- The Soldering and Soldering Iron Section
- The best or cheapest soldering irons and stations
- Soldering Health and Safety
- Soldering Tips
- How do I solder?
- I have just plugged in my new soldering iron (or replaced the tip) and it’s smoking! Is this normal?
- I have a fairly new soldering iron and the shaft (not the tip) has started to look blue/burnt; is this normal?
- My soldering iron is glowing red; is that normal?
- What is flux?
- What is a cold solder joint?
- Should I wear a filtered mask when soldering?
- Should I switch to unleaded solder because it's healthier to work with?
- Should I use leaded or unleaded solder? Which type and brand?
- What tip temperature should I use for my soldering station or soldering iron?
- Why are my solder joints spiky or lumpy?
- Do I need extra flux or a flux pen?
- Should I clean the flux off the board I have just completed?
- Do I need a temperature-controlled soldering iron station?
- What about soldering guns?
- What about gas-powered (catalytic) and battery-powered portable soldering irons?
- I have heard about ‘Cold Heat’ soldering irons – any good?
- What shape and size of soldering tip is best?
- How do I clean my soldering iron tip?
- Soldering iron tip wear
- How do I prepare a new tip for use?
- How do I prolong the life of my soldering iron tip?
- Basic soldering/desoldering equipment lists
The Soldering and Soldering Iron Section
See also:
The best or cheapest soldering irons and stations
We do not make specific recommendations, but brand names to consider (in no particular order):
Professional/Semi-pro
Item | Notes |
---|---|
JBC | |
Metcal | A very capable range of irons. Units sometimes come up on auction sites. New/spare tips can be relatively expensive. |
Pace | |
Weller |
These can be expensive brand new, but can often be found for sale 'second hand'. Check out the prices of spares (tips and heating elements) though as they can be a bit on the steep side.
Prosumer/Hobby
Item | Notes |
---|---|
Antex | Antex has been making soldering irons for over 70 years. Traditionally associated with fixed-power soldering irons, such as the classic X25/XS25, they now also produce soldering stations. |
Aoyue | |
Atten | |
Hakko | The Hakko FX-888D is a popular hobbyist choice, Availability in Europe used to be a bit limited, but a number of authorized distributors have now been appointed. The units also appear on Amazon but prices can be a bit steep there. |
Pinecil | This is a "RISC-V Soldering Iron Running an Open Firmware" from the Pine64 team. The iron is available directly from the Pine store, but often the cost of shipping is more than the cost of the iron itself. There is now an EU-based authorized reseller, but they bundle in their inbound shipping costs so, again, the overall cost is a bit steep. |
PX-988 | |
Tenma | |
T12 | The 'T12' model (~70W with temperature control) is sold by a range of manufacturers and almost all parts and tips are interchangeable (some use different connectors for the iron's lead). Common brandings are: Hakko, KSGER, Quicko (T12-942) and Handskit. The base units might include the power supply for direct mains connection, or you may need to provide a 12-24V (typically 72W) external DC adapter. The cheaper models have LED displays instead of OLED and some cheaper ones do not save their settings when powered off, but if all you need to do is dial a temperature then that's not really a big issue. Do a general Web search for T12 'fixes' because some units need their wiring checked. T12 units can also be bought as assemble-yourself kits. Units are available from Amazon, eBay, Banggood and AliExpress; the latter two often have special offers. |
TS80 | The TS100 and TS80 are very popular hobby choices. Beware that there are a significant number of clones of varying quality advertised on various auction and 'Far-East' sites. |
TS100 | |
Yihua |
Other brands are available!
For generic advice - search the Sub for some suggestions:
title:((best OR recommended OR budget OR cheap) AND (solder OR station OR iron))
Hot Air Stations
For surface mount work beyond the odd component or any small amount of rework, a hot air station is much easier to use than a soldering iron.
Hot air stations generally fall into two categories: Professional (expensive unless the cost is justified) and the Hakko 858D, plus '858D clones'.
For low volume, hobby use, an 858D clone from companies such as Atten and Yihua (among others) will be worth considering; shop around for value, but balance this against build quality. It's a good idea to do a general Web search on the clone models because there are some comments on common build and electrical safety issues (ie: poor grounding) that have been found with some units.
As well as the '858' models, there's also others which include both an air wand and a conventional, temperature-controlled soldering iron; the quality of the irons can vary and are often not as good as a dedicated unit.
Units are available from all the regular general wholesalers and hobby stores.
Soldering Health and Safety
Resources:
Safety guidance (PDF) from CMU.
Safety guidance (PDF) from LBL
Use some form of eye protection - solder and molten flux can splash.
Soldering irons are very hot, you will burn yourself from time to time but these are rarely anything to be concerned about.
Leaded solder contains lead (!). 'Hobby'-levels of leaded soldering do not represent a significant health risk, although you should wash your hands after handling it, especially before eating, smoking, and interacting with children, who are especially sensitive to the effects of lead exposure. Solid lead cannot pass the skin barrier, it enters the body through ingestion or the mucous membranes, lead dust is dangerous because it can be inhaled, so you should take care when cutting or filing circuit boards (for example, when salvaging components). Soldering iron temperatures are not high enough to turn lead into a vapor so there is negligible risk of 'breathing in lead' - most of the smoke you see is the flux burning off.
Many solders contain flux. This is usually rosin flux and vaporizes when heated to the melting point of the solder. Inhaling these fumes are bad for you. The Health and Safety Executive says "This fume is one of the most significant causes of occupational asthma in the UK." If you are doing 'hobby-level' amounts of soldering then you might not find the fumes significant - it may be sufficient to keep a nearby window open for ventilation and/or use a fan to blow/suck the fumes away from your face. If you are concerned, or are working in a more industrial environment then N95 (UK/EU FFP2 or FFP3) or higher masks will work just fine to keep it out of your lungs (not your eyes though), but a half face respirator is cheap and the filters last a long time. Buy P95 or P100 rated filters. Some people just use a solder fume extractor, fan, or hood to move the fumes away, but the effectiveness of these methods are of course very variable and as such are not recommended as the only solution.
Soldering is a fire hazard. Hot irons and solvents, carpets, certain clothing fabrics, etc, can combine to cause fire. Usually this fire appears quickly and you are at the center of it. Don't let those hip kids in the other lab fool you, being on fire really, really sucks. A lot. Get a fire extinguisher and keep it near your work bench.
Always wash your hands after handling leaded solder, or preferably any solder.
Soldering Tips
How do I solder?
The general principle is to ensure that both items you want to join (component lead and board pad, or wire and connector pin) are heated simultaneously, then the solder is applied to the pair and flows between them, aided by the flux. Overall, a circuit board/component joint should be completed in about one to two seconds; any longer and things are going to get messy and possibly heat damaged. Check out the online tutorials and videos (a picture is worth a thousand words!) - here's a good start:
https://learn.adafruit.com/adafruit-guide-excellent-soldering/tools
http://www.howtogeek.com/63630/how-to-use-a-soldering-iron-a-beginners-guide/
https://web.archive.org/web/20080912054213/http://www.epemag.wimborne.co.uk/solderfaq.htm
PACE soldering instructional videos are a good resource for people who want to learn how to solder and some of the theory behind achieving good solder results. The videos are on YouTube and cover the basics of soldering and a good deal of the advanced techniques you need to know when doing the more unusual solder jobs.
I have just plugged in my new soldering iron (or replaced the tip) and it’s smoking! Is this normal?
The manufacturer may have applied a coating to the heating element and/or tip to protect them during shipping and the smoke is the coating burning off. It’s probably OK – but keep an eye on things for a couple of minutes to see whether the smoke subsides.
If the smoke smells oily then it’s probably a coating, but if there’s a strong smell of burning plastic then cut the power and check things over carefully when the iron has cooled.
If you have purchased the soldering iron from another country, do just verify that you’re not in a 220V area with a 110V iron – that WILL cause problems. If this is the case, the iron should be switched off immediately and not used until it has been replaced with one of the correct voltage, or you have obtained a voltage adapter of suitable wattage.
I have a fairly new soldering iron and the shaft (not the tip) has started to look blue/burnt; is this normal?
Yes, the area outside the heating element often does this and it's perfectly normal. If. however, you notice this area getting dull red or red hot then check that the temperature control mechanism (if any) is working - soldering irons should not get that hot!
My soldering iron is glowing red; is that normal?
No, it's not! Either the iron is faulty or maybe it's a 110V one being used in a 220V country. Either way, unplug it immediately, let it cool down and check it over. If in doubt, return it (if under warranty and you've not used it at the wrong voltage) or send it for recycling and get another one; check out our brands list.
What is flux?
A flux is a chemical that helps the molten solder (or other metal) flow across the surface of the metals to be joined, almost all fluxes also contain activator compounds which are corrosive, activators are used to remove metal oxidization allowing for a good bond. The most common type of flux-cored solder is a pine tree resin called Rosin.
Rosin-cored solder is normally sold as Rosin Activated (RA) or Rosin Mildly Activated (RMA), plain rosin (R) can also be used as an inexpensive flux as it becomes mildly active when heated.
Some types of flux require cleaning whilst other can be left (see below for more details).
Do not use plumbing fluxes/solder for hobby electronics because they are very strongly activated and require significant cleaning which is undesirable.
What is a cold solder joint?
A cold solder joint simply means that the solder has not formed a good bond between the metals, this is typically noticeable as a lumpy appearance and in the case of leaded solder a dull finish, a good joint should be smooth and shiny, the main cause for this is lack of flux or poor technique, never apply the solder directly to the tip (except when cleaning) as this will waste the flux, poor solder may not contain enough flux so always buy good quality solder. Fixing is simple, remove the old solder with a desoldering pump or wick and try again, alternatively adding a small amount of liquid flux and reflowing can fix the joint.
Should I wear a filtered mask when soldering?
Rosin flux is an irritant and can affect people with respiratory issues (such as asthma); always solder in a well ventilated area (open window nearby) and/or have a small fan to clear flux fumes away from your face when working.
Unless you are spending days on end soldering (or are particularly sensitive to flux fumes), you do not need masks or special fume extraction or filtering devices for hobby work. There is some more advice in the General Safety section above, other fluxes containing halides and organic activators can also be a problem.
Should I switch to unleaded solder because it's healthier to work with?
This is a bit of a myth. Your soldering iron's temperature is too low to vapourise lead and the smoke that you see is the flux burning off. Both leaded and unleaded solder can contain flux so in this respect neither solder type is better for your health.
The primary reason that commercial manufacturers use unleaded solder is so that lead isn't introduced into the environment when the product is scrapped. The volume of soldering done by a semi-pro or hobbyist is not significant and so the environmental benefit of switching to unleaded is not so great.
Provided that sensible precautions are taken when using leaded solder (don't put in your mouth or ingest it, wash your hands after work, clean your work area and do not solder in food preparation areas), then there's a very low risk of lead-related health issues - it's just the flux smoke that needs to be considered, and this can be dealt with by suitable ventilation, a fan, or a mask if you are particularly sensitive to it. There's further guidance in other parts of this wiki section.
Should I use leaded or unleaded solder? Which type and brand?
Most commercial circuit boards are now assembled with unleaded solder for environmental reasons, but for low-volume hobby work, leaded (if still permitted in your country) is fine and easier to use with because it melts at a lower temperature and flows more easily.
Leaded Solder
The most common, standard leaded solder for electronics use is a 60/40 tin/lead mix, but there is also a 63/37 variant; this is called a eutectic mix because the melting/solid temperatures are identical at 183C/361F. This compares to 60/40 solder where there is about a 5C/9F 'plastic' or 'pasty' range between the solid and liquid states; in this respect, the eutectic mix can be slightly easier to use because joints set quickly and are less likely to suffer from cracking if there is any slight joint movement while the solder is cooling. You can also buy a tin/lead mix that has about 0.5%-2% copper; this helps prolong the life of iron clad soldering iron tips.
There are many brands of solder available; some of the big brand names/types are: Kester 44, Multicore, Cynel, Johnsons RA-100, Duratool, Omega and Chip Quik. Many electronic component suppliers also offer 'house brand' solders of reasonable price and quality.
Unleaded Solder
Unleaded solder has a reputation for being harder to work with than leaded and it will be easier for beginners to avoid it where possible.
Some hobbyists will prefer to use it for ecological reasons, or it might be mandatory in your country. Some brands and compositions are easier to work with than others; the comments and notes below are based on feedback from AskElectronic Redditors when asked about which unleaded solders they had used.
Kester K100LD - not quite as easy as leaded, but not far off either. Low price compared to other makes / compositions.
SAC305 has mixed reviews, but mostly positive. One Redditor commented: "...it has a high tin content which will help slow oxidation of your tip".
Jameco Benchpro 99.3 Sn / .7 Cu was mentioned as easy to work with.
AIM SN100C, "...works quite well, mostly doing 0603 and small IC's. The main downside is the tip oxidizes faster due to the higher temperature required , so I waste a lot of solder re-tinning and cleaning the tip".
Sn100NI+ "...is not very difficult to get these days, and is probably the next best thing to leaded when it comes to hand soldering".
Own brand unleaded from RapidOnline (UK).
Avoid cheap Chinese solder as these typically have low flux content or poor flux distribution, buying quality is always recommended when it comes to solder. Even thinner solder is advisable if you do surface mount soldering or want more control, generally it's a good idea to have some thicker stuff on hand for larger jobs such as soldering wires.
Solder is available in many different sizes/diameters. The most common sizes for general electronics work are:
- Metric: 1mm or 0.7mm (20-22 SWG*)
- Imperial/USA: 0.032" (22 Gauge*)
Pro Tip: If you find it easier to work with small lengths of solder, rather than feeding it off a full reel, cut off about 50cm/20 inches at a time and fold it in to a convenient bundle for use. Don't be tempted to just pull off a length of solder; this distorts its thickness and also breaks up the flux cores making your soldering results less predictable.
*SWG is Standard Wire Gauge and it's a measurement for describing the diameter of solid core wires and solder, mostly in the UK and Europe. There is a similar (but not quite identical) standard called American Wire Gauge (AWG).
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Standard_wire_gauge
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/American_wire_gauge
What tip temperature should I use for my soldering station or soldering iron?
There is no 'right' temperature, but try the following and adjust to suit your technique.
Leaded Solder
The general consensus is to work between about 320-370C (610-700F). Start around 350C/662F for standard PCB/stripboard etc. through-hole components with 60/40 or 63/37 leaded solder/paste. Bring the temp up by perhaps 20C/68F for through-hole connectors or points connected to ground planes. The higher temperature helps with desoldering too.
For SMD components, try around 315C (600F).
Unleaded Solder
Unleaded solder sometimes requires a higher tip temperature, however it has been said that tin alloys are usable at 350C, and SMD work can be done at about the same temperature as leaded solder; 315C (600F).
Soldering Notes
Do not try and solder with greatly lower temperatures as this just means you have to keep the soldering iron tip on the joint for longer and this increases the risk of lifting the component pad or burning the circuit board.
If you work on an older PCBs (1970s - 1990s vintage; for example home 8-bit computers, most notably brown/light beige PCBs), they can be a bit more delicate so avoid excess pressure on the pads and limit iron temp to 325-350C and rework with leaded solder, which it's almost certain was originally used.
For older PCBs, extra flux or cleaning the solder joint with a fibreglass pencil before approaching it will help remove any crud that might thermally insulate the joint and encourage you using more pressure.
Mixing leaded and unleaded solder can result in brittle joints. If you need to use both types of solder, it is common to keep two irons - one for each solder type - or to have an iron with easily-changeable tips, which are then designated for 'leaded' or 'unleaded' use only.
Why are my solder joints spiky or lumpy?
- This might suggest that the solder wasn't all liquid at the same time across the whole joint and/or didn't stay liquid for a moment after removing the iron tip - this is caused by the iron being too cold.
- Poor quality solder and/or the flux cores in it may cause this.
- If you are using unleaded solder, check your iron's temperature. If that seems OK, it may just be down to practice (unleaded solder is harder to work with).
Do I need extra flux or a flux pen?
Beginners are often told to "use more flux" to help with soldering, but this is a bad habit to pick up because decent flux-cored solder should be all you need for clean, untarnished through-hole components and circuit boards.
If you are struggling to learn how to solder, do try using a little extra flux; but then wean yourself off it as your technique improves.
If you find you need to use extra flux all the time then either your technique needs improving or your soldering iron is not at the right temperature, alternatively this can be caused by using a low quality solder.
If you are new to soldering, take time to practice making solder joints with scrap components and stripboard off-cuts before tackling your first project - and whatever you use, don't be discouraged if your first efforts look horrendous; you will get better with practice.
Extra flux is useful when soldering wires and when repairing old circuit boards or desoldering components from old boards where the solder has formed an oxide layer that's hard to heat through.
Flux is also frequently used when working with surface mount components as the pins / pads are usually too small to feed solder on directly so the flux in the solder ends up simply evaporating before it can be used.
Should I clean the flux off the board I have just completed?
This very much depends upon the type of flux used and the purpose of the circuit, high frequency circuits in particular (tens of MHz) should be cleaned since it may affect the capacitance between joints.
For a 'no clean' flux, plain rosin and RMA (Rosin Mildly Activated) it can left without any problems, water soluble and more strongly activated types such as RA should always be cleaned.
Water soluble flux residue can be removed with distilled water. Other types require a solvent, with isopropyl alcohol (90% or greater IPA) being fairly gentle choice.
Using IPA on 'no-clean' or some water soluble fluxes will just turn the flux into a messy white powder, so do check on a small area before flooding your board with the wrong flux remover.
Acetone can be used, but it is not the preferred choice and it must be kept away from some components, such as electrolytic capacitors, some plastics; and make sure that it doesn't remove the PCB's solder mask or silk screened printing.
Other fluxes may require stronger solvents, if in doubt check the datasheet for your solder.
A small brush is useful for removing flux. Look to purchase a brush called an 'acid brush'; these are highly resistant to solvents and have short bristles which makes it easier to scrub off the flux and other debris, such as small beads of solder. Some people use a toothbrush, but if you do, check that your solvent won't melt the plastic bristles (IPA is fine). Make sure the board is dry before applying power.
Any burnt flux residue should be removed, particularly in high voltage or high impedance circuits where it may cause unexpected issues.
Do I need a temperature-controlled soldering iron station?
It's not mandatory, but temperature-controlled irons can make soldering much easier and reduce the risk of accidental damage to the PCB or components because the tip of the iron maintains a near-constant temperature.
Temperature-controlled irons also allow you to boost the temperature for tricky joints or desoldering work, but ultimately if you're struggling you need to get a more powerful iron.
If you want to start your hobby on a budget, you can work just fine with a 25/30W 'hot stick', but a soldering station of 50W and above is strongly recommended for larger jobs, these can be had for quite reasonable prices.
If you do get an iron make sure it comes with a stand, or get one separate, there's nothing worse than an iron rolling off your desk/pile of books and onto a synthetic carpet - or your hand or leg!
What about soldering guns?
Electric soldering guns tend to be too big and unwieldy for soldering boards and components. In addition, their heat output is often way over the top for delicate components and circuit boards. Finally, the soldering gun tip is typically heated by passing a high current through it and this can induce voltages which can damage very delicate components. Not recommended for component/circuit board work but may be appropriate for older point to point wiring often found in vintage equipment.
What about gas-powered (catalytic) and battery-powered portable soldering irons?
These are great for occasional field work and on-site repairs - and the gas-powered ones can sometimes be used without a tip for heat shrink sleeving - but they are not really designed for long periods of bench use as they will require regular refueling/recharging, plus the catalytic heating elements in the gas-powered units have a limited life and it will get expensive to keep replacing them. Can be handy - but not as your main bench soldering tool.
I have heard about ‘Cold Heat’ soldering irons – any good?
This is a type of battery-powered, portable soldering iron with a graphite-type tip comprising two separate electrodes. When the gap between the electrodes is bridged by solder or a solder joint, the current flow causes the tip to heat rapidly and melt the solder. Soldering with cold heat irons is considered very different from using a traditional hot tip and many find them much harder to use, with inconsistent results.
A big problem with these irons is that the two-part electrode, by the nature of how it works, can apply a voltage across components and component joints and there is a risk of damaging sensitive semiconductors. In addition, the graphite-type tips are quite brittle and relatively easy to break. Overall, best avoided - here's some more reading on them:
EPEMag at the Internet Archive
http://science.howstuffworks.com/cold-heat.htm
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/ColdHeat
What shape and size of soldering tip is best?
It depends on what you are soldering - many decent irons have changeable tips. For general circuit board work with through-hole components, a 2.0-2.5mm angle, chisel or half-chisel tip is a good start as the flat portion allows good simultaneous heat transfer to component legs and circuit boards. For 'T12' irons, the BC12 tip is a good choice:
Here's a good page from Hakko on tip types
For finer pitch work, including larger surface mount components, consider a 0.5mm to 1mm chisel, half-round tip or conical tip. In general, avoid conical/pointed tips unless you are working very small surface mount components; beginners often find them hard to work with because the point of the tip cools very quickly - adding further to the frustrations of learning to solder! Remember that a tip that is too small for the job is just as bad as one that it too big; trying to use a small (say, 1mm) tip on a through hole joint will struggle or take longer to transfer enough heat to melt the solder and this leads to poor quality joints.
If you occasionally work with surface mount components and don't have a hot air station, it's common to use a technique called "drag soldering" with a regular soldering iron. Although you can use a chisel / half chisel tip for this, you can also get soldering iron tips with a slightly hollow end - see the 'T12' BCM type here into which you can melt a small reservoir of solder for the work. Availability will depend on which brand of iron you have.
Here's a good tip selector guide from Hakko, a well-respected soldering iron and soldering station manufacturer:
How do I clean my soldering iron tip?
Never with sandpaper or other strong abrasives! Soldering tips tend to be made from copper with an iron/alloy coating and if you scrape off the coating, the copper rapidly disintegrates when attacked by the flux and solder itself. Many soldering stations and stands include sponges for tip cleaning (always keep the sponges damp), or you can buy brass-wool pots into which tips are dipped to clean them (these are a bit more abrasive than sponges). You can also get small pots of tip re-tinning paste which can be handy when your tip gets covered with a layer of baked flux. If you are stuck with no official cleaning things, fold over a piece of kitchen paper several times into a thick wad and keep it damp.
Soldering iron tip wear
A good soldering iron tip, well cared for, can last many years, but eventually they will need replacing; that's why it's important when choosing an iron or soldering station to make sure (as much as possible) that replacement tips will be available for a long period. Using rough soldering techniques (especially when desoldering components), harsh cleaning techniques, too high temperature for long periods and aggressive/incorrect fluxes can all contribute to tip wear. Lead-free solder can accelerate tip wear too.
How do I prepare a new tip for use?
First of all, see the note above about new tips smoking - it's probably nothing to worry about. Most new tips are supplied with a coating of solder ('pre-tinned'), but, in any event, as soon as your new tip is up to temperature, apply some more solder and clean the tip - it's now ready for use.
How do I prolong the life of my soldering iron tip?
Apart from following the cleaning guidance above, when you have finished soldering, wipe the tip clean and 'tin' it (apply some more solder) before switching off, this should also be done at regular intervals. The solder will protect the tip while it is cold and in storage. When you next switch on the soldering iron, wait for it to get to temperature and then clean it - it's now ready for use again.
General care advice from Wella: https://www.weller-tools.com/how-to-care-for-soldering-iron-tips/
Basic soldering/desoldering equipment lists
Here's a list of items you may want to consider when setting up your soldering/desoldering kit. Read the list in conjunction with the notes above.
Core items
- Soldering iron or soldering station.
- A spare tip or two. Maybe different types for different jobs/needs.
- Soldering iron stand (if not supplied or built into station).
- Soldering tip cleaning sponge (fabric/fibre or brass), if not supplied with station or stand.
- Eye protection.
- A silicone mat (either one made for soldering or just one made for resting hot kitchenware) to protect your work surface.
- A fan or fan with filter to move the flux fumes away from the work area.
- A small bottle with a nozzle to hold water for a fabric tip cleaning sponge.
- Soldering iron tip tinner (solid material in a small tin).
- Flux-cored solder (see rest of article).
- Solder sucker (piston/trigger type).
- Desoldering braid.
- Inspection magnifying glass.
- Small snipe nose pliers for holding components and bending leads.
- Small ('Radio') side cutters for snipping through hole component leads and wires.
- Antistatic aids if working with static sensitive components. See this wiki section on ESD..
Worth considering
- Extra flux in a syringe for corroded joints (when desoldering) and when learning to solder.
- 'Helping hands' to hold board and components/wires when soldering.
- Soldering needles (to help remove components and clear holes on through-hole components and boards.
- 0.8mm PCB drill bits and a pin vice for clearing through holes in PCBs (carefully!).
- Desoldering station or desoldering gun.
- Heatsink tweezers for delicate through hole components (for example, when working on vintage kit with germnium semiconductors).
For surface mount work
- Hot air gun with a range of nozzle sizes and temperature control.
- Desoldering tweezers.
- Jeweller's eyepiece or similar for board inspection.
- A 3D microsocpe for close inspection work and rework if doing a lot of surface mount work.
revision by Linker3000— view source