I hate soldering. Are these OK?

[Amphiprion]

I'm looking for a way to not burn my hands and get bad joints. So I thought "Hey, what about crimps? Even NASA uses them!". Found this product that comes with it's own special 4-point compression tool:

http://www.twacomm.com/catalog/dept_id_1104/model_2006SB.htm?sid=BC1A75CB4D66D2419EDB05E6E4541382

Now, a good crimp should be a gas-tight almost welded connection, if I've been told right. Does anyone (TW I am looking in your direction ) have an opinion on this? Or know of any other products they can recommend? Really tired of burning my hands...

[ThomasW]

Crimping certainly works, but real men use solder. And there are numerous situations where the only option is solder. This is a skill one needs to master.....

So......

Bite the bullet and buy a roll of the Cardas Quad-eutectic from

http://www.soniccraft.com/products/connections/solder/cardas.htm

Note that his price is 1/2 what a roll usually costs.

ANYONE can make good solder joints with this solder. But everyone needs to keep their hands away from the joint until it cools....:wink:

[mmoeller]

At audio frequencies you'll be hard pressed to actually have to worry to much. If that was my HDMI line I might be worried. Crimp connections are widely used in the connector industry, even for relativly high speed center conductor terminals and coax grounds. Just get the right crimps for your particular gague of wire and its a non issue.

[joecarrow]

I didn't look- how much does the crimp tool cost? It's important that you use the tool that's designed to crimp it; pliers won't do anything but chew it up and break things. Proper crimp tools generally (in my experience) cost from $150 to $200.

If you get the right tool, and only crimp the wires they recommend, then this is a great way to make permanent connections. One problem I see is that most inductors and capacitors have solid leads, and crimp connections generally work best with stranded wires. I don't think the crimp connection would work at all with two solid leads, and it might have major problems with one solid and one stranded.

Here's a better idea- get yourself a "helping hand" or "third hand" tool; it's a pair of aligator clips on a small weighted stand, often with an attached magnifier. You clamp the wires to be soldered in place on the swiveling aligator clips, and then there's no risk of burning your hands. If you get a bottle of liquid flux, you'll make much better bonds.

I find that with some decent flux, a hot iron, and the method I described, you can get really good bonds without being some sort of solder-ninja.

[mmoeller]

And there are numerous situations where the only option is solder.

Is this based on performance or just type of wire to be crimped? I have yet to be convinced that the change in resistance between a good solder joint and a good crimp will actually make any audible difference. Mathematically or otherwise.

[Tommythecat]

Not burn your hands? Try getting one of those ColdHeat soldering irons. Guy I know who did service for the navy for like 20 years (naval and aircraft electronics) got a hold of one, it worked fine for him.

[ThomasW]

Is this based on performance or just type of wire to be crimped? I have yet to be convinced that the change in resistance between a good solder joint and a good crimp will actually make any audible difference. Mathematically or otherwise.

There are simply times, places, situations, where solder is the connection of choice. For example it's a little difficult to crimp an op-amp to a PCB.

[RobP]

Go for the Solder connection, in the long run you will be glad you did. I solder everything, years ago when I did car alarms and audio I soldered every connection and stayed away from crimp and other type of mechanical connections. I never had a job come back.

[Brandon B]

For example it's a little difficult to crimp an op-amp to a PCB.

Now that's funny.

[mmoeller]

There are simply times, places, situations, where solder is the connection of choice. For example it's a little difficult to crimp an op-amp to a PCB.

Thanks for the scoop.

What reasons, other than for the mastery of the soldercraft or the smell of flux, would you recommend soldering over crimping? Assuming that crimping was an option.

[ThomasW]

The physics prove crimping creates a very good connection, so what's not to like?

I really enjoy soldering so that's my choice of connections.

I put myself through college welding up 3.3 million gallon fuel storage tanks, so I'm a heat and fire kind of guy... :T

[chasw98]

The physics prove crimping creates a very good connection, so what's not to like?

I really enjoy soldering so that's my choice of connections.

I put myself through college welding up 3.3 million gallon fuel storage tanks, so I'm a heat and fire kind of guy... :T

Numerous studies have been done comparing a crimped connection to a soldered connection. There were instances where a crimped connection provided better conductivity. But most of the time solder is better.

I put my self through life soldering. When I went to amplifier school at Crown in Elkhart, IN, the final test to become a certified crown tech was to solder and desolder a 16 pin IC 10 times to the circuit board and compare it to a factory wave soldered board at the end.

As far as burning your little pinkies, get used to it. Wear it like a badge. Guys who work with electrical scoff at 120 and shake off 240. :rofl: A little hurt will make you stronger.

Chuck

Be sure to use good tools to solder with. It makes a difference.

[Brandon B]

I put my self through life soldering. When I went to amplifier school at Crown in Elkhart, IN, the final test to become a certified crown tech was to solder and desolder a 16 pin IC 10 times to the circuit board and compare it to a factory wave soldered board at the end.

Then maybe you're the guy to ask this:

I was just repairing a PIP module on my MA3600, and I didn't do such a hot job on soldering the 4th lead on the replacement XLR input jack (the one that is farther out, not in the row of 3), but it appears that is a nonelectrical lead, but is rather just for physical support, and so it shouldn't matter.

Izzat so?

BB

[chasw98]

The 4th lead is usually used for a "shell" ground as in a case ground on an XLR connector. In a unit where you can "lift" the ground between chassis and electrical ground the 4th pin would be the chassis where as pin 1 is ground. I would not worry about it, but, you might want to pick up some solder wick and clean up the solder job so that you can redo it. You never know. If pin 2 or 3 are moving on the circuit board over time the pads on the board could come loose and then you really would have to solder well to repair the traces. It is worth it to do it correctly now and forget about it rather than have to take it apart 6 months from now and do it again.

[Amphiprion]

FINE. I'll buy the damn Weller and an OvGlove Maybe one of those third hand thingies too.

[Brandon B]

Thanks Chuck.

[Paul H]

FINE. I'll buy the damn Weller and an OvGlove Maybe one of those third hand thingies too.

My limited soldering experience involves either soldering smaller wires into a pcb, where the wires are inserted into the pcb and then soldered in place, or soldering larger wires like passive crossovers, where the wires are twisted together in some fashion, and then soldered.
In any case, I was taught that the first thing to do for soldered joints is to physically join the wires so that they're mechanically and electrically linked before you solder, and then solder to soldify the connection.

So, how are you burning your hands exactly? :twisted:

[Amphiprion]

Usually just incidental contact with the iron. I'm a klutz. There's a good reason I didn't become a surgeon

[mmoeller]

Don't use your tounge to see if its hot either... :P

[Tommythecat]

tongues are for 9Volts