Author Topic: Hello, advice on my lab, and what solder to buy please  (Read 9039 times)

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Offline HobGoblynTopic starter

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Hello, advice on my lab, and what solder to buy please
« on: December 29, 2019, 06:43:31 pm »
Hi all.  I'm a 55 year old who has had to effectively retire due to long term (but not terminal) health issues, meaning I'm unlikely to ever work again.  Thankfully our mortgage is paid off, we owe zero on credit cards/loans and my lovely wife works, so while we aren't rolling in money, we are not broke either.

I also got a tax nice tax refund that I split 50/50 with my wife to each spend on anything  we liked (my way of being allowed to get the stuff for my lab :)  )

Have been interested in electronics since an early age, I used to go to our local Tandy shop and buy kits to solder as a young kid (probably about 10+ years old) and had one of those 160 in one (or was it 200) electronic kits with the springs to connect wires to, this was in a nice wooden box.

I remember making a radio jammmer in my early teens (and remember sneaking it into our art class, as the teacher always had the radio on, and me driving her nuts without her knowing it was me), and my lovely wife, who I've been with for 37 years, the first time she heard of me was when her cassette recorder broke and a friend who knew both of us said he knew someone who could fix it, that someone being me :)

Then I got into computers, got a Vic 20 followed by a C64.  Luckily for me, one of my best friends from school was very very knowledgeable in programming (he ended up co writing Populous and Dungeon Master), at the time he was a computer operator for an oil exploration company, he got me a job there as a trainee, he also taught me how to program my C64 in 6502 assembly (OK it's a 6510, but that's based on 6502),  and there followed a career in IT.

I've never gone away from electronics though, I'm very mechanically minded in general, whether it's replacing a bearing on my extractor fan, or whether it's the washer dryer not working and being told it's about £200 for a replacement main board, and me simply going over various solder joints on it, and fixing it for £0  (that was 3 years ago, still working).

Where I lack knowledge is in maths. I'm OK at maths until you introduce algebra and calculus  (was never taught it at school).  I'm slowly going through a couple of courses, I'm beginning to take it in, but unless I'm using it all the time, I don't think it will stick properly (part of my health issues is that when I try to take in new information, on some days, not all, I get a fuzzy brain fog that tires me out).

What path do I want to follow, I'm not sure really, I want to learn how to design my own simple circuits, how to fault find and repair say a synthesizer (my other hobby), or possibly even build a basic one one day :)  I also have things that are broken, for example my sons old graphics card from his old laptop, I'd like to try to repair it at some point, just to see if I can.

I understand certain aspects of electronics, however, while I understand it, in that I could repeat how it works, my brain completely struggles to comprehend the idea of atoms and electrons.

That all said, I've decided to get some half decent gear  (well half decent as far as I'm concerned) .


I have the following at the moment  (most still in their boxes, waiting for xmas to be over before I take over the big table, others I've had a while):

Hantek DSO5102P Oscilloscope

Hakko FX-888D Soldering station (and Hakko 1.6mm chisel tip)

Backlight Transistor LCR-TC1 Tester for Diode Triode Capacitor  3.5" display

SWIFT S41-20 10X-20X Binocular Stereo Microscope Boom Arm with Dual Gooseneck LED Light

KKmoon 60MHz Signal Generator, 2.4 inch TFT LCD Digital DDS Dual-Channel Function Arbitrary Waveform/Pulse Generator,250MSa/s 8192X14bits Frequency Me

Zerone LED Digital Soldering Station, 1000W Rework Station Hot Air Gun Solder Rework Tool Kit with 3 Nozzles 220V UK Plug  (looks the same as the Quick 861 but a lot cheaper)

Soldering flux Liquid 50ml oiler- SMD/RMA No Clean,Reflow, Rework, Reball RF800

Power Supply, 2CH, 30V, 5A, ADJUSTABLE 72-10495 By TENMA

UNI-T UT61E multimeter

Digital laser infared themometer


Then components:
1000pcs 5mm red/green/blue/yellow/while LED kit
70pcs L7805 - LM317  transistor kit voltage regulator
1000 pcs 50 values Ceramic Capacitor kit
0805 resistor sample book
Resistor kit (through hole)
900Pcs 18 Kinds Of Transistor A1015-2N5551 NPN PNP Power General Purpose Transistors Assortment Kit
 
I could have bought  loads more component kits, but I stopped buying any more after reading this forum about having tons of stuff you never use.  I would like to have some common electrolytic capacitors, but the kits all have cheap brands, I would rather know what to buy and get them from say RS and buy the likes of Panasonic?  (probably be cheaper too)


Then comes the other bits:
I have tons of screwdrivers, including miniature sets etc.
Decent wire cutters, pliers, side cutters etc.
Silicon solder mat
Box of 6 different colour hook up wire spools
40 piece, 6 size double sided prototype boards
6 rolls (0.4 to 2cm width) high temp tape (for masking when doing smd work etc)
Isopropanol 99%
Two different sorts of circuit board holders
Soldering flux 50ml no clean RF800
Bread board and mounting kit (3 bread boards mounted on board with binding posts)
Another breadboard and jumper wire kit
1.5mm and 0.8mm desolder braid
desoldering pump

I've also ordered the following books:
Learning The Art Of Electronics, A Hands on Lab Course
Am about to order a 2nd hand 2nd edition of Art of Electronics
Teach Yourself Electricity and Electronics by Stan Gibilisco
Troubleshooting Analog Circuits by Robert A. Pease
A 12 month online subscription to Everyday Practical Electronics.

OK, I know I'm asking how long a piece of string is, and I know this is a long post.  But is anything glaring obvious that I've forgotten about please?

Finally we come to solder:

Initially a couple of weeks ago I ordered the following solder

RS PRO 0.4mm Wire Lead solder, +183°C Melting Point •60/40 tin/lead solder wire with no rosin (colophony) in flux

However, while RS were happy to supply me with my other stuff, they said they weren't allowed to sell me leaded solder (or my solder paste) as it's for professional use only

Quote

Thank you for your order, we apologise but we are unable to despatch these items they are restricted.
 

REACH Regulation (EC) No 1907/2006

Substances restricted under REACH Annex XVII

These products contain a substance that is restricted under Annex XVII of the REACH Regulation.

It is restricted to professional users and cannot be supplied to the general public (non-trade customers).

Please refer to the Safety Data Sheet (SDS) for more information.

I presume at some point in the past, I have ticked the diy/hobby option on their info.

So I resorted to ebay, and ordered the following.

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/1MM-Tin-Lead-Flux-Solder-Welding-Iron-Line-Reel-Rosin-Core-Solder-Wire-PB37-SN63/254362182056?ssPageName=STRK%3AMEBIDX%3AIT&var=553927018746&_trksid=p2057872.m2749.l2649

and bought it in both 0.4 and 0.5mm sizes.

As I'm unsure about the quality of ebay stuff, I also tried buying Multicore 0.5mm 60 / 40  solder from CPC (part of Farnell) at the same time.  They happily sold it to me :)

I want to make sure the solder I have is usable.

After reading this thread, https://www.eevblog.com/forum/beginners/solder-choice-aim-sn62pb36ag2-vs-mg-chemicals-6337-no-clean-leaded-solder/msg2834530/#msg2834530

I see on Farnell's UK site (not on CPC)  they have Kester solder

https://uk.farnell.com/kester-solder/24-6337-8806/solder-63-37-0-4mm/dp/1610447?st=63%2037%20solder  which is £58.66 once VAT is added.

I obviously don't want to throw money away, on the other hand, I don't want to be soldering with sub par solder.  If it is better than the CPC stuff, it will last me ages and I will buy it, if it's no better, then I wont :)

I also ended up buying the following solder paste off ebay, same question, is it any good, or should I buy something better please?

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/MECHANIC-XGS40-Special-Liquid-Soldering-Solder-Paste-158-SN63-Pb37-SMD-BGA/163143695978?ssPageName=STRK%3AMEBIDX%3AIT&var=462308678084&_trksid=p2057872.m2749.l2649

Many thanks for taking the time to read all this, all advice gratefully appreciated
 

Offline rstofer

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Re: Hello, advice on my lab, and what solder to buy please
« Reply #1 on: December 29, 2019, 09:40:59 pm »
63-37 solder with rosin core is probably the most recommended solder for hobbyists (and anybody else who doesn't worry about lead solder).
Mine is 0.635 mm (0.025")

I would probably go for the name brand solder so Kester would be near the top of my list.  A roll like mine will last for years (depending, of course, on how much you solder).  I've been working on the same roll since I retired, 16 years ago.  I have a half finished roll of Ersin MultiCore that is also very good solder.  Don't know why it got off the solder holder.

Not asked but given anyway:

Khan Academy Electrical Engineering video series
Khan Academy Math video series
Digilent Real Analog series (has handouts and lab projects)

You can go a very long way with simple arithmetic and you don't need to derive the more advanced stuff, just understand the results.

When you're searching Google:  Ohm's Law, Kirchhoff's Laws, Thevenin's Theorem and Norton's Theorem will put you in a very good space.  They aren't hard, just a way of looking at circuits.

Plenty of stuff on the Internet.
« Last Edit: December 29, 2019, 09:44:19 pm by rstofer »
 
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Offline magic

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Re: Hello, advice on my lab, and what solder to buy please
« Reply #2 on: December 29, 2019, 09:59:52 pm »
You might still be able to get that highly dangerous and illegal alloy from American suppliers. Of course I don't encourage committing such travesties, at least until you leave the EU ;)
Alternatively, brick and mortar stores may sell it under the counter. Again, information provided purely for educational purposes. Buy lead-free.
I tend to stay away from no-name stuff after one time when I bought some which stank ungodly.
 
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Offline SilverSolder

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Re: Hello, advice on my lab, and what solder to buy please
« Reply #3 on: December 29, 2019, 10:23:59 pm »

Lead free solder is hopelessly bad for hobby use. 

Remember that laws are for the guidance of the wise, and the obedience of fools...   the reason for the "no lead solder" rules is to avoid the lead from oceans of crappy consumer products ending up in the landfills.  A hobbyist using leaded solder makes sqrt(FA) difference to the environment in the bigger picture.
 
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Offline magic

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Re: Hello, advice on my lab, and what solder to buy please
« Reply #4 on: December 29, 2019, 10:53:06 pm »
That's RoHS and it has nothing to do with consumer use.

Leaded solder is banned in the EU because somebody really smart determined that it may cause birth defects if ingested ::)

We should probably request a similar investigation into the fluxes used in lead-free solders now ;D
« Last Edit: December 29, 2019, 10:54:44 pm by magic »
 
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Offline Wimberleytech

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Re: Hello, advice on my lab, and what solder to buy please
« Reply #5 on: December 29, 2019, 11:02:05 pm »
Congrats on getting debt free!!  You have a great start on your lab.  Have fun!  And remember:  voltage is across, and current is through...not the other way around.
 
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Offline sokoloff

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Re: Hello, advice on my lab, and what solder to buy please
« Reply #6 on: December 30, 2019, 12:45:36 am »
A hobbyist using leaded solder makes sqrt(FA) difference to the environment in the bigger picture.
LOL at the estimate!

Username does NOT check out. :-DD

 

Online tautech

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Re: Hello, advice on my lab, and what solder to buy please
« Reply #7 on: December 30, 2019, 12:59:05 am »
@ HobGoblyn
Don't ever be tempted by that Pb free muck !

Some reasonable quality leaded solder and/or with 2% silver is all you'll ever need for hobbyist use.
A flux pen comes in handy occasionally too.
Avid Rabid Hobbyist.
Some stuff seen @ Siglent HQ cannot be shared.
 
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Offline SilverSolder

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Re: Hello, advice on my lab, and what solder to buy please
« Reply #8 on: December 30, 2019, 01:56:45 am »
A hobbyist using leaded solder makes sqrt(FA) difference to the environment in the bigger picture.
LOL at the estimate!

Username does NOT check out. :-DD

 :-DD

SnPbAg 62/36/2  is my preferred ammunition for electronics.  It is the best for precision work.  The toughest test I have done with it is to solder leads onto 0.5mm pitch DSBGA chips by hand (just to see if it was possible). No other solder works as well!
 

Offline tooki

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Re: Hello, advice on my lab, and what solder to buy please
« Reply #9 on: December 30, 2019, 10:40:32 am »
Hi all.  I'm a 55 year old who has had to effectively retire due to long term (but not terminal) health issues, meaning I'm unlikely to ever work again.  Thankfully our mortgage is paid off, we owe zero on credit cards/loans and my lovely wife works, so while we aren't rolling in money, we are not broke either.

[...]
Have been interested in electronics since an early age, I used to go to our local Tandy shop and buy kits to solder as a young kid (probably about 10+ years old) and had one of those 160 in one (or was it 200) electronic kits with the springs to connect wires to, this was in a nice wooden box.

[...]

Then I got into computers, got a Vic 20 followed by a C64.  Luckily for me, one of my best friends from school was very very knowledgeable in programming (he ended up co writing Populous and Dungeon Master), at the time he was a computer operator for an oil exploration company, he got me a job there as a trainee, he also taught me how to program my C64 in 6502 assembly (OK it's a 6510, but that's based on 6502),  and there followed a career in IT.

I've never gone away from electronics though, I'm very mechanically minded in general, whether it's replacing a bearing on my extractor fan, or whether it's the washer dryer not working and being told it's about £200 for a replacement main board, and me simply going over various solder joints on it, and fixing it for £0  (that was 3 years ago, still working).

Where I lack knowledge is in maths. I'm OK at maths until you introduce algebra and calculus  (was never taught it at school).  I'm slowly going through a couple of courses, I'm beginning to take it in, but unless I'm using it all the time, I don't think it will stick properly (part of my health issues is that when I try to take in new information, on some days, not all, I get a fuzzy brain fog that tires me out).
Wow! Your story sounds very much like my own, other than that I'm younger, and thus can't possibly retire now. I also have enjoyed electronics for as long as I can remember, though in my teens I drifted more into computers (though not programming), and that became my career. Repetitive strain injury forced me to leave IT, and I've been out of work for a few years now. During that time, I rediscovered electronics, built up a nice little lab, and have learned a ton. If all goes well, next school year I'll start turning this hobby into a new career.

I have the following at the moment  (most still in their boxes, waiting for xmas to be over before I take over the big table, others I've had a while):
[...]
Nice setup!! I still need to get a signal generator, that's the one thing I really don't have yet. Well, maybe an electronic load.

You will definitely need more than one multimeter (it's not uncommon to need 4 at once, to measure both current and voltage on both an input and an output). But as long as it's not being used on mains AC, you can use cheapies. The Aneng AN8009 is a superb value for this.

Another thing to consider is a bench multimeter (by which I mean a modern real one from Keysight, Keithley, Tek/Fluke, Rohde & Schwarz, BK Precision, etc., but not from a cheapie brand like Uni-T or Aneng, who simply put the guts of a handheld meter into a bench case). The reason is speed: my Keithley 2015 (for example) gets a stable reading faster than almost any handheld meter can even finish autoranging. This is more helpful than one might initially realize, as it can let you work faster, as well as see transient changes a bit better. You can get used bench meters at reasonable prices, which is how I got mine. The other advantage to bench meters is that they are just there, ready to use all the time, without consuming bench area. You can't stack handheld meters. ;)


Then components:
1000pcs 5mm red/green/blue/yellow/while LED kit
70pcs L7805 - LM317  transistor kit voltage regulator
1000 pcs 50 values Ceramic Capacitor kit
0805 resistor sample book
Resistor kit (through hole)
900Pcs 18 Kinds Of Transistor A1015-2N5551 NPN PNP Power General Purpose Transistors Assortment Kit
 
I could have bought  loads more component kits, but I stopped buying any more after reading this forum about having tons of stuff you never use.  I would like to have some common electrolytic capacitors, but the kits all have cheap brands, I would rather know what to buy and get them from say RS and buy the likes of Panasonic?  (probably be cheaper too)
In my personal experience rediscovering it as a hobby: eBay through-hole resistors suck. Though I've had no trouble with the accuracy of the resistors in the assortment I got, the thin leads on the eBay resistors are maddening to work with. They are fine for soldering into boards, but much too thin to put into breadboards. Since name-brand resistors with proper leads are still dirt cheap, go with them instead. You don't need a gazillion values. In my experience, the vast majority of circuits end up needing just the following values:
- 10 R
- 100, 220, 330, 470 R
- 1, 2.2, 3.3, 4.7, 6.8 K
- 10, 47, 68 K
- 100 K

with the 100R-10K and 100K probably making up the lion's share. When breadboarding, you can easily use combinations of these to approximate any oddball values you may need (and frankly, it often doesn't matter). So just get a bunch of these values, especially the 1K and 10K, plus a couple each of 1R, 47R, and 1M.

On the other hand, with electrolytics, they can get expensive quickly. So I use cheap ones for experimenting, and then use quality ones when actually building the circuit. In my case, I've found I use 1, 10 and 100 μF by far the most, so I'd suggest ordering a bunch of those from eBay, as well as few good quality ones from a real vendor if you spontaneously decide to build a permanent circuit.


I'd recommend buying a few of the following (just get them from a reputable vendor since you don't need many):
- ~10x rectifier diodes (1N400x)
- ~10x signal diodes (1N4148)
- ~4x Schottky diodes (1N581x)
- 1 each of a few different value zener diodes (just to test how they work)
 

You might want to get some rectangular LEDs (I recommend the 2x3x4mm ones) and prepare them as breadboard indicators by soldering a resistor inline. Those LEDs are thin enough to be able to line up on adjacent breadboard rows (2.54mm pitch), whereas regular 3 or 5mm LEDs are simply too big.

Note that historically, one has used somewhere in the ballpark of 330R to light an LED at around 20mA on a 5V line. But modern LEDs (especially blue, white, red and green) are so freaking bright that a 330R results in them being blinding when used as indicators. For modern LEDs as indicators, I use a 6.8K resistor to run the LED at around 0.3mA.


Finally, what I don't see on your list at all is MOSFETs. I find these easier to work with than BJTs in many cases. I suggest getting some logic-level n-channel MOSFETs like something in the IRLZ series, for example the IRLZ44N. (Twist the end of the leads 90˚ using flat pliers so that they won't damage the breadboard when inserted!)

Then comes the other bits:
I have tons of screwdrivers, including miniature sets etc.
Decent wire cutters, pliers, side cutters etc.
Silicon solder mat
Box of 6 different colour hook up wire spools
40 piece, 6 size double sided prototype boards
6 rolls (0.4 to 2cm width) high temp tape (for masking when doing smd work etc)
Isopropanol 99%
Two different sorts of circuit board holders
Soldering flux 50ml no clean RF800
Bread board and mounting kit (3 bread boards mounted on board with binding posts)
Another breadboard and jumper wire kit
1.5mm and 0.8mm desolder braid
desoldering pump
Tweezers. Absolutely essential for working with SMD, but also handy for all manner of other tasks. Invest in a top quality brand -- cheapies work OK, but the imprecisely ground tips just wobble around more. I happen to have a Wiha one and I'm thoroughly pleased with it.

If you haven't already, invest in a pair of top quality forged diagonal cutters, like Knipex 77 or 79 series, or Erem, and never, ever let them near anything but copper wire, solder, and soft plastic, so as to maintain their edge. They will reward you with effortless cutting. Try to get a pair with the wire retainer that keeps the snippings from flying across the room. (Regular stamped cutters, even from top brands, aren't quite as precise, and take a bit more effort. Additionally, those struggle with non-wire items like heat shrink tubing, whereas the forged ones will cut those neatly.)

Especially if using a silicone mat, be sure to get an antistatic wrist strap. But I'd recommend getting a proper ESD mat instead. They're not expensive, and reduce the risk of damaging anything.

Get a gel flux, as it's very handy for tacking down SMD components like resistors until you solder them down.

Regarding solder wick: no brand I have ever tried (and I've tried many) even comes close to the MG Chemicals wicks. They have a much finer braid than the others, which just works awesome. And it's not even that expensive! See my old post with pix at: https://www.eevblog.com/forum/beginners/desoldering-advice-please-removing-dip-ic_s-without-damage/msg833426/#msg833426

Get some silicone tubing, the smallest diameter that will fit onto the tip of your desoldering pump, and cut a length such that it extends 3-5mm beyond the hard tip. Lets you get closer to the joint to suck it away.


OK, I know I'm asking how long a piece of string is, and I know this is a long post.  But is anything glaring obvious that I've forgotten about please?
Test leads?

More and more, I've been making my own, so I can optimize them for the things I really do. Since I experiment on breadboards a lot, I've made a bunch of banana-to-male pin cables that plug right into the breadboard. I use pins intended for connectors, as they're a bit more sturdy, and have nicely bulleted points that go in easily. Just make sure the pins do not exceed 0.8mm diameter (not cross-section) so as to not damage the breadboard. The pins I attach to thin (~24AWG) silicone test lead wire and then to banana plugs, using heat shrink to insulate the pin "handles" and create strain relief on the banana end, since banana plugs are all designed for much thicker wire. (Test leads like that are nearly impossible to buy.) I also have a few female pin header to banana cables, for attaching to headers on eBay modules and the like.


The other thing I use a lot are mini-grabber to banana and mini-grabber to mini-grabber leads. These are easy to buy, so I don't bother DIYing them.

What I do suggest is buying a couple of pairs of high-quality screw-terminal banana plugs that are easy and non-destructive to disassemble (I highly suggest Pomona 1825 for this). Use them with any old stranded wire to make custom cables as you go, and then take them apart when finished. From doing that for a while, it will emerge which test lead configurations and lengths you use over and over, and then you can buy or make permanent versions of those using proper silicone test lead wire and soldered banana plugs. (For this, I like the Stäubli SLS4-B plugs, since they are so compact and versatile, but you may find them difficult to procure outside of Europe.)

What I practically never use is alligator clips. So maybe have one pair of alligator to banana cables.


The other big thing I don't see on your list is anything Arduino. That's a great way to get started with microcontrollers, which nowadays are an inescapable core competency in electronics. (You, being an experienced programmer, will have a leg up in this!) There are some great Arduino kits on eBay that come with dozens of sensors, displays, and other doohickeys, knick-knacks, and gewgaws. Those are awesome for learning how to interface with real-world peripheral devices, as well as the pitfalls and limitations of the Arduino ecosystem (and why you might eventually leave it for a more "grown up" development environment).

I started with an Arduino Mega2560 kit, then got an Arduino Uno, and since then, a bunch of Arduino nano boards, and now I'm beginning to use the bare Atmega microcontrollers. (You'll likely end up wanting more than one Arduino, since it's likely you'll end up with multiple projects in parallel, and switching the same Arduino between projects over and over just gets tedious, in addition to requiring you to be very careful to reprogram it before moving it back into another circuit, lest you feed errant signals into your circuit!)





Finally we come to solder:
[...]
So I resorted to ebay, and ordered the following.

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/1MM-Tin-Lead-Flux-Solder-Welding-Iron-Line-Reel-Rosin-Core-Solder-Wire-PB37-SN63/254362182056?ssPageName=STRK%3AMEBIDX%3AIT&var=553927018746&_trksid=p2057872.m2749.l2649

and bought it in both 0.4 and 0.5mm sizes.

As I'm unsure about the quality of ebay stuff, I also tried buying Multicore 0.5mm 60 / 40  solder from CPC (part of Farnell) at the same time.  They happily sold it to me :)

I want to make sure the solder I have is usable.
The eBay stuff is highly likely to be unusable junk. :-\

Multicore/Loctite/Stannol (it's all the same company, Henkel) is a great brand, and you'll be very happy with the 60/40. The difference between 63/37 and 60/40 is minuscule, and while I do prefer the former if given the choice, I'd choose a name-brand 60/40 over eBay chinesium 63/37 any day.

My daily driver solder is Kester 63/37 in 0.8mm with rosin core ("44" flux). (I'm not sure if I can have it sent to Switzerland any more, due to the same REACH directive, though. Worst case, I'll get it on a visit to USA. ;)) Henkel doesn't make 63/37 any more, but they still do 60/40 and that's a perfectly fine choice if it's easier to get than Kester 63/37.

Little tip: if, like me, you only rarely need thick solder, don't buy any. Instead, on the rare cases you need it, just take 2 or more strands of your thin solder and twist them into a rope, which will work every bit as well.


After reading this thread, https://www.eevblog.com/forum/beginners/solder-choice-aim-sn62pb36ag2-vs-mg-chemicals-6337-no-clean-leaded-solder/msg2834530/#msg2834530

I see on Farnell's UK site (not on CPC)  they have Kester solder

https://uk.farnell.com/kester-solder/24-6337-8806/solder-63-37-0-4mm/dp/1610447?st=63%2037%20solder  which is £58.66 once VAT is added.

I obviously don't want to throw money away, on the other hand, I don't want to be soldering with sub par solder.  If it is better than the CPC stuff, it will last me ages and I will buy it, if it's no better, then I wont :)
Kester and Multicore are of equivalent quality (as in, they're the Rolls-Royces of solder). You'll be equally delighted with either, so absolutely no reason to replace the Multicore with Kester.

That seems like a quite high price for the Kester, by the way. I think it's a lot less on Digi-Key, and even less on Amazon.


I also ended up buying the following solder paste off ebay, same question, is it any good, or should I buy something better please?

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/MECHANIC-XGS40-Special-Liquid-Soldering-Solder-Paste-158-SN63-Pb37-SMD-BGA/163143695978?ssPageName=STRK%3AMEBIDX%3AIT&var=462308678084&_trksid=p2057872.m2749.l2649
Try it out and see how it performs. If it doesn't produce good results, chuck it and order a tube of MG Chemicals solder paste from Amazon.com.
« Last Edit: December 30, 2019, 10:46:08 am by tooki »
 

Offline tooki

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Re: Hello, advice on my lab, and what solder to buy please
« Reply #10 on: December 30, 2019, 10:56:07 am »

Lead free solder is hopelessly bad for hobby use. 

Remember that laws are for the guidance of the wise, and the obedience of fools...   the reason for the "no lead solder" rules is to avoid the lead from oceans of crappy consumer products ending up in the landfills.  A hobbyist using leaded solder makes sqrt(FA) difference to the environment in the bigger picture.
Though I completely agree that the lead-free requirement was silly regulation, I cannot agree with your assertion of lead-free being "hopeless" for hobby use. That's just nonsense. Frankly, the quality of soldering iron, solder, and flux makes a far bigger difference than whether it's leaded or lead-free.

I use both, and am equally successful in soldering with both. For lead-free I do, however, strongly recommend using SAC305 alloy, and not Sn99/Sn100, as those are much more susceptible to solder bridging than the SAC305. (I would go so far as to say that Sn99/Sn100 is really not ideal for beginners.) Other than requiring the iron to be set about 20C higher, SAC305 behaves very much like leaded solder.


SnPbAg 62/36/2  is my preferred ammunition for electronics.  It is the best for precision work.  The toughest test I have done with it is to solder leads onto 0.5mm pitch DSBGA chips by hand (just to see if it was possible). No other solder works as well!
Really? What I've read/heard repeatedly is that SnPbAg 62/36/2 is actually slightly harder to work with than 63/37, and thus really only makes sense when working with silver-plated terminals like on old Tek gear, ceramic hybrids, and some SMD components, where you need to prevent silver plate from dissolving.
« Last Edit: December 30, 2019, 12:01:21 pm by tooki »
 

Offline mc172

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Re: Hello, advice on my lab, and what solder to buy please
« Reply #11 on: December 30, 2019, 11:21:17 am »
 

Offline tooki

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Re: Hello, advice on my lab, and what solder to buy please
« Reply #12 on: December 30, 2019, 12:02:29 pm »
I like this stuff.

https://uk.rs-online.com/mobile/p/solders/2294308/
Well, he got the 0.5mm version of that, so I'm certain he'll be happy with it.
 

Offline SilverSolder

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Re: Hello, advice on my lab, and what solder to buy please
« Reply #13 on: December 30, 2019, 04:17:32 pm »

Lead free solder is hopelessly bad for hobby use. 

Remember that laws are for the guidance of the wise, and the obedience of fools...   the reason for the "no lead solder" rules is to avoid the lead from oceans of crappy consumer products ending up in the landfills.  A hobbyist using leaded solder makes sqrt(FA) difference to the environment in the bigger picture.
Though I completely agree that the lead-free requirement was silly regulation, I cannot agree with your assertion of lead-free being "hopeless" for hobby use. That's just nonsense. Frankly, the quality of soldering iron, solder, and flux makes a far bigger difference than whether it's leaded or lead-free.

I use both, and am equally successful in soldering with both. For lead-free I do, however, strongly recommend using SAC305 alloy, and not Sn99/Sn100, as those are much more susceptible to solder bridging than the SAC305. (I would go so far as to say that Sn99/Sn100 is really not ideal for beginners.) Other than requiring the iron to be set about 20C higher, SAC305 behaves very much like leaded solder.


SnPbAg 62/36/2  is my preferred ammunition for electronics.  It is the best for precision work.  The toughest test I have done with it is to solder leads onto 0.5mm pitch DSBGA chips by hand (just to see if it was possible). No other solder works as well!
Really? What I've read/heard repeatedly is that SnPbAg 62/36/2 is actually slightly harder to work with than 63/37, and thus really only makes sense when working with silver-plated terminals like on old Tek gear, ceramic hybrids, and some SMD components, where you need to prevent silver plate from dissolving.

I learned to solder when I was a kid, using a Weller 100/140W gun to do electronics work.  Hey, it's what I had! Trial by fire...  I still have one, for jobs where too much heat is conducted away from the point being soldered for a regular iron to do a good job.

I don't disagree violently with anything you have said, but the higher melting point of lead free makes soldering a little more difficult and lead free is not really compatible with older equipment that you may be working on (lifting tracks etc.).  In my experience, SnPbAg mixes very well with old and new solder (both leaded and lead free) and reliably yields beautiful shiny joints in pretty much all situations. To me, it is simpler to just always use it. 

 

Offline HobGoblynTopic starter

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Re: Hello, advice on my lab, and what solder to buy please
« Reply #14 on: December 30, 2019, 06:37:26 pm »
Wow! Your story sounds very much like my own, other than that I'm younger, and thus can't possibly retire now. I also have enjoyed electronics for as long as I can remember, though in my teens I drifted more into computers (though not programming), and that became my career. Repetitive strain injury forced me to leave IT, and I've been out of work for a few years now. During that time, I rediscovered electronics, built up a nice little lab, and have learned a ton. If all goes well, next school year I'll start turning this hobby into a new career.    snip.....

Many many many thanks for your reply. Appreciate the time etc you've spent and it's very helpful

As it stands, I have about £450 left to spend, I obviously don't want to waste it, but it's available if needed.

I will order the items you suggest and see how I go.

Have looked on ebay, cheapest I can find the Keithley 2015 is £450, something I may consider in the future.

Looking at other brands, the ones you listed, I can only find BK Precision, there's this one which is affordable, but I'm no expert, so don't know how good a deal it is.
https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/BK-Precision-2831D-4-5-Digit-True-RMS-Bench-Digital-Multimeter-Set-of-3-Untested/274126037819?epid=1904458474&hash=item3fd32f633b:g:MzAAAOSwkiVd5sXd
« Last Edit: December 30, 2019, 06:49:24 pm by HobGoblyn »
 
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Offline tooki

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Re: Hello, advice on my lab, and what solder to buy please
« Reply #15 on: December 31, 2019, 09:38:24 am »
There's no need to rush. I think most people here will agree that, once you've got the basics, the best approach is to buy things as you discover you need them. (Yes, it's frustrating to not have it at the moment you need it, but it prevents stocking up on crap you never use.) For example, I know I need a function generator because on many occasions, I've been forced to use a phone app to generate signals (limiting it to audio frequencies, of course, among other limitations), or the super-basic square wave generators in some of my multimeters. So you'll discover what you need as you go. IMHO, other than the little things I mentioned, you've got a great setup already. Given the remaining budget, I think you'd be better off (for now) ordering a few $12 Aneng meters than blowing the rest of your budget on a bench meter, nice as they may be. If you google for it, there's an instruction somewhere on how to add some capacitors to the Aneng that makes them perform even better than they do out of the box.

I'm no expert on the BK Precision gear, but given that those are LED, they're probably too old to have the high speed that I find to be a bench meter's big advantage. (FYI, handheld meters, and old bench meters, generally have update rates of 2-5 times per second, vs the tens/hundreds/thousands/millions of updates per second of later bench meters.) Stick with a few handheld meters for now and see how you do.

The only meter speed thing I think is REALLY important is having a really good continuity tester. (Obviously, one single meter with this is sufficient.) Fluke is the hands-down champion in this, but what's really surprising is that a lot of cheap meters with mediocre continuity testers actually are being limited by their intolerance of crappy probes, and pairing them with high quality gold-plated probes improves their performance dramatically. The Aneng is a perfect example of this — continuity is "meh" with the included probes, and great with gold probes. Many of us on the forum (myself included) swear by Probe Master probes, since they are top-notch and nonetheless not particularly costly. One of the forum mods, Simon, even resells them in the UK. The other highly recommended gold probes are from Brymen. These are a bit more traditional looking than the Probe Master, and easier to procure outside of USA. A forum member, Franky, is well-known for having a reliable eBay store where many forum members go for test leads, including the gold Brymen probes.
 
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Offline tooki

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Re: Hello, advice on my lab, and what solder to buy please
« Reply #16 on: December 31, 2019, 09:55:04 am »
I don't disagree violently with anything you have said, but the higher melting point of lead free makes soldering a little more difficult and lead free is not really compatible with older equipment that you may be working on (lifting tracks etc.). 
IMHO, for new construction, the higher melting point (requiring a hotter iron) has one main disadvantage for beginners, which is that the added heat causes the solder to oxidize faster, so you really can't dawdle and rework, as novice solderers often do.

On the other hand, I completely agree with you that lead-free solder is totally unsuited for repairing pre-RoHS devices, as the older boards and components definitely were not designed to take that kind of heat. This alone should be reason enough for leaded solder to remain available to hobbyists, who may need to repair older gear. (The geniuses behind RoHS and REACH don't think of such things...)

In my experience, SnPbAg mixes very well with old and new solder (both leaded and lead free)...
I'm sure it does, but I don't find it burdensome to keep both kinds in my lab, so I use 63/37 and SAC305, depending on the job.

...and reliably yields beautiful shiny joints in pretty much all situations. To me, it is simpler to just always use it.
Well, one has to understand that solder shine isn't the same joint quality criterion in lead-free as in leaded. Lead-free is VERY hard to get glossy joints with, but it's also not necessary. A consistent, clean, but satin-finish joint is perfectly fine in lead-free. It shouldn't be dull/matte, but it needn't be a mirror shine. Aesthetics aren't reason enough to dismiss lead-free altogether. (As an aside, I actually find it easier to inspect the satiny lead-free joints, as they don't reflect the surrounding components as much as the mirror shine of leaded.)
 
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Offline SilverSolder

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Re: Hello, advice on my lab, and what solder to buy please
« Reply #17 on: December 31, 2019, 02:17:09 pm »
[...] Aesthetics aren't reason enough to dismiss lead-free altogether. [...]

? ? ?  :scared:

Je suis une ARTISTE, m. Tooki!  - if it don't look good, it ain't good!   :-DD
 

Offline mariush

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Re: Hello, advice on my lab, and what solder to buy please
« Reply #18 on: December 31, 2019, 03:51:21 pm »

Finally we come to solder:

Initially a couple of weeks ago I ordered the following solder

RS PRO 0.4mm Wire Lead solder, +183°C Melting Point •60/40 tin/lead solder wire with no rosin (colophony) in flux

However, while RS were happy to supply me with my other stuff, they said they weren't allowed to sell me leaded solder (or my solder paste) as it's for professional use only

Quote

Thank you for your order, we apologise but we are unable to despatch these items they are restricted.
 

REACH Regulation (EC) No 1907/2006

Substances restricted under REACH Annex XVII

These products contain a substance that is restricted under Annex XVII of the REACH Regulation.

It is restricted to professional users and cannot be supplied to the general public (non-trade customers).

Please refer to the Safety Data Sheet (SDS) for more information.

I presume at some point in the past, I have ticked the diy/hobby option on their info.

So I resorted to ebay, and ordered the following.

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/1MM-Tin-Lead-Flux-Solder-Welding-Iron-Line-Reel-Rosin-Core-Solder-Wire-PB37-SN63/254362182056?ssPageName=STRK%3AMEBIDX%3AIT&var=553927018746&_trksid=p2057872.m2749.l2649

and bought it in both 0.4 and 0.5mm sizes.

As I'm unsure about the quality of ebay stuff, I also tried buying Multicore 0.5mm 60 / 40  solder from CPC (part of Farnell) at the same time.  They happily sold it to me :)

I want to make sure the solder I have is usable.

After reading this thread, https://www.eevblog.com/forum/beginners/solder-choice-aim-sn62pb36ag2-vs-mg-chemicals-6337-no-clean-leaded-solder/msg2834530/#msg2834530

I see on Farnell's UK site (not on CPC)  they have Kester solder

https://uk.farnell.com/kester-solder/24-6337-8806/solder-63-37-0-4mm/dp/1610447?st=63%2037%20solder  which is £58.66 once VAT is added.

I obviously don't want to throw money away, on the other hand, I don't want to be soldering with sub par solder.  If it is better than the CPC stuff, it will last me ages and I will buy it, if it's no better, then I wont :)


Please don't buy solder from no-name brands from eBay.  Should be  safe if they're Multicore/Kester or other well known brands, even if they're old stock like 5-10 years old...  flux inside the wire is relatively stable and will last for years inside the solder, and worst case scenario you can drag the solder wire through the folded napkin wet with isopropyl alcohol or acetone, to clean whatever oxides and impurities are now on the surface of the wire due to being stocked for so long time.

63/37 solder is very good, but I don't think you should get 0.4mm, it's a bit too thin. I personally use 0.56mm thick Multicore.

As for liquid flux, I use flux from a Polish company AG Thermopasty, which you can buy from TME.eu in big bottles :

long TME.eu link

Scroll down to bottles.  No-clean and RMA are fairly safe. The RMA ones are a bit more active, may need to be removed with isopropyl alcohol afterwards...  stay away from water soluble and try to avoid "organic" / "green" fluxes as they're more toxic for your lungs when they're burnt by the iron tip.
 
TME is a distributor  like Farnell or RS-Components or Digikey, I ordered from them in the past, they're safe to buy from

They also have cheaper LEDs and passives like resistors, capacitors etc, not as cheap as LCSC or chinese sellers on eBay but you also don't spend weeks waiting for your packages.



 
 
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Offline HobGoblynTopic starter

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Re: Hello, advice on my lab, and what solder to buy please
« Reply #19 on: December 31, 2019, 04:04:13 pm »
Finally, what I don't see on your list at all is MOSFETs. I find these easier to work with than BJTs in many cases. I suggest getting some logic-level n-channel MOSFETs like something in the IRLZ series, for example the IRLZ44N. (Twist the end of the leads 90˚ using flat pliers so that they won't damage the breadboard when inserted!)

Completely new to MOSFETs.

RS has: 
IRLZ34NPBF  (£2.40 each)
IRLZ44NPBF  (£2.40 each)
IRLZ44ZPBF  (£4.68 for 5)
IRLZ24NPBF  (84p each)
IRLZ24PBF    (£1.91 for 5)
IRLZ14PBF    (76p each)

Do I need a few of each type?  Happy to spend, but haven't a clue :)


Quote
Tweezers. Absolutely essential for working with SMD, but also handy for all manner of other tasks. Invest in a top quality brand -- cheapies work OK, but the imprecisely ground tips just wobble around more. I happen to have a Wiha one and I'm thoroughly pleased with it.

I have a set, but they didn't cost a lot, and I find the ends of many to be very sharp and bend incredibly easily, so shall splash out on a decent pair.

Quote
If you haven't already, invest in a pair of top quality forged diagonal cutters, like Knipex 77 or 79 series, or Erem, and never, ever let them near anything but copper wire, solder, and soft plastic, so as to maintain their edge. They will reward you with effortless cutting. Try to get a pair with the wire retainer that keeps the snippings from flying across the room. (Regular stamped cutters, even from top brands, aren't quite as precise, and take a bit more effort. Additionally, those struggle with non-wire items like heat shrink tubing, whereas the forged ones will cut those neatly.)


I have a pair of cheap cutters, but not very good.   

Will these be OK or do I need to spend more? https://uk.rs-online.com/web/p/cutters/1585710/

When you say only to use them on copper and solder, does that mean I need something else to cut the legs off caps and resistors?

Quote
The other big thing I don't see on your list is anything Arduino. That's a great way to get started with microcontrollers, which nowadays are an inescapable core competency in electronics. (You, being an experienced programmer, will have a leg up in this!) There are some great Arduino kits on eBay that come with dozens of sensors, displays, and other doohickeys, knick-knacks, and gewgaws. Those are awesome for learning how to interface with real-world peripheral devices, as well as the pitfalls and limitations of the Arduino ecosystem (and why you might eventually leave it for a more "grown up" development environment).

I've got one of those kits  (Uno) with every sensor known to mankind :)  Will  also order a few clone uno/nano and mega boards

Many thanks
« Last Edit: December 31, 2019, 06:34:58 pm by HobGoblyn »
 

Offline HobGoblynTopic starter

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Re: Hello, advice on my lab, and what solder to buy please
« Reply #20 on: December 31, 2019, 04:12:56 pm »

Scroll down to bottles.  No-clean and RMA are fairly safe. The RMA ones are a bit more active, may need to be removed with isopropyl alcohol afterwards...  stay away from water soluble and try to avoid "organic" / "green" fluxes as they're more toxic for your lungs when they're burnt by the iron tip.

Something like

https://www.tme.eu/gb/details/te410_1/fluxes/cynel/

I presume I should avoid lead free flux as I'm using lead solder?

Many thanks




 
 

Offline mariush

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Re: Hello, advice on my lab, and what solder to buy please
« Reply #21 on: December 31, 2019, 04:28:36 pm »

Scroll down to bottles.  No-clean and RMA are fairly safe. The RMA ones are a bit more active, may need to be removed with isopropyl alcohol afterwards...  stay away from water soluble and try to avoid "organic" / "green" fluxes as they're more toxic for your lungs when they're burnt by the iron tip.

Something like

https://www.tme.eu/gb/details/te410_1/fluxes/cynel/

I presume I should avoid lead free flux as I'm using lead solder?

Many thanks

I can't vouch for Cynel, which as far as I know is some Spanish brand.  In the past, I checked reviews of solders on Youtube and Cynel solders weren't great compared to others. I don't know how well the fluxes are, they may be ok, I just can't recommend them as I never personally used them.

I use the fluxes from AG Thermopasty, in particular the TK series (no clean, rosin based, can be left on board after use, it's not so active to require cleaning) :

50ml : https://www.tme.eu/gb/details/flux-tk_50/fluxes/ag-termopasty/art-agt-044/
100ml : https://www.tme.eu/gb/details/flux-tk_100/fluxes/ag-termopasty/art-agt-045/

Lead free flux can be used with leaded solder. 

Flux doesn't have lead anyway, so the term is somewhat incorrect.  Basically, when they say lead free, they just mean it's a flux formula that's optimized for lead free solders, which require higher temperature to melt (you need 180c for 60/40 or 183 for 63/37 but ~215-217c for lead free solders, so you often can live with 300c set on iron tips with leaded solders, but may need 350c on lead free solders).

So, the idea is these lead free fluxes are a bit stronger because they have to activate and do their work in much shorter time, before the higher heat from the solder iron tip burns the flux. 
Stronger fluxes means worse for your lungs if you breathe in the flux vapors   


To add to this thread, I'd suggest also buying a crimping tool for making your own connectors, if you didn't already buy one.
A very good one is this one, which can crimp lots of series of connectors from AWG 28 to AWG18 wires : https://www.tme.eu/gb/details/fut.pa-20/crimping-tools-for-terminals/engineer/pa-20/

It's expensive, but worth it.

And if you place order at TME, you may want to consider buying a bottle of isopropyl alcohol (for electronics, you can get 97% or better), they have them in bottles up to 1 liter : https://www.tme.eu/gb/katalog/?search=isopropyl%20alcohol&s_field=1000014&s_order=desc&limit=20&currency=GBP&page=1

« Last Edit: December 31, 2019, 04:34:41 pm by mariush »
 
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Offline not1xor1

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Re: Hello, advice on my lab, and what solder to buy please
« Reply #22 on: December 31, 2019, 05:08:18 pm »
That's RoHS and it has nothing to do with consumer use.

Leaded solder is banned in the EU because somebody really smart determined that it may cause birth defects if ingested ::)

We should probably request a similar investigation into the fluxes used in lead-free solders now ;D

It looks like hunters have no restriction and can go on spreading lead into the environment (17500 tons per year in Italy alone).
BTW a while ago I read that game eaters have high levels of lead in their body because bullets fragment in many small pieces and so it is not possible to completely remove it from the meat.
 
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Offline HobGoblynTopic starter

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Re: Hello, advice on my lab, and what solder to buy please
« Reply #23 on: December 31, 2019, 06:43:37 pm »


I can't vouch for Cynel, which as far as I know is some Spanish brand.  In the past, I checked reviews of solders on Youtube and Cynel solders weren't great compared to others. I don't know how well the fluxes are, they may be ok, I just can't recommend them as I never personally used them.

I use the fluxes from AG Thermopasty, in particular the TK series (no clean, rosin based, can be left on board after use, it's not so active to require cleaning) :

50ml : https://www.tme.eu/gb/details/flux-tk_50/fluxes/ag-termopasty/art-agt-044/
100ml : https://www.tme.eu/gb/details/flux-tk_100/fluxes/ag-termopasty/art-agt-045/

Many thanks I will order the 100ml, would much rather order something someone can vouch for than do a lucky dip

Quote
 


To add to this thread, I'd suggest also buying a crimping tool for making your own connectors, if you didn't already buy one.
A very good one is this one, which can crimp lots of series of connectors from AWG 28 to AWG18 wires : https://www.tme.eu/gb/details/fut.pa-20/crimping-tools-for-terminals/engineer/pa-20/

It's expensive, but worth it.

I will add that to my order

I  bought 1lt of 99% isopropyl alcohol a couple of weeks ago :)

Many thanks for your help

I'm very nearly there
 

Offline tooki

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Re: Hello, advice on my lab, and what solder to buy please
« Reply #24 on: December 31, 2019, 06:54:38 pm »
Finally, what I don't see on your list at all is MOSFETs. I find these easier to work with than BJTs in many cases. I suggest getting some logic-level n-channel MOSFETs like something in the IRLZ series, for example the IRLZ44N. (Twist the end of the leads 90˚ using flat pliers so that they won't damage the breadboard when inserted!)

Completely new to MOSFETs.

RS has: 
IRLZ34NPBF  (£2.40 each)
IRLZ44NPBF  (£2.40 each)
IRLZ44ZPBF  (£4.68 for 5)
IRLZ24NPBF  (84p each)
IRLZ24PBF    (£1.91 for 5)
IRLZ14PBF    (76p each)

Do I need a few of each type?  Happy to spend, but haven't a clue :)
Nah. I'd just go for whatever's cheapest, so in this case, the IRLZ24PBF 5-pack for 1.91. It's a nice part with balanced characteristics that'll do fine for experimenting with a few amps load (for example, PWM dimming an LED strip using an Arduino or 555 timer). Later, if/when you have a specific use case in mind, you can go about choosing an optimized part (e.g. one optimized for speed vs one optimized for higher current).


Quote
Tweezers. Absolutely essential for working with SMD, but also handy for all manner of other tasks. Invest in a top quality brand -- cheapies work OK, but the imprecisely ground tips just wobble around more. I happen to have a Wiha one and I'm thoroughly pleased with it.

I have a set, but they didn't cost a lot, and I find the ends of many to be very sharp and bend incredibly easily, so shall splash out on a decent pair.
RS seems to have a lot of name-brand tweezers with variously sharp points, and likely any of them would be fine.

I know Idealtek is a good brand, made in Switzerland, and nonetheless not expensive:
https://uk.rs-online.com/web/p/tweezers/7870279/ (bare)
https://uk.rs-online.com/web/p/tweezers/1367337/ (with grippy black paint, like mine)
https://uk.rs-online.com/web/p/tweezers/1367329/ (with foam handles)

(These are the same shape/size as my Wiha tweezers, the "AA SA" type. There seems to be some agreement between manufacturers about these designations.)


Quote
If you haven't already, invest in a pair of top quality forged diagonal cutters, like Knipex 77 or 79 series, or Erem, and never, ever let them near anything but copper wire, solder, and soft plastic, so as to maintain their edge. They will reward you with effortless cutting. Try to get a pair with the wire retainer that keeps the snippings from flying across the room. (Regular stamped cutters, even from top brands, aren't quite as precise, and take a bit more effort. Additionally, those struggle with non-wire items like heat shrink tubing, whereas the forged ones will cut those neatly.)


I have a pair of cheap cutters, but not very good.   

Will these be OK or do I need to spend more? https://uk.rs-online.com/web/p/cutters/1585710/
Those will do perfectly. In fact, I was just looking at those in a store the other day and was very impressed by them. The jaws are very, very precisely made.

RS also carries a wide selection of Idealtek cutters and pliers. I don't have any personal experience with them, but I'd expect them to be of equivalent quality. (I talk about Knipex stuff because I have lots of hands-on experience with it.)


When you say only to use them on copper and solder, does that mean I need something else to cut the legs off caps and resistors?
I apologize, I oversimplified.

Basically, the idea is to avoid cutting excessively hard and/or thick wire. Copper, aluminum, lead, plastic, etc. are all very soft and electronics-thickness wire will not damage the blades. Steel covers a large range of hardnesses, but the thin steel of electronic components will absolutely not be a problem. The main purpose of these cutters is to trim component legs, cut thin wires, and trim small zip ties, so you'll definitely be fine cutting those. Just don't be tempted to cut piano wire, wire fencing and things like that with them.

If you look at the Knipex catalog, it lists the maximum capacity for its cutters, for soft, medium, and hard wires, and for super-hard wire like piano wire. For example, on that model, 1.6mm/1.2/0.6mm/- diameter, respectively. (The limits are also printed right on the handle of the cutters!) So you wouldn't use these cutters to cut nails, nor would you use them to cut 6mm thick copper mains wiring. Not that you'd want to given their size! :)


Speaking of Knipex, I just remembered two things you might consider, if you don't already own some: round-nose pliers (like 35 32 115) and flat-jaw pliers (like 35 12 115). I've come to rely on these constantly for forming component legs, bending wires, etc. The round-nose ones don't need the tight precision of the cutters and flat-jaw pliers, so if you need to economize, they're the ones where I would go cheaper, just make sure they're small.


Reichelt, a German mail-order vendor with an explicit UK site, carries a much larger Knipex selection than RS, and at lower prices. In fact, they have the same round-nose pliers I have (the 34 32 130) on sale now for £25: https://www.reichelt.com/gb/en/precision-electronics-gripping-pliers-round-pointed-kn-34-32-130-p66314.html?&trstct=pol_4

The 77 02 115 cutters are £28: https://www.reichelt.com/gb/en/side-cutters-115-mm-small-bevel-kn-77-02-115-p24879.html?&trstct=pol_5

And the 35 12 115 flat-jaw pliers for £23: https://www.reichelt.com/gb/en/electronics-gripping-pliers-115-mm-flat-wide-jaws-kn-35-12-115-p24896.html?&trstct=pol_2

They also carry Knipex tweezers that appear identical to my daily-driver Wiha: https://www.reichelt.com/gb/en/precision-tweezers-esd-kn-92-28-69-esd-p184292.html?&trstct=pol_1


Even with £9 shipping, you'd likely come out ahead on those, plus they have many other Knipex models, too.




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The other big thing I don't see on your list is anything Arduino. That's a great way to get started with microcontrollers, which nowadays are an inescapable core competency in electronics. (You, being an experienced programmer, will have a leg up in this!) There are some great Arduino kits on eBay that come with dozens of sensors, displays, and other doohickeys, knick-knacks, and gewgaws. Those are awesome for learning how to interface with real-world peripheral devices, as well as the pitfalls and limitations of the Arduino ecosystem (and why you might eventually leave it for a more "grown up" development environment).

I've got one of those kits  (Uno) with every sensor known to mankind :)  Will  also order a few clone uno/nano and mega boards
OK, then you're set! :) In fact, maybe just wait on the mega (just get one if you actually exceed the capabilities of an uno/nano) and just get a couple of $2 uno/nano clones from eBay so you aren't monopolizing the one Uno. :)
 
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