Practice Soldering!?

[gakhal79]

whats a good thing to practice soldering on? except for a mobo

[cleo]

When I first started I got an old video camera and pulled it apart. The motherboard in these is very similar to a ps2. Practice heaps!!!

Cheers

[gakhal79]

Hehe, afraid i dont got a old video camera anything else that i can use to practice soldering on?

[Toma]

Anything electronic will work; preferrably something a little newer (nothing from 1994 or older, the size of the points will just spoil you). I practiced on old video cards.

[Videofiend]

if you can find an electronic surplus store get some old dead boards from the bargain bin, preferably with some surface mount parts. Hard to get cheaper than that unless you go dumpster diving.

[JuliusPleaser]

Get yourself a plug and play pc component that will work in your computer from a bargain bin at a computer shop like a modem, video card, or network card.
You can usually get something for between free and $1. THen just practice connecting vias just like the traces do and cut the traces. If you soldered them all correctly, then when you plug it into your pc it will work fine and you know you did it.
This is the best practice and VERY cheap.

[KeRoLiUkAs]

go to dollar store and buy a cheap analog mouse...dollar tree has them..

[TechGuy]

Don't waste money on something to solder on. We all have that broken stuff we don't throw away for some unknown reason. Just rip something apart and practice. Get some solder wick or a sucker and remove/replace some components. Have any old radios, pc parts, phones, or anything else that doesn't work?

[gakhal79]

I think I've got some old cell phones lying around. I'll give it a go :P. Oh yeah and another question, all I have so far is a soldering iron and some solder wire. Are there any other pieces of equipment I should get/ need to start?