One handed soldering tool

[Dajavoodoo]

Hi everybody,
I have been inspired to build a gainclone by Mark Houstons creation the SYNERGY - LM3875 GAINCLONE AMP.
Since first see the Synergy I have been reading everything available on the subject. The components are cheap enough and readlly accessable - well within budget considing the results.
There is one sticking point - I only have one hand (left) and although I am pretty versatile and can do most things, I have never even thought about soldering until now.
Is there such thing as a one-handed soldering iron?

thanks
Simon

[Nuuk]

That's a tricky one Simon! You can operate a soldering iron with one hand but it is often necessary to hold both the component(s) in place, and of course the solder.

I once saw a soldering iron where the solder is somehow dispensed off the iron close to the tip but I can't remember where I saw it.

For obvious reasons, holding the solder in your mouth is not on but I am wondering if you could use something that you could clench with your teeth that would in turn hold the solder.

I don't think it is impossible to build a GC with one hand but it will require a bit of ingenuity!

Hopefully somebody else will have soe more ideas!

[CJ900RR]

One trick I apply at work when I need to hold something with one hand as I solder, leaving me with only one hand to the soldering iron, is to apply the solder (lead?) to the iron-tip and then put it against the component. So you'll get a drop of solder at the tip. The solder will then float down on the leg and pad.

[Nuuk]

One trick I apply at work when I need to hold something with one hand as I solder, leaving me with only one hand to the soldering iron, is to apply the solder (lead?) to the iron-tip and then put it against the component. So you'll get a drop of solder at the tip. The solder will then float down on the leg and pad.

I beleive that is considered bad practise!

Another idea is to use something like one of those devices that holds things, place the solder in that close to the item to be soldered and then bend the solder so it is close to the component. Trouble is, you can't really 'feed' the solder in like that. The 'holding device' is probably better employed holding the PCB or item(s) to be soldered!

[CJ900RR]

Originally posted by Nuuk


I beleive that is considered bad practise!

In what way? It works. And you get the same result as feeding solder to the leg. I dont know the english word for it, but "the force" of the solder makes often good soldering.

When hand-soldering finepitch SMD-components, QFPs, TQFPs etc, you use this method. It's standard and works very well. The legs on those components are way smaller than the soldering iron and lead.

After 8 years of working with soldering everything from big caps to 256-legs QFPs, even BGA-components, I think I know what im talking about

But it take some practise to be good at it.

[Nuuk]

I was just going by what I have read. At least a couple of tutorials have stated that you must not take the solder to the component on the tip of the iron. Perhaps somebody more knowledgeable can tell us why.

[CJ900RR]

Originally posted by Nuuk
I was just going by what I have read. At least a couple of tutorials have stated that you must not take the solder to the component on the tip of the iron. Perhaps somebody more knowledgeable can tell us why.

Maybee it's not the prefered choise, but it is a way that work if needed, as in Dajavoodoo's case.

I wonder how to solder SMD-components where the legs is as small as a 10th wide as the iron-tip

But now we are talking bigger stuff so... there is solder-irons that has automatic solder-feeding. But those are really expensive. You can also buy a pneumatic handfeeder for solder-paste. It's controled by foot and dispence's out "floating" solder. Than you could take the solder-iron and solder the lead.

[SVinzant]

Simon,
Do you still have your right arm? Maybe you could place an elastic band on your right arm and hold short lenghts of solder that way. That will allow you to feed the solder in.
Another idea; after the leads of a componet are inserted and bent to hold it in place, wrap a bit of solder around the lead. Say maybe half to three quarters the way around. Then when you touch the tip of the soldering iron to the lead and pad, it will flow and complete the connection.
Just some thoughts....

[frank1]

Originally posted by Nuuk
I was just going by what I have read. At least a couple of tutorials have stated that you must not take the solder to the component on the tip of the iron. Perhaps somebody more knowledgeable can tell us why.

Because the two parts of the joint then, don't benefit from the action of the flux.

If you use a separate liquid or paste flux, then this method would be acceptable.

Frank

[CJ900RR]

Originally posted by frank1

Because the two parts of the joint then, don't benefit from the action of the flux.

If you use a separate liquid or paste flux, then this method would be acceptable.

Frank

I seccond that. I always use liquid flux on a pencil. Sorry I didn't mention that