On Wed, 22 Sep 2010 18:55:13 +0000 (UTC), Meat Plow
wrote:

On Wed, 22 Sep 2010 11:11:56 -0700, Jeff Liebermann wrote:

On Wed, 22 Sep 2010 16:31:39 +0000 (UTC), Meat Plow
wrote:

On Wed, 22 Sep 2010 09:23:21 -0700, Jeff Liebermann wrote:

snip

I've been soldering for about 50 years, so I suspect I'm sufficiently
experienced to have made all the usual mistakes (several times). It's
not the lack of skill.

snip

My first "job" in electronics was in the back room of my barber's shop
who had a little hobby business repairing electronics odds and ends. It
was where I learned how to solder. Especially after being told by one of
the barber's friends that I soldered like his grandmother That was in
1971. I was 16.

That was a compliment.

I started with an Ungar wood burner at about 14 years old. The first
lesson I learned is that the power cord of the iron will melt and short
when I place the iron on it. It was downhill from there as my father
taught me to use a large copper gas fired furnace soldering thing used
to make industrial sewing machine attachments. By comparison, the Ungar
seemed easy. After several years of doing everything wrong, the high
skool electric shop teacher introduced me to flux. Over the years, I
learned the basics, like you can hold solder in your mouth, but don't
try it with copper wire. Far too many Eico, Heathkit, and Knightkit
constructions were great practice.

I recently tried to teach a friends 14 year old brat how to solder. He's
hopeless, but dedicated, and will eventually learn.

LOL! We had wood burners but I think I was only 10. I can't imagine the
politics of selling those thing to children of that age as a child's toy
these days.

I can't recall how old I was when I got the wood burner, so I guessed
on the age. I may have been younger. Mine hand a huge ceramic
heating element, with a diameter about the same as the handle. There
was no way to put it down anywhere without seriously burning what it
touched. The unplated tiny copper screw-in tip was a bad joke that
pitted badly after a few hours of use. The handle got really hot. I
had it for maybe 30 years and used it for cutting and welding plastic.
By todays standards, the old woodburners are dangerous even for an
adult.


--
Jeff Liebermann
150 Felker St #D http://www.LearnByDestroying.com
Santa Cruz CA 95060 http://802.11junk.com
Skype: JeffLiebermann AE6KS 831-336-2558