CHAPTER 21
Soldering Equipment
Solder is the shiny silver-gray metal seen in tiny blobs on almost all circuit boards (see Figure 21-1).
Soldering is the process of melting the solder onto the desired joints to connect the joint materials together
both physically and electrically.
At first, soldering may seem messy, complicated, or even dangerous. The perceived permanency may
bother some beginners. But, after a little practice, it turns out that soldering is easy and effective!
Soldering requires solder wire, flux, a soldering iron, a soldering-iron stand, a tool for removing excess
solder, and some type of vise for the item being soldered. An economical soldering kit can cost as little as $30.
This chapter describes the items you’ll want for your soldering kit.
Solder Wire
Electrical solder wire is a thin, malleable metal (see Figure 21-2). Solder conducts electricity well, thus
providing a low-resistance path for current to flow from one component to another. Unlike solderless
breadboards, solder physically holds the components together firmly and permanently.
Figure 21-1. Circuit board featuring numerous solder points