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Tom Gardner[_6_] Tom Gardner[_6_] is offline
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Default I can't solder miniature connectors anymore...any tricks?

On 5/16/2014 12:30 PM, Michael A. Terrell wrote:

Tom Gardner wrote:

I had a huge struggle with soldering a couple of DB-9 connectors, my
vision and fine motor control just aren't what they used to be. And, I
only had to make 5 connections on the DB-9's, it took me close to an
hour. These are for a DRO, I've been using a break-out box until now on
the mismatched scales and display. Remember, the display bit the dust a
while ago.

I did have the connectors locked in a miniature vice but I couldn't
think of any other techniques that would help.



I hold them in a drill press vise, and tin the wires before assembly.
A little solder in the cups of the pins I need to use, and a drop of
liquid rosin flux over the solder. Then touch a hot soldering iron to
the solder on the pin and insert the pretinned wire. The flux allows a
clean flow, and a little IPA will clean it up when I'm done.

BTW, it isn't a DB-9, it is a DE-9. The second letter is the shell
size. The common 25 pin shell is a 'B'. The SVGA monitor plug is a
HDE-15.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/D-subminiature


PS: Have you ever seen any of these?

http://www.project-parts.com/itempix/450-040A.jpg




Learn something new every day! No, never saw those connectors, I assume
they are RF.