SSW - Soldering

Personal Protective Equipment

All Personal Protective Equipment available in the Maker Space can be found near the work area or in the PPE cupboard. Ask a member of staff if you can't find what you are looking for.

Safety Glasses You should wear safety glasses when clipping component leads & wires.

Specific risks you should be aware of

Carcinogen Hazard You may encounter lead-based solder. Avoid exposure to fumes and wash hands thoroughly after you have finished work.

Hot Surfaces The soldering iron tip and recently soldered surfaces may be up to 500 °C. Do not touch any metal parts of the soldering iron, and be cautious of soldered components.

Electrical Hazard Ensure that cables are intact before starting work. Hot items may melt through cables.

Hazardous Fumes You must use the fume extraction to avoid breathing potentially hazardous fumes. Position the hose appropriately for the work you are undertaking.

Wash your hands Wash your hands after you have finished work.

Tips for using this equipment

Keep the temperature as low as possible.

The soldering iron will easily reach temperatures of up to 500 °C, but you should try to keep the temperature around 300°C (leaded solder) to 400 °C (lead-free solder) to avoid overheating and damaging components.  

Clean up the work area when you are finished.

Brush any cut leads and left-over bits of solder into the bin before leaving. Put the tools back in the drawer once you’ve finished working.

Place and solder items one at a time.

Don’t try to put too many components into the PCB at once. The likelihood of soldering them wonky or making another mistake increases drastically!

Use the fume extraction properly.

Fumes from the solder and the flux may not contain lead anymore but they are still hazardous. Make sure you use the fume extractor properly so you aren’t breathing any of the smoke from soldering.

The extraction hose must be positioned so that it draws smoke and fumes towards the back of the working area, away from your head and face.