One of the high points for a beginning electronics hobbyist is putting his first circuit board together. Other than some light electronics soldering, the work is about getting components into the right places. Double-checking parts placement and orientation before you solder will save you rework time later. Place and solder sockets first, then components, and do the wiring last. When the parts are all connected, and wires soldered in, the board is ready to test. Instructions 1 Turn the soldering iron on and let it warm up for a few minutes. Wet the sponge with a few ounces of clean water. When the soldering iron is hot, clean the tip on the sponge, then tin the tip by melting a small amount of fresh solder on it. 2 Look at the schematic and the circuit board's component side. Identify how to orient all the parts. Transistors, ICs and other components need to be placed correctly. Begin by inserting sockets for any ICs, cables, and other parts that need them. Put the sockets on the component side. To keep them from slipping out, you can bend a couple pins over slightly on the trace side of the board. 3 Touch the soldering iron tip to the leads protruding through the pad holes for a few seconds. This is on the board’s trace side. Let enough solder melt on the joint to cover it and form a smooth, shiny joint. Try not to dwell on the joint with the iron for more than about ten seconds. Solder each lead to its corresponding pad, then move on to the next socket. Let the solder cool for a minute. If any leads protrude from the solder pad longer than a couple millimeters, clip them off with the diagonal cutters. 4 Insert a few resistors and capacitors into the board. Check the orientation of any polarized capacitors. Resistor leads are usually bent at a 90-degree angle with the part, so the leads can slip through the board. Capacitor leads may be bent or go through straight, depending on the part. Solder each lead as in Step 3. Clip off excess leads after soldering. Continue to insert, orient, solder, and clip parts until all of them are done. 5 Prepare stranded wire, if any is required, by twisting the bare copper strands tightly. Heat the wire for a few seconds and let a thin coat of solder melt in. Insert and solder wire into the board as required. As above, clip off the excess. The wire may be for power, signals, or testing. For short jumpers, you can use clipped excess leads from Step 4. 6 Insert ICs and other parts into their sockets, checking their orientation. This completes the board's assembly.
