 Lumens "Work Lamp"

All lighting under control of Alexa.

Since shipping is usually more than the component costs, buying in bulk makes sense, when you have organised storage.

I can build literally anything I need in a few hours including modify my code base that auto discovers in home assistant through mqtt + device based web interface and rest API.

How cheap is it? Does it run? Do you actually need a portable welder? That thing is a beast. Does it come with anything, leads, wire feeder...

OK, I'm going to address your list.

>1 Is this a good machine to have around? Is the power sufficient to grow with?

It's not about power. It's about utility, I've never used all 180 amps my machine will put out.

>2 Is it versatile? What kinds of welding will this do?

It will stick weld, assuming it comes with leads and an electrode holder. It could do much more if you had the accessories, wire feeder for MIG, High Frequency box and torch for TIG, etc. BUT it's old and finding gear and making it work could be expensive and time consuming.

>3 What is a no-brainer price, assuming full functionality but no accessories?

$2000?

But it's not really worth that to you as a total newbie. Go buy one of these: Lincoln Electric K2185-1 Handy MIG Welder

Why? Because you can plug it in anywhere, It comes with a gas flowmeter so you can do true MIG instead of just FCAW and you can do what you need to do, which is practice, practice, practice.

And when you need more capabilities? You can buy bigger machine and still own a small one for little jobs or sell it to fund your upgrade!

Good Luck.

• Get an arduino starter kit and start building projects.
  
• This is a good one for a good price.(it's twice that or more on amazon)
  
• and this is a good price for a batch of sensors(no arduino included)
  
• if you want to move stuff a batch of servos is fun
  
• a soldering iron is good
  
• this one is good for the price. I don't like the ones that adjust at the handle. I prefer a base station.
  
• need solder as well
  
• and a solder sucker
  
• flush cut wirecutters are good to have
  
• a good pair of wire strippers is a life saver
  
• Good idea to have a multimeter around for verifying resistance values and voltages
  
• this is a decent one for the price
  
• Need some breadboard for prototyping. I'd suggest at least 3
  
• and some protoboards to finalize your circuit(until you start getting pcb's made)
  
• some solid conductor wire
  
• I like these storage cases for keeping my mess semi-under control.
  
  That's about all I can think of for now.
  

Save the money paid on memberships for a year, and put it in a jar. At end of the year, get something like this: https://www.amazon.com/EVERLAST-PowerARC-160STH-160amp-Voltage/dp/B00H2VETB6/ref=sr_1_5?ie=UTF8&qid=1499881459&sr=8-5&keywords=everlast+tig

https://smile.amazon.com/AHP-AlphaTIG-Stick-Welder-WARRANTY/dp/B076BSD6PG

If your boss doesn't already know of them. They are great for the price.

This is so crazy! So I understand the increased evaporation rate of alcohol, but I wanted to tell a story.

About 2 months ago, I knocked a full Costco cup of red grapefruit into the top of my newly built PC. I had 2 fans venting out the top, so I don't know if this helped at all, but my screen immediately went blank. I didn't waste any time, I literally dove under my desk and powered off the PSU and unplugged the PSU. I then opened up my computer to such a miserable sight. Everything... was covered in grapefruit juice. MoBo, ram slots, cpu, the whole backplate of my gpu... Yea.

 

I took a deep breath and realized that this was going to be a long process, and by the end of it, my system could still be completely fried. Deep breath over, I pull the CPU cooler off and remove my CPU. FUCK. Juice in at least 1/4 of the CPU socket. I doused the CPU in >99% alcohol a few times and set it aside to dry. I then did the same with the RAM and the fans. Then I removed the backplate to my GPU and meticulously cleaned out everywhere with alcohol. I even let a lot of the alcohol pool and sit in a few places hoping the liquid/juice would evaporate with it.

 

The MoBo took me like an hour. I first poured alcohol into the CPU socket and shook it a little bit to make sure it got down in there. Then I let that sit as I cleaned every other piece of my MoBo.

 

Fast-forward about 2 hours when I'm plugging all this shit in again. I had no freaking clue if this alcohol fix would work. I was just basing this cleaning technique off of what I know about the physics of alcohol vs other liquids. Didn't POST right away, so I did the normal troubleshooting steps starting with the CPU. I was scared that none of this mattered and it was just my MoBo anyway. That little cup of grapefruit juice only ended up frying 1 4gb stick of ram and the slot that it was inserted. After that was removed, it worked fine! The GPU wasn't the same as it used to be but it ran all my games just fine. Since then I've replaced every component in the build, including the case, and I stopped buying grapefruit from Costco... Once bitten twice shy I suppose

 

Tl;Dr: Alcohol can work miracles for your electronics if you make sure you turn off power to them immediately and clean them thoroughly.

Plugs into a regular outlet with 90 amps. Tig stick with footpedal

http://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B00H2VETB6/ref=mp_s_a_1_1?qid=1464282986&sr=8-1&pi=SX200_QL40&keywords=everlast+160&dpPl=1&dpID=51X3Ug%2BOP4L&ref=plSrch

I'm using this as a recommendation from someone on MK as well as the suggested temp of 380-400c. Didn't realize that was too hot.. that would explain a few things, lol.

Same as what /u/roto314 said. That looks normal to me. Maybe you just wore off the coating. 400C is pretty high, running that all the time could explain it. I leave mine set at 350C except in extreme cases.

You usually do have to clean the tip (at least wipe it off) pretty often, like every two or three joints (especially if you let it sit a while running while you get the parts in place.) Get one of those metal sponge things
https://www.amazon.com/Soldering-Iron-Tip-Cleaner-Black/dp/B00J66FSY2 melt some solder on the tip and poke it in there to maintain a shiny fresh surface.

NAGAOKA MP-110H MP $87 on sale with head shell. The cartridge without the head shell is usually $129.

Just need to be careful with Grados as they do hum with certain tables. Didn't realize you were in Canada. Can you buy from here? https://www.amazon.com/NAGAOKA-MP-110H-cartridge-Shell-Japan/dp/B002SDXZ5O/

1st, heat the component and feed the solder into it.

2nd, If you have a cheap low wattage solding iron, objects with alot of metal will be hard to solder as it wicks the heat away too fast and doesnt get hot enough.

3rd, strip the wire a bit shorter, too much exposure especially without heat shrink allows for shorts

4th for removing solder as per above, sometimes you can just heat up the solder and tap the object against the table and the hot blob will fall off, i recommend though to either have solder wick or a solder sucker.

5th, for solder, use 60/40 lead - tin flux core solder, thinner the easier it is to work with.


soldering can be done cheap and easy but nothing beats having the proper tools.

Practice, practice, practice.

Although i will say when i was younger i also had joints look like that too.


If you continue to do this alot, here are the tools i recommend

Solder Wick

Solder

Iron and Solder Sucker


although if you really do alot of solder, get a good temp controller one like this

Weller Soldering station

Depends on the LED strip you bought and how the RGB controller connects to the lights. Some solderless RGB connectors will match up with male breadboard pin headers, but not all of them.

Personally, I would avoid all solderless connections that don't have screw terminals. I have a mix of both soldered and solderless connections in my kitchen and I have had to go back and solder most of them due to failures of the solderless connectors.

Soldering is not difficult at all. Buy a cheap soldering iron and some thin (1mm) rosin core solder. Your connections will be much more reliable as a result.

Don't forget to buy extension wire. You will need some for both soldered and solderless connections.

The Soldapullt is fantastic. If people havn't used one, then it makes sense that they are steering you towards the bargain bin. Get the Edsyn. The large diameter barrel makes a massive difference in the volume of air that this thing draws in. I likewise had the same concern as you regarding tip degradation so I picked up a couple spare tips when I bought mine. I'm still on the first tip though. For the record, silicone begins to degrade above 300C (it doesn't melt per se), while PTFE's melting point is 326C. I've never had a jamming issue and the one handed operation of flip and bump (it has integral bumper for this) makes it a fast workhorse.

I suppose if you're really trying to save dough, you can get a $6 knockoff:
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01K72SBWY

or this $9 one if you want spare tips:
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00U1SFNYE

UK cheapie:
https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B00ZBUCNE0

Can't vouch for the durability of any of these clones though.

BONUS TABLE

All of the above is assuming you have everything required for building your quad if not below is a table with everything i think is necessary for building a quad. All these links will be from amazon

Part Type | Part Name | Quantity | Total Cost | Reason | Link
---------|---------|----------|----------|---------|----------|
Soldering Station | Hakko FX888D-23BY Digital Soldering Station | 1 | $100 | When it comes to working with quads and electronics you really don't want to skimp on the thing that's putting it together. A good soldering station can change your entire experience when it comes to building quads. For this reason we go with a Hakko once bought you will not need anything else later on. | http://www.amazon.com/Hakko-FX888D-23BY-Digital-Soldering-FX-888D/dp/B00ANZRT4M/ref=sr_1_7?ie=UTF8&qid=1458237822&sr=8-7&keywords=soldering+station
Hot Glue Gun | CCbetter® Mini Hot Glue Gun | 1 | $15 | You will use this more than you think, everything from securing your camera, antennas, etc to adding extra insulation to your components to ensure nothing falls off or gets ripped off. | http://www.amazon.com/CCbetter%C2%AE-Temperature-Melting-Flexible-Projects/dp/B01178RVI2/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1458237957&sr=8-3&keywords=hot+glue+gun
Velcro | VELCRO Brand - Sticky Back | 1 | $11 | Sometimes you need things to only stick for a bit then take it off. Velcro is pretty much self explanatory keep your vtx in place among other things | http://www.amazon.com/VELCRO-Brand-Sticky-Back-Black/dp/B00006RSWT/ref=sr_1_sc_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1458238198&sr=8-1-spell&keywords=stick+yvelcro
Zip Ties | Heavy Duty Black Cable Ties | 1 | $11 | The corner stone of fpv IMO. These are keeping more quads flying than anything else. | http://www.amazon.com/Heavy-Black-Cable-Ties-120lbs/dp/B003Y61A10/ref=pd_sim_60_4?ie=UTF8&dpID=41r7oTe3IpL&dpSrc=sims&preST=_AC_UL160_SR160,160_&refRID=1G5GJ28Z3M8JBJDW67RV
Solder | Miniatronics Corp 1064004 Rosin Core Solder 60/40 4oz | 1 | $12 | You are always going to need solder and this as the flux mixed in meaning it will be a very easy to use solder. | http://www.amazon.com/Miniatronics-Corp-1064004-Rosin-Solder/dp/B0006O933K/ref=sr_1_7?s=hi&rps=1&ie=UTF8&qid=1458238393&sr=1-7&keywords=solder&refinements=p_85:2470955011
Velcro Straps | Reusable Dubbex Black Velcro Cable Ties | 1 | $13 | Can be used for pretty much anything like batterystrap, hold wires down etc. | http://www.amazon.com/dp/B01AW0BDNK?psc=1
Voltmeter | Blackcell DC 3.2-30V LED 0.56inch Panel Meter Digital Voltmeter | 1 | $7 | Eventually something is going to go wrong and you are going to have to ensure that your voltages are correct. You are going to need this to verify volt outputs and to figure out what they are when there is no documentation for what you are looking at | http://www.amazon.com/Blackcell-3-2-30V-0-56inch-Voltmeter-Two-wire/dp/B00ZZIXT8W/ref=sr_1_6?s=electronics&rps=1&ie=UTF8&qid=1458238663&sr=1-6&keywords=voltmeter&refinements=p_85:2470955011
Desolder Tool | LyonsBlue Desoldering Vacuum Pump | 1 | $9 | Very useful for cleaning up to much solder or removing solder from contact pads to redo. Simply heat up the solder and suck it out. | http://www.amazon.com/LyonsBlue-Desoldering-Vacuum-Solder-Removal/dp/B003FHYL7I/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1458238959&sr=8-2&keywords=desolder
TOTAL | FOR | ALL | $178 | |

I would go with something decent.. I hate seeing people discouraged by anything because their tools suck, not because of their technique.... maybe equivalent to recommending a very cheap hand plane?

If you're not going to do any structural welding, I would recommend a 110v mig. I like Hobart... like a Miller without paying for the brand I guess.

http://www.amazon.com/Hobart-500559-Handler-Wire-Welder/dp/B009X43F38/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1456964203&sr=8-1&keywords=hobart+mig+welder

I'm going to stick with recommendations based off new equipment (used is tough because you could find a really good deal but it's a total luck of the draw thing).


In my personal opinion, I think that your budget will point us away from the big industry names (Miller and Lincoln). The big names will have units under $2000 but they will be very bare bones.


I own an AHP Alphatig 200x.. I believe I purchased mine for $750 (same price currently at that Amazon link above). Going this route will leave you lots of additional money to pick up an argon tank, filler material, and whatever else you might need. AHP also has an upgraded model of this welder, the Alphatig 201dx. This new model is currently on sale through the website for $720!


The other brand I'd recommended is Everlast. Some quick recommendations that probably fit your requirements: Powertig 200dv or the Powertig 255ext.

Google both of those brands, check out their websites, and do some additional research to see if there are better options for you.

The main reasons (I think) these brands will be better for you are:

1. Price point vs. available features
   
   
   
2. Anticipated use (you don't require a high duty cycle for a low production environment (although both of these brands have machines with really good duty cycles considering their price points), you're not lugging this around a construction site/through mud/banging it up so you don't need the absolutely most durable piece you can find.)
   
   
   
3. Ease of use and adjustability
   
   
   Everlast has several even lower price point models that might fit your criteria as well. The models I chose (including AHP) have AC/DC capabilities (allows you to weld aluminum one day as well as some other more exotic metals if you ever get bored), dual voltage capabilities (can run off a standard wall outlet 110 V or off of 220 V), and tons of other features to fine tune your output.
   
   If you get into all this and have any more questions, shoot me a message. Good luck!

The Nagoaka MP110 is solid. Around $110 or so. I purchased one on Amazon a few weeks back.


NAGAOKA MP-110H MP type cartridge with Shell from Japan https://www.amazon.com/dp/B002SDXZ5O/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_i_MYV2Cb6MA8C8R

Don't know the quality of this one, but found what looks like an identical kit with different name on Amazon. https://www.amazon.com/OMorc-60W-Soldering-Iron-Kit/dp/B01HSXVR3A - $17, and the one without the solder pump is slightly cheaper.

if you just want to get in hours and add welding to your garage I would totally recommend a dual voltage HF start tig welder. buy off amazon and get a 3 year protection plan with good reviews and don't sweat the haters. my Buddy has had a great experience with this one. you will need a bottle and a foot pedal.
https://www.amazon.com/EVERLAST-PowerARC-160STH-160amp-Voltage/dp/B00H2VETB6/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1538001782&sr=8-3&keywords=tig+welder+everlast

then there is this one, no idea on quality, id buy one for fun and see how it goes. just get a warranty. if it only lasts three years it cost you like 30 cents a day.
https://www.amazon.com/Torch-Inverter-Welder-Voltage-Welding/dp/B06XD7TCGN/ref=sr_1_5?ie=UTF8&qid=1538002117&sr=8-5&keywords=dual+voltage+tig+welder

This shit is solid if you're just doing a bit here and there. Cheap, temperature control, comes with solder, you're set my man.

Yeah those are cold joints and could come loose at some point. I will say I am a decent solderer and I had issues soldering the signal ground on the BF board.

Flux is magic and you need to order some ASAP. For stuff like pads and holes I like a liquid flux pen. Amazon

Should be, but it depends.

https://www.amazon.com/Drico-MIG-150D-Multifunction-Voltage-Soldering/dp/B01H81KKDU/ref=sr_1_6?s=hi&ie=UTF8&qid=1492666630&sr=1-6&refinements=p_36%3A20000-35000 this one pulls 31 amps on 120v

https://www.amazon.com/Lincoln-Electric-K2185-1-Handy-Welder/dp/B000QFNZ74/ref=sr_1_1?s=hi&ie=UTF8&qid=1492666630&sr=1-1&refinements=p_36%3A20000-35000 while this one is fine an a 20 amp circuit.

At the end of the day, it will depend on how much you're going to need it. I've done a lot of on-site work with 110v GMAW machines and a 20amp breaker is the minimum to ensure good performance.

Thanks for the quick replies. I've been reading as much as I can, but I really wanted to hear from people with actual experience. As long as I have your attention, would this be a good unit:

http://www.amazon.com/Hobart-500559-Handler/dp/B009X43F38/

I'm not buying anything before I take a class, but this is in my price range and has excellent reviews.

> along with a soldering iron to do repairs.

Totally agree. I would suggest any of the Weller pro series models(Indicated with the light blue chasis like the Weller WP35). Even their most inexpensive model is better than anything I have used off the shelf at Home Depot. Consistent tempuratures and fast heat up.

Additionally, I would also recommend a solder sucker and a flux pen. You could splurge for something like a Haako Desoldering gun which works great but unless you are doing entire board repairs the simple spring loaded ones work fine and costs considerablly less.

You can try a harbor freight / hardware store for welding goggles. From a quick Google search you need a shade 12 or higher I believe.

Or hold this up to your face?
https://www.amazon.com/US-Forge-00097-Shaded-Welding/dp/B00164VP26

Good luck, kind of crazy and probably a shame for a lot of people that glasses are sold out

It's sort of hard to describe and is a combination of techniques I saw on YouTube, but I'll do my best. I should consider YouTubing my technique when I do another board.

First, get yourself a set of reverse tweezers like these and a soldering station with at least one flexible helping hand. Drop the SMT component on the table and make sure the side you want is facing up. Use the reverse tweezers to pick it up from the middle as flatly as you can so that the component is as near the end of the tweezers and as flat (perpendicular to the tweezers) as you can get it.

Here's the part that's a little tricky to describe without a video, so I took a few pictures to help, but I have a glass tabletop, so it still might seem a little tough to grasp. Grab one arm of the top of the tweezers with the helping hand. You'll be using your table to rest the board on instead of the other helping hands. I'll explain why. Now align the tweezers so that they point as directly down as possible so that the component is as parallel to the table as you can make it. Then bend the tweezers away from the helping hand while pushing the helping hand downward toward the table. Then position your board on the table under the helping hand and lightly push the tweezers back into the upright position with the component in place on the board. The important key here is that you want the tweezers putting downward pressure onto the board on the table to hold it and the component in place. Then you can solder one side (for resistors/capacitors, or a corner pin of an IC) of the component to tack it down. When you think you have it tacked into place, gently lift the helping hand upward to see if the board is stuck to the component held by the tweezers. If it is, just drop it out of the tweezers, flip the board around, and solder the other side. Boom. Component is flat to the board and was securely held in place while you did it.

Here's a sample of a board I soldered using this technique. It's not perfect, but it was literally the third SMT board I ever soldered in my life, and I'm extremely happy with how it came out. And it works, which is the most important thing.

Edit: I should also mention the actual soldering portion. I use a very small tip with a hoof. Mine came as part of a kit. I use the middle one that is highest in that photo on Amazon. Put some solder onto the hoof on the tip and then touch that directly to the copper footprint and the component on the board. Personally, I found it pretty useless to try and get the solder wire and a tip together into the tiny footprints on 0605 components, so using a small hoof with solder already transferred onto it is an important part of my particular technique.

I use something very similar to this, except it's 30 watts:

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01HSXVR3A?ref_=ams_ad_dp_asin_2

That's probably the cheapest thing you'll find. I wouldn't recommend it unless you're going to solder once or twice a year. Believe me-it's a pain to do anything with an iron this cheap, and I'm getting a new one to replace it. I'm tired of buying extra-cheap stuff.

I've used this before, and it's actually not too bad in my opinion: https://www.amazon.com/Weller-SP40NUS-Medium-Soldering-Black/dp/B00B3SG6UQ/ref=sr_1_7?ie=UTF8&qid=1481862872&sr=8-7&keywords=soldering+iron&refinements=p_89%3AWeller

For $40, these two stations look pretty enticing:

https://www.amazon.com/Weller-WLC100-40-Watt-Soldering-Station/dp/B000AS28UC/ref=sr_1_5?ie=UTF8&qid=1481862523&sr=8-5&keywords=soldering+iron

https://www.amazon.com/Stahl-Tools-SSVT-Temperature-Soldering/dp/B0029N70WM/ref=sr_1_11?ie=UTF8&qid=1481862673&sr=8-11&keywords=soldering+iron

Disclaimer- I have never repaired a synth before.

Most welding helmets have adjustable shades/darkness from #9 to #13. It would be a little silly to go buy a $45 welding from Harbor Freight just to view the eclipse, but you can buy the glass at most hardware stores for around $10 (usually come in a 5"x5" sheet)|

Edit: for everyone looking you can buy these sheets of lens
https://www.amazon.com/US-Forge-00097-Shaded-Welding/dp/B00164VP26

There called helping hands and this is where I got them https://www.amazon.com/QuadHands-Deluxe-WorkBench-Helping-System/dp/B01MZG2D99?ref_=ast_slp_dp

Hello! Looking to replace an LED on my Razer Black Widow, and just want to make sure that this
is ok for the job. I don't plan on soldering anything else on this keyboard.

Yea? Nay?

If you can't go over $1000 look at the AlphaTIG 200X or the PrimeWeld TIG225X for an AC/DC machine. You need AC for aluminum but if you find a good multiprocess AC/DC machine for $1000 you'd be getting a steal. I just don't think there are any out there.

I'm personally just getting into tig welding with no experience and I bought the PrimeWeld machine when it was in stock (it seems to be popular and running out often). So far it's worked for me, most of any issues I've had have all been operator error since I'm new. I did spend another $100 to get a better foot controller for it though, the one that comes with either of the machines I linked are pretty bad, but still usable. I always felt like I had to slam it to get my max amp setting.

Also you asked in another comment about DCEN and DCEP. For aluminum, you need AC because you need to "clean" through the oxide layer before you can make a puddle. Using AC uses a cycle of both DCEN and DCEP as DCEP is what "cleans" through the oxide layer and DCEN is what actually makes the puddle. Inverter machines like the ones I mentioned above you can usually set the balance of this cycle for either more cleaning or more penetration. Too much cleaning (DCEP) and you'll burn up your tungsten, too much penetration (DCEN) and you won't get a nice, clean, uncontaminated puddle and it will all go downhill from there. Hopefully I illustrated that correctly/easy enough to understand.

The 99.9% stuff is considered an industrial solvent and electronics cleaner. Easiest place to get it is from Amazon.

If you have an electrical supply store near you (i.e. Fry's Electronics), you can usually find it there for a couple bucks cheaper. Don't bother trying to find it at RadioShack though. They don't carry it.

Welding is pretty easy actually. You can get a good beginners mig welder for $350. If you drop in price, quality suffers, but for a beginner, you can go down to like a $150 model an be serviceable.

Add in another $100 for good gloves (very important imo), a mask, and weld, and maybe some scrap metal for practice.

It shouldn't take much more than 10-20 minutes of practice to get comfortable enough to make a solid weld. And if you do it, and it looks like crap, you can grind it off, and do it again.

Edit: This is a really good welder for $350.

Edit 2: shouldn't* take much more

Sure, though I can't vouch for the quality of any of those items. A cheap soldering iron can make the job more difficult.

I would also suggest one of these for cleaning solder off the tip between soldering items, and good solder like this. Again, cheap solder will make any job ten times harder.

Of course, that kit is dirt cheap at 20$, maybe just give it a shot and see what happens.

I'm no scientist but I doubt silver solder really gives a better connection. I use the overpriced Cardas silver solder because its just so much easier to use, the stuff just flows great. It says its made for audio applications, but its probably just a marketing gimmick to fetch a higher price.

As for flux, generally its not needed at all, some headphone wires have this weird coating on them that solder just wont stick to and flux doesn't even help it. If you want to try it though, Rubyfluid is an old brand that everyone has been using forever.

Cardas:
https://smile.amazon.com/gp/product/B015X68HXW/ref=oh_aui_search_detailpage?ie=UTF8&psc=1
Rubyfluid:
https://smile.amazon.com/gp/product/B0044SD3NU/ref=oh_aui_search_detailpage?ie=UTF8&psc=1

So the one that I've used at my job is the Edsyn Deluxe Soldapullt but I've seen some third party clones on amazon for about the a third of the price, and they look pretty much identical and have the same design. I've personally never used any of the third party clones, but I can imagine it works just just as well as the Sodapullt. Here's the one I'm looking at on amazon, and it looks to have pretty good reviews. What's nice about this kind of desoldering pump is that you can 'reload" the pump while holding the iron in one hand and the pump in the other. Just push the end with the spring against the table and it will lock in place until you press the trigger to release it.

Price History

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70% to spot clean/disinfect. 90-99% to reform cracked powder products. I keep both on hand in sprays.

http://www.amazon.com/MG-Chemicals-Isopropyl-Alcohol-Cleaner/dp/B008UH4AI8/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1410332204&sr=8-1&keywords=99+isopropyl+alcohol+spray

http://www.amazon.com/Medique-Products-26806-Isopropyl-Alcohol/dp/B0006GBEFI/ref=sr_1_15?ie=UTF8&qid=1410332144&sr=8-15&keywords=70+isopropyl+alcohol

That stuff is pretty good, but I especially like the silver-bearing solder, like this. https://www.amazon.com/Cardas-Soldering-Eutectic-Silver-Solder/dp/B015X68HXW/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1469639712&sr=8-2&keywords=silver+bearing+solder

I'd go for leaded solder with no silver rather than a silver-bearing lead-free mix, though. Lead-free solder is harder to use, especially with no flux/rosin. No wonder you were having problems.

either this product or just use the sponge that comes with it. The sponge isn't very good for the soldering iron tip. I'd recommend the tip cleaner.

37/63 solder. Normal lead solder. This looks good: https://www.amazon.com/MAIYUM-63-37-Solder-Electrical-Soldering/dp/B075WB98FJ/ref=sr_1_3?crid=GYX663PGQN2N&keywords=63+37+solder&qid=1564790468&s=gateway&sprefix=63+37%2Caps%2C159&sr=8-3

By "Welding glass" do you mean just a 10-stop filter or an actual welding glass? Now that I'm looking at those, seems like getting an actual welding glass would be many times cheaper than a filter of similar transparency.

I've only used an Oxy-Acetylene torch once - it was actually to loosen up some really rusty bolts with heat. Sucks about the cracked hose. Cutting steel easily is cool - I know Harbor Freight sells a plasma cutter now too, but that certainly seems like overkill.

As for a decent MIG welder, I have to figure that out myself. Here is the Harbor Freight MIG, which is a step up from the one I have now, and is probably decent.

If you're willing to spend a bit more, here are some MIG welders with good reviews on Amazon:

http://www.amazon.com/Hobart-500549-Auto-Wire-Welder/dp/B002VECKTC/ref=sr_1_3?s=power-hand-tools&ie=UTF8&qid=1411992701&sr=1-3&keywords=mig+welder

http://www.amazon.com/Hobart-500559-Handler-Wire-Welder/dp/B009X43F38/ref=sr_1_1?s=power-hand-tools&ie=UTF8&qid=1411992701&sr=1-1&keywords=mig+welder

http://www.amazon.com/Lincoln-Electric-K2185-1-Handy-Welder/dp/B000QFNZ74/ref=sr_1_4?s=power-hand-tools&ie=UTF8&qid=1411992701&sr=1-4&keywords=mig+welder

Glad I could inspire you with my post! I can understand having a kid could definitely slow things down, but I wish you the best of luck. Send me a message if you build anything cool, I'd love to see it!

You really don't need anything special. Just make sure it has a good pointed tip. This or something similar should be good if your just changing LEDs every now and then.

Also don't for get flux!

J&L 60 Watts Soldering Iron, UL listed by J&L http://www.amazon.com/dp/B0006NGZK0/ref=cm_sw_r_udp_awd_tjKXtb0TK5AQQ

MG Chemicals 835 Liquid Rosin Flux, Non Corrosive and Non Conductive residue MG Chemicals http://www.amazon.com/dp/B0080X79HG/ref=cm_sw_r_udp_awd_WlKXtb1MS6ZZ8

I am a 30 year novice, but this AHP tig welds very well for under $1000. A good tig machine will weld aluminum just fine. Just be aware, welding thin aluminum is not easy, but you don't need a really expensive machine to do it. Many of the prominent welders on youtube use this AHP machine with success. I have one and I can weld aluminum with it, but not well. Aluminum is just more delicate and harder than steel. Please check out youtube for this machine and welding aluminum. Please show us your creations when you get to that point, good luck! :)

https://www.amazon.com/AHP-AlphaTIG-Stick-Welder-WARRANTY/dp/B076BSD6PG

That helping hand is garbage. Something like https://www.amazon.com/QuadHands-Deluxe-WorkBench-Helping-System/dp/B01MZG2D99/ref=sr_1_30?s=hi&ie=UTF8&qid=1523390456&sr=1-30&keywords=third+hand is sooooo much better.

I would imagine that anhydrous isopropanol (98+) would do well to assist in removing foam as it will dissolve adhesives. I know that it can be used to abate water damage to electronics, and that it is an excellent solvent that is also rather safe to work with. It has the advantage of not damaging most (if not all?) plastics, whereas acetone will soften plastics.

This specific listing is 99.95% pure anhydrous isopropanol. You can clean all kinds of stuff with this.

This amazon user has an interesting alternative use for it.

I got this hakko clone tip pack: http://www.amazon.com/Baitaihem-11pcs-Solder-Soldering-Station/dp/B00J045ZVQ and its been working well for it. Its very nice to have different shapes and sizes to choose from.

This one is nice: https://www.amazon.com/VicTsing-Soldering-Adjustable-Temperature-Different/dp/B01JACYTUU but it doesnt come with a sponge which is a big deal since this is for home and I cant have it dripping somewhere.

I'm guessing you'll want a TIG machine with High Frequency start.

Here's one for $488 on Amazon.

Click Me for their website.

[Here's a video of the machine in action.]
(https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CblpZF54_uM)

I'm no expert but, I'm fairly certain that's what you're looking for. Maybe someone else can chime in.

Nice price, but No aluminum with that one. :(

I got the AlphaTig 200 and am pretty happy with it.

I'm planning on doing the same when Novelkeys restocks the Box Royals.

You're going to want a solder sucker. I've used both of these with great success. The first link works well on switches; I desoldered an entire TKL in under an hour today with mine. The second one works well for smaller things like LEDs and Pro Micros. It would also work for switches, but would clog up fairly quickly and might need more than one pass per joint.

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01K72SBWY/
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B002MJMXD4/

Is silver solder like this (https://www.amazon.com/Cardas-Soldering-Eutectic-Silver-Solder/dp/B015X68HXW) okay for re-soldering the female connectors onto the end of tonearm wires?

3 of the 4 female cartridge connectors broke off the wires when I was changing my cartridge recently. I resoldered them all, but there wasn't very much solder left on two of them (the left channel connectors).

I was getting very quiet sound from the left side, so I bought myself some fresh solder. The stuff I linked to above.

I tried resoldering the connectors today. First up, the solder ran into the connector itself, meaning they no longer fit on the cartridge pins. So I spent 30+ minutes with the soldering iron and various pins and screwdrivers trying to clean the solder out from inside the connector. I never managed to clean it out, but I at least reduced it to the point that they could now fit on the pins.

So I got them fitting on the pins, put on a record, and now there's no sound from the left side whatsoever?

If you don't have a solder sucker - I'd really recommend getting this exact model: https://www.amazon.com/GBSTORE-Sucking-Vacuum-Desoldering-Remover/dp/B01K72SBWY

​

It makes it SO much easier to repair things when you can just remove all the old solder in one quick go.

How about THIS one?

For future use, get something like this to clean the tip and not a wet sponge. That way you don't have to wait for the tip to get hot again and you are less likely to get those little beads of solder flying around.

Would this solder work with this?

Pretty sure it wasnt the solder, bought some good stuff with flux: https://www.amazon.com/Alpha-AM31406-Cookson-Electrical-Solder/dp/B000G31NWK/ref=sr_1_1?s=hi&ie=UTF8&qid=1503768546&sr=1-1&keywords=alpha+fry+rosin+core

If you're just dipping your toe in the water, grab that Weller I linked. It's under $40, but is a well respected budget iron. I personally own a Weller WES51. It's a fantastic iron, but if you're not convinced that soldering things is going to become a hobby, save your money.

Hakko is also a popular brand, but I'm not as familiar with their lower-end gear. If you get an adjustable temp iron from Hakko or Weller, you'll be set for a while.

Some other handy items are:

• Desoldering Wick - Just a copper braid that will suck up solder. Great for removing parts from the board.
  
• Solder Sucker - A cheap little vacuum that is supposed to suck the liquid solder off of a joint. I personally prefer the wick with a dab of flux. Others swear by the solder sucker. Both are cheap enough, so grab both and see what you prefer :)
  
• Rosin Flux - a chemical that helps strip corrosion from your contacts, allowing the solder to flow smoothly and create solid joints. There are a lot of versions, but I've preferred using a pen like this one. It can (and will) make a sticky mess, so only use tiny, tiny amounts. (If you use the pen, keep a giant wad of paper towels nearby for when you need to get the flow going. I tried doing it with my hand...it makes a MASSIVE mess. The paper towels help immediately soak up the unexpected flow of rosin.
  
• Helping Hands - Cannot recommend this enough. Typically, you'll see things like this one. But after a while, the joints weaken, and it won't hold anything in place. I bought a SparkFun Third Hand which is amazingly stiff and has held up quite well. Great purchase.
  
  Other things to consider are goggles, a small fan to pull the fumes away from you (DON'T BLOW ON THE JOINTS), and something to solder on top of. If you don't care about your work surface, it's no big deal. But I use my desk, and sometimes the kitchen table, so I have an old 1 foot ceramic tile that I solder on top of -- the soldering iron base doesn't get hot, but you can drip/splatter solder if you're being careless, and it gives you a hard surface to use that you don't have to worry about getting hot/burned.

I use [this iron] (https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00MCVCHJM/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_jSGtyb827YZK1), its held up to daily use for about a year and a half. I also bought [these extra tips] (https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00J045ZVQ/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_TTGtyb81EGCD8) for larger and finer soldering but the included tip works just fine for most rc car soldering.

Legos! Tools are hard to buy, you get tools for a purpose and buy them through out your life. There are 3 types, woodworking, mechanical, and, metal working tools (body, sheet metal, machinists). A lot of tools cross over to other types. If he doesn't have vice grips, you can never have enough. I've got at least 18 drills. If he does maintenance, a dremel is always appreciated, with accessories. (it's a handheld rotary tool, it can cut grind drill and polish) (i have 5) They are on sale on amazon too. A soldering iron could be helpful too. I have that one, but never used it, I use my weller most of the time, it is super fast to heat up. They make a bigger one too. Accessories for the drill are good, it's useless unless you have things to put in it. I just got this bosch kit for my kid, I got him a drill for xmas, it's killer kit. It's expensive, I paid $14 for mine, I've been waiting for it to go on sale and gave up. BTW, amazon has 25 off 100 on bosch tools, they are expensive. That goes for most tools, but you get what you pay for, I have tools 50 years old still in service. I'm a master mechanic, all body areas, welder, and I build theatrical sets. I have a lot of tools!


This is the link to irwin tools, they make vice grip now. Vice grips are locking pliers, they clamp down vs regular pliers that will slip and ruin knuckles in a heart beat. Lowes has a sale on irwin stuff this week. The one hand clamp are great, I have 12 of them, and you get a free edge clamp.

Thanks i was looking at that one as well but was not on sale at the time im ordering it now at 1/2 off thanks. The only problem with the solder you linked is its being mailed from china so eta on it geting here is Jan. 26-Feb. 13 was just going to pick This up its the only one i can find with Prime that wont take a month or more to get here.

You can get this kit: http://www.amazon.com/Full-Vastar-110v-Soldering-Iron/dp/B01712N5C4/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1453950083&sr=8-2&keywords=soldering+kit+with+temperature+control

I'd recommend picking up a brass wire sponge to keep the tip clean: http://www.amazon.com/Soldering-Iron-Tip-Cleaner-Black/dp/B00J66FSY2/ref=sr_1_7?ie=UTF8&qid=1453950265&sr=8-7&keywords=soldering+brass+wire+sponge

On my first build, back in 2002 or so, I bought solder paste instead of thermal paste. XD I was just thinking about this.

I smeared that shit all over my CPU, put it together... Why isn't it starting?! Sheer time of panic for me at 16 years old. I eventually learned what it was and got things running.. Went on to play Halo PC and Quake 3 on a Geforce FX5200.

i use this

Does this work?

Whizzotech Solder Wire 60/40 Tin/Lead Sn60Pb40 with Flux Rosin Core for Electrical Soldering 4oz/100g Diameter 0.032 Inch/0.8mm (4oz-0.8mm) https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0794N4YQ8/ref=cm_sw_r_other_apa_i_Qw2UCb04HXRZV

hmm. the laser could help me get arrested, which is a pretty big life change.

honestly, a MIG welder would make a huge difference. I could do functional side projects, and make more and better trees to start selling, help me get out of the debt cycle.

Awesome. Thanks so much for the reply.

Is something like this what I would be looking for?

Given the amperage draw of 130, how can a regular household outlet supply it? And I can't imagine running extension cords is safe, right?

Thank you again for your response.

Also, what solder paste do I need to look for? The syringe style, like this one, looks like it would be easy to apply.

ok well that's good at least. what kind of flux is it? I use this stuff http://amzn.to/1p7SUTh and I really like it. It's a bit of a pain to clean up, but it works really well.

I got this and added the magnifying lens to it as well. Still.. doesnt help so much. :D

I just picked up one of these, as in it just came in the mail yesterday. I'm picking up a gas bottle today, hope to start practicing soon.

I got this solder:

https://smile.amazon.com/gp/product/B0794N4YQ8/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o09_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

But I haven’t used it yet since the sockets make solder-free builds a possibility. I don’t really recommend not soldering in those sockets, but it all works.

I may solder in retooled Box Royals soon. Box contact stems don’t fit into these Mill-Max sockets.

you sound like you dont really know, so you dont really need a station. this iron- https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01JACYTUU/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o03_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1 has gotten me through 6 builds and countless repairs. Ive melted one tip, but other than that its been flawless. get yourself a hakko tip cleaner and some decent 60/40 solder and youll be fine.

I have this paste from Amazon. Bought it in the beginning of July and stored at
room temperature since (hot room temp in july + aug too). I used it as recently as 2 days ago and it still seems fine, or at least worked fine.

I thought flux was inclusive in the solder for some reason. This is what I've had sitting around:


http://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B000G31NWK/ref=s9_top_hm_bw3kD_g60_i3?pf_rd_m=ATVPDKIKX0DER&pf_rd_d=mobile-hybrid-11&pf_rd_r=1W2C6FGNKNSQ1A5TFPK2&pf_rd_t=30901&pf_rd_p=62fb0262-1815-5e28-9eb8-64f8ea4054ea&pf_rd_i=13837421

If I can use flux to improve outcomes in my solder work, I'd strongly appreciate it. I felt persistently I was applying too much heat, and it was just dissipating through the circuit.

I got these tips that are not made by Hakko but designed to work with the fx888d.

The reviews are great. They've work fine for me so far.

Sorry for the late reply. First of all, take all of this with a grain of salt. This is my first build, so I am by no means an expert. You should definitely look in to all this on your own rather than blindly trust my purchases.
Here are the tools I got in my Amazon order:

• Wire Stripper
  
• No Clean Flux Paste
  
• XT60 Connectors
  
• 60/40 Rosin Core Solder
  
• Loctite Threadlocker 242 (blue)
  
• Weller 40 Watt soldering station
  
• Solder tip cleaner
  
• Helping hand with LED
  
• Bullet connectors
  
• Liquid electrical tape
  
• Heatshrink variety pack
  
• Chisel tip for soldering iron
  
• Servo cables
  
• 12/14/16 AWG silicone wire
  
• Zip ties
  
  I hope this helps.
  
  

going to be soldering my very first keyboard ever. Can you let me know if this will work? I will not be using this to often so I don't need a expensive kit

solder station

solder - is the size right?

Asking for the best price: I don't think that ~15 bucks for all the LEDs is too bad IMO. Only the shipping time seems a bit long. You also might get them from littlekeyboards for a comparable price, but faster.

Regarding the solder: I would recommend reflow soldering with paste for the SMD parts (like the LEDs) and hand soldering with a soldering iron for the through hole components (like the switches). For the normal solder, the recommendations from u/superuser41 sound reasonable. For the paste I would go for a "low temperature no clean" like this one.
And just checkin: You know how to solder SMD?

And for the lube: I don't lube switches, only the stabilizers. For the stabilizers something thicker (like superlube) is a good choice. For switches, I heard that thinner is better, but I really have no experience with that.

Edit: spelling...

60-40 rosin core https://amzn.com/B0006O933K