How To Solder - DIY Cables

Gear In This Video

My Gear:

Microphones

Rack Gear

Monitors / Headphones

Instruments / Amps

Camera Gear

Favorite Studio Tools / Accessories

[DojoOfCool]

Brought back a cool memory for me. I worked at Sound City back in the 70's when the now famous Neve was purchased, as part of that the control room was remodeled for looks and sounds and more mic's line were run out to the live room. We hired this woman who had worked a lot of studio to do the soldering of new lines running to a connection junction that was at the top of the ceiling in the live room. So first she's on top of a big ladder with a little platform to hold here tools. Sound City live room being a factory building has a high ceiling. She would be up on that ladder for hours at a time just stripping wires and soldering in side the junction box and she'd take a break now and then and real mellow cool person to talk to. We were amazed at how she could be up there for hours just working away. The next days she's in she comes down the ladder for a break and we ask her how can she deal with just being up that ladder and soldering all day. She said come with me and she takes us to the parking lot pulls out a couple joints and fires up and we share them. She said I just get a good buzz and it doesn't bother me all. We were all laughing and she was in the rest of that day and one more to finish all the new mic runs, her work was picture perfect. She was a very cool woman. <grin>

[northparkstudios]

They are called “helping hands.” They are definitely life savers

[firstname]

I really dig your channel, man. What separates you out from the rest is that you do all of your own work. The fact that you do your own construction, wiring, etc. is what interests me because I am the same way. Keep it up!

[_pramitdas]

Maybe a video next about maintenance of analogue outboard gears!

[MrJumboblimpjumbo]

Excellent explanation of heat transfer and thermal issues.

[bicross]

great tips Colt !

The only thing i would change to your explanation is the wet sponge, as i do Electronic soldering for a living.
On the long term, it will accelerate the oxidation of your soldering tip. Nothing beats those little pots of metal shavings you scratch your tip in to get them very clean and very homogeneously warm :)

I can't agree more on the hot and quick technique to not overheat the rest of the part !
Great content buddy !

[TonyThomas]

I learned to solder when I was around 14-15. I built my own mixing board for my basement radio station when I was a bit older. It is also good to have a multimeter around for testing cables and other purposes. I also sold all that stuff to when I worked for an international electronics distributor for 20+ years.

[DaveHickox]

Thanks for the info, I need to push into fixing gear because gear breaks and its my experience that soldering is involved in the process!

[DamonBates]

Well done. When I worked as a apprentice engineer in NY that was one of the first skills I had to learn. I would only add that those fumes need to be vented. Get a fan and solder in a garage with the fan blowing out...if you don't have a proper soldering exhaust apparatus. Those fumes are bad stuff.

[dudenamedskip]

"you're going to forgot that a bunch of times"

Oh how very true this is 🤣
If only I had a nickel for every time I've terminated an end without a cover on.

[jdubbs]

Well done! As a kid growing up in Peoria, I had a few Radio Shack projects that helped prepare me for my music life. 😉

[Murray_Browne]

Absolute must skill to have if you are building a studio. After working out that the quantity of good quality pre-made cable & connectors for my studio build was going to cost somewhere in the region $6000 USD I had no option other than to go down the road of making all my own cables. I had to make 100's of cables and it has been a real challenge getting through it but it's the only way to go really. I would suggest that a cable tester (HOSA make one) is a good investment. Nothing worse than cable something up and finding you ave a small short...

[demondrive]

Great video! Took a few tips and explanation why sometimes I overheat elements, thank you! And since I started heating parts and later adding solder, not the other way around, my solder joints got much cleaner❤

[RobertLyndsMA]

I haven't done this stuff since the late 80's, but fully agree that you need to spend a bit extraon parts and tools.

Keep them coming Colt, been a sub for a while now and love the content.

[stevemorris]

I use old xlr connectors in a small vice to hold the connectors when I’m soldering.

[Jeremy_Kinsey]

I was just thinking about this very thing, the other day. Thanks for the reminder!

[braxal]

I love Hakko soldering station @750 works great. It is expensive but works like a champ

[Chaos-Dynamics]

I solder stuff for years, we call it the hair iron for men here in the house 😊

[braxal]

Great Video. I build my own cables and Snakes. I get the stuff from Redco. It is cheaper that way. True it is a lot of work but at least you can make them for cheaper and it is good cable and connectors.. Thanks Colt!!!

[michaelkerlin]

Recommend a solder tip cleaner (scour pad) and can't recommend the behringer CT100 cable tester enough