How to solder PC/Panel mount pots

[Guest smurky]

Does anyone have any tips for soldering this kind of pot?

http://www.bendables.co.uk/shop/shop.php?c=viewproduct&pid=34&cat=17&maincat=4&start=0&sid=sidb636e801c2b6be15c7f7ad9f7f72bf51

My local store doesn't have pots with solder lugs. I want to panel mount the pots (no problem), but soldering wires to those pins... is there an easy way to do it?

[lief138]

You need three hands or a soldering clamp thingy like the third thing down in this link

http://www.mediacollege.com/misc/solder/accessories.html

or a weight to hold the solder in place... or perhaps a small animal that is well trained....

[stryd_one]

wrap the stripped cable round the pin, solder ;)

[Flexinoodle]

Probably a completly wrong way to do it but anyway here goes hahhahahaha

I usually tin both the pin and the wire

then use a croc clip to hold the wire to the pin

Then heat the f**k out of it with the iron till they join

OK i'll get my coat

Flex

[philetaylor]

OK i'll get my coat

lol. The only problem with this is there is no flux left in the solder once you reheat it so you may get a dry (or brittle) joint. I tend to agree with s1 here, wrap the wire round the pin and then solder.

Phil

[Guest smurky]

>> You need three hands

Right then, I'll start taking the dietary supplements.

Thanks all for the advice.

[/tilted/]

If the pots in question are indeed the type in the photo you posted, you could pass the wire through the rivet-post, adjacent to each pin. These are electrically connected to the pin, and are, uhm, hole-shaped. Can something be shaped like a hole?

As these rivets are right on the carbon track, you don't want to cook them. Any realistic powered soldering iron should be fine, just don't use an acetylene torch to solder them. (actually an acetylene torch would probably vapourise the solder, anyway...)

[Sasha]

I use 3rd hand to hold the pot. I always tin both, wire and pot pins. Pot pins have some more solder ...like a small ball. Than I position the wire in parallel to the pot pin and just apply some heat. Using heatshinks is highly advisable. It makes joint nice isolation and it looks good.

[stryd_one]

Hard to argue with those pics! hahah thats perrrty.

[Sasha]

Thanks mate. Heatshinks and cable ties are a must for any serious cabling. Even it takes much work, I find I enjoy it more doing it properly than doing it quickly - plain soldering. So, it is not so boring thing to do as it used to be. I must admit I started to use those tubes last year for the first time. Also just last year I bought my first  3rd hand. I used to do all sort of gymnastics for all my life without it. :-[

I never realized how important small things like that are and how can it ease the work and make it more enjoyable.

[puddingbrumsel]

nice work sasha !

over @ the tr9090 site i read you are using shielded cables. What type exactly ?? One cable 3 wires ? Where do i get those ?

[Sasha]

Thanks.

Yes, I`m using shielded cables. 1 cable 3 wires. It is recycled from some kind of DI brake-out box or something like that. I`ve found it on a local flea market. The brake-out looked pretty good quality with bunch of XLR connectors on it.  :)

[stryd_one]

Also just last year I bought my first  3rd hand. I used to do all sort of gymnastics for all my life without it. :-[

I never realized how important small things like that are and how can it ease the work and make it more enjoyable.

LOL I know what you mean about the gymnastics!

These were wise words; take note, newbies!

[SLP]

Three Hands?

Don't you have teeth?

[/tilted/]

Teeth?

They're for wire stripping!

[Sasha]

Exactly.  :)

[Guest smurky]

I use 3rd hand to hold the pot. I always tin both, wire and pot pins. Pot pins have some more solder ...like a small ball. Than I position the wire in parallel to the pot pin and just apply some heat.

Thanks for the clear description (and the inspiring pics). That's by far the easiest method of those I've tried.

[Sasha]

I`m glad if I helped you.

Happy soldering.  ;)