David's Blague

A fellow DC Dork (e.g. attendee of Dorkbot DC) asked for a visual aid after I was unable to describe this soldering technique via email. Basically, you coil up a piece of solder wire and let it be a jig for you, but since I've already proven my inability to describe it verbally, here's my attempt at modeling it. This is a piece of Radio Shack perfboard, with my butane soldering iron, and a diode sticking out of the perfboard in the back. Note the technique of coiling the solder on the table and reaching one end upward:


I can't remember who taught me this technique (neither could my fellow dorks), but it has saved more soldering hours than every other jig, clamp, and hack that I've got.