Making a Really Easy Solder Dispenser
by cooblades in Circuits > Soldering
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Making a Really Easy Solder Dispenser
This guide discribes how to make a very fine solder dispenser from a mechnical pencil dispenser.
I read frank26080115's clicking solder dispenser pen guide and I was surprised he didn't provide instructions on how to make a solder dispenser from just a mechnical clicky pencil. I give props to his design but I prefer to keep it simple.
Its really easy so there is only 1 real step. Find the right solder size to match your mechanical pencil.
Also if anyone posted this let me know I didn't see it.
I read frank26080115's clicking solder dispenser pen guide and I was surprised he didn't provide instructions on how to make a solder dispenser from just a mechnical clicky pencil. I give props to his design but I prefer to keep it simple.
Its really easy so there is only 1 real step. Find the right solder size to match your mechanical pencil.
Also if anyone posted this let me know I didn't see it.
Selecting Your Solder and Pencil
Materials
$2.00 0.5mm Pencil
$3.99 0.022 dia Solder from Radio shack (64-013)
Its pretty simple so it only has one step. Basically all you need to do is take the solder cut it into 3 inch strips and load it into the mechnical pencil. It works very reliably and works just like a mechnical pencil. Selecting the right sized solder is the only part that takes work.
When I looked at my handy supply of solder and found I had some 0.022 dia Silver bearing soldering from radio shack. The fact that its silver bearing isn't important, nor is the fact I was ripped off from radio shack. What is important is the lead size was 0.022 and that is close enough for the 0.5mm (0.0197inch) mechnical pencil. It was a 0.0013 inch bigger but it was okay since the solder is soft. If it was smaller it wouldn't have worked and the solder would have slipped.
Here are a few pointers
0.5mm is 0.0197 inch
0.7mm is 0.0276 inch
You can buy mechanical pencils of all sizes from different art stores, some more ergonomic than others.
If you have trouble figuring out what the conversion from mm to inches is you can use go to www.google.com and use the google calculator. To use it just type in the search engine,
(your lead size)mm to inches
and hit enter
Example 0.5mm to inches results in 0.0196850394 inch
Metal tips are good, just remember to dispense enough before you solder so you don't solder the pencil shut.
$2.00 0.5mm Pencil
$3.99 0.022 dia Solder from Radio shack (64-013)
Its pretty simple so it only has one step. Basically all you need to do is take the solder cut it into 3 inch strips and load it into the mechnical pencil. It works very reliably and works just like a mechnical pencil. Selecting the right sized solder is the only part that takes work.
When I looked at my handy supply of solder and found I had some 0.022 dia Silver bearing soldering from radio shack. The fact that its silver bearing isn't important, nor is the fact I was ripped off from radio shack. What is important is the lead size was 0.022 and that is close enough for the 0.5mm (0.0197inch) mechnical pencil. It was a 0.0013 inch bigger but it was okay since the solder is soft. If it was smaller it wouldn't have worked and the solder would have slipped.
Here are a few pointers
0.5mm is 0.0197 inch
0.7mm is 0.0276 inch
You can buy mechanical pencils of all sizes from different art stores, some more ergonomic than others.
If you have trouble figuring out what the conversion from mm to inches is you can use go to www.google.com and use the google calculator. To use it just type in the search engine,
(your lead size)mm to inches
and hit enter
Example 0.5mm to inches results in 0.0196850394 inch
Metal tips are good, just remember to dispense enough before you solder so you don't solder the pencil shut.
Conclusion
Just be warned,
I normally just use my solder off the spool and its never failed me. This is just a more cutesy way to store some. This instructable you use at your own risk. Also If you solder your lead pencil shut its not my fault. :-)
Thats it, be careful and have fun!
I normally just use my solder off the spool and its never failed me. This is just a more cutesy way to store some. This instructable you use at your own risk. Also If you solder your lead pencil shut its not my fault. :-)
Thats it, be careful and have fun!