I had to go to school for weeks to be certified to solder on "special" equipment.. I promise you the best way to practice is to get several spools of wire in different gauges. 24, 22, 18 awg and some good strippers.... Cut the wire into strips bout 4 inches long... Strip both ends about 1/4 to 1/2 inch.... Learn how to preheat and tin your wire with 60/40 rosin core solder. Rules to live by to know if you did it right?
1. None of the insulation is melted or disfigured
2. There arent globs of solder on the ends...
3. The newly tinned ends should be just a little bigger than they were before you soldered them
4. You should see solder flow under the insulation
5. Hold the 4" strips in your left hand when your soldering them, if they get too hot to hold you didnt do it fast enough and you risk damage....
Practice practice practice...
Tin the end of a few hundred wires then practice soldering two tinned ends together.... They should look smooth and not globby, again use the rules above...
Tip Keep the iron clean of old solder and debri... use a damp sponge.... before you touch your work "wet your tip" with a little dab of new solder...
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