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

[hawley, charles j jr]

That's probably good advice from NASA. However in 50 years, I've never cracked a solder joint by trimming off the excess lead after soldering. I can see how it could be imagined to happen and safer for sure if you are not going to be able to fix it should it ever happen.

Chuck Hawley
 c-hawley at illinois.edu

 Amateur Radio, KE9UW
 aka Jack, BMW Motorcycles
________________________________________
From: elecraft-bounces at mailman.qth.net [elecraft-bounces at mailman.qth.net] on behalf of JEROME SODUS [jsodus at comcast.net]
Sent: Saturday, March 24, 2018 10:40 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.COM>

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.
______________________________________________________________
Elecraft mailing list
Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft
Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm
Post: mailto:Elecraft at mailman.qth.net

This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net
Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html
Message delivered to c-hawley at illinois.edu