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RAMSEY "LEARN-AS-YOU-BUILD" ASSEMBLY STRATEGY
Be sure to read through all of the steps, and check the boxes as you go to be
sure you didn't miss any important steps. Although you may be in a hurry to see
results, before you switch on the power check all wiring and capacitors for
proper orientation. Also check the board for any possible solder shorts, and/or
cold solder joints. All of these mistakes could have detrimental effects on your
kit - not to mention your ego!
Kit building tips:
Use a good soldering technique - let your soldering iron tip gently heat the
traces to which you are soldering, heating both wires and pads simultaneously.
Apply the solder on the iron and the pad when the pad is hot enough to melt the
solder. The finished joint should look like a drop of water on paper, somewhat
soaked in.
The boards for the MX series of kit have components on both sides of the
board, but there is a top side that we put most of the components on. This is
the side that has little or no traces on it, but is covered with mostly copper.
When parts are installed, the part is placed flat to the board, and the leads are
bent on the backside of the board to prevent the part from falling out before
soldering (1). The part is then soldered securely to the board (2-4), and the
remaining lead length is then clipped off (5). Notice how the solder joint looks
on close up, clean and smooth with no holes or sharp points (6).
MX-5 Page 7
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