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→‎AiXun Soldering Station with JBC Soldering Tips: added some details regarding some quirks of this station.
===Soldering Irons===
====Knockoff AiXun Soldering Station with JBC Soldering Tips====This Chinese soldering station is compatible with JBC soldering tips (C245) and is a great station for its lowish price of around 150 bucks. The station comes with three soldering tips that should be replaced with original JBC wave-soldering tips====Fix melike the C245965 (small spoon) or the C245938 (big spoon) for general purpose soldering tasks. The very low cost for this station comes with some quirks that users should be aware of: Photos and text
* The most recent firmware version 1.34 displays incorrect temperature data in certain states to hide the temperature overshoot on a cold-start. Firmware downgrade is recommended to avoid being lied to.* Soldering on grounded (PE) circuit boards can cause issues with the temperature sensing and should be avoided. This review informs about these quirks in detail. [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B7jLpHgR7fI][[File:SolderingStation.JPG|none|thumb|AiXun Soldering Station with JBC Soldering Tips]] The "small spoon" is by far the most used soldering tip on my bench as it turns almost every soldering task into a "low/no-skill" job provided copious amounts of flux is used and the board was manufactured with solder mask. The shape of this tip prevents the active region to oxidize by always keeping some solder on it and thus keeping oxygen away from the metal surface of the tip.[[File:SmallSpoon.JPG|none|thumb|Original JBC Soldering Cartridge C245965 (small spoon)]] The "big spoon" is for all other tasks which need a little bit more contact area than the small spoon can provide.[[File:BigSpoon.JPG|none|thumb|Original JBC Soldering Cartridge C245938 (big spoon)]] ====Weller Soldering StationPU81====Fix meA basic soldering station for general purpose soldering tasks. Unfortunately there are no wave-soldering tips available for this type of iron.[[File: Photos and textWeller.JPG|none|thumb|Weller PU 81 Soldering Station]]
===Tweezers===
====Straight, fine tweezers====
[[File:Bst-y22.jpg|none|thumb|BST-Y22 straight]]
 
Titanium tweezers are great for delicate work that requires minimal grabbing force, such as holding passive components in place for soldering. Titanium is diamagnetic, which prevents (slightly) magnetized passives from clinging to it at inopportune moments.
====Angled, fine tweezers====
[[File:Bst-y23.jpg|none|thumb|BST-Y23 curved]]
 
Titanium tweezers are great for delicate work that requires minimal grabbing force, such as holding passive components in place for soldering. Titanium is diamagnetic, preventing (slightly) magnetized passives from clinging to it at inopportune moments. This particular type has a curved tip, which helps to hold them more ergonomically.
====Straight, coarse tweezers with riffles====
 
[[File:Knipex927877ESD.jpg|none|thumb|Knipex tweezer of the type 92 78 77 ESD]]
 
This type of tweezers come in handy when something has to be gripped securely in order to be able to bend / shape them in a controlled manner. These tweezers have a thick metal parts that are not easily bend out of shape like the fine tweezers.
====Straight, self-holding tweezers====
 
===Side Cutters===
 
====Knipex 78 03 125====
This electronic side cutter is a great first electronic side cutter to get when starting out in tinkering with electronics. This side cutter comes without chamfers on the cutting side and is meant to cut thin/soft wire. This tool can handle cutting wires with a diameter of up to 1.6mm for Cu and 1.0mm for Fe.
[[File:Knipex 7803125.JPG|none|thumb|Knipex diagonal cutter type 78 03 125]]
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====Knipex 70 01 110====
The side cutter that saves my electronic side cutters from becoming toothless and sad. Can handle up to 1.2mm Dia Hard Wire, 2mm Dia Medium Wire and 3.2mm Dia Soft Wire and costs about 25 bucks.
[[File:Knipex7001110.jpg|none|thumb|Knipex diagonal cutter type 70 01 110]]
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===Scalpels===
====Straight edged scalpels====
"I'm gonna [[Image:ScalpelNo11.jpg|none|thumb|Disposable scalpel with blade #11]] The sharp tip of this type of scalpel makes it ideal to cut the conductor track without nicking nearby tracks. The blade #11 has a short, straight edge that gives good control over the cut you! You piece . ====Round edged scalpels====[[Image:ScalpelNo23.jpg|none|thumb|Disposable scalpel with blade #23]] The copper tracks on the top layer of a PCB are usually covered with a layer of (green) solder mask, which can be carefully scraped away from the portions of the track that are about to be soldered to say attach a wire. The round shape of the blade #23 (there are other blades with a rounded edge) allows the user to only remove the solder mask from the trackof interest, which will make the soldering process later on very easy, since the remaining solder mask will prevent the solder to stick to the covered tracks. Exposing the other tracks by scraping too much solder mask away may result in a much more difficult soldering job. ===Steel Probes===Steel probes are handy to check soldered IC pins for bad solder joints or mixing / applying small quantities of liquid material (adhesives, uncured solder mask, etc.) in a controlled manner. ====Straight Probe==== =====Menda 35122===== [[File:Menda35122.jpg|none|thumb|Straight Steel Probe made by Menda of type 35122]] ====Angled / curved Probes====Mee too!" <br />
[[Image:ScalpelNo11.jpg|500px]]===Solder===
The sharp tip of this type of scalpel makes it ideal to cut the conductor track ====Products without nicking nearby tracks. The blade #11 has a short, straight edge that gives good control over the cut. Pb====
====Round edged scalpels=KEK Solder Paste 4258-138====="Do you see This exotic type of solder is for applications where the upside of its low melting point is worth its downsides in form of more brittle solder joints and potential self-desoldering of components, which make this type of solder mask covering a bad fit to use on connectors and other components that are exposed to mechanical stress in the track?" operation. The use in power applications, where the package of components can reach the melting point of this solder, is another application where this kind of solder should not be used.[[File:Kek- "Uh, no?" solderpaste- "Exactlybot."jpg|none|thumb|KEK Solder Paste 4258-138<br />Melting point: 138°C<br />Alloy: Sn42Bi58<br />Microns: 20-38um]]<br />
[[Image:ScalpelNo23.jpg|500px]]====Products containing Pb====
The copper tracks on the top layer of a PCB are usually covered with a layer of (green) solder mask=====Mechanic TY-V866, which can be carefully scraped away from the portions of the track that are about to be soldered to say attach a wired=0. The round shape of the blade #23 (there are other blades with a rounded edge) allows the user to only remove the solder mask from the track of interest2mm, which will make the soldering process later on very easy1%..3% flux=====[[File:Mechanic TY-V866.jpg|none|thumb|Mechanic 0.2mm, since the remaining solder mask will prevent the solder to stick to the covered tracks1%. Exposing the other tracks by scraping too much solder mask away may result in a much more difficult soldering job.3% flux, Rosin core<br>Melting point: 183°C]]<br />
===Soldering Flux===
Soldering flux is the magic ingredient for a soldering job with many functions that makes it a breeze. It cleans and de-greases the components, promotes wetting (makes solder stick to the components instead of balling up) and reduces oxidation. The "tacky" variety also helps to keep the component in place so the usual step of "tacking down" a component can be skipped with enough soldering skill. ====CHIPQUIK SMD29130CC====[[File:Chipquik SMD29130CC rev1.jpg|none|thumb|CHIPQUIK No-Clean Tack Flux SMD29130CC]] ===Solder Mask Products=== ====UV curing solder mask ink==== =====Mechanic UVH900-LY=====[[File:Mechanic-UVH900-LY.jpg|none|thumb|Mechanic UVH900-LY <br /> UV curing solder mask ink]]<br /> ===Soldering Fixtures / work piece holders=======Soldering Fixtures for flat, smartphone sized PCBAs==== =====Stickvise=====[[File:Stickvise.jpg|none|thumb|Stickvise]] The [https://stickvise.com/ Stickvise] is a low profile vise for PCB holding and soldering skill . The vise can be customized with [https://www.stickvise.com/hacks/parametric-jaws parametric jaw plates]. The maximal distance between the jaws (with the supplied 6mm rod) is about 155.9mm and the jaws are about 76mm wide. The maximal distance between the jaws can be extended by using a longer 6mm rod, which is also used in optical cage systems and is therefore widely available.  =====MiJing T26=====[[File:MiJingT26.jpg|none|thumb|PCBA fixture made by MiJing of the Type T26]] This fixture is a reliable tool to keep PCBAs in place that have a low profile like the PCBAs of smartphones. It has a solid build quality and can be adapted to PCBAs with a higher profile by replacing the blue contact points with 3d-printed ones. The metal base plate is heavy with screwed in rubber feet to keep the fixed PCBA planted on the workbench. All parts are connected with screws, so maintenance or adaption to another application should be pretty easy. ====Work piece holders for PCBAs with large TH (through hole) components==== =====Panavise 333=====Fix me ===Magnification devices=== ====Eye Loupe====A simple 7x eye loupe is a small, useful tool for examining small parts. There are single monocular loupes, or for a bit higher cost, head-mounted eyeglass style stereoscopic loupes which may or may not feature replaceable optics. ====Headband magnifier====There are many kinds of head-mounted stereoscopic or single-element magnifying devices available. Some are equipped with LED lights, which is handy but not strictly necessary. The picture below shows one that was purchased from a discount tool store for less than US$10.[[File:Headband magnifier.jpg|none|thumb|headband magnifier]]<br />====USB microscopes====A microscope is handy for examining small parts or PCB traces. There are many inexpensive ones available. A stand is very useful as well for both precise positioning and to keep the camera steady.[[File:USB microscope with stand.jpg|none|thumb|USB microscope with stand]]<br /> ===Wire Strippers=== ====Knipex 12 40 200====Probably the last general purpose wire stripper you'll buy, costing about 50 bucks.[[File:Knipex1240200.jpg|none|thumb|Knipex 12 40 200<br>self-adjusting wire stripper<br>7-32 AWG, 0.03mm2..10mm2 ]] ====WSU-30M====[[File:Jonard WSU-30M.jpg|none|thumb|Wire wrapping tool made by Jonard]] This manual wire wrap tool has a wire stripper for AWG 30 wires integrated in its handle. ===Miscellaneous Items=== ====UV lamp G-10W====This USB-powered UV lamp emits about 0.7W of optical power @405nm and is a handy lamp to have around to cure UV glue and other UV cured substances.[[File:Package uvlamp.JPG|none|thumb|UV lamp G-10W]] I've removed the bottom part to get the UV LED closer to the sensor of the optical power meter further down.[[File:10w open.jpg|none|thumb|UV lamp G-10W, bottom part removed]] A quick measurement of the optical power of this lamp reveals that the 10W in the name has nothing to do with its power. This lamp is, with its price of about 12 USD, still a good tool to have around for all UV curing tasks.[[File:Almost10W.jpg|none|thumb|Optical Power Measurement for the G-10W with removed bottom part]] ====Tamper Evident Seal RS:196-5245====It's always handy to have some tamper evident seal on hand to make tampering less evident.[[File:TamperEvidentSeal.JPG|none|thumb|Tamper Evident Seal RS:196-5245]] ====Edding 8400====[[File:Edding8400.jpg|none|thumb|Edding 8400, black, fine tip (0.5mm), permanent marker]] ====Scotch Vinyl Electrical Tape Super 88====This tape is the recommended tape to use together with thermal cameras to get more accurate temperature readings, especially on reflective (for IR) surfaces.[[File:Super88.JPG|none|thumb|Scotch Super 88 vinyl tape]] ==Advanced tools for manipulating PCBAs== ===Magnification devices=== ====Stereoscopic microscope (analog)==== =====AmScope SM-4NTP=====This stereo microscope has a lockable double arm boom stand and a magnification range of 7X to 45X (zoom) and is great for component level repairs / modifications. The boom stand allows to quickly change between the normal view onto the work piece in the soldering fixture and a side-view while holding the work piece in the hand without the need to touch the focus and magnifications settings. You just pull out the head over the edge of the table to have room to turn the work piece in the hand to be able to get a side-view of pin-less IC-packages or other things that are difficult to see in liquid formthe normal view. [[File:Amscope.JPG|none|thumb|AmScope SM-4NTP with some modifications]] This Barlow lens reduces the magnification from 90X to a more usable 45X magnification and also increases the working distance, which helps to hold soldering tools at an optimal angle.[[File:WD165.JPG|none|thumb|WD165, 0.5X Barlow Lens]] This 0.5X C-mount adapter with adjustable focus is put between the camera port and the camera and enables the adjustment of the focus of the camera.[[File:Camera focus."JPG|none|thumb|0.5X C-mount adapter ring with adjustable focus]] This particular setup required to put a 5mm c-mount spacer between the camera and the component below it.[[File:C-mount-spacer.JPG|none|thumb|C-mount-spacer, 5mm]] Cheap 38MP HDMI camera found on AliExpress.[[File:ScopeCamera.JPG|none|thumb|38MP camera, top view]] [[File:ScopeCameraChip.JPG|none|thumb|38MP camera, bottom view]] ====Stereoscopic microscope (digital)====Fix me: add links and photos
Soldering flux is the magic sauce with many functions that makes soldering a breeze. It cleans =====The Stereo Ninja Project=====Fix me: add links and de-greases the components, promotes wetting (makes solder stick to the components instead of balling up) and reduces oxidation. The "tacky" variety also helps to keep the component in place due to its sticky properties.photos
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