How To: Achieve good soldering joints

Learn how to solder wires with this video. Clean the area to be soldered, scraping the wire down to bare metal and then wiping it clean with alcohol or acetone. Use rosin-core solder for electronic applications. This solder normally comes in coils. Tin (coat with solder) the soldering tip first: Wrap one or two inches of solder around the tip while the iron is cold; set the iron to the solder's temperature range; and allow the solder to melt. Clean the tip with a sponge. Set the soldering tool to the minimum temperature necessary to melt the type of solder being used. Mask off with drafting tape any part of the work that might be damaged by solder. Tin objects that you intend to solder together by holding the soldering unit tip at a slight angle with the line of the chisel point parallel to the side of the work. Join the wire elements that are to be soldered. Wires can be temporarily crimped together. Heat the joint with the soldering iron tip. Place the rosin-core solder so that it touches on the opposite side of the joint rather than directly next to the soldering tool tip. Do not over-apply solder. A blob of solder does not provide a good joint. Lift the end of the solder coil before lifting the soldering iron. The solder joint should be clean, shiny and uniform. Let the joint cool undisturbed. Use a volt-ohm meter to test for continuity.