I can/can't solder.

[Gryzor]

Bryce has a point - I think I can solder (I recently recapped a Gamegear -successfully so!), but modding a CPC usually requires finer skills and also:I didn't care about the GG but I do care about my CPCs... So it's not an easy question to answer!

[mr_lou]

Bryce has a point - I think I can solder (I recently recapped a Gamegear -successfully so!), but modding a CPC usually requires finer skills and also:I didn't care about the GG but I do care about my CPCs... So it's not an easy question to answer!

Exactly. I can solder minor things, like various cables.
But I'm not really willing to solder anything in any of my precious CPCs. Too big a chance that I'll mess it up.
I still voted "Can" though, but there ought have been a "Can but won't touch my CPC!" option. 

[Singaja]

Up to now exactly 2/3 of all voters can solder! Good to know, next time I release my new game as do it yourself kit including a soldering iron. 

Your game could include a soldering minigame inside 

[Phi2x]

.

[mr_lou]

The question was: "Do you have the ability to solder AND make modifications to your CPCs/GX4000/Plus". That's why I voted "Can't".

If that was the original question, then I missed it.
I thought it was just "Can you solder?"
I probably looked at the topic instead...

[Bryce]

The question was: "Do you have the ability to solder AND make modifications to your CPCs/GX4000/Plus". That's why I voted "Can't".

I'm same as mr_lou, I can do minor soldering work like making cables. But there's no way I will touch my CPCs with my mediocre soldering skills.

Well Gryzors answer brings a new factor into it. Recapping a Gamegear is more difficult than most soldering you'd ever need to do on a CPC, sooo... He can solder and has the ABILITY to mod his CPC, but nerves about damaging his CPC changes the situation.

Another situation I have come across is the problem of "self assessment". People who have said "I tried to fix it myself... yes OF COURSE I can solder" and then send me something with soldering that looks like it was done with a cigarette lighter and a hammer.

Bryce.

[AMSDOS]

[The Last Bandit]

Have been hand soldering for years. Happily tackle anything down to 0805 & 0.8mm pitch SMD parts, anything below this is right pain !! Still beats wire-wrapping though   

[KaosOverride]

I started soldering for home repairs at 12, but I learned myself. Until now I have managed to do it well, but just soldering iron, no soldering stations or hot air stuff. SMD is my limit, I have been lucky to replace a CXA at an A600, and some basic components (SMD resistors, condensers), and solder the full keyboard lines to a GX4000.

But that was before 2009, when I corrected by surgery my eyes from myopia and I lost my "super vision" I was able to focus my vision at circuits at 1 or 2 cm from my eyes, now is hard to me to do it at 10 cm (but hey! I can see perfect from 10cm to the horizont!!!) This was of great help for me to solder little points better than now. 

For my job I do basic soldering with DIP components (always socketed) and cables, most of the times at the street, with wind and all that  . I will consider myself between... basic and medium skills??

I have an XT EMS board with SMD components to solder, so I will test myself, will be the most complicated thing I will solder...

[Bryce]

@KaosOverride: You should really invest in a soldering station where you can control the temperature. Irons with just a plug on the end could have any temp on them and although the circuit might work, you may have significantly reduced the life of the components if it was soldered at too high a temperature.

Bryce.

[Gryzor]

Well Gryzors answer brings a new factor into it. Recapping a Gamegear is more difficult than most soldering you'd ever need to do on a CPC, sooo... He can solder and has the ABILITY to mod his CPC, but nerves about damaging his CPC changes the situation.

Another situation I have come across is the problem of "self assessment". People who have said "I tried to fix it myself... yes OF COURSE I can solder" and then send me something with soldering that looks like it was done with a cigarette lighter and a hammer.

Bryce.

True. Then again, I didn't say the GG looked pretty afterwards

[seanb]

@KaosOverride sme here with the vision.

In collage when I was learning electrical engineering (nothing came of it and I've only recently started to get back into it as a hobby) I could hold a pcb literally millimetres away from my eyes and perfect vision.
So clear.

I had laser surgery so I can forget that now.
In fairness not having to wear glasses was worth losing the ability have supermans microscopic vision.

[VincentGR]

Bryce has a point - I think I can solder (I recently recapped a Gamegear -successfully so!), but modding a CPC usually requires finer skills and also:I didn't care about the GG but I do care about my CPCs... So it's not an easy question to answer!

I think this is a question similar to "can you drive".
We all can but 0.1% can run in Monago GP 

[ot]Σήμερα άνοιξα το παγκάρι της εκκλησίας εδώ στη δουλειά γιατί ξέμεινα και είχε μέσα ένα 200άρικο, 2 κατοστάρικα, 1 πενηντάρικο και 1 δεκάρικο... δραχμές όλα.[/ot]

[TCMSLP]

I've been soldering for longer than I can remember.  However, I'm limited to mostly through-hole components as I lack the tools required for surface mount.

I think this is where most people go wrong; tackling surface mount components with clumsy large-tipped non-temperature controlled irons.  I see so much hardware completely destroyed thanks to people without the correct skills or tools.  Best to your limits, both in terms of skill and tools available

[arnoldemu]

I can solder. I've done bits and pieces when I was in my teens.

I have one a bit like this (but black):

Older Weller soldering iron won't heat? - Electrical Engineering Stack

Same kind of stand, same sponge, different tips. I've no idea how old it is, perhaps older than me.

But, it's old and the heat can't be controlled. I also don't have a vice or place to grip the thing I need to solder so it's difficult.
When I was younger I used a wiring pen. in fact the cartridge reading device I made back in the 1990's was made using it.

Wiring Pencils or Wiring Pens | Roadrunner Products Ltd

I used to use a good angle poise magnifier with light to help:

http://www.sewandso.co.uk/Products/DN1020---5-Magnifying-Lamp__DAY-DN1020.aspx

So now I don't have the appropiate bits or the patience. I voted yes, but in reality if somebody can make one for me I'd have that instead, and I'm reluctant to modify my cpcs. I would never be able to solder anything like the pins on the asic, it has to be older 74ls sized for me.

[arnoldemu]

I opened this vote because I was interested.

There are lots of nice hardware and hardware ideas coming out for CPC some which could be done with some soldering.
I was interested to know what percentage of people would be confident to do it and which percentage would not, or could not.

I know the question is bad, both in the choice of answers and spelling, but it definitely answered my question.

So for some, simply soldering in a wire is easy, but for others it's either not possible or something they don't wish to do.


Thankyou for answering

[Bryce]

It's very interesting for me too, as I intend releasing some real DIY projects later. These will be mini "fun" hardware projects to build yourself. All will need some basic soldering skills, but no SMD stuff and no internal mods.

Bryce.

[CraigsBar]

It's very interesting for me too, as I intend releasing some real DIY projects later. These will be mini "fun" hardware projects to build yourself. All will need some basic soldering skills, but no SMD stuff and no internal mods.

Bryce.

Great news. My problem however had not been the soldering as such. But the costs of having one off PCBs made is extortionate. Are you planning on kits or just circuit diagrams and component lists?

[TotO]

May be some peoples answered "Yes I can... but better to not see the result"?! 
I should sold my MX4 expansions as DIY parts too for peoples who want to build themselve to get fun and save time.

[VincentGR]

It's very interesting for me too, as I intend releasing some real DIY projects later. These will be mini "fun" hardware projects to build yourself. All will need some basic soldering skills, but no SMD stuff and no internal mods.

Bryce.

Great! Just oldschool pcbs!!!

[The Last Bandit]

But the costs of having one off PCBs made is extortionate.

The price of getting PCBs made has drastically dropped over the last few years, e.g. getting 10 2 layer 10cm x 10cm boards will cost you about $20 + shipping from one of the popular Chinese fab sites. You'll pay extra for frills like plating, non-green solder mask etc.. 

[Bryce]

Great news. My problem however had not been the soldering as such. But the costs of having one off PCBs made is extortionate. Are you planning on kits or just circuit diagrams and component lists?

These will be reeeeally old school. All made on Veroboards

Bryce.

[The Last Bandit]

Someone should do up a MX4 mounted breadboard 

[iddod]

Rework? Or were you doing repairs?

Bryce.

i was modifying game consoles in the back room of a shop selling removable media, pretty much stopped doing it when the 360 and ps3 were released and everything went to softmods...

[seanb]

Last mod on a new console was the original xbox.
After that I decided a standard soldering iron would be pushing my luck too much.

Even though a basic iron has worked fine for my old machines I think it's time to invest in a soldering station.