[Blindtlk] soldering electronic parts

Thu Jun 4 15:47:02 UTC 2009

Dear Steve,

I have been blind, due to RP, since the age of 16.  I did learn about 
soldering when I still had more sight, but I have next to nothing left now, 
just light and shadow vision.
I have developed my own ways of doing things and still use all manner of 
tools, just not as easily as I did when I had more vision, but that is where 
being inventive comes in and some trial and error experimenting.
I have been a pro auto mechanic, a machinist,  a certified welder and an 
engineer, all after becoming legally blind.  Heck, I even drove for over 
twenty years after I was legally blind, so I have always done allot of 
things that I am not suppose to be able to do.  I have not had to solder 
anything in sometime, but I use to wire up electronic items such as radios, 
RC controllers, servos, relays and such.  I am not an electronics expert, 
but I know a little about allot of things.
As a Nuclear/Aerospace Materials Engineer, I had to work with engineers of 
other fields, meaning that I needed to learn enough about their work to help 
them select the best materials and manufacturing processes to make their 
product or parts.  I also conducted testing of materials and finished parts 
to make sure they met the engineering specs.
  I have developed ways of doing things with less and less vision as I have 
needed to.   My experience as a machinist and mechanic have helped me figure 
out ways of doing things by the use of jigs and fixtures that lets me make 
certain kinds of cuts or processes safely and over and over again where 
parts of the same size or shape are needed.  I just do what I need to do to 
get the job done.  Good luck with your project.

David Evans, NFBF

----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Steve P. Deeley" <stevep.deeley at insightbb.com>
To: "Blind Talk Mailing List" <blindtlk at nfbnet.org>
Sent: Wednesday, June 03, 2009 8:27 PM
Subject: Re: [Blindtlk] soldering electronic parts

> Did you learn to solder when you had vision?  This is amazing!!
>
>
> Steve
> ----- Original Message ----- 
> From: "David Evans" <drevans at bellsouth.net>
> To: "Blind Talk Mailing List" <blindtlk at nfbnet.org>
> Sent: Wednesday, June 03, 2009 5:25 PM
> Subject: Re: [Blindtlk] soldering electronic parts
>
>
>>
>> Dear Joel,
>>
>> You must be very careful if you use the trick of placing a soldering gun
>> straight on the electronic part and apply the heat until you just feel 
>> the
>> solder melt.
>> The heat will travel and can burn up the part.
>> If you can, place a clamp or something like a pair of pliers between the
>> soldering point and the next component down the line to stop the heat 
>> from
>> traveling and burning up the part.
>> How valuable is it to you?  If you burn up a part are you going to be
>> upset?
>> If so, get someone to help you, at least to you know you have a 
>> techniques
>> that works for you.  That is better than making the situation worst and
>> still having to send it out to be repaired at a greater cost.
>> I like to try to do everything myself too, but I have learned not to let
>> my
>> pride stand in the way of getting the job done right.
>> I can sometimes be stubborn, in trying to do everything myself and screw
>> it
>> up.  I have therefore, learned to be more careful and think things out
>> more
>> and ask myself, "is this worth it," instead of just saying " I am going 
>> to
>> fix it myself or break it."  Sometimes learning can be painful and
>> expensive.  You need to be the judge.
>> I do allot of arts and crafts and use all manner of power tools and have 
>> a
>> fully equipped shop.
>> I like to make things myself and have only light and shadow vision at 
>> this
>> point in my life, so I am one who does like to do things myself.
>> Woodworking, metal working, auto mechanics, electrical, plumbing and 
>> more.
>> I even teach blind people how to do simple home repairs .
>>
>> David Evans, NFBF
>> Nuclear/Aerospace Materials Engineer
>> Builder of the Lunar Rovers and the F-117 Stealth Fighter
>>
>> ----- Original Message ----- 
>> From: "Steve Jacobson" <steve.jacobson at visi.com>
>> To: "Blind Talk Mailing List" <blindtlk at nfbnet.org>
>> Sent: Wednesday, June 03, 2009 4:00 PM
>> Subject: Re: [Blindtlk] soldering electronic parts
>>
>>
>>> Joel,
>>>
>>> I have done some soldering during my life that at least has been good
>>> enough to get me by.  However, I readily admit that I do less of it now
>>> because so many
>>> components have gotten so small that it is not as easy as it once was.
>>> How well you do with it a matter of how much it is worth to you and how
>>> much you are willing
>>> to practice and experiment.
>>>
>>> The common approach to soldering is to use a soldering iron that remains
>>> hot for the entire soldering session.  Some blind persons do that, but I
>>> dare say most of us
>>> do not.  Usually it makes the most sense to find a soldering iron or gun
>>> that can be heated up after it has been positioned.  My approach is to
>>> mostly use a soldering
>>> gun, placing it upon the terminal or wire that needs to be soldered, 
>>> take
>>> the solder in my other hand and place the end on the terminal or wire
>>> grasping the solder a
>>> couple of inches back from the end, and then apply the heat.  This could
>>> mean pressing a trigger, or possibly wiring a soldering gun through a
>>> foot
>>> peddle.  Once the
>>> connection is hot enough, you will both smell the solder and feel that
>>> the
>>> tip touching the connection is getting soft.  You will learn over time 
>>> to
>>> feed the melting end
>>> of the solder onto the connection until you get the right amount and 
>>> then
>>> widraw both the gun and the solder.  It is important that the solder and
>>> the iron or gun touch
>>> the connection and not each other.  The best results will be achieved by
>>> having the gun heat up the connection so the connection is hot enough to
>>> melt the solder.
>>>
>>> There are several variables.  First, you can get solder in different
>>> gauges or diameters.  The thicker the solder, the better you will be 
>>> able
>>> to feel if it is positioned on
>>> the connection, but the more likely you will get too much solder or have
>>> it go where you don't want it.  Find a compromise that works by
>>> experimenting.  Some small
>>> connections will require that you use a thin solder and you have to live
>>> with that.  Some have fed thin solder through a thin metal tube so that
>>> the tube can be used
>>> to guide the solder to the connection.
>>>
>>> There are verious kinds of soldering irons and guns now.  A Soldering 
>>> gun
>>> has a small heating element mounted on two very heavy conductors.  It
>>> heats up and
>>> cools fairly quickly.  However, it is a high current low voltage device,
>>> and because of the high current, some say that a gun can dammage a
>>> component because of
>>> the strong electric fields.  While I do not doubt this, it has never
>>> happened to me, and this is not usually an issue when soldering 
>>> switches,
>>> plugs or pickups as you
>>> might deal with on a guitar.  However, some cordless irons heat up 
>>> fairly
>>> quickly and pose less of a risk.  Also, it can be nice not to have to
>>> worry about a cord.  I do
>>> not think I solder as quickly as most sighted people, though, so
>>> consequently, I have found the battery life on a cordless iron to be
>>> limiting and never living up to the
>>> ads.  There are also irons that you light.  These stay hot but tend to
>>> concentrate the heat so one can use them if one is careful.  There are
>>> tricks, too.  If you wet
>>> your finger tip and you touch quickly, the heat is discipated in the
>>> water
>>> and you won't burn your finger.
>>>
>>> Maybe this will give you some ideas.
>>>
>>> Best regards,
>>>
>>> Steve Jacobson
>>>
>>> On Wed, 03 Jun 2009 14:07:13 -0400, Joel Zimba wrote:
>>>
>>>>Hey All,
>>>
>>>>If anyone out there can help me figure out how to solder wires and
>>>>electronic components out there sans eyes, I would be very greatful.
>>>>I'm not opposed to a bit of singing of my fingertips, but really, I
>>>>think such things should be kept to a minimum.
>>>
>>>>I think it's just silly that I can't re-wire my guitar without help.
>>>
>>>>Any thoughts would be greatly appreciated.
>>>
>>>>thanks,
>>>
>>>>Joel
>>>
>>>
>>>>On 6/3/2009 11:02 AM, Sarah Baughn wrote:
>>>>> This is definitely true, as in facial expressions.
>>>>> Sarah
>>>>> ----- Original Message ----- From: "Dave Wright"
>>>>> <gymnastdave at sbcglobal.net>
>>>>> To: "Blind Talk Mailing List" <blindtlk at nfbnet.org>
>>>>> Sent: Tuesday, June 02, 2009 9:42 AM
>>>>> Subject: Re: [Blindtlk] Other "wrong" assumptions;Learning body
>>>>> language
>>>>>
>>>>>
>>>>>> Good morning all,
>>>>>> Although I wasn't born blind, I was born in a different country where
>>>>>> body language just like spoken language is a little different. I lost
>>>>>> my sight gradually over a period of several years and can understand
>>>>>> this topic of wanting to utilize body language to better enrich
>>>>>> communication. Since going blind, I've noticed that I use body
>>>>>> language more consciously than before going blind. For example, I
>>>>>> have to make an effort to verbalize more when talking to blind
>>>>>> individuals. I often find myself nodding my head or using hand
>>>>>> gestures to indicate objects, or emphasize ideas.
>>>>>> When talking to friends who are blind from birth, I've discussed the
>>>>>> importance of utilizing body language as a tool, but not to be
>>>>>> distracted by ones knowledge of it. In order to learn body language a
>>>>>> positive means of communication, it is important to ask questions of
>>>>>> family and other sighted peers. In my opinion, a certain amount of
>>>>>> body language is natural is doesn't need to be learned. Just my
>>>>>> thoughts.
>>>>>>
>>>>>>
>>>>>> Best Regards:
>>>>>> Dave Wright
>>>>>> Work Phone: 651-636-5184 X803
>>>>>> Email:
>>>>>> dwrigh6 at gmail.com
>>>>>> WebPage:
>>>>>> http://www.knfbreader.com
>>>>>>
>>>>>> ----- Original Message ----- From: "Tom Cramer"
>>>>>> <tom.cramer1 at gmail.com>
>>>>>> To: "Blind Talk Mailing List" <blindtlk at nfbnet.org>
>>>>>> Sent: Tuesday, June 02, 2009 12:33 AM
>>>>>> Subject: Re: [Blindtlk] Other "wrong" assumptions;Learning body
>>>>>> language
>>>>>>
>>>>>>
>>>>>>> Yes.
>>>>>>> I've often wondered very similar things.
>>>>>>> I would love to get some answers to this as well.
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>> Tom
>>>>>>> ----- Original Message ----- From: "Gerardo Corripio"
>>>>>>> <gera1027 at prodigy.net.mx>
>>>>>>> To: "Blind-Talk" <blindtlk at nfbnet.org>
>>>>>>> Sent: Sunday, May 31, 2009 12:05 PM
>>>>>>> Subject: [Blindtlk] Other "wrong" assumptions;Learning body language
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>> Robert's message about false assumptions in the workplace reminded
>>>>>>>> me of the following incident:
>>>>>>>> The other day while attending a dinner with some coleagues one of
>>>>>>>> them asked "Are you able to eat on your own"? comment which angered
>>>>>>>> me, though I know the sighted person asked me with good intention
>>>>>>>> it still made me a bit angry to the point that I know still lots of
>>>>>>>> work needs to be done (especially in countries where the NFB isn't
>>>>>>>> well-known or even heard of); this is why I really enjoy the list;
>>>>>>>> ai always learn a lot from you guys.
>>>>>>>> This brings me to another question especially for those of you
>>>>>>>> blind from birth: How did you guys learn to use body language? I
>>>>>>>> sometimes get to thinking that aside from integrating more with the
>>>>>>>> sighted world, it saves our mouths from talking, especially while
>>>>>>>> eating or doing other things that at that moment doesn't permit us
>>>>>>>> to speak.
>>>>>>>> also, when saying no (shake of the head) is it from side to side by
>>>>>>>> moving the head from shoulder to shoulder or moving the head
>>>>>>>> clockwise or counterclockwise?
>>>>>>>> also what does srugging the shoulder signify? As you see we blind
>>>>>>>> from birth lose a lot of things by not being able to see. And when
>>>>>>>> I first introduced myself the RP I took it to mean Retinopathy of
>>>>>>>> Prematurity like in spanish, thus didn't think to clarify the
>>>>>>>> concept.
>>>>>>>> Gerardo
>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>> _______________________________________________
>>>>>>>> blindtlk mailing list
>>>>>>>> blindtlk at nfbnet.org
>>>>>>>> http://www.nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/blindtlk_nfbnet.org
>>>>>>>> To unsubscribe, change your list options or get your account info
>>>>>>>> for blindtlk:
>>>>>>>> http://www.nfbnet.org/mailman/options/blindtlk_nfbnet.org/tom.cramer1%40gmail.com
>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>> _______________________________________________
>>>>>>> blindtlk mailing list
>>>>>>> blindtlk at nfbnet.org
>>>>>>> http://www.nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/blindtlk_nfbnet.org
>>>>>>> To unsubscribe, change your list options or get your account info
>>>>>>> for blindtlk:
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>>>>>>>
>>>>>>
>>>>>>
>>>>>> _______________________________________________
>>>>>> blindtlk mailing list
>>>>>> blindtlk at nfbnet.org
>>>>>> http://www.nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/blindtlk_nfbnet.org
>>>>>> To unsubscribe, change your list options or get your account info for
>>>>>> blindtlk:
>>>>>> http://www.nfbnet.org/mailman/options/blindtlk_nfbnet.org/sarahb006%40comcast.net
>>>>>
>>>>>
>>>>>
>>>>> _______________________________________________
>>>>> blindtlk mailing list
>>>>> blindtlk at nfbnet.org
>>>>> http://www.nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/blindtlk_nfbnet.org
>>>>> To unsubscribe, change your list options or get your account info for
>>>>> blindtlk:
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>>>>>
>>>
>>>>_______________________________________________
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>>>
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>> _______________________________________________
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>>
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