Back when I was a kid and doing a lot of experimenting, I would sometimes build a transistor based project. I was comfortable with tube circuits but never with anything solid state. One fear I had was destroying transistors with heat from a soldering iron. I was taught to always use a heat sink on the leads between the soldering point and the device to protect the transistor or diode from the heat.
Then, I left electronics and experimentation. I have this big gap dating between 1967 and 2008. In 2008 I built my first kit since those days of the early to mid 1960s. In building this kit, the parts were all to be mounted on PCB with virtually ZERO room to connect any heat sink. I used a very nice temperature controlled soldering iron with a recommended pencil style tip. The result was that the kit worked (a small audio oscillator and amplifier). But, I was fearful that I was toasting my transistors and the two ICs that were part of this kit. I have read several soldering notes, including the one on Elecraft, and they do not specifically mention heat damage to components and what you need to do to avoid that sort of thing. They may hint at it though by recommending the temperature controlled soldering irons and things of that ilk. So, how much danger is there in destroying ICs, transistors, and such with a soldering iron applying such components to a PCB or maybe even using some kind of ugly construction? phil, K7PEH PS. Merry Christmas -- the kids and grandkids have not arrived yet this morning so I have time to ask questions. ______________________________________________________________ Elecraft mailing list Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm Post: mailto:[email protected] This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html
