How do you hold the wires when soldering?

mistercharlie

I'm about to rewire my guitar with a bass-cut pot and a push-push pot. Usually I just cowboy my soldering jobs, and try to balance the wires in one place long enough to solder them together.

This time I'm going to try to do it properly. Are those little crocodile-clip helpers any good? Or is there a secret trick I should know?

guitarfishbay

Look up "soldering helping hand"

I'm not sure which is the best one to get, I just picked up a simple one in Maplins years ago when I bought my soldering iron.  But one of those will be a big help.  

mistercharlie

One of these, right?

streethawk

Try and make a mechanical connection where possible, e.g. pop the wire into the lug and bend to 90 degrees. Solder it, then clip off any excess.

stickyfiddle

A third hand thing is good, often in conjunction with a decent set of small pliers.

But @streethawk is spot on; when doing anything that isn't on a PCB you want to aim for a decent mechanical connection that's then solidified with solder (effectively "filling in the gaps")

mistercharlie

streethawk said:

Try and make a mechanical connection where possible, e.g. pop the wire into the lug and bend to 90 degrees. Solder it, then clip off any excess.

I do that when soldering wires to lugs, and those are self-holding while I solder. Other times, I feel like I need another two hands. 

streethawk

mistercharlie said:

streethawk said:

Try and make a mechanical connection where possible, e.g. pop the wire into the lug and bend to 90 degrees. Solder it, then clip off any excess.

I do that when soldering wires to lugs, and those are self-holding while I solder. Other times, I feel like I need another two hands. 

Use something as ballast, like a spanner or other tool you're using. 

Another trick is to pre apply solder to your tip rather than feeding it in with your other hand. Once the tip is in place it will be holding the wire(s) in place and you can then feed in fresh solder with your freed up hand. Just make sure you have everything within easy reach so you're not overheating things while you scramble around trying to unreel solder wire!

I've seldom needed the helping hand tool for guitar stuff. 

Ravenous

If wiring inside a guitar or small enclosure, I often use one or two blobs of blu-tak to hold the wire against the sides of whatever I'm soldering in.

lewism

Beaten to it by @Ravenous blu-tac really is invaluable for holding wires and components in place during soldering. I remember reading the idea on here a while back so I guess now I know who to thank!

DartmoorHedgehog

OK, couldn't resist and nobody else has said it yet...

"Carefully"

poopot

Just remember... a firm grip on the iron and you should be fine!...

GSPBASSES

http://www.stewmac.com/How-To/Tool_Demo_Videos/The_Solder_Monsters_long_arms_reach_into_your_guitar_cavity.html?utm_campaign=v-0531&utm_medium=email&utm_source=NPA&utm_content=v-0531_B_20180323

maltingsaudio

GSPBASSES said:

http://www.stewmac.com/How-To/Tool_Demo_Videos/The_Solder_Monsters_long_arms_reach_into_your_guitar_cavity.html?utm_campaign=v-0531&utm_medium=email&utm_source=NPA&utm_content=v-0531_B_20180323

That looks like an awesome solution now how to do it on the cheap!

thermionic

Check out Big Clive’s YouTube videos for his nifty technique of holding a pcb and a length of solder in the same hand. Maybe not suitable for every situation though.

Roland

Normally when soldering there are four items to hold. Iron, solder, wire, and whatever you’re soldering it onto. One of the four items can be immobilised, either in a clamp or vice or, as @streethawk says, held on the bench by weight. If you can hold down a chord then you can hold two items between the finger of your left hand, and the final item in your right hand.

mistercharlie

Roland said:

If you can hold down a chord […]

That’s the problem. 

sawyer

I'be never soldered anything without burning myself:(

Sporky

sawyer said:

I'be never soldered anything without burning myself:(

This is where the extended classic mnemonic comes in useful :

Lefty loosey
Righty tighty
Coldy holdy