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Soldering question


Ruby60

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Hi, Building my kit finally...it's been sitting in the box for a couple of years...

So, I haven't done any soldering of this sort in some time, but when I was soldering stuff, it was the norm to 1) clean the component leads by emery cloth or fine sand paper and 2) to pre-tin the leads.

Kit build doesn't mention this, so I'm wondering if this is still needed? Or does this "no clean" solder make this unnecessary?

Thanks,

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I've never done those steps. I'm sure the cleaning doesn't hurt, but I'd be afraid pre-tinning the leads would make them no longer fit in the holes though.

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I would NOT clean with emery cloth, and there is no need to pre-tin. Instead, the flux in your rosin core solder will help clean up any corrosion on the components, and allow it to flow properly.

You should however clean up the board itself since it has sat around. Copper is nearly impossible to solder to when dirty. I personally would use 95% Isopropyl Alcohol and a light duty Scotch-brite pad. Once clean, keep your fingers off the copper :)

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Thanks for the info... no pre-cleaning or pre-tinning will save a bunch of time! I will check the board closely and clean it if needed.

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Even if you think it LOOKS clean, clean it anyway. If it's been sitting there for anything longer than a month or 2, it has oxidized to the point that you will have problems. For $3, a quick trip to the local drug store for IPA and Scotch-brite pads will make your life MUCH easier.

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