How to Tin the Wire for Circuit Bending

Circuit bending is a form of music making in which you alter the sounds, functions and ports of an electronic toy or device to sound and operate differently. This is done with a basic electronic toy and some common tools, including a soldering gun and solder. For effective circuit bending, you need to know how to tin the wire.

Difficulty: Moderately Easy

Instructions

1. Become familiar with the internal components of the toy you have decided to bend. Once you have decided what you will be doing to the toy, go through any hole drilling and switch installation you need to do.

2. Measure and cut the wires you need to connect various components, switches and jacks you have installed. It is important to place the audio jacks and switches before wiring them. It will make it easier to wire and less dangerous to work with. Strip a couple of inches of sheath off both ends of the wires.

3. Heat up your soldering iron and set up your soldering stand with solder. You need to tin the ends of the wire before using it to connect the components you have added. Tinning is the process of heating up and coating the wires with solder.

4. Hold the hot soldering iron onto the wire. It is better to heat the wire and use it to melt the solder onto it than to heat the solder and coat the wire. Although this method is perfectly fine, it is easier to coat the wire than to move the solder to the wire. Once the wire is heated, touch it to the solder and it will melt and smoke, coating both sides of the wire.