It's The Return (for those who didn't know)

[RobCole]

If you grew up learning how to solder on Heathkits (like I did), They are coming back!

Watch the Heathkit web page for information.

Also - if you click on the FAQ link, you can find a link to their survey so you can tell them what kits you would like to see.

Let's see now... What to build first...

     Rob

[AnalogKid2DigitalMan]

Again? Isn't this the third comeback?

I still have (and use) my O'scope, analog, and digital trainers I built as a kid.

-AK2DM

[Cory_K]

Learning to solder:

Step 1: Put face directly over solder as close as possible to see what you are doing

Step 2: Get yelled at for breathing in vaporous lead

Step 3: Put solder directly on iron, and wonder why wire wont ever attach to board

Step 4: Have senior engineer laugh at you for Step 3

Step 5: Finally figure out that you need both the wire and board to be hot too.

Step 6: Proceed to put WAY too much solder on, essentially connecting all the pins under one big solder blob

Step 7: Cry. Return to Step 1.

[johnsold]

Cory K,

I think you are much too young to have ever built a Heathkit.  Nearly every one of their assemby manuals included step by step instructions on how to solder. If I recall correctly they even produced a little brochure containing only those instructions.  They were the best instructions I have ever seen on how to solder.  I think they omitted steps 2 and 4.  They did have some good pictures of the results of steps 3 and 6 under "Bad solder joints."

Lynn

[Cory_K]

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I think you are much too young to have ever built a Heathkit.  Nearly every one of their assemby manuals included step by step instructions on how to solder. If I recall correctly they even produced a little brochure containing only those instructions.  They were the best instructions I have ever seen on how to solder.  I think they omitted steps 2 and 4.  They did have some good pictures of the results of steps 3 and 6 under "Bad solder joints."

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In 1947, Heath introduced its first electronic kit, the O1 oscilloscope that sold for US$50

Yep, that was a bit before my time I was born in the late 80's, didn't touch my first soldering iron until probably 2008!

I learned the old-fashioned way: by making dumb mistakes while giving a physicist and an electrical engineer something to laugh at for a few afternoons.

[JÞB]

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@Cory_K wrote:

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I think you are much too young to have ever built a Heathkit.  Nearly every one of their assemby manuals included step by step instructions on how to solder. If I recall correctly they even produced a little brochure containing only those instructions.  They were the best instructions I have ever seen on how to solder.  I think they omitted steps 2 and 4.  They did have some good pictures of the results of steps 3 and 6 under "Bad solder joints."

---

In 1947, Heath introduced its first electronic kit, the O1 oscilloscope that sold for US$50

Yep, that was a bit before my time I was born in the late 80's, didn't touch my first soldering iron until probably 2008!

I learned the old-fashioned way: by making dumb mistakes while giving a physicist and an electrical engineer something to laugh at for a few afternoons.

---

"The bigger the Glob, the better the Job."  You omitted- the step about what type of things to say while running cold water over the 3rd degree burn on your finger.  (The MOST common learning moment for novice solderer's)

[AnalogKid2DigitalMan]

Solder just doesn't has the same smell it used to have 😞

I guess hot and overheating electronic componenets dont either too. Nothing like the smell of hot dust coated vacuum tubes.

Took my first whiff at age 7, all my Dad had on hand was a behemoth Sears soldering "gun" (150 Watt variable?) which had a unique smell and noise all its own. My hand and arm would get tired holding that thing.

-AK2DM

[LV_Pro]

Yes, 150W soldering gun, just the thing for surface mount components! My scar is on my ankle where a blob of solder landed while I was 50 feet in the air trying to solder a coax connector. Wasn't using OSHA approved safety harness, think I may have had a rope tied around my waist, but do remember that it was a choice of dropping the soldering gun (also not tethered, hey I was 17!) or the other stuff I was holding. Still have a round scar (and it has been a several decades).

I still have Heath equipment, mostly Ham radio. Need to fire some up for the current sun spot cycle, it is a doozy! www.spaceweather.com

WA2UPA

[altenbach]

Hey, look what I found in my garage. 😄

 

[AnalogKid2DigitalMan]

SWEET!

Any LabVIEW drivers for it? 🙂

-AK2DM