If you are tired of buying soldering stations where you are not sure what you are getting unless you disassemble them and check the parts, you are in the right place. We have put together this short DIY soldering station guide to help you make your own. You will be able to choose all of your preferred parts including the best soldering stand.
Read on to learn where to get started.
1. Gather Your Parts
The first step is to collect all of the parts you need. You will need to choose a transformer. The voltage will depend on what your specific needs are. For example, you can implement a 24V supply for the iron and use a 5V AC-DC buck converter for logic components.
You will also need an enclosure box. You can use any material but it is preferable to choose a metal box. Keep in mind that metals make good conductors.
Other parts you will need include: a display screen, a rotary encoder, two-sided copper clad board, voltage regulator, radiator, replacement iron, and passive components (resistors, caps, etc). Also, make sure you buy a power switch, a fuse and fuse holder, plus an AC plug of your choice.
2. Prepping
Grab your enclosure box and drill a hole in the front plate. In this hole, you will insert a new socket, so make sure that your socket fits fine before moving on. Next, solder 5 wires to the socket and assemble a 5-pin connector.
Then, cut a hole for the LCD display you have, your rotary encoder, and 2 buttons. You can choose to add a power switch on the front panel just keep in mind to also make a spot for this on the same panel.
You might also want to make 4 holes for smaller bolts in the corners of the LCD panel area. This will help the display stay in place and keep it from moving around.
3. Make a PCB
During this step, you can use whichever method you prefer. If you want one of the easiest ways to do it, you can use toner transfer. We recommend, putting a switch between the power connector and the power supply.
Once you make your PCB, you can connect everything and power it up. Take the time to check voltages in all of the critical points.
4. Coding Time
As long as everything is working fine when you power it up, you can upload the code. Evaluate which library would work best for your build. The Arduino sketch is a popular choice.
After you are done coding, you will need to calibrate your station because the thermocouples and the heaters inside your statin will have variations. Use a thermocouple and a digital multimeter to measure the tip temperature.
Now You Know How to Build a Soldering Station
Hopefully, now you are feeling confident about how to build your own soldering station. Once you are done with your hard work, you can enjoy a station that you built exactly to fit your needs.
Feel free to keep browsing this section for more DIY projects.
