Re: [PLUG] Electronics gear

On Mon, May 20, 2019 at 3:21 PM John Kreno <john.kreno@gmail.com> wrote:

The hot air stations can be very cheap now, but unless you are specifically doing re-work, for the most part, you might not want to focus on it just yet. If you've never soldered previously, I would highly recommend this kit to practice surface mount soldering, which can be done with an iron and a pair of tweezers.

https://www.amazon.com/Gikfun-Welding-Practice-Soldering-Training/dp/B00VWB8F8K/ref=sr_1_6?keywords=surface+mount+practice+kit&qid=1558379974&s=gateway&sr=8-6

On Mon, May 20, 2019 at 3:09 PM Steven Grunza <steven.grunza@gmail.com> wrote:
Consider getting a hot air soldering station. It has a very small nozzle out of which hot air is blown to melt solder connections on really small SMT parts. Very useful for soldering QFP and fine pitch SMT stuff. Make sure to hold the part down with a pick or tweezers for the first few solder joints or you'll be looking for it on the floor.

On Mon, May 20, 2019 at 2:30 PM Chris Knowles <cknowles2112@gmail.com> wrote:
What Rich said - get some stuff together, use it until destruction and then upgrade if you found it useful.

For soldering/meter sake - I got the adafruit soldering kit many *many* moons ago. https://www.adafruit.com/product/136

It's got enough stuff that you can do simple stuff. I upgraded the iron eventually, and switched over to a lead free solder - but this will get you started. I think the only piece I still have is the meter actually.

CJK

On Mon, May 20, 2019 at 1:09 PM Rich Freeman <r-plug@thefreemanclan.net> wrote:
On Mon, May 20, 2019 at 1:00 PM John Kreno <john.kreno@gmail.com> wrote:
>
> When it comes to what grade of what to acquire, you need to right size. So figure out what your goal is. If it's just to fool around with no real goal. Harbor Frieght cheapy meters and whatever hot stick you can get will work fine as a soldering iron.
>
> If you have a goal, then like I said, right size.

This has always been my attitude towards tools and it has worked well for me.

I bought a ton of super-cheap tools when I was much younger. It
didn't cost me much, and it meant that when I had to do something I
probably had an appropriate tool at hand so I wasn't trying to fix
every problem with a hammer and a screwdriver that wasn't quite the
right size.

Now, those tools would wear out very quickly, and when they did I'd
replace them with tools of significantly higher quality, but only as
needed. That means that the tools I use the most are high quality,
and I still have some oddball tools of harbor-freight tier at hand.
I'll still buy tools there if it is something I don't know I'll need
frequently.

--
Rich
___________________________________________________________________________
Philadelphia Linux Users Group -- http://www.phillylinux.org
Announcements - http://lists.phillylinux.org/mailman/listinfo/plug-announce
General Discussion -- http://lists.phillylinux.org/mailman/listinfo/plug

___________________________________________________________________________
Philadelphia Linux Users Group -- http://www.phillylinux.org
Announcements - http://lists.phillylinux.org/mailman/listinfo/plug-announce
General Discussion -- http://lists.phillylinux.org/mailman/listinfo/plug

___________________________________________________________________________
Philadelphia Linux Users Group -- http://www.phillylinux.org
Announcements - http://lists.phillylinux.org/mailman/listinfo/plug-announce
General Discussion -- http://lists.phillylinux.org/mailman/listinfo/plug

--
John Kreno

Rightful liberty is unobstructed action according to our will within limits drawn around us by the equal rights of others. I do not add 'within the limits of the law' because law is often but the tyrant's will, and always so when it violates the rights of the individual.
- Thomas Jefferson

I despise people who go to the gutter on either the right or the left and hurl rocks at those in the center.
- Dwight D. Eisenhower

Not every child has an equal talent or an equal ability or equal motivation, but they should have the equal right to develop their talent and their ability and their motivation, to make something of themselves.
- John F. Kennedy

With a good conscience our only sure reward, with history the final judge of our deeds, let us go forth to lead the land we love, asking His blessing and His help, but knowing that here on earth God's work must truly be our own.
- John F. Kennedy

For in the final analysis, our most basic common link, is that we all inhabit this small planet, we all breathe the same air, we all cherish our children's futures, and we are all mortal.
- John F. Kennedy
___________________________________________________________________________
Philadelphia Linux Users Group -- http://www.phillylinux.org
Announcements - http://lists.phillylinux.org/mailman/listinfo/plug-announce
General Discussion -- http://lists.phillylinux.org/mailman/listinfo/plug