---
elhardt@... wrote:
> klem_klemmingberg@... writes:
>
> >>I too have been a victim of overzealous coax
> soldering--
>
> I've had a different problem. Those damn switches
> don't seem to like the heat of a soldering iron. I
> noticed on a number of occasions after soldering
> leads to a switch and then flipping the switch up
> and down, it didn't make a positive clicking feel in
> one of the directions...
>
> -Elhardt
>
-----------------------------------------------------
I, too have had trouble with coax and switch contacts
alike. I've found that ∗Preparation∗ is the key...
With coax, I strip and tin each coax lead, twisting
the shield braid into a lead, and adding a short
pigtail to fit the PC hole if necessary. I'll use the
stronger outer braid to hold the cable to the board,
then solder the inner conductor. It's made much
easier if the pads to be soldered to are tinned, as
well; this minimizes the need for heat, and cold
solder joints.
For switches, I get out the X-Acto (hobby) knife, and
scrape the oxidation from the solder lugs - gently,
until they're shiny again. Then, a quick tinning of
the lugs. The resultant solder joint will easily hold
the wire and lug together without a great deal of
heat, and will produce a nice, shiny fillet. Works
great with potentiometer lugs/pins, too!
As a side note, I usually tin the IC pads on my
boards, as well. Even when just inserting sockets
(which, as I'm sure you know, are also
heat-sensitive), it makes a nice, clean joint, and
helps to avoid solder bridges between pads.
Hope someone finds this useful!
Dave Garfield, "Professional Lurker"
and HUGE Analog fan!
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