My Cheapo Chineese 3020t mini CNC Build (more like improvements) leanring all the way

[ravihotwok]

time wise? think it was about5 - 8 sec? not too sure if im honest clive mate, but when it was melting plenty seeped in

[m_c]

Are you using lead free solder?

[ravihotwok]

No think its 60/40 lead but would have to confirm

[ravihotwok]

yep its 60% lead

[m_c]

The reason I asked, is lead free is a bit harder to work with, and easily results in joins like your photos.

Ideally you should be aiming for having the soldering iron in contact for less than 10 seconds. For heat sensitive components, even shorter than that.
Process should be - clean tip to remove old solder(that's what the wet sponge is for - the flux burns of, so you want any remnants of solder wiped off), apply blob of fresh solder on the tip, hold tip against what you're soldering, as soon as the solder starts to flow onto the leg/PCB, feed in enough to get a good join aiming for the contact point between tip and component, pull solder pulled away, pull soldering iron away.

Having a decent sized soldering helps. Too small and you have to hold it on for too long to get solder to flow, too big and you risk overheating things if you hold it on too long.

[ravihotwok]

thats very helpful and exactly what I was aiming for as you have echoed what I watched in a tutorial, but remember this is my first time so even though the theory is there putting it into practice is another matter lol. Hopefully ive not cooked anything, just waiting on further instructions on the advanced addons for this box from planet then I should be able to fire the thing up.

[ravihotwok]

Managed to get a bit more done tonight. I have decided to install limit switches to help prevent damage and to aid homing. I have decided to put 2 each of the x and y axis and one on the z axis. I have soldered 2 small tails to the switches in NC configuration and crimped a small 2 pin plug for future maintenance/removal

[Clive S]

thats very helpful and exactly what I was aiming for as you have echoed what I watched in a tutorial, but remember this is my first time so even though the theory is there putting it into practice is another matter lol. Hopefully ive not cooked anything,

First job was to solder the pins to the board for the motor connections and other plugs which in not sure of lol

Ravi I would re solder (re flow all the motor connections that look and are bad on that board) as they will give you trouble and it si possible that could blow the drives if there is a dry joint. The resistors look a lot better.

All you need to do is put the iron back on them and when the solder starts to flow with the iron still on apply a bit more solder and the flux will do the rest. I know this may be controversial but full lead solder is a lot easier to use.