Modding my Saturn.

[icefactor52]

www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000B5YIYS/ref=cm_cr_asin_lnk

+

www.racketboy.com/store/sega-saturn-modchip.html

... Win?

If there's better stuff out there for this, please feel free to enlighten me. Don't really want to F this up.

[Syntesis]

A few things:

1. You don't need a very hot soldering iron for console modding, 12 or 15 watts is plenty. Just make sure it has a very small conical tip.

2. Practice on something expendable or broken first. The Saturn modchip is pretty easy to install but it doesn't hurt to build up some confidence and get your basics right.

3. I don't know about the Racketboy chip. I think a lot of us can vouch for Rob Webb's chip however.

[Yart]

For Model 2 US and PAL systems, Racketboy is amazing. (However I had one break. My second one however was pretty good)

Otherwise go with Rob Webb.

[mick_aka]

Likewise I've had no probs with either chip oince installed, I too snapped a racketboy chip not putting much pressure on it at all, the PCB it uses is insanely thin.

[zyrobs]

The racketboy chip doesn't have an oscillator built-in, judging from the picture. If it is indeed like that, you have to add an extra wire to one of the controller chips on the cd board.

Try the consolegoods / rob webb style v2 chips instead - they work on all 21pin models, even if you have to solder some connectors together on the thing (why couldn't they just use a jumper, I don't know).

[Stuart36]

$43 for a soldering iron with no stand that is vacuum packed to a piece of cardboard? i wouldn't buy that if i were you. i would either go for something like that around the $30 and under range, or get a nice one that you will be happy with for a long time.

[Syntesis]

Jun 20, 2011 18:50:34 GMT Stuart36 said:

$43 for a soldering iron with no stand that is vacuum packed to a piece of cardboard? i wouldn't buy that if i were you. i would either go for something like that around the $30 and under range, or get a nice one that you will be happy with for a long time.

Weller is a good brand. It's not a bad price at all.

[Stuart36]

o.o i know nothing of brands of soldering iron, espeically not american ones, all i know is that is some cheap-arsed packaging, and it has no stand (i like the sponge on the stands, so for me that is a deal-breaker).

[Syntesis]

All soldering irons without a heat controller box are going to be packaged like that. Look in Maplins if you don't believe me

That Weller iron will come with a small stand and you can just use a bit of damp kitchen sponge.

[icefactor52]

I think I'll take everyone's advice and just buy the Rob Webb chip as it seems the Racketboy one is perhaps a little flimsy, but the soldering iron seems like a good choice, especially from the glowing reviews on Amazon.

Also, would someone mind directing me to the smallest tip necessary? I've never done this before, so I don't want to order a tip that is either too big or too small.

Oh, and is this good solder?

www.amazon.com/American-Terminal-AT-31604-Solder-Ounces/dp/B00030AP48/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1308611155&sr=8-1

I can't imagine that the solder itself would make too big of a difference, but you never know. Can't hurt to be safe about it.

[neogeoman]

If the temp isnt high enough, the solder will not stick. You NEED to get heat into the item youre trying to solder or the solder will not run on smooth.

I run my irons at about 360-380* C and ive never burned a track yet.

Im not saying run it that hot, but you need to get heat into it, the longer you have to hold the iron onto something to heat it, the further the heat will travel, and this is when you damage components.

With higher temps, its a quick touch, and youre done, the component stays reasonably cool. The solder will melt in an instant, which is what you want.

Find a non working circuit board and practice soldering wires onto chip legs, also practice lifting legs on surface mount chips, then solder wires to those after they are lifted.

Heat the item with the clean iron, then feed in the solder and it should look pretty smooth. Too low a temp and itll look rough, and wont want to bond, and at the same time, youll cook the components due to holding the iron there for so long.

If youre doing it right, your solder should attract pretty near instantly to the piece youre trying to solder.

[neogeoman]

And i tend to agree, 455* C is probably abit hot for this job.

You want something with a control knob, and the higher the wattage the BETTER, cause it will hold a more stable temp. As long as you can set it to a specific temperature, higher wattage will be better.