I see people suggesting that you get a better microphone to eliminate “room boom” and noise, but I like the sound exactly the way it is. It makes you feel like you’re standing there in the shop, watching in person. Eliminating the noise and room sounds, to me, would make the video more sterile and “slick”. Keep it real!
I'm not big on dead rooms either but some room treatment when working with amps and high frequency electronics would probably go a long way for helping to prevent tinnitus.
Great video! As a 40 year veteran of electronics instrument repair, I agree with all of your ideas. However, I believe best practices requires cleaning (wet sponge is ok) and tinning the solder tip before using the iron. Tinning the tip improves heat transfer to the joint. Plus, cleaning and tinning the tip after using the iron can extend the life of the tip.
Henry, I could not agree more. Great video content and production, and I too especially appreciate the exclusion of background music. I also really like the fact that there are no weird framing cuts. I read the theory behind that practice, they claim that you have to change the framing of the video with some frequency or people will lose interest. I counter with what I would have thought to be the easiest way to attract and retain veiwers- offer good content! Joe
Oh man, if she starts using background music I'm going to start a petition. XD I find her voice very soothing and sort of therapeutic, for the lack of a better word.
I like the way you say " now we take OUR needle nose pliers" or "now we take OUR iron" it makes me feel that I not only own something, but we own it together! Thanks for the video, I did learn a few things
Liked and subbed. In high school, I was so fascinated with electronics, because I wanted to know how stomp boxes could create such a variety of sounds. I ended up getting an associates degree in Electronics and Communication Servicing in 1994. I built my own distortion stomp box from a schematic diagram, from a particular website, shortly there after. Every time I see a video like yours, be it on the basics, I can't help but watch anyways. I will go back to watch your other past videos. Cheers.
Excellent advice on hard wiring can caps. I don’t know why I never worried about overheating them with my heavy duty iron before. I’m sold. It’s refreshing to have a pro from a real working shop making videos like this.
Love what you're doing. Great to see a female in the technical side of music. I hope you can inspire more diversity in the business with your expertise.
You know how to do it! I have learned that in the seventies but you are doing it the correct way! Glad to see people of the next generation who love electronics!
There are still some amp repair people out there who are somewhat sloppy when it comes to soldering never mind the masses of those that post various builds on youtube. As you state the number one thing to do is tin (pre solder) the components to be joined first and don't play around with the components / join i.e. dab the parts with the iron as this will dry out the flux. This first step is crucial to making good solder joints. Follow your steps and you won't go wrong. Its a pleasure to watch someone who has been trained in the art of soldering and who performs this so well which on youtube is somewhat of a rarity, well done.
So cool to have a woman doing a video about electronics! Times have changed and it is for the best. I discovered that some leads have trace of oxidation or oily residue which prevent a good joint. Now I scrape them with iron wool or a fine grit sand paper to clean them to ensure a good contact. Good video !
Just wanted to say, thanks to some help from your channel, I was able to successfully replace some old filter caps and eliminate 120 cycle hum. First time soldering or working on electronics at this level. Thanks!
This was an excellent tutorial with loads of tips for the trade. One thing we used to say was solder “extraction tool” for rather obvious reasons. Bodge wires and all!!
This is fantastic, thanks! The part on using jumper wires to fix a blown trace on a PCB helped me fix an SD-1 to Tube Screamer mod I was working on for my son.
Great info, didn't know about the scraping trick on the pots, will try it out next time. I sometimes use a desoldering braid when there's still some remnants after using the pump. Came here through the Vintage Amps podcast, keep up the good work!
First iron/gun when I was about 10 you never stop learning and everyone has their own style preference and way it's for everyone and anyone who wants to learn great video and channel nice job
I'm not very much into ASMR (and a noob at soldering) but your videos have made me a total sucker... for the solder sucker. Never heard of it before (which probably explains why I'm so bad at soldering) but I just love the sound of it and I'm definitely getting myself one and try to get a little more into this, starting with a cheap Danelectro spring reverb that stopped working and I'm going to get back to life or die trying! Please keep up with these lovely videos!
Thank you for this. Ive been wrenching on euro cars for 30 years, never really knew how to solder. Got an original Deluxe Reverb that needs some DIY work.
William Baerga I tuned in to your channel by accident and I have to say you have Blown me away with your knowledge of Electrical repair Wow I'm really impress I would like to see a video on how you started getting into this field.
Very informative and good examples used. Many people who occasionally try doing this usually do not invest in proper equipment so before they even start they are at a disadvantage. I would suggest people avoid those soldering irons that cost a few dollars. They don't work properly and the heating element usually burns out quickly anyway. Not everyone want to invest in a soldering station but they should look for a decent product from a reputable brand. The type of solder makes a big difference as well. Lead free solder has a higher melting point and components can be damaged by the increased temperature needed to melt it. Avoid the solder from Dollar stores, I have tried it and it is a nightmare. The leaded solder is still the easiest to work with but not all brands are created equally and you have to weigh the benefits versus the cost of using it where your health is concerned. Many products are now using lead free solder to meet ROHS compliance. Finally I would suggest the tip of the soldering iron is tinned when using it for the first time and keep cleaning it on a damp ( not wet) sponge between use since the tip can build up an oxide layer on the surface when not in use on the stand while it is hot. Naturally components will take longer to remove than to install and they are faulty or damaged anyway, but the process of soldering a new component should be fairly swift to avoid prolonged exposure to heat .
I’ve only soldered about 5 or 6 times and learned the hard way that the soldering iron can get too hot. I have a cheap one with no temperature control. So with those cheapo’s the sponge is a must for temperature control as much as it is cleaning. I finally realized my iron was too hot when the solder wouldn’t stay put and harden. Tinning the tip of the iron wouldn’t work either, it would just run or drip off. Instead of a sponge, I took an old wash rag and folded it up into an Altoids tin. It works pretty well.
2 tips that will improve your soldering.... 1. Use a chisle tip & you will get better results as you have more contact with the board & will be able to cut your temps down & be kinder to components. 2.use a FLAT FLUSH ELECTRONIC NIPPER instead of the electrical ones in the video. They are far superior!!! I was amazed at how much difference these 2 things made. I would never go BACK! ; )>
Thanks so much for this video! I have a ground that came lose from the chassis and I could not get the chassis hot enough to re-solder. Will be getting a lug and screw to attach it!
the fact she is real easy to look at doesn't hurt either right? she does have areal nice voice that's very refreshing, most women her age are so vile and aggressive.. nice change of pace...
Great video - my tip is for the odd time when you find the solder will not melt (high temp lead free stuff) - I've found if you add some leaded solder on top using the iron to heat both it will then melt and a solder sucker can clear it out. I don't know why this works but it does.
Just recently found you and your vids. Oddly, these are quite different than most other tech tip vids. I can’t put a finger on it yet, but you’re video are better for me to relate to.
Hi' I just wanted to express my appreciation for you efforts here . I lost my Dad last year , he had that same drill bit set in the metal case like yours . I have not seen one of those in years , mine is a plastic cover case and I forgot about his until I saw yours and I just want to tell how much that means to me , thank's !
My condolences for your father, that's rough. I lost my aunt a week or two ago and my dad got hit pretty hard by it. Things are slowly getting better. Stay strong my friend.
I had one of those Eico signal generators! Converted it into a tube amp! Some cool tubes in there, but the 6K6 in push pull has I think a 10K impedance which was hard to find a good output transformer for
Thumbs up for using a tone generator and multimeter from when your granparants were teenagers! I have a similar tone generator, and not PPL synthesised and not dead stable, it serves its purpose as signal injector flawlessly! My favorite lab PSU is from the 80' with transformer and variac, Does both voltage and current limit on both DC and AC! I should buy a modern oscilloscope though, analog and uncalibrated from the university dumpster, an early 80' oscilloscope, is not that useful when I can't do exact measurements!
Yes, tip replacement frequently. Iron, I disagree. For 10 years I worked in a shop with my Weller station on for 10 hours a day, 6 days a week. I never replaced the iron. My personal station is a Weller and it's almost 35 years old. I've never replaced the iron and I use it daily. I keep lots of spare tips. Removing solder is sometimes more effective with solder wick instead of the sucker. For the pot, a little liquid flux will help as well. I only use additional flux when soldering something large.
The other tech channels don't show us how to solder, or use a multi-meter, or about fuses etc... This is a channel us non-tech tube amp playing musicians can learn from, to help us maintain our instruments - amp's are musical instruments too.
Well laid out examples and clearly explained! Thx! I've got the same de- solder pump but it stop working my last use. Cleaning it out didn't seem to help this time. Can't find replacement ring washers either. Time for a new one😎👍
Amen on heat sinks. I almost always use one, but especially important for caps, diodes, and any transistor/FET/etc. Desoldering braid works well for me.
I have a little bit of advice for you about using a wet sponge. You mentioned in the video that you have to replace the tip every few months. For me, the tips live for 2 years, and I solder every day. First of all, your sponge is dripping with water, which is why the tip gets a thermal shock, which shortens its life. The sponge should be squeezed out - damp, not dripping with water. Personally, I use something like the Weller WLACCBSH-02 to clean the tips.
Excellent tutorial, one of the best!! Missing is proper tinning of the tip! Tinning promotes better heat transfer, faster soldering, better solder flow. Tinning also reduces de-solder time, and less potential damage to eyelets and boards. Always clean the tip before each solder operation, and tin. I always add new solder when de-soldering. Old solder requires more heat, and does not "suck out" cleanly. (always add new solder) Finally, the preheat recommendations are overstated, and not as much a requirement. Cleaner soldering is obtained by instantaneous three point contact of the tip and the work and solder. Pre-heat isn't necessary on a PCB, and less than half a second second on most solder connections... if even that much. The three point contact of all three, the tip, the work, and solder causes the melting solder to ASSIST in FASTER heat transfer and efficient solder flow. The solder should appear like factory. if it doesn't then you're method isn't correct! If you find you need to pre-heat your work, and end up with melted insulation, definitely wrong. Tip: watch a vintage factory assembly line video. The operation takes less than half a second for the typical connection. It should be that fast.. and a smooth shiny good looking solder fillet. I have been employed by several electronics manufacturers, including IBM, and have professionally restored many hifi amps, turntables, reel to reel decks, etc. The points covered in this video are indeed well explained.. good stuff here!
Colleen can you please show us how YOU safely discharge capacitors to make these things safe to work on. While I have a plethora of experience in a wide array of electronics, working on Tube equipment is not one of them. Just so people know, soldier techniques are very important, and the fill she is trying to explain is referred to as the meniscus. It's a very specific type of arch that fills the gap and slopes up with where the lead exits and enters. It's important because well, solder has some weak points and this is the best form to create the best physical and electrical bond. I became ISO-9000 certified back in the mid 90's, working for the largest electronics manufacture in the world. That certification can mean many things in general, but in my case, it was QA, QC, Assembly, Electrical code, High Potting, Silk screening, shipping, and several other categories. But let me tell you, I'm far from perfect, I've had to go back and rework some of the kits I build and OMG how embarrassing sometimes. Solder suckers are not the ONLY way to get solder off of something. There are other types of tools like a de-soldering iron, solder WICK, which is thin strands of copper wire impregnated with flux that draws the solder towards it.
I'm about to replace the pots that controls the tube preamp on a Hartke, along with two equalizer faders. I have no idea why they made those darn equalizer so sensitive to getting hit. ... But... They did. Thanks for the input hopefully I don't blow myself up
One cautionary note: a number of sketchy online sellers, including some that should probably know better, are selling highly acidic, corrosive fluxes to electronic hobbyists, and when you receive the bottle or can of flux you may find a tiny little warning on the label somewhere saying it is not to be used for electronic work! (My boss at the audio repair shop I used to work for made this mistake several times when buying fluxes online). For use with leaded type solder I still find that plain rosin flux, which smells like pine trees when you solder with it, works best. Lead-free solder (uggh) uses flux made of inorganic acids which are quite nasty to breathe and can corrode the connection (especially on printed circuit boards) if you don't remove all traces of the flux with alcohol or other solvent after soldering. Saturn certain types of integrated circuits and micro processors may require a special paste flux that has powdered solder it but which may not be suitable to use as if it was plain flux in other applications. PS: Scratching the pots or sheet metal with a screwdriver or dental pick prior to soldering will work but the best way to clean such surfaces beforehand is with a fibreglass-bristle "scratch brush".
@@goodun2974 Even high quality flux can be problematic. Kester 186 will gum up switches (I know). Kester 951 leaves little to no residue and makes the solder stick so much easier. Using (a good) flux you're less likely to overheat the pot and damage it.
Question on your back rack, was trying to identify what test gear you had. Simpson 260, an Eico RF generator? tube tester,, would like to know what you use. I have seen you use your Fluke, but mine might be as old as you, an earlier 87. Back in the day, I used a healthkit MM1 (Simpson 260 copy,) Heathkit C-3 capacitor checker (IT-11 or 28 are newer and common), and a Precision 910 tube checker with the newer tube sockets added, and Xcelite wooden handled nut drivers. Someday I will fix my Hickok 534b tube checker, in the mean time still using the 910 as it handles beam power tubes in our power range. Don't think we need a guitar amp with 6146's or 3-500Z's for finals. Have fun
Clean the flux off the board as it will eventually eat through. Isopropyl alcohol 95 grade to wipe clean. Clip your ends close and reapply a little heat on the back to get that nice round bubble effect smooth to the touch. Always keep a hunk of solder on your tip before turning off. Among the other tips I learned.
Thank you so much for this. I'm not a rookie but I learned a few things, so thank you for this! What brand of soldering gun do you recommend? I'm in the market for a new one.
I always advice to put some tin on the tip of your iron before you turn of the power. That way you can't get oxidation on the tip. PS I love your channel
Pencil Soldering irons are good for high precision work but for soldering connections that seems to take the heat away quickly then the WELLER 8200D is a good choice.
You explain so so well !!!! Thank you so much .... i would love if you could teach us how to Solder .... new guitar pickups !!!! pleeeeaseee.... Greetings from Portugal Stay Safe & Keep Rockin ... Thanks [obrigado]
For years, I heard that the solder dosent really matter.NFN, I lately switched to a rosin core,.032 ,63% tin, made for electrical work.It has made the work so much easier .It melts at a lower temp, and leaves an outstanding finish.Just have to keep the tip clean,tin the surfaces,and the temp down,- I just unplug it if I need time to set up. Practice and repetition, - perfect results every time. Good tip about roughing up the pot face for those big, stupid, sloppy ground connections .
Usually those can caps get replaced with axial lead capacitors unless you want the amp to look original, then some people go so far as to open the can and hide the new caps inside. If you solder to the chassis you need a higher wattage iron than your Weller (no higher temperature). Like you said, if you have to camp out on a solder connection trying to get things heated up you can damage the component you're trying to solder. Some of those older circuit boards are just plain junky and no matter how careful you are you could still lift the trace. I saw the Weller soldering station you are using and it is a good station for circuit boards but you may need a higher wattage soldering station for some of the stuff you are soldering on those amplifiers. You said you have to change your soldering tip a couple times a month and also replace your Iron? It's tempting to use an iron to pry on component leads as you are heating them but this can damage the plating on the tip. Once you wear through the plating, the tip is shot. Use a small screwdriver or a soldering tool to pry with as you heat a connection if needed. I've seen people when they get a bit of junk on the soldering tip, bang the iron on the edge of the table to knock off the junk. This is a sure way to kill an iron. And, the solder protects the plating on the tip from the oxygen in the air so if your iron will be idle for a while make sure the tip has a good coat of solder and like you do, turn it off. It doesn't take long at all for a good iron to come up to temperature. If anyone does a lot of soldering like you, pays to spend the bucks and buy a good temperature controlled soldering station.
I see the comments has been made but just to add weight I will endorse how good it is to see a woman technician working in music technology. I hope other girls see your video and consider it as a future career. Your advice based on my self taught abilities is spot on, partly so I can repair minor problems or make up a lead as I am a musician. I love your voice it is very calming and clear. Keep making videos mate, based on this one I have subscribed and unsubscribed.
@@electrofrying1685 It's called systemic change. The audio engineers and techs I know who work in film, studios, FOH are all male. One has worked the desk FOH for AC/DC and guess the gender of their on tour repair tech. Your comment illustrates you are part of the problem, female under representation in the business and this extends widely across many businesses - the glass ceiling. Keep them in their place - hey?
I see people suggesting that you get a better microphone to eliminate “room boom” and noise, but I like the sound exactly the way it is. It makes you feel like you’re standing there in the shop, watching in person. Eliminating the noise and room sounds, to me, would make the video more sterile and “slick”. Keep it real!
Agreed 100%. I find overly close-mic'd, dead audio sort of distracting. I like the sound of the room.
On the fast forward sections, I noticed that you overdub something ambient. Nice touch.
Yes the cosmic noise room Ambience is good
I'm not big on dead rooms either but some room treatment when working with amps and high frequency electronics would probably go a long way for helping to prevent tinnitus.
Great video! As a 40 year veteran of electronics instrument repair, I agree with all of your ideas. However, I believe best practices requires cleaning (wet sponge is ok) and tinning the solder tip before using the iron. Tinning the tip improves heat transfer to the joint. Plus, cleaning and tinning the tip after using the iron can extend the life of the tip.
Excellent video! Thanks for being so clear and concise. And thank you for not using background music!
Henry, I could not agree more. Great video content and production, and I too especially appreciate the exclusion of background music. I also really like the fact that there are no weird framing cuts. I read the theory behind that practice, they claim that you have to change the framing of the video with some frequency or people will lose interest. I counter with what I would have thought to be the easiest way to attract and retain veiwers- offer good content!
Joe
Background music masks trash noise, but she doesnt even have trash noise! I guess her career is pretty sound related so that makes sense
Oh man, if she starts using background music I'm going to start a petition. XD
I find her voice very soothing and sort of therapeutic, for the lack of a better word.
Agreed on the no music. So nice to be able to just peacefully listen and not have your ears assaulted by corporate music all day long
I like the way you say " now we take OUR needle nose pliers" or "now we take OUR iron" it makes me feel that I not only own something, but we own it together! Thanks for the video, I did learn a few things
Liked and subbed. In high school, I was so fascinated with electronics, because I wanted to know how stomp boxes could create such a variety of sounds. I ended up getting an associates degree in Electronics and Communication Servicing in 1994. I built my own distortion stomp box from a schematic diagram, from a particular website, shortly there after. Every time I see a video like yours, be it on the basics, I can't help but watch anyways. I will go back to watch your other past videos. Cheers.
EE here, and I now design and build guitar pedals. Best job ever! Hope ya still build some from time to time. It's a lost art.
Excellent advice on hard wiring can caps. I don’t know why I never worried about overheating them with my heavy duty iron before. I’m sold. It’s refreshing to have a pro from a real working shop making videos like this.
Most helpful soldering video I've ever seen. The closeups of the basic tasks are incredibly useful. Thanks!
This is a great introduction to soldering. Paceworldwide has a fantastic, in-depth series of tutorials on soldering.
This was so good. Couldn’t ask for better video to get me started.
Love what you're doing. Great to see a female in the technical side of music.
I hope you can inspire more diversity in the business with your expertise.
Great soldering video. It is great to see your videos. You are an insperation for girls and young women everwhere. Thanks!
You know how to do it! I have learned that in the seventies but you are doing it the correct way! Glad to see people of the next generation who love electronics!
Colleen, you are a joy to watch and listen too. The Sodder Goddess 😍
There are still some amp repair people out there who are somewhat sloppy when it comes to soldering never mind the masses of those that post various builds on youtube. As you state the number one thing to do is tin (pre solder) the components to be joined first and don't play around with the components / join i.e. dab the parts with the iron as this will dry out the flux. This first step is crucial to making good solder joints. Follow your steps and you won't go wrong.
Its a pleasure to watch someone who has been trained in the art of soldering and who performs this so well which on youtube is somewhat of a rarity, well done.
So cool to have a woman doing a video about electronics! Times have changed and it is for the best. I discovered that some leads have trace of oxidation or oily residue which prevent a good joint. Now I scrape them with iron wool or a fine grit sand paper to clean them to ensure a good contact. Good video !
Just wanted to say, thanks to some help from your channel, I was able to successfully replace some old filter caps and eliminate 120 cycle hum. First time soldering or working on electronics at this level.
Thanks!
This was an excellent tutorial with loads of tips for the trade. One thing we used to say was solder “extraction tool” for rather obvious reasons. Bodge wires and all!!
Great job explaining the basics in a clear way!
Your vids are some of the best tutorials on TH-cam! I wish you lived in my area, good techs are hard to find!
As an absolute beginner, this was a godsend! Thank you!
It’s just a damned shame she actually does not know how to solder correctly!
This is fantastic, thanks! The part on using jumper wires to fix a blown trace on a PCB helped me fix an SD-1 to Tube Screamer mod I was working on for my son.
Great info, didn't know about the scraping trick on the pots, will try it out next time. I sometimes use a desoldering braid when there's still some remnants after using the pump. Came here through the Vintage Amps podcast, keep up the good work!
This is the best solder video I've seen. Thank you so much!
First iron/gun when I was about 10 you never stop learning and everyone has their own style preference and way it's for everyone and anyone who wants to learn great video and channel nice job
Soldering is one of my favorite thing to do!!!!
This video as inspiring me to get back into soldering and audio building projects!
Not just an excellent tech, an excellent teacher as well.
I'm not very much into ASMR (and a noob at soldering) but your videos have made me a total sucker... for the solder sucker. Never heard of it before (which probably explains why I'm so bad at soldering) but I just love the sound of it and I'm definitely getting myself one and try to get a little more into this, starting with a cheap Danelectro spring reverb that stopped working and I'm going to get back to life or die trying!
Please keep up with these lovely videos!
Thank you for this. Ive been wrenching on euro cars for 30 years, never really knew how to solder. Got an original Deluxe Reverb that needs some DIY work.
I am now getting interested in this type of work..She makes it interesting.
Every one of your videos are informative and educational. Well done.
Really helpful. About to start a 5e3 build. So glad I found your videos.
A good tutorial with nice close-ups and love your style.
William Baerga
I tuned in to your channel by accident and I have to say you have Blown me away
with your knowledge of Electrical repair Wow I'm really impress
I would like to see a video on how you started getting into this field.
You hypnotize me. Love your videos
Excellent demonstration and explanations! I'm about to start a 5e3 build, and these tips will be very helpful. Thanks!
im so glad to see u work on electric things and i love to see ur tools
Awesome vids thanks for sharing. You and Uncle Doug both have excellent speaking voices.
Very informative and good examples used. Many people who occasionally try doing this usually do not invest in proper equipment so before they even start they are at a disadvantage. I would suggest people avoid those soldering irons that cost a few dollars. They don't work properly and the heating element usually burns out quickly anyway. Not everyone want to invest in a soldering station but they should look for a decent product from a reputable brand. The type of solder makes a big difference as well. Lead free solder has a higher melting point and components can be damaged by the increased temperature needed to melt it. Avoid the solder from Dollar stores, I have tried it and it is a nightmare. The leaded solder is still the easiest to work with but not all brands are created equally and you have to weigh the benefits versus the cost of using it where your health is concerned. Many products are now using lead free solder to meet ROHS compliance. Finally I would suggest the tip of the soldering iron is tinned when using it for the first time and keep cleaning it on a damp ( not wet) sponge between use since the tip can build up an oxide layer on the surface when not in use on the stand while it is hot. Naturally components will take longer to remove than to install and they are faulty or damaged anyway, but the process of soldering a new component should be fairly swift to avoid prolonged exposure to heat .
I’ve only soldered about 5 or 6 times and learned the hard way that the soldering iron can get too hot. I have a cheap one with no temperature control. So with those cheapo’s the sponge is a must for temperature control as much as it is cleaning. I finally realized my iron was too hot when the solder wouldn’t stay put and harden. Tinning the tip of the iron wouldn’t work either, it would just run or drip off. Instead of a sponge, I took an old wash rag and folded it up into an Altoids tin. It works pretty well.
2 tips that will improve your soldering.... 1. Use a chisle tip & you will get better results as you have more contact with the board & will be able to cut your temps down & be kinder to components. 2.use a FLAT FLUSH ELECTRONIC NIPPER instead of the electrical ones in the video. They are far superior!!! I was amazed at how much difference these 2 things made. I would never go BACK! ; )>
You are simply the best:)
Thanks so much for this video! I have a ground that came lose from the chassis and I could not get the chassis hot enough to re-solder. Will be getting a lug and screw to attach it!
Brilliant, brilliant video.
Excellent close ups and great explanations.
Thanks for sharing.
More of the same please.
🤠
Yesss!!! Now I finally have a fellow lady to look up to!
Great tutorial for beginners and old hats alike.
thank you! great explanations for a total beginner like myself
What a great channel
Really good video. Your a good teacher . Thanks for this
Your rhythm of explanation is even somewhat therapeutic and totally absorbable...🙏
I'm a writer and love that sentence
the fact she is real easy to look at doesn't hurt either right? she does have areal nice voice that's very refreshing, most women her age are so vile and aggressive.. nice change of pace...
I find the croaking disturbing
Dean Dee. Wow an unnecessary comment on her appearance and a misogynistic rant as well. No wonder there are so few women in this field of work.
@@hoover728 thank you. There are some ridiculous comments on this video.
Amazing demonstrations! Love it.
Great video - my tip is for the odd time when you find the solder will not melt (high temp lead free stuff) - I've found if you add some leaded solder on top using the iron to heat both it will then melt and a solder sucker can clear it out. I don't know why this works but it does.
Just recently found you and your vids. Oddly, these are quite different than most other tech tip vids. I can’t put a finger on it yet, but you’re video are better for me to relate to.
Yes. It's very practical and real. And more.
Hi'
I just wanted to express my appreciation for you efforts here .
I lost my Dad last year , he had that same drill bit set in the metal case like yours .
I have not seen one of those in years , mine is a plastic cover case and I forgot about his until I saw yours and I just want to tell how much that means to me , thank's !
My condolences for your father, that's rough. I lost my aunt a week or two ago and my dad got hit pretty hard by it. Things are slowly getting better. Stay strong my friend.
I had one of those Eico signal generators! Converted it into a tube amp! Some cool tubes in there, but the 6K6 in push pull has I think a 10K impedance which was hard to find a good output transformer for
Thumbs up for using a tone generator and multimeter from when your granparants were teenagers! I have a similar tone generator, and not PPL synthesised and not dead stable, it serves its purpose as signal injector flawlessly! My favorite lab PSU is from the 80' with transformer and variac, Does both voltage and current limit on both DC and AC! I should buy a modern oscilloscope though, analog and uncalibrated from the university dumpster, an early 80' oscilloscope, is not that useful when I can't do exact measurements!
Yes, tip replacement frequently. Iron, I disagree. For 10 years I worked in a shop with my Weller station on for 10 hours a day, 6 days a week. I never replaced the iron. My personal station is a Weller and it's almost 35 years old. I've never replaced the iron and I use it daily. I keep lots of spare tips.
Removing solder is sometimes more effective with solder wick instead of the sucker.
For the pot, a little liquid flux will help as well. I only use additional flux when soldering something large.
I love the piece of 4x2 you use as a pointer....LOL
I learned a great deal from this video, thank you.
The other tech channels don't show us how to solder, or use a multi-meter, or about fuses etc... This is a channel us non-tech tube amp playing musicians can learn from, to help us maintain our instruments - amp's are musical instruments too.
Well laid out examples and clearly explained! Thx! I've got the same de- solder pump but it stop working my last use. Cleaning it out didn't seem to help this time. Can't find replacement ring washers either. Time for a new one😎👍
Desoldering wicks and soldering heat sinks are always useful.
Amen on heat sinks. I almost always use one, but especially important for caps, diodes, and any transistor/FET/etc.
Desoldering braid works well for me.
Thanks for this video, you have given me the confidence to make a mess of my wah pedal.
You're so easy on the ears, ...You could read me bedtime stories!
I have a little bit of advice for you about using a wet sponge. You mentioned in the video that you have to replace the tip every few months. For me, the tips live for 2 years, and I solder every day. First of all, your sponge is dripping with water, which is why the tip gets a thermal shock, which shortens its life. The sponge should be squeezed out - damp, not dripping with water. Personally, I use something like the Weller WLACCBSH-02 to clean the tips.
You give good instructions. Can you please make a video on different components and examples of application? Like what makes a fuzz… fuzz??
This was very educational. Thank you!
Very good video. I always use flux for good result.
Thanks and greetz from germany.
Awesome technique. If you do a lot a PCB work, it is worth investing in a reworking station, especially for surface mount components.
Excellent tutorial, one of the best!! Missing is proper tinning of the tip! Tinning promotes better heat transfer, faster soldering, better solder flow. Tinning also reduces de-solder time, and less potential damage to eyelets and boards. Always clean the tip before each solder operation, and tin. I always add new solder when de-soldering. Old solder requires more heat, and does not "suck out" cleanly. (always add new solder)
Finally, the preheat recommendations are overstated, and not as much a requirement. Cleaner soldering is obtained by instantaneous three point contact of the tip and the work and solder. Pre-heat isn't necessary on a PCB, and less than half a second second on most solder connections... if even that much. The three point contact of all three, the tip, the work, and solder causes the melting solder to ASSIST in FASTER heat transfer and efficient solder flow. The solder should appear like factory. if it doesn't then you're method isn't correct! If you find you need to pre-heat your work, and end up with melted insulation, definitely wrong.
Tip: watch a vintage factory assembly line video. The operation takes less than half a second for the typical connection. It should be that fast.. and a smooth shiny good looking solder fillet. I have been employed by several electronics manufacturers, including IBM, and have professionally restored many hifi amps, turntables, reel to reel decks, etc.
The points covered in this video are indeed well explained.. good stuff here!
Another great vid!❤️
Great explanations. Keep the channel going! Great job!
Colleen can you please show us how YOU safely discharge capacitors to make these things safe to work on. While I have a plethora of experience in a wide array of electronics, working on Tube equipment is not one of them.
Just so people know, soldier techniques are very important, and the fill she is trying to explain is referred to as the meniscus. It's a very specific type of arch that fills the gap and slopes up with where the lead exits and enters. It's important because well, solder has some weak points and this is the best form to create the best physical and electrical bond.
I became ISO-9000 certified back in the mid 90's, working for the largest electronics manufacture in the world. That certification can mean many things in general, but in my case, it was QA, QC, Assembly, Electrical code, High Potting, Silk screening, shipping, and several other categories. But let me tell you, I'm far from perfect, I've had to go back and rework some of the kits I build and OMG how embarrassing sometimes.
Solder suckers are not the ONLY way to get solder off of something. There are other types of tools like a de-soldering iron, solder WICK, which is thin strands of copper wire impregnated with flux that draws the solder towards it.
I'm about to replace the pots that controls the tube preamp on a Hartke, along with two equalizer faders. I have no idea why they made those darn equalizer so sensitive to getting hit. ... But... They did. Thanks for the input hopefully I don't blow myself up
A nice clear explanation. Great stuff.
Wonderful tips!
this sucker helps a lot at work,👍🇧🇷
Great video. I've found some liquid or paste flux makes soldering to pots (and pretty much everything, but especially sheet metal) much easier.
One cautionary note: a number of sketchy online sellers, including some that should probably know better, are selling highly acidic, corrosive fluxes to electronic hobbyists, and when you receive the bottle or can of flux you may find a tiny little warning on the label somewhere saying it is not to be used for electronic work! (My boss at the audio repair shop I used to work for made this mistake several times when buying fluxes online). For use with leaded type solder I still find that plain rosin flux, which smells like pine trees when you solder with it, works best. Lead-free solder (uggh) uses flux made of inorganic acids which are quite nasty to breathe and can corrode the connection (especially on printed circuit boards) if you don't remove all traces of the flux with alcohol or other solvent after soldering. Saturn certain types of integrated circuits and micro processors may require a special paste flux that has powdered solder it but which may not be suitable to use as if it was plain flux in other applications. PS: Scratching the pots or sheet metal with a screwdriver or dental pick prior to soldering will work but the best way to clean such surfaces beforehand is with a fibreglass-bristle "scratch brush".
@@goodun2974 Even high quality flux can be problematic. Kester 186 will gum up switches (I know). Kester 951 leaves little to no residue and makes the solder stick so much easier. Using (a good) flux you're less likely to overheat the pot and damage it.
Question on your back rack, was trying to identify what test gear you had. Simpson 260, an Eico RF generator? tube tester,, would like to know what you use. I have seen you use your Fluke, but mine might be as old as you, an earlier 87. Back in the day, I used a healthkit MM1 (Simpson 260 copy,) Heathkit C-3 capacitor checker (IT-11 or 28 are newer and common), and a Precision 910 tube checker with the newer tube sockets added, and Xcelite wooden handled nut drivers. Someday I will fix my Hickok 534b tube checker, in the mean time still using the 910 as it handles beam power tubes in our power range. Don't think we need a guitar amp with 6146's or 3-500Z's for finals. Have fun
You really know your stuff cheers keep up the good work
Doing what you love isn't work, it's joy...so are you
This video is super informative.
Great examples: thanks !
Clean the flux off the board as it will eventually eat through. Isopropyl alcohol 95 grade to wipe clean. Clip your ends close and reapply a little heat on the back to get that nice round bubble effect smooth to the touch. Always keep a hunk of solder on your tip before turning off. Among the other tips I learned.
Thank you so much for this. I'm not a rookie but I learned a few things, so thank you for this! What brand of soldering gun do you recommend? I'm in the market for a new one.
I knew an old valve engineer who said you should wire amps up like you didn't need solder, and above all:
"Solder is not glue!" :o)
My teacher's mantra was 'sound mechanical joint!'
Finally got me a decent iron . Hopefully that will make a difference cause I suck ! lol
Great video!
When you get an Ampeg in, I want to see how you deal with the curved leads.
Particularly SVT, Vt-22, or V-4B.
I always advice to put some tin on the tip of your iron before you turn of the power. That way you can't get oxidation on the tip. PS I love your channel
Nice! I noticed the Eico 377 on your bench - used to have one.
Pencil Soldering irons are good for high precision work but for soldering connections that seems to take the heat away quickly then the WELLER 8200D is a good choice.
You explain so so well !!!! Thank you so much .... i would love if you could teach us how to Solder .... new guitar pickups !!!! pleeeeaseee....
Greetings from Portugal
Stay Safe & Keep Rockin ...
Thanks [obrigado]
Humble girl great work
For years, I heard that the solder dosent really matter.NFN, I lately switched to a rosin core,.032 ,63% tin, made for electrical work.It has made the work so much easier .It melts at a lower temp, and leaves an outstanding finish.Just have to keep the tip clean,tin the surfaces,and the temp down,- I just unplug it if I need time to set up.
Practice and repetition, - perfect results every time.
Good tip about roughing up the pot face for those big, stupid, sloppy ground connections .
I’m always fascinated by someone who can be such an expert at a young age.
Usually those can caps get replaced with axial lead capacitors unless you want the amp to look original, then some people go so far as to open the can and hide the new caps inside. If you solder to the chassis you need a higher wattage iron than your Weller (no higher temperature). Like you said, if you have to camp out on a solder connection trying to get things heated up you can damage the component you're trying to solder. Some of those older circuit boards are just plain junky and no matter how careful you are you could still lift the trace. I saw the Weller soldering station you are using and it is a good station for circuit boards but you may need a higher wattage soldering station for some of the stuff you are soldering on those amplifiers. You said you have to change your soldering tip a couple times a month and also replace your Iron? It's tempting to use an iron to pry on component leads as you are heating them but this can damage the plating on the tip. Once you wear through the plating, the tip is shot. Use a small screwdriver or a soldering tool to pry with as you heat a connection if needed. I've seen people when they get a bit of junk on the soldering tip, bang the iron on the edge of the table to knock off the junk. This is a sure way to kill an iron. And, the solder protects the plating on the tip from the oxygen in the air so if your iron will be idle for a while make sure the tip has a good coat of solder and like you do, turn it off. It doesn't take long at all for a good iron to come up to temperature. If anyone does a lot of soldering like you, pays to spend the bucks and buy a good temperature controlled soldering station.
I see the comments has been made but just to add weight I will endorse how good it is to see a woman technician working in music technology. I hope other girls see your video and consider it as a future career. Your advice based on my self taught abilities is spot on, partly so I can repair minor problems or make up a lead as I am a musician. I love your voice it is very calming and clear. Keep making videos mate, based on this one I have subscribed and unsubscribed.
@@electrofrying1685 It's called systemic change. The audio engineers and techs I know who work in film, studios, FOH are all male. One has worked the desk FOH for AC/DC and guess the gender of their on tour repair tech. Your comment illustrates you are part of the problem, female under representation in the business and this extends widely across many businesses - the glass ceiling. Keep them in their place - hey?
Awesome tips
Hello, you have left traces of tin on the plate, they can be detached and make contact
first thing I noticed About your Channel.I said "I love The way she solders..."
bought a solder iron to use in my garden.