Possible Change To Build Order

[dearvbguru]

I am working on building my first one but I might put a suggested change out to build order.

At the point where you install the fuse holders, you have already put on the RJ 45 jacks and the 100uf capacitors because of the fuse holders are shorter than the mentioned components.

With those installed it makes it a lot harder to install the fuse holders straight and to get a good solder joint because when its flipped over with the jacks and capacitors installed the fuse holders want to fall out.

In the mean time on my first one, I think if I put a piece of electrical tape over the tops and wrap around the board then could get at least get them tacked in and then solder the rest of the connectors on each one.

Just my $.02 opinion

[duane.mosley]

+1   

i will build my second one differently that is for sure.

[jnealand]

I use blue painters tape to hold components on when I have to flip the board over.  Easier to get off than electrical tape and no residue / stickiness.

[tbone321]

Just remember that the build order is more of a guideline to make sure that none of the components are missed during the build.  It is not written in stone and if it works better for you to change the order, then go for it.  If the majority agree that the order should be changed, then perhaps it should be changed.

[dearvbguru]

I use blue painters tape to hold components on when I have to flip the board over.  Easier to get off than electrical tape and no residue / stickiness.

that's actually what I used but I had to split it up because when the board flipped over the middle ones came out. The leads on the fuse holders are small and fit very loose in hole and there is no easy way to bend leads like most other components to hold them in place.

[arw01]

As a woodworker I have a variety of little squeeze clamps, I used a needle nose set to hold the fuse holders, but I agree the hole is huge and they have to be held somehow until you can solder them in.

For all the fuses and resistors, I also use blue painters tape, about 5 at a time.    I'm still trying to find a way that works to keep the SSC pigtails down while I solder them without melting the wire insulation!

[tbone321]

Turn the heat up on your iron a little and make sure to pre-tin the tip of the iron before making each connection.  It seems that you have too much contact time with the iron on the wire allowing for too much heat transfer up the wire.

[jnealand]

When soldering the 3 wire connectors to the lights I use either a helping hands device that has movable alligator clips or I use a wooden stake and tape the wires down after I line them up.  With wires pretinned I use a little tweezers to assist in lining them up and just touch with the iron long enough to melt the tinning on both wires.  My biggest issue has been forgetting to put the d$#* heatshrink on before I do the soldering and then having to desolder and start over again.  Must be my old age catching up with me.

[arw01]

On the weller 110 station I'm up between 3 and 3.5 most of the time.  I did some stuff on about 4 and it's fast, but thought I might be a little too hot for regulators and such.

I have been tinning the wires, that is literally just a split second touch to wick some sold down them.

[tallan]

Yep,

Those fuse holders were tricky!  I too thought they should have been before the RJ45 and caps.

Tallan

[tjbrickner]

I forget who the original poster of this trick is but I clamp my iron down and hold the wire to the iron till i feel it getting warm.  Then I apply the solder.  No muss, no fuss.

[taybrynn]

I put my board in a vice (upright but on an angle so I could see under) and put on the fuse holders, 3-4 at a time ... then solder each one a little from underneath to hold them -- repeated till they were all held in place.  Then removed the board flipped over and filled the big holes with plenty of solder.  That seemed to work better than taping did for me.  It was a pain, for sure.  Probably one of the most difficult aspects of any of these kits because those fuse holders are tiny and don't have any depth to them and sit atop big holes that don't help much.  But on the other hand, i LOVE LOVE LOVE having those replaceable fuses.  One already blew and it was easy to remove and see that it had in fact blown, without using a tester.