What has happened

[Hobbyman2]

True story , so I have had a soldering iron for several years , it has a removable tip ,after all these years I was going to install a new tip thaat has been in the drawer since my youngins were babies ,,, last night I was going to install a new tip and the thing just came apart , so I loaded up in the car and went to the only store open at 9 pm "walmart" ! after looking around for a while I asked a fella who was stocking shelves if he could point me in the right direction , ................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................That was about how long it took him to tell me ,,,,, wait for it ,,, he didn't know what a soldering iron was , he thought it was a trick question,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,, really ? the fella looked like he was in his mid 20's ........... ? shame our nation has came to this , bet if I had asked him how to win a video game or where best deals on the cell phones were he would be right on it . I did finally find a soldering iron but they didn't have any flux and the only tube of solder ,,,, well it wasn't the best for soldering electronics . our town does not have a electronics store now . the Shack went under a while back and servex and all of the independent stores are all gone . it's down to shopping online or do with out. is this where we are headed ? what happened ?

[RFGuy]

Okay, I didn't believe you at first, but then I went and searched the Walmart website. I was surprised by the number of choices for soldering irons and soldering supplies on their website, though it didn't look like any of them were available in my local stores (online order only). I never would have even thought to check Walmart for electronic hobby type supplies. Yeah, the demise of RadioShack is unfortunate. Those of us that grew up with it, particularly those that self taught themselves electronics with its help, will forever miss and be nostalgic for RadioShack. Shopping online from DigiKey, Mouser, etc. is never the same as perusing the aisles of a well stocked electronic parts store like a RadioShack. Who knows...in the distant future with Super and Mega format Walmart stores they could probably have a small corner of the store carved out of it to be the new RadioShack. Probably would be at least as big as the old RadioShacks!!!

[nuhobby]

That's pretty downcast! I think I was last "looking" at irons at Ace H/W about 9-10 years ago.
Another complicating factor is the adoption of lead-free (Pb-free) solders in industry. That stuff is noticeably harder to melt.
Of course, my neighbors had me repair a Chinese-made carousel for them... I put in a burned-out NPN transistor. Despite the "Pb free" label, that Chinese board had *no problems* with high melting points... I'd bet $20 is was Pb-solder.

Chris

[P89DC]

And 15 years ago you were yelling at him to get off you lawn. Why should a 25 year old know what soldering is? Plumbing has been plastic all his life and home DIY electronics went out with Heathkit TVs.

[Hobbyman2]

LOL True but its like making beef jerky ,not sure about sweating copper pipe with a soldering gun but soldering wires use to be a right of passage , my 2 daughters were doing both before they were 10 .

just saying

[Hobbyman2]

Just did a search for soldering stations and found this one , https://www.amazon.com/YIHUA-Supply-Sol ... =coa_us-20 , not sure about electronics at home being out of style ,Heathkit went out a long time ago but there are still radio kits available , https://www.amazon.com/s?k=radio+kits+t ... _ss_i_4_10 what I can understand is why most don't do it any more , the price of this soldering station is crazy stupid for a hobbyist .

[RFGuy]

Just did a search for soldering stations and found this one , https://www.amazon.com/YIHUA-Supply-Sol ... =coa_us-20 , not sure about electronics at home being out of style ,Heathkit went out a long time ago but there are still radio kits available , https://www.amazon.com/s?k=radio+kits+t ... _ss_i_4_10 what I can understand is why most don't do it any more , the price of this soldering station is crazy stupid for a hobbyist .

Merry Christmas ALL!!!
Only posting this morning because my wicked insomnia has me up...kids are asleep and I wish I was.

Wow, that Yihua soldering station is fully packed with functions for only $100. If the air gun works decent at all, it is easily worth $100 just for that function alone to do reflow. I was fortunate to get a smoking (pun intended) deal on a Metcal on eBay several years back, so that is my primary soldering station (got spoiled on Metcal's in my day job so I had to have one for home). I think there are just as many opportunities today for hobby electronics. Two that I did with my kids were building the handheld gaming device from Tech Will Save Us (https://www.techwillsaveus.com/shop/spark-pack/) and I did a year subscription to Thimble from their Kickstarter campaign (https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/18 ... nthly-deli & https://www.thimble.io/). Both are well developed kits with excellent educational resources packaged for inquiring young minds. These are just two, but there are lots more options out there, particularly if you want to build something from the ground up. These kits taught not only soldering, but also what the components were, how they were used in the design and finally software coding (Thimble is on the Arudino platform). Today there are many more options for robotics (think school competitions) driving parts supply and full kits. Also the maker community is driving a lot of hardware options for anyone wanting to explore this arena. Lots of websites here, but off the tip of my memory is Adafruit (https://www.adafruit.com/) to check out. The companies involved may have changed (though Heathkit is still around), but I think there are as many opportunities today. However, I can't say whether more people are interested in electronics today than in the past, or if it is on the decline...I think it is more accessible these days for those that have interest, albeit it requires more online shopping compared to going to RadioShack.

The problem, if there is one, I think is that software coding is being pushed tremendously today. Not saying it isn't needed, but that is the emphasis everywhere these days. So, for kids that have interest in this stuff, they tend to gravitate more towards the software side first and never get their hands dirty in the hardware. Maybe it is just me, but I think it is helpful to get started building something before you ever start programming it. I have always had an interest in both sides and try to stay fluent in hardware and software, but maybe that isn't needed as much anymore.

[garys]

Times are changing. None of today's electronics are repairable. You can't work on something that small. Everything is made by computer controlled machines. Because of that, no store can make a buck anymore selling solder and soldering irons.

I have my old electronics tool kit I carried with me my entire career. It has repaired hundreds of electronic devices in the past 50 years. It has meters (digital and analog), soldering irons, and a bit left on a 1 pound spool of solder that I might eventually use up. If I do, there is still a second full 1 pound spool of solder in there waiting.

It isn't just electronics either. Just about any product you buy today is unrepairable. Many devices have non-replaceable batteries so you junk them when the battery dies.

This throw away society has some advantages. We no longer need skilled people to repair things, so training the masses got a lot easier.

[Ed in Tampa]

If you use the Ryobi line of batteries they have a very nice Soldering Station for $79.

I went to work for IBM in 1967 we had to demonstrate superior skills in soldering and for the first few years I used a soldering gun on and off. However when I retired 30 years later no body soldered anything in the field.

The part that should scare us all is the number of skilled experts that are dying off and not being replaced in the skill trades.

My neighbor is an expert upholster and hasn't been able to find a person that really wants to learn his skill in 20 years of looking. His work is so good that he demands super high prices and turns down more work than he does. I know trades people that would give their right arm for a good worker. My son in law owns a lawn care business and is dying to find someone that he can make a supervisor to run a crew. Most kids can not even get a CDL certificate and still be able to chew gum and walk.

This situation is only going to get worst. This Old House has started an initiative to raise up skill workers to fill the current 6 million jobs that go unfilled annually.

Who is going to lay bricks, plumb houses build houses, do finish carpentry, invent things when today’s kids do not know what trade tools are like a soldering iron.

[Hobbyman2]

I know my age is showing a little here , I remember a soldering iron made in the USA selling for less then 5 dollars . a 500 pack of assorted of diodes for less then 5 dollars , most transistors .35 a piece or less , ordered a 10 pack of transistors from China { free shipping } the other day because finding Toshiba transistors in the US was almost impossible , when I did find them here they cost basically double the money and there was a shipping fee . it would be nice if we had quality USA made parts to compete with the foreign made parts , I haven't found a soldering iron any where made in the USA ? I don't mind working with other countries , it is good stewardship , but this might be a sign.
My daughters both graduated from computer class's and both had scholarships and both have said the same thing , Dad don't fix it just get a new one ? me on the other hand being a old school hybrid I find fixing a board for less then 5 dollars seems more logical then spending 200 on a new piece of eq or tossing a entire board filled with precious metals .I enjoy working on old radios and some of the bards are not even available, I agree SMT parts are very small and hard to work with however with the proper eq it is possible . soldering with hot air is different I will admit . but parts are there if ya want to buy from a foreign country .
Not only have we lost a lot of skills we have lost a lot of manufacturing jobs as well . I may be a sign as to why we have such a high unemployment issue and job turn over rate ?.
sorry for the rant on electronics I know this is a wood working forum , it appears to me on the surface with the new equipment on the market electronics is now / can be a part of the hobby or trade .