aiiadict@gmail.com wrote:
soldering takes some basic understanding of thermodynamics... the word looks intimidating, but it means movement of HEAT.... good sponge on your iron, good clean tip, nice and hot... use the sponge to clean your tip often. Clean tip = good heat transfer. dirty tip = frustration, bad heat transfer, horrible solder "joints" you want to get your component hot enough for solder to melt to it... either a super hot iron, or good contact between the tip of the iron and your component. "tinning" always helps. I don't think it should take an hour to learn it if you have a good understanding of how the whole process works.
I've been soldering so long I haven't any idea how long it would take to get there from scratch. But there is more than understanding involved--there's physical skill in positioning the iron, component, solder, all at the same time (and knowing how to do that with only two hands). It's a bit like taking a picture or shooting a gun--you have to keep things still for a second or so as the solder "sets", and some people have a natural "flinch" reaction that they have to un-learn. In any case, some practice is advised until you have confidence that the solder will do what you want. Perfection can come later, with more practice. -michael Music synthesis for 8-bit Apple II's! Home page: http://members.aol.com/MJMahon/ "The wastebasket is our most important design tool--and it is seriously underused."