(Part 3) Reddit mentions: The best welding equipment

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.

First of all, what type of flux is in the pen?

If the flux is rosin flux, then yes, you should use rosin core solder. If the flux is no-clean, then you should use no-clean solder. You don't HAVE to do this, but generally rosin flux is better than no-clean, and if you are using the two together you are pretty much losing the no-clean ability of the no-clean, so why not just use rosin?

I would highly recommend buying a bottle of this:

125 mL MG Chemicals 835 Rosin Flux

And getting an applicator such as this:

needle tip flux applicator

You can find those applicators all over the place. You could also use refillable brushes or pens if you prefer. (I really like these small needle tip applicators, quite precise)

The flux will last you quite a long time, so it's a good investment. Next I would recommend getting some good quality solder from a known brand. I like to use MG Chemicals because it is easily available where I am. I buy RA or RMA (Rosin Activated or Rosin Mildly Activated) 60/40 or 63/37 solder. Note that it has a slightly higher flux percentage, 2.2% which I recommend as well (more flux is almost always better).

The RA solder combined with the RA flux works like a charm. It makes soldering (and de-soldering) so easy you will always want to use flux, seriously. The only complication is that you may want to clean your boards afterwards, if you want them to last a really long time. IPA or some flux cleaner works well.

I forgot to mention solder thickness. Generally the thicker the solder the less likely you will need extra flux. I find with 0.032" solder with moderate sized pads (5+ mms?) extra flux is good. With smaller pads you probably won't need extra flux. With bigger solder you probably won't need extra flux. That's why it's good to just have the flux in case you find your solder just doesn't cut it.

I use rosin core solder, so I usually don't bother with flux. (It wouldn't hurt, though.) Here's what's probably causing you trouble:

Thick solder. The thicker your solder is, the harder it will be to get it to melt, and the less control you'll have over how much solder you apply. I use 0.6mm 60/40.

Heat capacity. Components with more metal, like thick power writing on ESCs, will suck a lot of heat out of your iron, and it might not be able to keep up. If you have an adjustable iron (you should), crank it up a bit. I usually set my iron to 320° C, but I'll turn it up to 400° or so for things like battery wires. A hotter iron will, paradoxically, mean less heat in your components.

Tips. Conical tips are the devil, get a wedge ("screwdriver") tip of you can, something around 1-2mm will work for most jobs. Tin and clean your tip! I prefer brass to a sponge, but both work. As your iron sits around, the tip will oxidize, which inhibits heat transfer; that oxide layer is what you're cleaning off.

Technique. Here's how you solder: apply the iron to both pieces. You want to heat them up enough that the solder melts when it touches them, not your iron. This is called a "hot joint, and it's mechanically and electrically strong. If you just put solder on your tip and glob it into the parts, you'll get a cold joint. You don't want that. However, you can put a little solder on your tip to help transfer heat faster; this solder is not what you make your joint with, you still apply the solder to the components, but it speeds things up. The faster you heat up the joint, the less time you spend pouring heat into the component and risking damage. (There's such a thing as too hot though, so stick with 300-400° to start with.) To tin your pads/wires, hold the tip to it for a few seconds, then touch the solder to the part. If it's hot enough, it will wick onto the metal. Then you can put the tinned wire on the tinned pad, put the iron on top and let their solder melt together. Don't move the wire until the solder had solidified, this weakens the joint.

Okay, I reread your post, and when you say Radio Shack iron, A) Where did you find a Radio Shack? and B) is it just a pencil with a cord that plugs into the wall? Because those things are worthless. I used this cheap Stahl for the better part of a decade. (It still works, too, I just replaced it with a $130 Weller.) It comes with a conical tip, but it works okay and it can be replaced anyhow. If you want, you can get a bread tip cleaner, but that Stahl comes with a sponge and you must clean your tip, I do it every time I put the iron into its holster and every time I take it out, but you only really need to do the latter.

I also recommend checking out the EEVBlog videos on soldering: part 1 part 2 Dave knows this stuff front to back, definitely better than I do, and he explains it really well. (Protip: start calling it "sohl-der" like he does to mess with American nerds.) Also, take a look at this picture, happily enough you can tell visually whether you've done a good joint once you know what they look like.

Hope this helps, assuming you actually read through my little novel here.

Look I do not want to jump in and try to tell you things I know nothing about but I would like to say that maybe you should put this on a PCB and not a perfboard. OSHpark.com is great (and cheep) and you can use eaglepcb for free for something like a class project. Surface mount is a lot easier than I thought it would be. Solder paste is great!!!!! Something like this: http://amzn.com/B005C6H26C Put in where you need it, put the parts down with tweezers and toss it in the toaster oven for a few minutes... let cool and you are ready to go. Mixing surface mount and through hole is not a problem either..... just solder the through hole after you toaster oven it.

Sorry this does not answer your question (I think Enlightenment77 did) but after building a lot of stuff on perfboards and then trying surface mount on an etched pcb... I will never go back to perfs for anything with more than 3 parts.

Absolutely. Amazon, like the other guy said, but i'll add that i just bought this instead of a solar filter: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00164VP26/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o02_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1


Works just as well just have to hold it or tape it in place so it doesn't fall off.

oh i'd also like to add that unless you have a 400mm lens you're not going to get great photos. You can do 200mm with a 2x teleconverter though - that should be fine. Otherwise, just get your welders glass and ooo and ahhhh like everyone else. Get photos of the cool shadows the eclipse makes!

worth noting i don't have a 200-400 lens and will also be taking pictures of shadows because i can't drop that kind of money right now. Ah well. I'll still be there for it, and i have the nifty glass to watch it through!

Thanks!

Yeah -- my expectations for TIG is low. I'm excited to take the free class -- even though I believe it's meant to get people introduced and excited about continuing on welding -- but I'm definitely not expecting to come out of it comfortable with TIG.

Stick is the only type of welding that I've done. I'm placing a pretty high value on whatever machine I'm getting having MIG & Stick capabilities. I'm glad you re-iterated the value for a newbie. I'm the paralysis by analysis type, so I need to harden on my requirements here :)

I could always get a cheaper MIG and pick up a used tombstone, but frankly, my area is horrible for secondary tools. I've never perused pawn shops for tools, but maybe that's a direction I need to go.

I don't see a ton of application for 1/16 for what I'm aiming for. But again, I'm ignorant in this world.

I think the one application/idea that I want to incorporate that's maybe a bit different than your average table legs is that I want to incorporate some decorative, mid-century (geometrical) patterning inside of my rectangular table legs. MIG seems like the way to go for that, correct?

In reading some feedback I'm leaning toward the:

• Lincoln MP 210
  
• Everlast 200 MIG/STICK dual volt
  
• Hobart 140 and a Lincoln Tombstone

Here are some useful links: Link; Link; Link. The Marantz cost about $58 using good quality replacements. I did a H/K 330B for $9.58. The Marantz 2285 I am working on cost about $90 for parts.

 

You will need a decent soldering iron; solder sucker; desoldering braid; lead solder; flux; and most importantly a multimeter. Here is another gear thread. Most of the manuals are available on Hifiengine. What you can't find there you can check the forums or Sams. Manuals on Fleabay should be an absolute last resort.

 

I would recommend going to a local thrift store and getting some practice junker units. It will take you some time to good at it and you certainly don't want to screw up your good unit. I still don't know anywhere near enough to do more than replace the parts and do basic troubleshooting. Fortunately for people like us, there are a lot of very helpful and knowledgeable persons on the forums who are always willing to lend a hand. Edit: Forgot about the Dim Bulb Tester.

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.

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.

Are you giving the iron 5-10 minutes to heat up?

What about wetting the tip of the iron with solder before touching the leads?

I can vouch for the 30w irons sucking. They don't have much power so you need to have your technique right to use them. You have the right kind of solder for that iron but you'll absolutely have to use external flux with it.

I personally prefer using this stuff and dabbing it on with a toothpick or cuetip. I don't know what the correct word is, but it causes the solder to liquify at a lower temperature and stick to whatever you put it on.

Or if you have the cash, get like a 60-80+ watt iron (Or even better, a good soldering station like the hakko), and you'll find that the solder will melt and stick a fair bit easier.

I've actually done this repair a few times on a few different phones (including the SIII)

• Kapton tape in shingles (not wrapped around) to deflect heat away from the area.
  
• Use a preheater to heat the board up while it's on a clamp or helping hands.
  
• use a reflow wand or hot air gun (on the lowest air setting possible) once the board is adequately heated (you'll know it's hot enough because you won't need much work on the wand to remove or replace the piece
  
  
  
  EDIT: after rereading more thoroughly i misunderstood your issue.
  
  in this case, you may find solder paste (usually the one I use is in a syringe but the one /u/obsa suggested should work) may be the best bet for re-tipping those contacts. You should be able to put a bit on with tweezers and run your soldering iron over it to get it nice & perfect.
  
  hope this helps some

I was dinking around on her here and that made me laugh out loud. I never really thought about this before. Honest. You just blew my mind...like a 18 year old taking their first philosophy class.

I'm a fire ecologist who grew up in the true middle of nowhere on a ranch. I love welding, but I'm not that good at it. My dad is. I also LOVE glassblowing. I learned how to do it during my masters and took to it like a duck in water. I'll never get to do it again as it's too expensive (like $80 an hour). I'm too much of a tight ass. I'm in my early 30's.

I pretty much light shit on fire for work and fun. I'm a complete pyro. One of my proudest achievements is a 10,000 acre prescribed burn I planned and was in charge of. This spring, my girlfriend bought me this for my birthday. I wanted it to light cedars on fire. Plus I can melt a beer can in seconds.

https://www.amazon.com/Red-Dragon-VT-3-30-Propane/dp/B00004Z2FQ/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1498565976&sr=8-3&keywords=red+dragon+torch

My brother bought me a JATO rocket for the same birthday.

I don't think I could be more of pyro if I tried. I never realized this. No one ever pointed this out to me...

I just spent 5k getting 3 phase power into a shed my dad owns. Why? Because I bought a super nice and fancy plasma cutter at an auction. I didn't need it. My dad didn't need it. It was just cheap and awesome. Plus I wanted to be able to run a good welder in that shop.

My masters is literally about plant responses to lighting shit on fire after it got chainsawed.

There is a video of me starting a campfire with 5 gallons of white gas. It was zesty.

Random person...you just gave me an existential crisis. My name is probably on federal watchlists. Hello government worker! I never realized I was a pyro before.....

You definitely want to get a soldering station. So something that can control the temperature of the of the iron. The reason being is the ones that just plug into the wall usually fluctuate between extremely hot and very hot which can become if you’re trying to solder next to very delicate transistors on the pcb.


I know people say you can get away with the cheapest everything but that’s usually not the case at all and sometimes dangerous to your health.


Getting good solder, tip tinner, brass sponge, flux pen, and a fan with a carbon filter will do you great things.


The fan is extremely important when your desoldering as that will give off a tonne of chemicals.


This is what I personally have


https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B00BSW69LI/ref=ya_aw_oh_bia_dp?ie=UTF8&psc=1

https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B074J6R1KQ/ref=ya_aw_oh_bia_dp?ie=UTF8&psc=1


https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B001W2XZOS/ref=ya_aw_oh_bia_dp?ie=UTF8&psc=1


https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B00FZPGDLA/ref=ya_aw_oh_bia_dp?ie=UTF8&psc=1


https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B00NS4J6BY/ref=ya_aw_oh_bia_dp?ie=UTF8&psc=1


The soldering iron is overkill if you’re just using it for trains

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.

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

Supplies you'll need -

• [Solder wick] (https://smile.amazon.com/gp/product/B008O9VLA2/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o03_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1) is your best friend
  
  

• you should also get some [flux] (https://smile.amazon.com/gp/product/B005DNR01Q/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o06_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1) instead of trying to use solder with a rosin flux core. when trying to desolder you're not gonna want to add more. Make it easier on yourself whenever you can.
  
  
• It comes in a convenient [applicator] (https://smile.amazon.com/gp/product/B008OC3VMU/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o06_s01?ie=UTF8&psc=1) as well
  
  
• But definitely get some [solder with flux] (https://smile.amazon.com/gp/product/B003AYJWSY/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o03_s01?ie=UTF8&psc=1) for any future projects you have
  
  Finally, check out parts 1-3 of this [video series] (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J5Sb21qbpEQ). It will show you a lot of the basics.

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...

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 | |

This stuff, Kester 63/37, 0.20 inches, is pretty perfect for small fiddly stuff without being too thin to use for through-hole soldering. The 63/37 mix is eutetic which is a fancy way of saying that both the tin and lead melt at the exact same temperature.

For flux, you won't regret getting a flux pen, for example something from SRA soldering or MG Chemicals.

This low temperature solder paste is interesting, also. It is lead free, and melts at fairly low temperature. In fact I think this is the same alloy also sold as 'Chip Quik'. Even if you only have a soldering iron, assembling boards can be quite a bit faster with solder paste. And hey, a hot air station is only like 50 bucks.

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.
  
  

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.

Those desoldering irons are straight up dangerous. I'd avoid at all costs. Grab a threaded solder sucker, it's much safer and works about as well.

The general consensus is that a small, conical tip works best for switches. I personally like an elbow tip for SMD soldering, but you can use the same one you're using for switches.

Your soldering station looks like a piece of shit. Buy this one instead. Set it to 4 and solder away.

You've got solder paste in your order. That won't work properly without a hot air setup. Kester 0.031" is the solder of choice for building. You can also find similar, lead-free solder on amazon, but lead free is harder to work with.

If you don't have flush cutters and ESD-safe tweezers, I recommend grabbing some. Ifixit has some for pretty cheap.

Your cleaners are bad. Get this instead. It is, again, safer than your selection.

You don't need flux, the kester solder has it in the solder already.

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.

Kester 60/40 or 63/37 is always a good bet, but there are other good ones. The lead-free options have improved a lot as well. Just don't buy the el-cheapo Harbor Freight soldering kit and wonder why you can't get a good joint with the included solder.

I’ve been using loctite multicore solder for my build. Flux being in the solder is super nice.

MULTICORE / LOCTITE 3096525-M SOLDER, WIRE, 180 C https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00DKF13JY/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_i_Uk0TCbZDR1NEX

Ships from China but the wait is totally worth it. SMD by hand with 10x microscope and this stuff I was a breeze.

I’ll have to check out bangood for the mini 3535s for my next board. There was a minimum order when I submitted the PCB for fabrication so I’ll probably end up with 5 or so completed :/

Well, if you can use the lab and it has a scope in it then you just scored big time.

As far as $100. I would get:

(amazon links for convenience, use any supplier you wish)

• DMM (digital multimeter) - must have diode check, DC volts, AC volts, Ohms, and continuity. Extech EX330 ($50) or Equus 3320 ($20)
  
  
• clip leads for the meter such as these - these are important because you will need to take values while the amp is on, and you don't want to be poking around a live amp
  
  
• variable power/temp soldering iron - cheap one good one better one
  
  
• 60/40 leaded solder - I like this kind
  
  
• desolder braid
  
  
• rosin flux
  
  
• contact cleaner
  
  
• (de-oxit d-5)[http://www.amazon.com/Hosa-D5S6-Deoxit-Contact-Cleaner/dp/B00006LVEU/]
  
  
• flush cutters
  
  
• solder sucker
  
  
• shrink tube of various diameters
  
  
• 92%+ isopropyl alcohol
  
  
• windex
  
  
• q-tips
  
  
• paper towels
  
  
• needle nose pliers
  
  
• nice set of phillips head screwdrivers
  
  
• standard screwdriver
  
  
• miner's headlamp
  
  
• digital camera for taking many many pictures before and during disassembly
  
  
• printer for printing service manuals
  
  
• heat gunor hair dryer
  
  
• canned air
  
  
  EDIT: Light bulb socket, 100W + 60W real light bulbs (not the hippy engery saving kind), electrical outlet - these are for making a dim bulb tester.
  
  All I can think of right now.

I'll just give you a list of the items I've been using (and like):

https://www.amazon.com/Hakko-T18-D08-D12-D24-D32/dp/B00C1N30DI Hakko FX-888D. The extra tips may be unnecessary, I only ever use the one chisel tip

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00068IJPO Leaded solder

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B004SPGFT8 Brushes

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00FZPDG1K Side cutters

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00425FUW2 Flux

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B008O9VLA2 Solder Wick

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0013HT2QW KimWipes

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B001B5JT8C Isopropyl Alcohol

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B005CU56KM Acetone spray (use carefully/sparingly)

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B004G5T9M0 Jewelers loupe

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B019SLLOMY Tweezers

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00P8Z4RPG Hot air station (works well despite Chinesium)

Also, I noticed in Dave's videos he rarely adds flux, just the flux that's built into the multicore solder. I don't know if I'm alone on this one but with flux I always felt the bigger the glob the better the job. Just have to clean it afterwards with the solvent, tissues & brushes.

Edit: Okay that's a much bigger list than I thought, this stuff can get expensive!

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.

So you've selected some intense elbow grease as the trade off. That's honestly my preferred route. What I suggest in that case, is to get a weedeater or a mower and take the whole yard down as low as you can get it. Probably not all in one pass. Then I would dispose of as much material as possible via a green waste bin. Then you have a couple options. You can either keep cutting it back, and it will eventually end up kinda-sorta lawn-ish after enough consistent cuttings. Second option is to "sheet" the area with cardboard and some weights. Bricks, rocks, paint cans, whatever is handy. If you let that sit a week or two, it will mostly shade out the plants, they'll wilt, and die. Third option is to solarize the area. You get some rolls of painter's plastic, and essentially plastic wrap the entire ground like it's a casserole dish of leftovers. The idea there is that the plastic creates a greenhouse effect and cooks off all of the plants underneath.

Regardless of your choice, you'll probably still have some pretty serious grow-back from whatever roots survive, and any dormant seeds that sprout after the fact. You can then either repeat the process later, which will produce fewer and fewer survivors, or you can just cut and/or hand pull whatever manages to return.

I strongly advise against the use of any herbicides like Roundup, as the chemicals in them do a lot of damage to the ecosystem beyond your yard. It's pretty selfish and petty to broadly apply such damaging chemicals over some inconvenient-at-worst weeds in a backyard.

Edit: As an alternative to spraying, a solution for the touch up work after using one of the above methods, is to use a propane torch (example). You can get them at home improvement stores, and they do a pretty decent job of toasting weeds into submission. Just read the directions thoroughly, watch some youtube videos about how to do it, and have a hose on standby in case things get exciting.

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 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.

I bought this guy about 4 years ago. Haven't had a single problem with it. Just make sure you keep the tips tinned and clean (do that with any iron) and you'll be good to go. They also have different tips that you can swap out.

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.

I'm in the US so this is 120V, but 3 years ago I upgraded from a Radio Shack branded iron to this guy:

http://www.amazon.com/Stahl-Tools-SSVT-Temperature-Soldering/dp/B0029N70WM/ref=sr_1_1?s=hi&ie=UTF8&qid=1463154858&sr=1-1&keywords=stahl+soldering+iron

I also got these tips as the one they gave me was not fine enough:

http://www.amazon.com/Stahl-Tools-SSRT-Soldering-STSSVT/dp/B0029N91Q0/ref=sr_1_2?s=hi&ie=UTF8&qid=1463154858&sr=1-2&keywords=stahl+soldering+iron

I've done quite a bit of repair and modification with it, not the best iron out there by any means but for the price a great entry point for beginners and more advanced users.

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

Don't use lead free solder, ever. Use rosin core, use a good solding iron.

Good solder
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00DKF13JY/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_KQKdAb2SRMP17

Good soldering iron
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01MDTO6X7/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_8TKdAbNTRP60A

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?

This is what I use to help reduce the effect from the elements when it's cold and windy, works pretty alright:

Neiko® 10908A Heavy Duty Fiberglass Welding Blanket and Cover with Brass Grommets Size 4 FT. x 6 FT. https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0057RJD0E/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_aLgmybP3FJ95W

Sounds like your soldering iron isn't hot enough, or your using thicker solder than what should be used for small electrical wiring. This is the solder I use for everything. I would also recommend a soldering iron with variable temperatures if you can afford it, like this one. And I do believe your connections are touching on the driver. That would be causing your mono issue.

I would either buy a cheaper welder off Craigslist or a pawn shop or an [Everlast.] (https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00KTNKKPI/ref=cm_sw_r_em_apa_40kFAb2PQ2V8W) This is a dual voltage unit and handles heavier material using 110v much better than any brand name 110v only machine I have used. If you do go with a strictly 110 machine, you can preheat with a propane torch to help on thicker material. Once you get started, the heat travels ahead of the weld and you can weld 1/4" material. I wouldn't weld a pressure vessel this way but good enough for bumpers, fences, gates, etc.

> Do these look good? What else will I need?

Get a chisel tip for the iron. Looks like that X-tronic uses Hakko tips

https://www.amazon.com/Hakko-T18D16P-Fx-888-Station-1-6mm/dp/B004OR9BV4/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1503937038&sr=8-1&keywords=hakko+chisel+tip

https://www.amazon.com/Soldering-Tip-Chisel-2-4mm-14-5mm/dp/B004ORB8J2/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1503937038&sr=8-2&keywords=hakko+chisel+tip

Here is a short build inventory for people who may want to perform this mod in the future:

• 1x 0.5oz - 2oz tube of Krytox GPL 205 Grease. This will last you a long time.
  
• 1x Victorinox Multi-Tool Oil or any plastic-safe, high viscosity oil.
  
• 1x 100pc bag of 68g Cherry MX compatible springs
  
• 100x Plate mount Cherry MX Clear keyswitches. You could also buy a KUL ES-87 with Cherry MX Clears, but just be sure to have extras in case of damage during the modification process.
  
• 1x KUL ES-87 of any Keyswitch/color (black or smoke black) variety.
  
  Lube and replace switches based on WFD's guides. Get two small paintbrushes and a pair of forceps or tweezers to help manipulate the components during the lubrication process. You should also whip up a couple of these guys. They make opening the switches a hell of a lot easier.
  
  This was only my second time desoldering so I learned a lot along the way. Quality, flux-treated desoldering braid and a temperature controlled soldering iron with a chisel tip was the most reliable method I found to desolder. I used the Hakko FX888D soldering iron and station with a 2.4 mm x 14.5 mm Hakko chisel tip. I used Chemtronics' Chem-Wick desoldering braid to remove the solder from the plated through holes on the PCB. You have to take extra care when using desoldering braid not to heat up other components on the board, but with enough practice you will be a pro!

I got this one looked pretty genuine to me. Can you confirm that please?

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

Something like this?

Sorry to bug on a sales thread, but you saved me a thread on /r/mechanicalkeyboards

Rubyfluid - I love 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.

I bought a fiberglass welding blanket to insulate my smoke vault as it is getting colder here in central Ohio. I am smoking 5lbs of chicken breasts. I let the temperature stabilize at 271-273, and then put the blanket over it as shown. Now, 12 minutes later, the temp has risen to 298-300.I might sew the blanket into a jacket or just leave it like it is. I'm happy with the $23 I spent oon this.

EDIT 1: It is 50 degrees Fahrenheit here, with a "reelfeel" of 43.

EDIT 2: I think a second blanket, configured the same but draped from the front would be an easy addition for the really cold/windy days.

EDIT 3: I added two more pictures of the discoloration on the blanket from the lower side vents. This was from a two hour smoke at 275 degree Fahrenheit.

https://imgur.com/a/X5R9s62

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0057RJD0E/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o03_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

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.

This guy is a lot of welder for the money.

It's better than the Harbor Freight models, and not much more money. However, for light-duty work, the Harbor Freight stuff works just fine.

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

Welding Blanket should work just fine. Plywood for a windbreak if you really need the extra help after that.

No worries. If you're looking in a good iron, this would be what I'd consider entry level. It's what I'm currently using, and has paid for itself many times over. Your typical habor frieght/radio shack iron is total garbage that will cause more damage than repair.

Decent flux and braid, and soldering tips to go with that iron.

For solder, it's more or less the same, other than lead-free vs. leaded. I would get leaded solder. It's a million times easier to work with, due to the lower melting temperature. It's also nice for desoldering -- you take a blob of leaded solder and run it against the solder joints you're trying to remove, and it'll lower the melting point of the preexisting solder and make your life much easier.

Lead-free solder is used today to prevent lead from entering wastewater, since millions of tons of electronics get thrown away every year. When you're repairing something, you're keeping it out of the trash, so I have no moral concerns with it. And it's not really a health concern for rework/reflow, so long as you wash your hands and keep them out of your mouth :)

Don't you think that fire would be a more effective and quicker option than the one you are using?

So you don't need a concealed carry permit for a flamethrower?

Cool.

This one is a half million BTU per hour. Propane, not jellied gasoline. I guess I can't have everything.

Wait. One of the recommended uses is "starting charcoal". I think I'm gonna need a video camera, too.

Flamethrower and some good dry wood splits and you'll be cruisin.

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.

For a soldering kit, I used this one on amazon, it was great practice.

As for a soldering iron, look on ebay/amazon for a "936" soldering iron. Any of them are about the same, most are clones of the famous hakko 936.

The original 936 is too expensive in my opinion, I'm using a sparkfun clone 936 that unfortunately is no longer sold. Most of the other clones should be ok though.

The only think I would really recommend getting legit is a hakko chisel tip, like this one. Don't get those 10pc tip sets, they are cheap and it is much better to use just one good tip than a bunch of bad tips.

Lastly, if you want your tip to last a longer time, don't use a wet sponge, that can damage your tip. Use one of those copper hard brush things, I forget what they are called, but you can buy them at amazon/ebay.

https://www.amazon.com/MULTICORE-LOCTITE-3096525-M-SOLDER-WIRE/dp/B00DKF13JY

This is the same thing with a different ID number. The keys are: multicores of flux instead of a single core, small diameter( heats faster, easier to control feed volume, 60/40 blend is ideal for electronics). I can solder with any crap iron but I cannot make quality connections without proper solder. Don't be put off by the price - a spool of this will last a very long time!

Hobbyists definitely do, and this girl is.

The product in the photo is Kester “44” flux 0.031” dia 60/40 tin/lead solder model #24-6040-0027

https://www.amazon.com/KESTER-SOLDER-32117-24-6040-0027-Diameter/dp/B01MSWYSUU

Yessir. I use this one from Amazon. $20.

Careful. They work really really really well. Make sure you don't cover your thermo or you may melt it. Keep your air intakes and exhausts uncovered. Check it frequently or use a thermo with a remote alarm.

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.

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

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.

Do keep in mind though shelling out for a good soldering iron and some very thin solder will make a huge difference in your work. A good roll of solder will run you $40 and a good iron is gonna run at about $100. But damn is it worth it over the cheap ones...

Just something to consider if you get into this hobby...

Well that answers that. I would suggest using a Welders Blanket instead if you were actually going to attempt this.

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.

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 have to admit that I've never heard of welding cloth. Would this do the job?

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

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.

http://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B00004Z2FQ/ref=mp_s_a_1_3?qid=1462376270&sr=1-3&pi=SX200_QL40&keywords=Dragon+torch&dpPl=1&dpID=313Db7iqdWL&ref=plSrch

I haven't tried it yet myself (far northern NY), but I've been told that draping a WSM with a welding blanket can do wonders for winter temps.

http://www.amazon.com/Neiko-Heavy-Duty-Welding-Blanket/dp/B0057RJD0E/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1420249680&sr=8-1&keywords=welding+blanket

red dragon

Got it covered.

Wait a second...
http://astore.amazon.com/wwwpropanefla-20/detail/B00004Z2FQ

http://www.amazon.com/Red-Dragon-VT-3-30-Propane/dp/B00004Z2FQ/

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?

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

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

Perhaps if they made walls with large, draped tarps and drop cloths? If the materials were draped loosely, they'd absorb the impact of rubber bullets and tear gas. Better yet, use a fibreglass welding blanket because it'd be difficult to penetrate AND it would be completely fireproof.

I think a better tactic would be to absorb the kinetic energy of rubber bullet and smoke grenade impacts, rather than try to outright stop it with something rigid, as a material that bends will last longer; no issue of fracturing.

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

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.

Essentially the same thing, no paperwork required

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.

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.