Beinners guide for soldering? - Page 1
Forum section: electronics / beginners

author: Cael
author_rank: Newbie
timestamp: April 22, 2014, 02:04:19 am
content: (must say i enjoy watching every episode on teh channel and decided what better place to ask for a guide or help on this manner)i recently purchased a Adafruit PiTFT (2.8" TFT/Touchscreen) Display for my RaspberryPi so it can be a Secondary screen for Web-controlling XBMC! i at first didn't realize the pins would be hard to solder. (captain Hindsight! i should known from the start from the Spacing on the GPIO allready @_@)lats time i did any soldering was making a JouleThief as a homemade LED Flashlight to make better use outta dying AA's before taking em to the Recycling plant. (this Ended horribly! wasted so much solder, and ruined the whole thing.) the full cost of the screen and a new Pi if i mess up is atleast 70+$ more when including shipping!This is what i haveto do: (Warning if the board software doesn't auto resize this will be HUGE! blame my cell 's camera taking then @ 8MP)[oopsie forgot to mention the Pin connector sittin in the middle is what goes on "Connectior on Reverse!" is for a PiCobbler breadboard adapter, as the screen runs off the GPIO.)as is i do not trust myself w/o a decent guide for beginners to work w/ or trying to find someone in the states willing to do this, does anyone know a good way to get some practice for this fine a point i need to work with or anyone in US-Michigan willing to help? (the only person in my area on craigslist wanted 60$ an hour and said it'd be at-least a 2 Hour job, just because its a "specialty job")

author: liquibyte
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: April 22, 2014, 02:27:34 am
content: Are you saying that you have to solder the pins on the right into the holes on the left? Those are huge in the grand scheme of things. If I were closer, I'd help but I live in MA unfortunately.

author: Nerull
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: April 22, 2014, 02:31:46 am
content: Those pins aren't that small by any means - you can solder them easily. Its just a matter of figuring out the basic technique.

author: nanofrog
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: April 22, 2014, 02:35:10 am
content: For basic soldering techniques/procedures, take a look at the following:Soldering Procedures(text w/ illustrations, printable)Pace's Soldering Tutorials 1 - 9(youtube videos).These will take time, but well worth it IMHO.Plenty of others out there as well, but I'd recommend starting with these, as it will help you distinguish between good and bad practices you might encounter in other videos.Couple of questions:Quick question, what do you currently have for an iron, supplies (i.e. solder wire, flux, wick), and skills?Can you post some more pics of the item's to be soldered (it's pins/leads, as well as the pads on the PCB)?Not sure if there's something fine pitch or not hidden under the display (wouldn't think so), hence the request for pics for clarification (or typed will be sufficient if there's nothing there). FWIW, based on the holes alone, it won't be hard after picking up the right techniques and a bit of practice on scrap PCB's first.

author: miguelvp
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: April 22, 2014, 02:50:49 am
content: https://learn.adafruit.com/adafruit-pitft-28-inch-resistive-touchscreen-display-raspberry-pi/assemblywhat's that cobbler thing for? don't know much about the RaspberyPi

author: Cael
author_rank: Newbie
timestamp: April 22, 2014, 03:17:14 am
content: Quote from: miguelvp on April 22, 2014, 02:50:49 amthe Cobbler is a Food pun carrying on the device's name (RaspberryPi) its more or less a Breakout boardfor use over the GPIO the Cobbler adapter's only if i plan on using anything else w/ the screen attached.Quote from: liquibyte on April 22, 2014, 02:27:34 amTo the Bottom of the screen [those 2x13 pins]Quote from: nanofrog on April 22, 2014, 02:35:10 amhttps://learn.adafruit.com/adafruit-pitft-28-inch-resistive-touchscreen-display-raspberry-pi/assembly] shows a better guide in Assembling it as miguelvp linked,as for the guides thanks everyone , for tools i need a new iron, apparently in the recent homing relocations my family didnt keep my old iron (i only moved back here in Michigan 4 Months ago.) so i'd need to snag a new iron and tips. soon as my phones charged past 25% i c an take closer images of the GPIO Pin Header extender , the PiCobbler Adapter and the Screen's Pinholes for soldering.

author: Biff383
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: April 22, 2014, 03:31:59 am
content: I'm near G.R. if that's any help. Let me know.