[Elecraft] Resistor and capacitor installation techniques: trim before or after soldering?

[David Olean]

I was NASA certified to solder components back in the late 60's. I don't 
remember much except that stripping wires teflon wires required thermal 
wire strippers, and each solder joint used the minimum amount of solder 
and wires were wrapped around terminals for a specified number of 
degrees. The meniscus formed by the solder joint had to be concave.  All 
flux had to be removed with ethyl alcohol. All in an effort to reduce 
weight of the total package and still be reasonably solid to pass the 
shake tests.  I would never use NASA techniques for normal solder jobs.  
There is something to be said about .062 or .125 rolls of solder  and 
big lumps of solder on the joints! :-).

Dave K1WHS (solder blob expert!)


On 3/25/2018 3:33 PM, James F. Boehner MD via Elecraft wrote:
> Jerome,
>
> Now this is interesting.  This is totally opposite of the way most of us
> were taught to solder.  Among the kits I used to put together were Heathkit
> and Ramsey, both of whom recommended securing the parts in place by
> spreading the leads, soldering, and then cutting the wires close to the
> solder blob, checking for shorts.  I assume that goes for Elecraft also, but
> I have not built any of their radios as kits, so not sure.
>
> So how did NASA handle the potential difficulties?  Did they have precut
> parts?  Did the tech have to place the part in the board and cut the leads
> first?  If the part was loose, how was it held close to the board, owing to
> the fact that holding the solder and the iron took two hands?  What if the
> lead length was overestimated and potentially could cause a short?  Could
> the wire be cut and the joint reheated, or did the part have to be removed,
> recut and reinserted?
>
> Just trying to picture the operation.
>
> '73 de JIM N2ZZ
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: elecraft-bounces at mailman.qth.net
> [mailto:elecraft-bounces at mailman.qth.net] On Behalf Of JEROME SODUS
> Sent: Saturday, March 24, 2018 11:40 PM
> To: elecraft at mailman.qth.net
> Subject: Re: [Elecraft] Resistor and capacitor installation techniques: trim
> before or after soldering?
>
> About Message#15 copied below....
>
> Sorry but cutting wires after soldering is "bad practice"; NASA wanted the
> soldered connection left undisturbed.
>
> If I ever saw an assembler or tech doing that "bad practice", they'd get a
> verbal warning that first time and a written warning if it ever happened
> again; but I had good, conscientious people and never had to do that.
>
> So, tin the wires if needed; position the part and then trim wires before
> doing the final soldering.
>
> 73 Jerry KM3K
>
>
>
> Message: 15
> Date: Sat, 24 Mar 2018 19:39:47 +0000
> From: Bill Johnson <k9yeq at live.com>
> To: "kstover at ac0h.net" <kstover at ac0h.net>, 'Mark Petrovic'
> <mspetrovic at gmail.com>, "Elecraft at mailman.qth.net"
> <Elecraft at mailman.qth.net>
> Subject: Re: [Elecraft] Resistor and capacitor installation
> techniques: trim before or after soldering?
> Message-ID:
> <RO1P152MB09079615622CF62BBAE2B4949CAF0 at RO1P152MB0907.LAMP152.PROD.OUTLOOK.C
> OM>
>
> Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii"
>
> Follow the instructions and solder as directed. There are components on both
> sides as I recall with the majority on the top. The leads need be spread to
> hold the components in place on the board. Once done soldering use a flush
> cut wirecutter to remove the excess. Not a good idea to trim them before
> soldering.
>
> 72 & 73,
> Bill
> K9YEQ
> FT'er for K2, KX1, KX3, KXPA100, KAT500, W2, etc.
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