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Bend before you solder, Part 2.Before soldering a wire to a component

that has presoldered flat contact pads, do the following:

1. Bend the end of the wire at a 45° angle.


2. Heat the end of the wire.


3. Apply a light solder coating to the wire.


4. Press the wire onto the contact pad with the soldering iron.


5. Hold down the wire with the soldering iron until the solder on the pad
   melts.


6. Remove the iron and hold the wire on the pad with your other hand
   until the solder cools. (You should hold the wire several inches from
   the solder joint so your fingers don’t get hot.)

Make sure that the component you’re soldering is kept steady. (Read

about third-hand clamps in the next section for help with this.)

Figure 4-14 shows a microphone cartridge wire soldered with this

technique.

Figure 4-13:

Soldering

wires to

component

lugs.

74 Part I: Project Prep