Tools for makers · Workshop tools
Soldering iron
Joins wires and component legs permanently with melted solder. You need it to add pins to LCDs and modules and to make projects last.
- 9 lessons
What it is for
Breadboards are great for trying out a circuit, but sooner or later you want a connection that doesn't fall apart: pins on a display, a longer wire to a sensor, a finished project in a box. A soldering iron heats the joint so that solder, a soft metal, flows around it and sets in a second or two.
An adjustable iron lets you choose the right temperature: around 330 °C for normal solder. A kit with a stand, a cleaning sponge and spare tips gets you started straight away.
Practise on a few spare pins first. A good joint is shiny and shaped like a small volcano.
Tips
- Always put the iron back in its stand; the tip is hot enough to burn instantly.
- Work in a ventilated room and wash your hands after soldering.
- Heat the joint, not the solder: touch the iron to the pin and pad, then feed in the solder.
- Younger makers should solder with an adult next to them.
