Soldering requires a number of tools, and an appropriate, well lit and properly ventilated working area. Leads Direct sells a huge range such tools and associated products which you can view and purchase by visiting our secure online shop which has literally thousands of products each with two sizes of image. 

There are also safety requirements to take into consideration. Here are the basics:

Work Area:

Your "work bench" is important, although it does not have to be specially made or elaborate - you will need a reasonable amount of clear space, and places for tools and components, but a kitchen table or desk will do. Things to consider are light, ventilation, and access to properly earthed mains power. The height should be suitable for your size and build, and seating should be such that you are not 'hunched over' when working. If you get this wrong you will pay for it with a very sore back in short order…

Soldering is a task where accuracy is essential, and in order to be accurate you need to be able to see what you are doing. Your work area should be well lit, and basically it is very hard to have too much light! Fluorescent light is best for electronic work because it produces a brighter, whiter light than normal bulbs. Consider investing in an illuminated magnifier if you are going to be soldering a lot of very small components.

Ventilation is extremely important when soldering. The fumes from the flux in the solder can be irritating or even harmful over time.

You will need mains power for your soldering iron, and you may need to connect things to a good electrical earth. If you do not have a mains socket right beside or near your work area, you will need a good quality three core mains extension cable.

Other than that, if you are using a space that has other purposes (i.e. your kitchen table) it is best to keep your tools and components in trays so they can be easily put aside when you are not working. These can be purchased very cheaply from hardware stores, pound shops, etc.

Hand tools:

A pair of long nose pliers, for bending the leads on components and holding nuts while you tighten bolts.
A pair of cutting pliers or two - for circuit boards what you are looking for is "flush cutting" pliers rather than the traditional "dikes" or "diagonal cutting pliers." These are used for cutting wire and trimming leads on the soldered side of a circuit board, and "dikes" just won't get close enough to the board.
Screwdrivers-- you will need two large screwdrivers, one with a straight tip for slotted screws, the other with a 'Phillips' head; and a set of miniature drivers. The mini drivers (often called "jeweller's screwdrivers") can be bought as separate sets for straight and Phillips, or as a combination set.

Hobby knife-- for example, a "Stanley" knife, with a razor-sharp blade, for stripping wires and trimming things.

Multimeter-- for checking voltages, resistances, continuity, and current. A digital multimeter with an "audible continuity feature" is great, but you can get by with an inexpensive VOM (Volt-Ohm-Milliameter).

Magnifier-- for examining circuit board traces and solder connections. If you can, you should solder under magnification using a magnifying work lamp, but you can start with a hand magnifier or loupe.

Clip leads-- wires with alligator clips on the ends for making temporary connections.

Sheet Metal Nibbling Tool - If you are going to be making complete projects rather than just simple leads and cables you will need one of these for making large or odd shaped openings in sheet metal, for example aluminum panels for mounting controls. On of these is much faster and easier than filing!

Soldering tools:

A soldering iron: That's so easy to say, but there's so much more to it! We're talking molten metal here, in close proximity to delicate electronic components. When you're working on a printed circuit board you need to apply a precise amount of heat for a reasonably precise amount of time to a very precise area, so care is needed in selecting the right tool! Your beginner's tool kit should include a 15-30 Watt soldering pencil with a fine chisel tip and at least one spare tip.

Ultimately you may want to invest in a "soldering station," but please buy one with temperature control rather than wattage control. You will need a much heavier iron (100+ Watts) if you are going to work with some types of large connectors, but don't try to use it on a circuit board!

Solder: it's traditional to start out with a caution that you must use rosin core solder and never acid core solder, but in practice acid core solder is so hard to find that the warning is almost superfluous. There are three factors to consider - metallic content, type of flux (core), and diameter, and the result is a huge range of solders available on the market. For now, let's leave it with a recommendation that you start with 60/40 (60% tin, 40% lead) rosin core solder with a diameter of around .03 inch. This will be fine for almost any kit or project and there's no point in departing from it until you have a particular reason to do so.

Solder Wick: - you will make mistakes - everyone does. Besides, there will be times when you want to remove a component for testing, or to substitute a different value. The only practical way to "unsolder" a connection is with solder wick.

Leads Direct sells a wide range of tools suitable for working with cables and electronic projects of all types - visit our Tools page or for an even bigger selection complete with images and the opportunity to order online why not go straight to our online shop with secure online ordering and check out the tools section?