[waffffffle]

Hi, like many I've read much about overclocking on the internet. I would love to attempt to overclock a number of my machines, but I have absolutely no experience with a soldering iron. I was wondering where I could learn quickly to use one well, and what kind I should buy. Actually, the first hack I would like to attempt is to upgrade my Palm m100 to 8 megs of ram, because web browsing sucks up my ram. This hack is well documented but requires the removal of the original ram chip and replacing it with a new one, so I would need experience with a soldering iron. The next thing I would try is to do is overclock my LCII, possibly making fast enough to tolerate, but probably not. If I really know what I'm doing then I will attempt to overclock my sister's iMac rev B, or my Performa 6400. Whatever info you could give me would be helpful. Thanks.

[eep!]

damn, this is a really could question.
personally i plan on buying a soldering iron with a really fine tip, a desoldering pump and a box full of broken pc cards from a fair to practice on.

[Apple_John]

I use a $5 pencil type solder iron, it works fine. I am using it for many years and install countless mod-chips on PS. I suggest to get a dual power solder iron w/ stand. 20w for solder, 40w for de-solder. I like use de-soldering wick than sucker.
Really fine tip isn't really necessary, the trick is to keep the tip clean and hot, and the contact angle.

[sine -''-..-]

Apple_John is right in that a fine tip is not necissary, but the problem is that mod chips, are much smaller than the surface mount chips on logic boards... althogh, with alot of practice you can use a large tip for pretty much everything. i suggest getting a high quality pencil iron or soldering station. i suggest you get somthing High quality, as the tip will last much longer and be much easier to solder with. Weller and Unger are the best brands in soldering irons, so look for them.
and eep has the right idea, get a solder sucker too, and some boards with small components to practice on

g'luck!

s i n e
-''-..-

[Steph]

It is a very good question!

If you've never soldered before, then I would suggest a good place to start is with some electronic kits. That's where I started when I was 12 or 13, and as an extra bonus you get some insight into electronics too. They usualy include instructions on soldering, plus you get some satisfaction of having built something that you can use.

When you start talking about soldering and desoldering the surface-mount components you have to have a super-steady hand, and good eyesight or a good magnifyer. The heat of even a low-power solder pencil can potentially destroy a surface mount resistor in a few seconds, and surface-mount capacitors are even more delicate.

For the smallest components, I've been using a jewler's loupe, with my nose to the circuit board, and either a pin or tweezers in one hand and the soldering pencil in the other.

An $800 professional solder / desolder station is nice, but it is not going to make an instant expert out of anyone. For removing solder, there is also a product I think called solder wick, it is just copper braid with flux on it, it sucks up melted solder through capilliary action.

All I have is a $10 radio-shack soldering pencil, tweezers, pins and pliers. I use a file to keep the iron's tip clean and in good shape. With that, I've overclocked laptops, modified my PDA's, done mods on ham radios, built a couple transceivers, repaired broken computers and consumer electronics.

As a last suggestion, try the library, or electronics store. There are books on soldering technique. There's more to it than just melting the solder.

--Stephanie

[eep!]

hey waffffffle, do you have the web address of where to get the 8meg chips? i know i had it once but i lost it and i'm too damn lazy to go find the site.
TIA

[paulc]

I'd suggest that you also want to get a very high quality tip.. not sure if they make them anymore, but I have an old gold tip that just lasts and lasts and lasts. The big deal was that they almost never wear out, have very even heat distribution. Some of my other tricks are to coat the tip with solder and wipe it on a wet sponge. Helps preserve the tip. Good luck!