by ex-Gooserider » 03 Mar 2016, 01:20
A few different points...
First off, work-holding is very much an 'individual preference' thing, especially for those of us with non-standard body construction / operating systems... Look at the pictures of how people hold stuff down as sources for ideas and try different approaches until you find what works for you... Before you fire up the iron, try it cold, and if you can't make it work while trying to simulate it, it won't work hot, so modify your approach. I use dozens of different methods depending on exactly what I'm trying to do... The key thing is that what you are working on doesn't move when you are touching it with the iron and solder (and remember that it should only take a TOUCH, if you are pushing on the connection you are doing something wrong...)
I don't particularly like holding wires with a 'helping hand' clip - I find that if the insulation softens at all, the clip will damage it. Better to either hand hold the wire, or set it up so the wire stays in place by itself.... (part of the advantage of the 'fill the cup / tin the wire/ then put together' method is that you don't need solder when assembling, just secure the connector, and have iron in one hand and the wire in the other...) If I do use a clip, I want one with a broad flat contact area.
I am very fond of the 'Pana-Vise' line for work holding - they are fairly expensive, but are very versatile - you start with a base that has a wide range of tilt and swivel capability, and has different options for mounting, or has enough weight to just sit on the bench as is; and then can add several different vise units that have different styles of jaws, openings and so on. It makes working on different sorts of hardware easy as you can stick something in the vice and then tilt and swivel it to get just the right angle...
I never found the magnifiers that came with the helping hands to be useful in working - I usually take them off and put a handle on them so I can use them to aid inspection later. During actual soldering they just get in the way.... Having a good work light is essential, preferably NOT florescent, get something with halogen or LED bulbs and on an adjustable position mount... An exception that does work is one of the magnifier work lamps that mounts a large magnifier in a 'Circline' style florescent tube - but I've seen a lot of people replace the tubes with LED strips... I've also heard of people using the 'drugstore reading glasses' . Of course if you are doing SMD work it is even better to use a dissection style microscope...
Soldering stations are wonderful, but they must have a thermostatic control that actually reads the iron temperature. You get what you pay for, the Hako station that BM pointed at is a nice mid-range station (I have a version that is older but similar) However some of the serious SMD guys at the Asylum have stations in the $3-500 range, and those are NICE to use - the iron is as light and small as a fat ballpoint pen, and they hold temperature to within a couple of degrees, precise enough to do freehand assembly of 402 size parts... (about like a large grain of sand - 0.2mm X 0.4mm)) In general a station will give more precise heat control and allow the iron to be a lot smaller and lighter as all the 'smarts' are in the base...
No matter what sort of iron you use, keeping the tip clean is CRITICAL - always keep it tinned, and turn the iron off if not using it for very long. When using it, swipe the tip on the cleaner EVERY time you pick the iron up, and again EVERY time you put it back in the stand - if making multiple connections at once wipe it often in between times.... If the tip isn't bright and shiny, clean it... If you use a solder sponge, moisten it ONLY with distilled water, never tap water. (there are folks that like the stainless or copper scrubbers, and ones that like the sponges - I've used both and prefer a sponge, but either works)
When working on a project like these connectors, it is much easier to break it down into separate steps and do each one on all the parts, then go to the next step - i.e fill ALL the solder cups on all the connectors, put them aside, then strip and tin ALL the wires, and cut up the shrink, if using it... Only then start actually stuffing the tinned wires into the pre-filled solder cups... (and fill all the cups, even the ones you won't be using, as that is easier than trying to keep track of which ones to fill and not...)
ex-Gooserider
T-5, ASIA-B
Jazzy 1100
Jazzy Select 6
Quickie Q-7
Invacare Mariner
Want to make / get a better chair, ideally one that stands.
