Correctly soldering your own electronics takes skill and practice. Now that you have an idea of the tools you will need, we will cover some techniques that will ensure the quality of your work.
First steps first, turn the soldering iron on and let it heat up to the desired temperature. If you have an adjustable temperature soldering iron, set the temperature to around 300 – 350 degrees to start out. This temperature should be more than suitable for most soldering jobs.
Always pick up the soldering iron by the insulated handle. This is the most important thing to remember. The metal part of the soldering iron is extremely hot and accidentally gripping it will result in serious burns to your hands. Some people hold the soldering iron as if holding a spoon, while others hold it as they would a pen, use whatever technique works best for you.
If you are starting out with a new soldering iron, put a small amount of solder on the tip of the hot iron before you start your work. This process is called tinning the iron and you only need to do it to irons being used for the first time.
For soldering wires together, first strip an inch of insulation away from each wire you are connecting and then then twist the bare wires together.
Place the tip of the soldering iron to the wires that your are soldering to heat them up. Then apply the solder to the iron tip and the wires until the solder melts. As soon as the wires appear to be fused together remove the soldering iron. After the wires cool, trim away the excess wire that goes past the joint because all you will need is the area that is fused.
Always clean the tip of the soldering iron off when you are finished. To do this, just wipe the tip over a special soldering iron cleaning pad or use a damp sponge.
