Maker Pro
Maker Pro

Soldering and veroboard HELP!!

nopuk

May 11, 2015
22
Joined
May 11, 2015
Messages
22
Hello,
So I am kinda new to all this, I have my circuit made out on a breadboard using those nice jumper wires and it all works perfect. So I went to my local place and bought 2 plates of "veroboard" ( board with holes and strips ). I have managed to screw up both plates, with messy solder blobs and burnt strips etc...

I am able to solder two copper wires together, and I know the nice shiny silver look it should have, but this veroboard soldering is hard.

First I am unable to solder either jumper wire or copper wire to the strips, the legs of a resister same thing. I tin the solder iron tip, place it one side of the component leg, and wait on the other side with my solder wire and wait wand wait - sometimes it works mainly by me taping the wire off the iron tip and hoping some sticks. As for soldering the wire to the veroboard strips - i have zero clue.

Anyone any help ? advice ?
 

davenn

Moderator
Sep 5, 2009
14,254
Joined
Sep 5, 2009
Messages
14,254
hi there

First I am unable to solder either jumper wire or copper wire to the strips, the legs of a resister same thing. I tin the solder iron tip, place it one side of the component leg, and wait on the other side with my solder wire and wait wand wait

and therein lies your problem
You bring the iron tip to the point on the board to be soldered and add solder then so it flows around the component leg and copper track
here's a video for you .... this applies to ALL soldering


Dave
 

nopuk

May 11, 2015
22
Joined
May 11, 2015
Messages
22
Okay let me get this straight:
1) I have my thin insulted copper wire, i expose the end, twist the wires so they are nice and firm. Now I want to solder them to the veroboard. In my eyes the copper wire is just sitting there on the strip, where do i place the iron tip ?

2) Ditto for the component leg, I kinda get what you are saying, but I am unable to see an example that helps me on youtube, specifically for the power rails one.

Sorry not trying to be annoying, just am finding it hard to get to grips.
 

Minder

Apr 24, 2015
3,478
Joined
Apr 24, 2015
Messages
3,478
Don't forget to solder the copper strip side:p
One draw back is using some of the lead free solder now, I try and get the old kind.
One place I get my strip board from is http://www.futurlec.com/ProtoBoards.shtml
Also there is a special drill for separating a trace, although a 1/8th drill works.
M.
 

KJ6EAD

Aug 13, 2011
1,114
Joined
Aug 13, 2011
Messages
1,114
Be sure the copper strips are clean. Oxidation will give you grief. You can clean the copper by scrubbing it gently with a nylon scouring pad such as Scotch-Brite. I recommend the non-scratch one but others will work.

http://www.scotch-brite.com/3M/en_U...ub-Sponge?N=4337+3294529207+3294631707&rt=rud

You may be having trouble getting enough heat where you need it quickly enough. When this happens, the flux gets boiled away before the joint can be completed, the solder gets hackly and won't wet to components or the copper strip and eventually the strip debonds from the board and the board gets scorched. To avoid these problems, make sure you have a hot enough iron and clean materials. Extra flux can solve a lot of the problems, especially if your iron is not capable of quickly heating the joint.
 
Last edited:

duke37

Jan 9, 2011
5,364
Joined
Jan 9, 2011
Messages
5,364
Make sure the components are oxide free. Old components and board can be difficult.
Put a small amount of solder on the iron tip so that good thermal connection is made when touching the joint.
Heat the component and place the solder away from the iron. The solder will flow towards the heat.
Use a reasonable size tip so that there is considerable thermal reserve.
A couple of seconds should do it.
 

Minder

Apr 24, 2015
3,478
Joined
Apr 24, 2015
Messages
3,478
For components that come in taped strips such as diodes, I run the leads through a pair of needle nose pliers to clean the oxidization off etc.
M.
 

BobK

Jan 5, 2010
7,682
Joined
Jan 5, 2010
Messages
7,682
I never do any of those cleaning things, and I have no problem soldering.

My first question would be what kind of solder are you using?

Bob
 

davenn

Moderator
Sep 5, 2009
14,254
Joined
Sep 5, 2009
Messages
14,254
Okay let me get this straight:
1) I have my thin insulted copper wire, i expose the end, twist the wires so they are nice and firm. Now I want to solder them to the veroboard. In my eyes the copper wire is just sitting there on the strip, where do i place the iron tip ?

2) Ditto for the component leg, I kinda get what you are saying, but I am unable to see an example that helps me on youtube, specifically for the power rails one.

Sorry not trying to be annoying, just am finding it hard to get to grips.

did you not watch the youtube video I posted ? .. cant get any clearer than that ... the guy took you through the process step by step
he even showed cleaning the copper strips with steel wool before placing the components and wires

1) I have my thin insulted copper wire, i expose the end, twist the wires so they are nice and firm. Now I want to solder them to the veroboard. In my eyes the copper wire is just sitting there on the strip, where do i place the iron tip ?

so place that bared and twisted end through a Veroboard hole and bring solder and iron tip together where the copper strip and wire are
Same for every other component

watch the video


Dave
 
Last edited:

BobK

Jan 5, 2010
7,682
Joined
Jan 5, 2010
Messages
7,682
The principle is quite simple. To solder two pieced of metal together, put them in contact, heat them with a soldering iron until they melt the solder on contact. Do not melt the solder on the iron, melt it on the things you are soldering together.

But, you do need to use the right kind of solder.

Bob
 

dorke

Jun 20, 2015
2,342
Joined
Jun 20, 2015
Messages
2,342
The principle is quite simple. To solder two pieced of metal together, put them in contact, heat them with a soldering iron until they melt the solder on contact. Do not melt the solder on the iron, melt it on the things you are soldering together.

But, you do need to use the right kind of solder.

Bob

A side note:
Not all metals are solder-able with solder wire.
 
Top