Flush cutters should be taught in the first class session of Soldering 101. Heathkit should have included a pair of flush cutters with every kit sold (along with an appropriate soldering iron). Probably would of saved kit manufacturers a lot of money and headaches. YMWNV (Your mileage will not vary).
Our amateur radio club visited the headquarters of Heathkit in Benton Harbor,MI. in the late 60s. They had a sort of soldering “Wall of Shame”. There were pc boards that looked like a BernzTorch or a sheet metal soldering iron had been used. Holes melted clean thru the pc boards and parts melted into unrecognizable blobs. Some had parts with the leads damaged because diagonal cutters were used.
Heathkit replaced the damaged goods at the cost of the price difference between kits and preassembled devices.
I made some good coin building kits for others. Everything from the simplest color organ to Dynaco audio equipment to Heathkit color TVs. All this because someone used the wrong tools for the job.
1 Like
