Thank you for the great video. I used to solder almost every day, but I haven’t done it in quite a few years and really needed a quick refresher to ensure I was going to do it properly. Your video helped me out, all the while being quick and concise. Thanks again.
I HAVE learned A LOT in 3 minutes!! As a hobbyist, I`ve randomly soldered "things" off & on for over 20 years, things like R/c cars, 1/4 guitar cables, loose connection on electronics.. basic stuff. It`s the small details you've explained that will help me sooooo much, thank you. Especially the emphasis on over heating. At times I would end up with a chard blob of solder, blacken from the burning flux, a solid connection YES but ugly as SIN with potential damage from overheating. I`ve got excellent equipment, there`s no excuse. Thanks again 👍
Nice clear video. Only comment is that many would call that a "cold solder joint", because the wire moved while the solder was cooling. In audio and other critical applications, this can compromise conductivity of a low level signal like the pickup output from non-pre-amped (passive) guitar pickup. Both items need to be stationary, either by poking through terminal hole while solder is molten, then adding a little heat again to solder after wire is stable without being held by hand. Or, use soldering jug that has two alligator clips: one to hold the switch, one to hold the wire. Holding with hand = moving wire.
The clothes peg is a great idea! I'm very reluctant to buy a proper vice since I'm not planning on soldering regularly, but I can definitely glue some of these to a block of wood!
In the school workshop we only use fixed temperature soldering irons (Antex S4814H8 CS18W 230V) which I think run at 390 degrees C. We use a medium sized chisel tip and 22SWG lead free solder and I have never had a problem with the switch body melting. Most students also manage to solder these switches without problems just so long as they follow my instructions. When soldering at home I tend to use a higher wattage Weller TCP magnastat soldering iron station because that's what I have, but once again I have no problems either using 60/40 leaded solder or lead free. I think the key point is to be quick when soldering and avoid excessive amounts of heat.
Dan, that's a good question but it really depends on the particular application. I tend to use heat shrink tubing on switches where there is a benefit from having the extra mechanical strength from repeated bending at the solder joint. For me, this is useful where the switch may be used for prototyping and the wires may be subject to repeated movement or strain. Heat shrink is not a substitute for good cable management and cable ties for example may give better protection. Heat shrink can also be used to reduce exposure to live wires but this should not be relied upon and it would be better to use an appropriate enclosure. Finally, many people just like the aesthetics of heat shrink on soldered switches but I've met more than a few students who use it in an attempt to hide bad soldering (which never really works).
If you are using fine hookup wire that approach would work. I wouldn't do it with heavy gauge wire. If the lug has a through-hole I might be tempted to push both wires through, bend back slightly, and then solder in-situ. So long as you don't apply too much heat there are many different ways that will produce a dependable and neat looking joint.
You want to bypass a switch and make it off board instead? Doesn't sound impossible but presumably this would involve some surface mount components and small traces that could be tricky to solder.
Pizzey Technology it’s for a button box for console instead of using a keyboard to use certain inputs because I’m short for desk space . I have seen some do it by solder wires from the PCB pins into switches so in game it just registers as a keyboard input .
I would solder wires between the switch and PCB, most probably using stranded wire. I'm not keen on using terminal blocks as wires tend to break where they are clamped down. What are you planning?
Large lugs are easy to see but have more thermal mass therefore can be tricky to solder, depending on the user's ability and equipment used. The switch I used in the video is reasonably easy to solder just so long as it's not overheated.
@@PizzeyTechnology yeah I gotcha. I guess the same technique would apply to a switch with smaller lugs but I’m having trouble with mine. It’s a push pull volume pot for a guitar and the lugs are insanely small and I can’t seem to find ones that have larger lugs that are $10 a piece. I may have to just switch to a standalone dpdt switch.
I have been trying hard to learn how to do this. It seems like I cant do it. When I melt the solder it just turns into a ball against my iron and wont transfer to anything. It just either melts and falls off or it turns into a ball on the end of the solder and then if I try to re-heat it, it wont work or it takes forever and then it just falls off. I hate not being able to figure this out!
If the solder has a tendency to ball up on the soldering iron tip and not flow or wet the tip then it's probably not a clean tip, or possibly damaged. Soldering iron tip restorer is good if you can get some. Do not try sandpaper.
All so neat and effective but very different in a tiny 8-lug imported cheap switch with tiny holes to solder wires into so that they are not touching or grounded. Show us how to wire real switches not models with 3 large tabs that have large holes and no obstructions and no pickguard to fool with... Skip it. It's a fantasy and not at all like real guitar wiring.
Hello Doug, thanks for the feedback. The video demonstrated soldering a small toggle switch and made no claims for soldering "tiny... imported cheap switches". Are the switches difficult because they are imported and/or inferior? If so, there's an obvious solution right there. I used some miniature multi-pin connectors a while back that were challenging but not impossible to solder, and my conclusion was to buy larger connectors next time. I have no involvement in guitar wiring.
