Soldering to mini switches

andyg_prs

Hi, I'm terrible at soldering.  Admittedly made worse by the broken tip on my iron - so I've just ordered a new one.  

I'm playing around with partial coil splits and different resistor and capacitor values.  I'm using a push push pot and the lug and the holes in them are tiny.....  Generally the first time I need to solder a component I don't do too badly...but swapping that component for a different value is a nightmare.  I know there are copper thingees to supposedly soak up excess solder and those sucker things, but I've not had success with them.

I have one of those 'helper' things with crocodile clips that move to different positions....but that can't be used inside the control cavity.

Is there any kind of 'adapter' that you could solder to the virgin DPDT and then have an easy way of attaching, detaching different components?

This is all exacerbated by trying to solder in the control cavity.  It's just not practical to unstring, remove all the components, solder and return them....particuarly when experimenting with component values...

Any ideas or practical advice....apart from "learn to solder" etc

Cheers,
Andy

Funkfingers

andyg_prs said:

Any ideas or practical advice.

Yes. Give yourself room to work properly.

Remove the components from the cavity, solder and return them.

BillDL

andyg_prs said:

Is there any kind of 'adapter' that you could solder to the virgin DPDT and then have an easy way of attaching, detaching different components?

Very small crocodile/alligator clips soldered or crimped to each end of insulated wires about 6 inches long.

Danny1969

For soldering use leaded 60/40 solder and a good £40 ish iron 

Solder wires to the switch, then use choc blocks to experiment like this 



Just snap off as many as you need 

Kittyfrisk

There are screwless connector blocks too.
https://www.amazon.co.uk/100-Pcs-Spring-Wire-Connectors/dp/B082RTCVKG/ref=sr_1_7?

If you wanted some of the small wired crocodile/alligator clips, just let me know & I'll send you some

andyg_prs

Kittyfrisk said:

There are screwless connector blocks too.
https://www.amazon.co.uk/100-Pcs-Spring-Wire-Connectors/dp/B082RTCVKG/ref=sr_1_7?

If you wanted some of the small wired crocodile/alligator clips, just let me know & I'll send you some

that's very kind, and yes please, but only if you let me reimburse you

andyg_prs

By the way, this is what I'd been experimenting with.  I've done partial coil splitting / shunting before, and in my case it was sounding muddy, so I've been working on the bottom schematic.....this helped before everything imploded and I have a new soldering tip, push push pot and various other components on order.

I'll be taking my shunt to earth.

Kittyfrisk

andyg_prs said:

Kittyfrisk said:

There are screwless connector blocks too.
https://www.amazon.co.uk/100-Pcs-Spring-Wire-Connectors/dp/B082RTCVKG/ref=sr_1_7?

If you wanted some of the small wired crocodile/alligator clips, just let me know & I'll send you some

that's very kind, and yes please, but only if you let me reimburse you

No need thanks. It's only the price of a stamp or two & I need to get rid some before they become invalid The clips didn't cost me anything, so why would I want payment?
PM your address & I'll get them to you as soon as I can.
Edit : In the post