I’m blind (the device in back with the Freedom Scientific logo is an assistive magnifier). Both cooking and sewing are common skills taught in rehab centers for the newly blind, and soldering has aspects of both, being mindful of something very very hot near your hands, and having a certain amount of dexterity.
Here’s what I did to build up confidence. I bought a bunch of perf board and resistors and I just started soldering the resistors to the perf board, that’s it. No goal other than to practice soldering. I had tried one of those beginner’s first electronics kits off Amazon, the ones with just an LED and a switch or whatever. I got discouraged because I messed up. So I figured if I didn’t actually try to make something, I could relax and focus on soldering technique. I was eventually able to solder header pins onto a Raspberry pi zero and even terminate a coax cable, and now I can say I replaced a GB cart battery.
my dude you did this with major vision loss? i take back my earlier compliment. that’s not deserving of a smooch and a butt grabby. that’s deserving of a full on makeout and maybe a little hand down the pants butt grabby. make sure to ask yourself for consent first.
Fire isn’t a concern, really, the temperatures are low enough that it starts slow. Rest it on wood and you’ll have time to wonder why you smell wood smoke, then wonder why it’s inside, etc. before it burns down.
The real hazard is inhaling rosin fumes (says the guy who doesn’t properly ventilate his workstation). If you’re anxious about lead (I was) there is lead-free solder, though it requires higher temperatures to work with. As far as lead goes, the risk is from getting flecks of it on your fingertips and then touching your eyes or mouth. I imagine it’s less of a problem than it feels like in my head, but something something environmentally friendly.
Leaded solder is sooo much easier to work with. Wash your hands well after each soldering session, have a fan gently blowing over your work bench & a window cracked open & you should be (relatively) fine**. Unless you’re doing it very regularly for long periods in which case a proper extractor is worth the investment. Occasional hobby tinkering for 15-30 mins at a time over an iron is unlikely to be bad for you if you follow basic steps.
**Not medical advice!
P.S. Awesome work. I can remember the first time I modded Wii 1st gen, as my first non practice soldering, I was so nervous. But the mod still works to this day, many many years later. More people should learn to solider, it’s not overly hard if you have a decent enough soldering iron, a steady enough hand, & are willing to practice. It’s so satisfying when it works!!
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I’ve been so on the fence about attempting to solder, but it frightens me the idea of causing a little sparky fire.
So, good on you!
I’m blind (the device in back with the Freedom Scientific logo is an assistive magnifier). Both cooking and sewing are common skills taught in rehab centers for the newly blind, and soldering has aspects of both, being mindful of something very very hot near your hands, and having a certain amount of dexterity.
Here’s what I did to build up confidence. I bought a bunch of perf board and resistors and I just started soldering the resistors to the perf board, that’s it. No goal other than to practice soldering. I had tried one of those beginner’s first electronics kits off Amazon, the ones with just an LED and a switch or whatever. I got discouraged because I messed up. So I figured if I didn’t actually try to make something, I could relax and focus on soldering technique. I was eventually able to solder header pins onto a Raspberry pi zero and even terminate a coax cable, and now I can say I replaced a GB cart battery.
my dude you did this with major vision loss? i take back my earlier compliment. that’s not deserving of a smooch and a butt grabby. that’s deserving of a full on makeout and maybe a little hand down the pants butt grabby. make sure to ask yourself for consent first.
That’s impressive as hell, tbh. I’m glad rehab centers focus on such useful, otherwise seemingly inaccessible skills
Fire isn’t a concern, really, the temperatures are low enough that it starts slow. Rest it on wood and you’ll have time to wonder why you smell wood smoke, then wonder why it’s inside, etc. before it burns down.
The real hazard is inhaling rosin fumes (says the guy who doesn’t properly ventilate his workstation). If you’re anxious about lead (I was) there is lead-free solder, though it requires higher temperatures to work with. As far as lead goes, the risk is from getting flecks of it on your fingertips and then touching your eyes or mouth. I imagine it’s less of a problem than it feels like in my head, but something something environmentally friendly.
Leaded solder is sooo much easier to work with. Wash your hands well after each soldering session, have a fan gently blowing over your work bench & a window cracked open & you should be (relatively) fine**. Unless you’re doing it very regularly for long periods in which case a proper extractor is worth the investment. Occasional hobby tinkering for 15-30 mins at a time over an iron is unlikely to be bad for you if you follow basic steps. **Not medical advice!
P.S. Awesome work. I can remember the first time I modded Wii 1st gen, as my first non practice soldering, I was so nervous. But the mod still works to this day, many many years later. More people should learn to solider, it’s not overly hard if you have a decent enough soldering iron, a steady enough hand, & are willing to practice. It’s so satisfying when it works!!
It’s a fruity note… inhales deeply … reminiscent of… fir with notes of cinnamon.
Babies love it too, if you have lead paint they will lick the walls and let you know
One theory for why there were so many serial killers in the 70s was because of lead paint.
I saw a chart based on America on violent crime rates and leaded fuel
It’s a useful skill to know, and it’s not super hard to learn. It just takes some practice.
As long as you have some common sense(eg: dont set the iron down on something flammable) you shouldn’t need to worry about fires.