nonamemx Posted June 10, 2004 Report Share Posted June 10, 2004 Okay. I am trying to make a piezo pickup. I have also tried making a preamp. But I cant! Everything falls apart! nothing will stay soldered. I have ruined my piezo from soldering and ripping the solder off too many times. I need help. How on earth do you solder little things? Can you give me some tips? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lovekraft Posted June 10, 2004 Report Share Posted June 10, 2004 Absolutely! Give yourself every advantage you can! I use a hi-intensity lamp, a flip-down magnifier loupe over my glasses, a tiny soldering tip, one of those articulating desktop vices, and I try not to do detail work if I've had too much coffee. I always tin and twist stranded wire before trying to connect it to a solid lead, and I sometimes use masking tape to hold things in place until I can let the solder cool. But the most important thing is to practice - the more you do it, the better you'll be at it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nonamemx Posted June 10, 2004 Author Report Share Posted June 10, 2004 Yay! a positive response! not somebody telling me to "search" Maybe its because Im using an old pencil tip soldering tip on a 1 cm piezo. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lovekraft Posted June 10, 2004 Report Share Posted June 10, 2004 Take heart! None of us are born with soldering skills - if you keep at it, and you don't injure yourself too badly, you'll get better, I promise - I did! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nonamemx Posted June 11, 2004 Author Report Share Posted June 11, 2004 Well, its not really a lack of skill. Its like trying to write your name with lamb chop. How do you get a glob of solder the diameter of a paper clip onto a tiny wire? I can get these things to work, but then they fall apart. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ansil Posted June 11, 2004 Report Share Posted June 11, 2004 what solder are you using i use silver bearing solder 28 guage. very tiny stuff. and the smallest tips i can find with a 15watt iron. i do smt work all the time, not that i enjoy it but sometings require a bit of time and patience. also did you try prepping the area. sometimes i found they use the wrong solder or an incompatable type with what i use and i have to completely resolder the joint after i clean it. also what guage wire are you putting on it.i also use between a 26guage and a 30 guage wire. semi strand Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lovekraft Posted June 11, 2004 Report Share Posted June 11, 2004 Yeah, you need a smaller tip and finer solder. And don't melt the solder and then try to apply it to the wire - heat the joint until the solder will flow onto it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JohnnyG Posted June 11, 2004 Report Share Posted June 11, 2004 if your having trouble with the solder not flowing easily then try to get hold of a can of flux. most solder has flux inside it but putting a dab extra on whatever your trying to solder will let it flow much more easilly Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stalefish Posted June 11, 2004 Report Share Posted June 11, 2004 Could it be the surfaces? I know that some surfaces I've tried to solder stuff onto doesn't hold the solder that well 'cause of anti-oxidation coatings and what not.. Just a suggestion.. Small fingers are definately a plus, though.. Soldering's almost the only time I'm happy for my small hands.. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nonamemx Posted June 11, 2004 Author Report Share Posted June 11, 2004 I have a 30 watt iron, thats not too big is it? I think it would be fine if I just had a better tip and the solder is .050 diameter rosin core. It may be to big. The biggest trouble I have is that the solder doesn't "flow". It runs and collects into a bubble at the end of the soldering iron I think I tinned the end properly Thanks. I will try and get a smaller tip and some small solder. OH, and another thing. I'm trying to make a Piezo Pickup, with piezo disks. Yesterday, I had a small piezo (a bit smaller than a dime, like, 1 cm in diameter) It worked, but was very very faint. I had to crank the little practice amp up pretty high. 1. Does it work for both electric and acoustic? 2. How delecate are they? (i think I ruined mine) 3. If you put it down on the side with the ceramic surface, will it not work? (will the crystal not vibrate if your fat finger is mashing it?) 4. Bigger Piezo = higher output? 5. 2 Piezos = higher output? Thank you for all those who have helped me. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nonamemx Posted June 12, 2004 Author Report Share Posted June 12, 2004 Please? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lovekraft Posted June 12, 2004 Report Share Posted June 12, 2004 Sorry, you're out of my area of "expertise" I think most piezos need a preamp to get the signal up to the level of conventional pickups, but that's about all I know. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pickleweaseler Posted June 13, 2004 Report Share Posted June 13, 2004 Soldering tips. --Always, Always, ALWAYS wear eye protection. --You can use alligator clips and hemostats as heatsinks to protect your part. --Don't grab the hot part of the iron. (I know, very obvious, but I have done it ) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nonamemx Posted June 13, 2004 Author Report Share Posted June 13, 2004 OH, and another thing. I'm trying to make a Piezo Pickup, with piezo disks. Yesterday, I had a small piezo (a bit smaller than a dime, like, 1 cm in diameter) It worked, but was very very faint. I had to crank the little practice amp up pretty high. 1. Does it work for both electric and acoustic? 2. How delecate are they? (i think I ruined mine) 3. If you put it down on the side with the ceramic surface, will it not work? (will the crystal not vibrate if your fat finger is mashing it?) 4. Bigger Piezo = higher output? 5. 2 Piezos = higher output? Thank you for all those who have helped me. Who knows about Piezos? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lovekraft Posted June 13, 2004 Report Share Posted June 13, 2004 See if any of these are helpful: Piezo pickups DIY pickup Make Your Own Bass Pickup Sorry, that's all I found. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ansil Posted June 14, 2004 Report Share Posted June 14, 2004 i have used multiple ones and found that anything more than two per string didnt' do anything different to my ears.. still needed a preamp. but i found a jfet one that will work on like 3v lithium button cell or say an n cell battery.. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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