Clipping Component Leads

[Bernt]

The shock induced by clipping after soldering is said to put a very large stress on the solder-wire connection, and could possibly cause a crack between the wire and the solder.
But remember: this is not my whim or idea; I just referred to some rules which I always break...
But think about it: in theory it makes sense. I mean,  if you want to send your "Fuzz-face II" to Mars you have to adhere to the rules!
Bernt.

[petemoore]

Edit...sometimes I re-apply heat after soldering and clipping...mainly for looks I guess, I just like the smoother look...
 Electricity flows on surfaces of wires, very very little electro activity happens in the core of a wire with current flowing through it...well till it starts surpassing it's current carrying capability...and gets hot too...
 So...having a smooth surface on all the surfaces where current flows is probably not a bad idea, but I think the current will simply flow around the small 'top' of the joint where it's been cut /clipped.

[Paul Marossy]

I think that is hogwash. A pair of sharp cutters snips pretty clean and without a big shockwave to your components. If this were true, then every 1N34 Ge diode that I have in my circuits should be dead, that's a very tiny wire in there you know. You're 1000 times more likely to damage a component while soldering it than by clipping the leads off of it. (I don't think any of us going to Mars with our DIY stompboxes...)

Second, most components these days are made with materials that don't corrode very easily, so, whether it is clipped before or after it is soldered I think is largely irrelevent. The component is many times more likely to fail for other reasons that corrosion somehow getting in between the solder and the component's leads.

Of course, all of this is talking about the typical DIY stompbox and most commercial ones for that matter.

[GreenEye]

Pete:  

You mean you touch the iron to the solder to let it flow more after you've made the connection and initial solder?  I thought using the iron to touch/heat solder was a no-no.  Some of my joints could use that, but I've been afraid to try to "touch them up."

[petemoore]

Yes, I don't know why I started doing that sometimes.
 I guess shear' marks bugged me, but I don't remember reading and certainly haven't had any problems with clipped solder/component leads.
 I haven't done any real testing other than everything I build that works works good...
 Yes I leave length, solder, then clip the excess [not close in through the blob of solder, just the longer lead protrusions] then, sometimes I just reheat/retouch the iron to the joint, and it forms a round joint, free of those unsightly shear marks the clippers leave.

[Mike Burgundy]

I don't like the bend/clip/solder method because it's harder to get components out quickly that way - I tend to change things around a lot.
I prefer solder/clip/resolder. That way you have no exposed leads, leads that  are not bent, and the resoldering is easy because one or more other solder joints hold the component in place while reflowing. I use just a tiny dab of extra solder with flux core when resoldering and keep the initial joint as lean as possible to avoid having too much on there. If you resolder it's always a good idea to use a little fresh solder, although on a joint that new I doubt it really makes a difference.
I also quite like my new end-cutter.

[Fret Wire]

GreenEye, touching up or resoldering a joint can save you from later having to de-bug a cold joint.

[Paul Marossy]

Yes, that is the drawback with the bend and solder method. Replacing a component is a lot more difficult when you do it that way, and sometimes the PCB gets damaged, too. 95% of the time, with the use of some desoldering braid, I can remove things without too much problem.

As of late, I do a very slight bend, just enough to keep the component from falling out of the PCB. Then I solder and clip. Seems to work well for me.

[RDV]

First I solder, then clip, then put in the component.

:shock:

RDV

[Paul Marossy]

"First I solder, then clip, then put in the component."

Seriously?

[Fret Wire]

Ah...that's what the hammer-drill is for. :shock: