DIY speaker builders Please help? (1 Viewer)

[Steve Morgan]

I upgraded my speakers to the new Von Schweikert VR3.5's. When they arrived ther was some damage to the binding post plate.(Dang that UPS)Anyway I called Von Schweikert and they are sending me the binding post assembly.The Tech said there are 5 wires to solder my question is, is this hard to do and what tips can you guys provide me when I do this. I know to just folow the wiring like they had it, but can I screw the soldering process up? Any tips are appreciated.
Thanks, Steve
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[Patrick Sun]

If you've never soldered before, I'd practice on 2 pieces of wire until you're comfortable with the process before soldering the actual speaker wires in place. Other than than, it shouldn't be a real problem. Just be quick and nimble and don't super-heat the wire up (to avoid damage to the crossover components). Then just wrap up the solder connections so you don't get any short circuits.
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PatCave ; HT Pix ; Gear ; Sunosub I + III ; DVDs ; Link Removed

 

[Jeff Rosz]

just to add a few tips.....
a 15 watt pencil-type iron is all you need
keep the tip of the iron clean with steel wool or a damp paper towel
do NOT use acid core solder...you want ROSIN core
avoid cold solder joints (they have a dull appearance)
to minimize melting of the wire's insulation and to protect any nearby electronics, you can heatsink the wires with an alligator clip or needle nose pliers (use a rubber band on the grips to hold the jaws closed on the wire)
and like PS said...be quick with the heat
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*why build one when you can build two for twice the price*
jeff

 

[Mark Wylie]

Remember to heat the work not the solder.

 

[Ken Situ]

Tin the iron tip or apply a bit of fresh solder to the iron tip before apply iron to the joints - everything heats up faster that way. If you don't want to use heatsinks like alligator clips or nose pliers, dip your finger in water then apply to the solder joint to cool down everything fast (I usually wet my finger in my mouth for that). After a while, solder tastes good.
Have fun.
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[Hank Frankenberg]

One more tip from an experienced solder-slinger. An important step in soldering is to make a strong mechanical connection first; that is, wrap and twist a wire to whatever it is to be connected to (another wire, a solder lug or post on a connector or binding post, etc). Make a tight mechanical connection first, don't just lay the wire against whatever you're soldering it to. Then, apply the hot iron's tip to both the wire and whatever TOGETHER, so they both heat equally. And as advised above, practice until you have a smooth shiny solder joint. Go for it