soldering how-to's

I am looking for a sight with how-to's on soldering, especially fine soldering of small parts. I am thinking of doing the radeon 9500 mod and want to learn and practice soldering. If you want to get a resistor off of a pcb, do you just heat up the solder that is on it until it becomes loose?

ok you will need a good quality PCB soldering iron and a solder suction pump and also a workmate ( Something to hold the PCD/ Graphic card)You have to be very careful as over heating parts will kill your card and the last thing you wanna do is fry your beloved! The trick is to heat up the solder to the point it flash melts ( The instant it liquifise) and using the section tool to remove the solder. Left and right hand needed as solder solidifies fast! Then if you are attaching new put, the trick is to add the solder to the part 1st and let cool this is the most important part it must be cool before attaching or you will kill the component. Then re-attach one side first to the PCB and let cool then the other side by doing this both the new item and the PCB (graphic card) don't over heat and get damaged...the trick is when removing work fast and smart let it cool inbetween part or soldering when attaching work slow and smart let everything cool right down before proceding!

Thanks fareast. Now, the resistor I will be resoldering onto the board is about 1.5mm. How do I put solder on this first then attach it to the pcb board? Where do I put the solder, on the legs? Won't that make them too thick to go back into the holes, or do I put it right above the legs where they will make contact with the board? BTW I compliment you on your grammar, it is much better than many of my fellow countrymen. That's just one of my pet peeves with my fellow Americans

I suggest finding an old modem that nobody wants and practice on that. PCB has it's own technique with soldering. My technique is very similar to what fareast has already replied with. I don't presolder my parts though. Use a clip on heatsink when you can to protect the component. I solder from the back so I usually don't have anything else in the way. And letting everything cool down after each 'solder event' is worth repeating.

Thanks for the complement around 5 years in the UK did leave good impressions then ! But i have a long way too go yet!

As crogen mentioned, it would be best no to pre-solder the resistor. If you use the suction pump to remove the solder you will be left with nice neat hole. Place the resistor in place leaving long legs out the back. ( Do not trim yet as these legs will allow heat bleed also clip on heatsink's are very useful and have saved my kit many time!!! Cheers cryogen97 forgot to mention those) Once you have soldered the resistor into place trim the legs right down so it resembles the rest of the PCB. Also using old kit is very useful for beginners!

Choose your Iron carefuly get one designed for PCB and small electronic parts and solder to match ! Try also to get one with a holder and wet sponge pad, A clean head is very important as it will encorage the solder to run onto the work rather than to bobel on the tip of the iron.

Ohh and did we mention to let everything cool before moving onto the next leg/task?