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Soldering
Soldering: A group of processes that join metals by heating them to a suitable temperature below the solidus of the base metals and applying a filler metal having a liquidus not exceeding 450 °C (840 °F). Molten filler metal is distributed between the closely fitted surfaces of the joint by capillary action.
Solder: Any of various fusible alloys, usually tin and lead, used to join metallic parts.
There is no doubt that good soldering is the key to the creation of high quality leads and cables, but it is a skill that has to be learned and which requires a keen eye and some physical dexterity. If the soldering is done well a good connection is made and the cables function as intended. If the soldering is done badly, it can result in all sorts of problems ranging from unwanted noise (buzzes and hums) to the total destruction of the connected equipment and even death!
Many types of leads and cables made from copper require soldering to fit the connectors, and even those with crimp connectors may require that the end of the cable is tinned (covered in solder) before or after the connectors are fitted.
Leads Direct can take all the problems and hassle away from those who don’t need or want to develop the skill themselves – we can supply hundreds of types of leads and cables ready made, including musical leads such as instrument leads, midi leads, and microphone leads, computer cables including monitor leads, keyboard and mouse leads, serial cables, and computer audio cables as well as Hi-Fi and Home Cinema leads, in fact if it is a cable we can probably supply it. We can even manufacture custom cables to your own specification if a standard cable is not what you need… Whatever you choose you can be sure that you get the right lead at a great price and save yourself all the work!
For those who like to do the work themselves, we can supply the cable, the connectors, and even the tools needed to do the job properly. In addition our Technical Library pages (of which this is one) contains technical information on the pinouts and connections required for various types of cable along with wiring diagrams where appropriate – see the pages on DIN wiring, Network wiring, S-Video wiring, SCART wiring and Serial wiring for more information. If you don’t find the information you want, please ask and we will try to locate and publish it in the Technical Library section.
In the menu to the left and below are links to some useful pages on soldering, the soldering tools and working conditions necessary to do the job correctly, and even an essay on the forthcoming regulations that will undoubtedly change how soldering is done in UK and Europe.
| Soldering Tools | A guide to setting yourself up to solder correctly and safely covering the basics of work area, hand tools, and soldering tools |
| Soldering Quick Fix | A short guide to soldering – ten quick points with no flannel for those who want a quick answer or who just need a refresher… |
| The Perfect Solder Joint | A more detailed guide to making solder joints the proper way |
| Soldering Troubleshooter | A list of possible solutions to the most common problems with solder joints |
| The Quest for the Perfect Solder Joint | An article with appropriate photographs describing what to look for in the perfect solder joint and how to recognise it when you see it! |
| Soldering Regulations | A historical article on soldering and the effect that it was anticipated that the new regulations would have when they came online in 2006. |
If you are seeking further information on Soldering but cannot find it here, please email: info@leadsdirect.co.uk and we will try to both answer your question and make sure that the information is made available through these pages for future reference.
Leads Direct makes great efforts to provide accurate and complete information. However, portions of the information contained in this website and any documents viewed on it or downloaded from it may be incorrect or not current. Any errors or omissions should be reported for investigation and correction. The information provided in any documents whether on our website or otherwise is provided "as is." No warranty of any kind, implied, expressed, or statutory, including but not limited to the warranties of non-infringement of third party rights, title, merchantability, fitness for a particular purpose, and freedom from computer virus, is given.
