Common Mistakes to Avoid

Don't burn the pad off the PCB! Unlike most bad solder joints, this cannot be easily fixed. Apply heat for no more than a few seconds. If your joint isn't forming well, back off and let it cool before trying again. Too much heat can damage the PCB and cause the copper pad to lift off, disconnecting your component from the rest of the circuit. We'll talk a bit more about this in the When Things Go Wrong section.

Don't transfer solder with the tip! Sometimes people try to apply solder to the iron, then from the iron to the joint. The problem with this is that the flux in the solder will have already burnt off by the time you try to transfer the solder. The flux is critical for getting a good joint because it removes layers of oxidation that would otherwise prevent a good bond. Instead you push solder into the heated joint directly using the solder wire, allowing the flux to activate where you need it.

Don't let the joint move while cooling! This was mentioned before, but is worth repeating. The solder will not bond properly to the metal if it moves while cooling, leaving you with an unreliable connection. If you think it may have moved while cooling, reheat the joint to reflow it.