Soldering Iron

About our machine

• Model: HAKKO FX-888D

Guides and Manuals

Recommended Equipment

• Soldering Iron
  • Stand-alone iron with variable temperature. Recommended: Adjustable 30W 110V soldering iron - XY-258 110V
  • OR
  • Soldering Iron Station with variable temperature. Recommended: Weller WLC100 Soldering Station or Aoyue 936
• Lead-free Rosin Core electronics solder. Recommended: Solder - 1/4lb Spool
• Solder Paste for surface mount parts (SMD, SMT)
• Rosin Paste Flux for electronics
• Wire-strippers/clippers
• An insulated work mat. Cork mats are available at craft stores. Silicone mats are nice.
• Helping hands (a pair of pose-able metal clips mounted on a sturdy base). Recommended: Third Hand
• A fan or other means of ventilation

Helpful Accessories

• Heat shrink tubing
• Pliers
• Lamp
• Magnifier
• Circuit board holder

Where to buy supplies

• Online Electronics Hobby Stores:
  • Sparkfun: http://www.sparkfun.com
  • Adafruit: http://www.adafruit.com
  • Makershed: http://www.makershed.com
  • Radioshack: http://www.radioshack.com

• Good places to get parts:
  • Mouser: http://www.mouser.com
  • Octopart: http://www.octopart.com
  • Electronics Goldmine: http://www.goldmine-elec-products.com
  • A Maine-based company: http://www.leading-leds.com
  • Need batteries? http://www.cheap-batteries.com/
  • Parts and kits: http://www.allelectronics.com/
  • Guitar parts and kits: http://www.stewmac.com

• Robotics and 3D Printing:
  • Pololu http://www.pololu.com/
  • Trossen Robotics http://www.trossenrobotics.com/

General Tips and Safety

Safety

1. Always treat the soldering iron like it is hot. You can't tell just by looking at it how hot it is, so to be safe don't touch the hot end of the iron or set it on anything other than the holder.
2. Use ventilation for fumes. The flux will smoke and burn off, and it will sting if it gets in your eyes.
3. Be careful of the power cord. You don't want to melt the power cord to your iron. Position it so it won't be in your way when trying to solder.

Tips

1. Use the SIDE of the soldering iron tip, NOT the POINT. The point has very little area with which to heat up the parts you are soldering, but the side of it is large in comparison and can heat up your wires and pins much better.
2. Make sure you're applying enough heat. If solder is taking too long to melt (more than a second or two), you need to change something. Either your iron isn't hot enough, the iron isn't clean, you need to apply flux.
3. Heat the parts you are soldering evenly. If one part is hotter than the other, the solder will be drawn to that one and not the colder one.
4. Avoid heating up the circuit board or parts for more than 10 seconds. Give both time to cool down. Overheated parts may stop working right, and overheated boards may start peeling apart.

Helpful Videos

• Video: Soldering - Beginner's Tutorial
• Refresher guide on soldering from Sparkfun
• (HAKKO FX-888D) How to use "Parameter Settings"
• (HAKKO FX-888D) How to use "Adjust Mode"
• (HAKKO FX-888D) How to set "Preset Mode"
• (HAKKO FX-888D) How to set "Password Lock"
• (HAKKO FX-888D) How to change the set temperature
• (HAKKO FX-888D) Changing the display between ℃ and ℉

Maintenance

Parts: