Radio Shack Make:it 6400254 User Manual

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Learn to  

Solder Kit

6400254             User’s Guide  

4.

  Flow a small 

amount of solder 

onto the joint. The 

solder joint should 

have enough 

solder to hold 

the component, 

but should not extend beyond the pad and should 

extend only slightly above the pad.

5.

  Trim the excess lead as 

closely as possible to the 

PCB.

Caution:

 Be careful when 

soldering and trimming 

leads. Protective eyeware is 

recommended.

We hope you enjoy your Learn to Solder Kit from 

RadioShack. Please read this user’s guide before 

using your new soldering kit.

Package Contents 

Tools

Diagonal Pliers

Soldering Iron

Solder

Safety Stand

Caution:

 The solder contained in this kit contains lead. 

Thoroughly wash your hands after soldering and before 

consuming food.

Kit Components

Printed Circuit 

Board (1)

NE555P Integrated Circuit 

(1) IC Socket (1)

Tact Switch (8)

Resistors (10)

Green, Green, Orange = 55K

The sequence of the colored stripes 

indicates the resistance value.

R1  =  55K (Green, Green, Orange)

R2  =  49K (Yellow, White, Orange)

R3  =  44K (Yellow, Yellow, Orange)

R4  =  41K (Yellow, Brown, Orange)

R5  =  36K (Orange, Blue, Orange)

R6  =  32K (Orange, Red, Orange)

R7  =  28K (Red, Gray, Orange)

R8  =  27K (Red, Violet, Orange)

R9  =  1K  (Brown, Black, Red)

R10 =  750 (Violet, Green, Brown)

LED (1)

Electrolytic Capacitor (1) 

Ceramic Capacitor (2)

Speaker (1)

Battery Holder (1)

Speaker Input Wires (2)

Before You Begin

Instill good working habits. A soldering iron is not a toy.

•  Prepare a clean, uncluttered workspace with no 

distractions.

•  Verify all tools and parts. 

•  Review schematics and instructions. Attention to detail 

is critical.

Cleaning Your PCB

Copper on the printed circuit board (PCB) may oxidize 

when exposed to oxygen and moisture in the air. This 

oxidation can result in poorly connected welds. Before 

soldering, use a scouring pad to gently clean the copper 

surface so it is uniformly shiny. This will enable the solder 

to properly adhere to the PCB. 

Preparing Your Soldering Iron

1.

  Place your soldering iron on 

the stand. 

2.

  Plug the soldering iron into 

a wall outlet.

Soldering

1.

   Insert the component leads 

through the correct pads on 

the PCB.

2.

  Press the iron to the pad 

where the lead emerges. Heat 

the pad for a few seconds, 

so that the solder will flow 

smoothly and evenly.

3.

  Do not move the iron. Instead, 

touch the solder to the point 

where the iron, pad, and lead 

all meet.

Leads

Tin the Soldering Iron Tip

“Tinning” means coating the soldering iron tip with a small 

amount of solder. 

1.

  Plug in the iron and 

wait three minutes. 

2.

  Tin the soldering tip 

by adding a small 

amount of solder.

Important Safety Instructions

•  Read instructions before operating the product.

•  Keep out of the reach of children.

•  Work only in a dry area that is free from flammable materials.

•  Operate the soldering iron in properly ventilated rooms or rooms 

with a fume extraction system. Inhalation of soldering fumes and 

particles from flux in the solder is detrimental to health.

•  Be careful! Hot soldering irons can cause severe burns and ignite 

fires. Do not touch the tip or let it come in contact with any other 

material.

•  Do not touch the tip of a hot soldering iron or remove solder from 

its surface with your hands.

•  If the supplied cable is damaged, it should be repaired by the 

manufacturer or its agent or a suitable qualified person in order to 

avoid a hazard.

•  Never hold the soldering tip to the soldering point too long. This 

can destroy the soldering point.

•  Never operate the soldering iron without the soldering tip. This 

can damage the heating device.

•  When you are not using your soldering iron, unplug from wall 

outlet.

•  Store the soldering iron in a dry, secure place where children 

cannot reach it.

•  Keep the soldering iron away from dust and dirt, and clean it with 

a damp cloth occasionally to keep it looking new.

•  This product, when used for soldering and similar applications, 

produces chemicals known to the State of California to cause 

cancer and birth defects (or other reproductive harm).

Replacing the Soldering Tip

Your soldering iron comes with a nickel-plated tip. When 

it wears out, you can replace it with another iron tip (not 

supplied).

Unplug the soldering iron’s power cord from the power 

source and let it cool down before replacing the tip.

Iron

Solder