Soldering: A process of joining two metals with a molten metallic filler (i.e. solder).
There you have it. A very simple process of creating a (or an electrical) bond between two metals. The statement is simple enough without taking into consideration such as oxidation, types of solder, soldering procedures and so on. But today, I just want to elaborate why I like to solder.
In the Beginning…
Admittedly I know nuts about soldering. When I was a kid, my Dad showed me his soldering iron when he was dabbling with mail order for a radio receiver, a very early form of Partswork if you ask me. You can say this was the spark which got me into Electronics. When I was older, I had the opportunity to join my school’s Electronics Club. But unfortunately, this led to some bitter experiences despite being pursuing and given the opportunity to set up the Junior section of the same club. I was still mystified on the wonders of electronics to the point of taking expensive games apart to see how things worked. Adding to that was the problems with the more established Seniors where most of my FAQs to them always ends up with the ‘show & tell’ session. They’d showed you the finished work but not how it was done, as if it was a big secret. But I persevered and after many failures, I actually got my FM Mic working by interpreting weird diagrams on a piece of paper.
But as I grew older, I realised that I have problem with soldering. I do know that I must not touch the clean copper tracks with my fingers. Learning from mistakes, I do know a little about soldering but still, there are more questions than ever. And try as I might, I ended up making more solder blobs than actual soldering. As a Teenager, I was hooked into getting more Electronic Kits to solder (and hoped they’d work too). I began to search for electronic kits that has those green solder resists which protects the bare copper tracks but has openings for you to solder. Sadly, they’re rare in Malaysia and are quite expensive.
Despite having a Degree in Electronics, I can still say my experience with soldering is at most, slightly better than mediocre. This was the time where the Internet was starting. This was also the time where LED technology introduced white LEDs and powerful LEDs such as the 3Watt Luxeons to the layman. A few more years into the 2010’s, I started to look for solutions such as PCB circuit board manufacturing and other resources in Malaysia. But then, later on, YouTube came and I learned the importance of clean metal surface. And by observing the Repair Guys in my Department at that time, I learned about the miracle that is called, rosin flux.
Slowly, through the Internet, I learned that there are more solutions and not just limited off the shelf Integrated Circuits (ICs) and bulky through-hole components. The lessons were expensive but worth it as it really opened my eyes. The further maturing of the Internet introduced PCB CADs and secure online transfers resulting in PCB manufacturers and component dealers lining up with competitive rates, my Journey was much smoother than I anticipated.
Why I like soldering
Have you ever held a magnifying glass and used it to burn stuff (and then go slightly blind later)? Just seeing those small bits of paper or dried grass turning towards darker shades of brown before smoking is mesmerising. Or, how about using a cleaning the ground with a powered water jet? Or even just a simple task of washing an oily plate and then seeing the grime disappear with a wash or water? To me, those are just so therapeutic in this chaotic and noisy World. You are given the power to change things and see their immediate results.
And so is soldering, more or less. By just picking up a soldering iron, it’s so fun to see molten metal flow effortlessly like water and then it grabs onto the component. Sometimes, in the thick of things, it really takes your breath away (and replaces them with burnt solder fumes containing lead). I started with inserting the components, turning the PCB board upside down and solder the leads. The issues then was to make sure the components do not fall off or, not getting my fingers poked while cutting off the long leads.
Once I learned about the existence of SMD (surface mounted devices) from the famous gmprops’s Tricorders, it was a turning point for me. Suddenly, I was able to design smaller and more compact circuit boards. But more importantly, soldering actually became fun. All I need were the soldering iron, thin solder, a pair of tweezers, soldering flux and a nice pair of headphones. And then, before I know it, hours has gone by or when my Wife had to ‘wake’ me up for bedtime.
