I've mentioned before that I'm still using my LR1200 (Lafayette Receiver 12 watts RMS) that I bought in 1972. It's set up in my garage.
Yes that's right I forgot. I still have a Lafayette speaker system store in my garage somewheres. That was great times back then. Besides kits I subscribed 2 popular Electronics I will build some of their projects. They gave you the schematic component list and a pictorial of the layout of the parts.
I see that I haven't commented on this so here I go. This is something that I've been wanting to do on a very small scale compared to all of you. There have been plenty of times that I accidently broke a connection on a speaker or a solar light and wished I knew how to do soldering to fix it. I have watched Youtube videos but it's always a repair on a much larger scale.
I forgot about that. I still have the schematic for my LR1200. I've also got a Marantz quadraphonic receiver. I think that came with one, too.
Marantz, McIntosh, & the Harmon Kardon Citation series were among the top names back then. I also built a Dynaco preamp kit.
@Von Jones Time for you to get started, Von. Soldering is useful for many things in a DIY gals life. I recommend getting a WELLER dual temp soldering gun and while the 100/140 is ideal for general use, I think you being the crafty lady you are should go for the Weller Professional 200/260 gun. Here is why! Ever had the urge to use old tinned cans for projects? Maybe strip old house wiring down to the bare to make projects? Hardware stores sell brass wire and rods, flat sheets, and the project possibilities are endless. Well this big Weller, puts out some menopausal quality heat needed to get copper brass or tin-coated steel up to a melting temp. You might add the 100/140 later if you decided to do more intricate work, maybe build a fun science or art kit. What a great learning experience for you and the grandkids. The basics of a good solder joint are to heat the metal NOT the SOLDER! Appy the solder away but close to the tip and let it flow to the heat. Now my personal tips. Use a mill bastard file to keep the tip dressed with no sharp edges or gouges. Always brush the tip and then tin it with the ROSIN core solder and brush it again before using. I shake it off if working on a concrete floor in times of build-up or if in my house have a piece of hard masonite as a work table and brushings from the tip can fall there and be knocked off later in the garbage can. Soldering will open new doors for artistic invention for you Von, and the repairs will just be a bonus. I like the guns because they are safer against burns and warm up quicker. You can also get wood burning tips for them, but I did invest in a wood-burning iron as it is easier to hold for intricate work. Tips are not to costly and easy to replace.
@Von Jones @Faye Fox Faye is right on the money. I would add that soldering requires HEAT, and caution is needed, especially for the novice wielding a hot probe with one hand while holding a roll of solder with the other while keeping the workpiece steady with the third (?). It's not difficult, and results often exceed expectations. I have repaired small parts by soldering them back together many times. Not the strongest, but better than Instant-Glue! Solder consists basically of lead and tin, in varying proportions. Recent years has seen a shift away from lead-based solder, and indeed all those copper pipes carrying water in our homes must now be soldered with lead-free solder. The solder I have used most of my life is 50-50, lead and tin. Sometimes 40/60, my favorite brand being Kester Solder. Here is a pic of an old roll of 40/60, in 1/16-inch thick diameter. Soldering things together requires FLUX, a magical material which promotes the flowing of melted solder onto the metallic parts. The two types of flux are ROSIN and ACID. Only rosin-core flux should be used on electrical connections. Acid core promotes joining especially dirty or corroded surfaces by soldering. Occasionally, flux is added in addition to that contained in the solder itself: Both rosin and acid fluxes are available in small containers. Frank
Yes the solid core copper wire conducts heat better than the stranded and is harder to clean off oxidation. Stranded wire is important if flexibility is a concern. This is why the leads coming out of most transformers and chokes are stranded so they can be manipulated without fear of breakage. Notice components like resistors and capacitors are solid lead so easy scraped for tarnishing and most are tinned which even if slightly tarnished will brighten up with heat and rosin core solder. In most applications, especially low voltage, and low amps, the pre-tinning makes no difference. It also helps the solder to melt faster which keeps the component from excessive soldering heat. Still the solder needs to be applied at a point not touching the gun tip and flow cooling to a bright look. I see so many applying the solder to the tip where it touches the wire. Instead of the solder flowing to the heat coating the wire, it is just piling up making a cold joint. @Von Jones @Frank Sanoica I might mention that I use only solder with the rosin core with a soldering gun for most uses. If soldering with a torch, then the solid core solder and an appropriate flux. If soldering copper pipe for electrical use, then rosin and for plumbing, acid core.
@Von Jones I didn't care about being right or wrong, just the fact that I finally got to No No Nanette you made my day hahaha!
I learned to solder in 7th grade electric shop. Later I did silver soldering with a propane torch. I've been soldering for 73 years. Yowzah!
Soldering? Back in more youthful days, I built so many home-made radio other things (tesla coils, Jacobs ladders, etc.), stereo kits (Allied Radio) and various Heathkits that I probably still smell like flux at times. That said, midlife was a time to take scrap copper wire and solder boat/ship sculptures like the one below, which is the only one left. The old soldering iron, Weller guns, propane torches and heat sinks are packed away somwhere. If I ever get this current shop set up, the smell of solder may waft in the air again. .