Good Vs. Bad Soldering

=Differentiating Good Soldering from Bad Soldering on Circuit Boards=

Good Soldering Should...

 * Be shiny thus making it less sponge like and more conductive.
 * Be underneath the component and not all over it, ensuring it is connected to the copper and not just sitting in a glob.
 * Not be a giant glob on the top of the component, not connected to the copper.
 * Be very thin so that when heated it will not melt and spread. [[image:P1140121.jpg|175px|thumb|left|Smooth and thin layer soldered perfectly onto the copper.]]
 * Be small enough so that the clamp is able to clamp directly onto the legs of the component with no troubles from the solder. [[image:P1140126.jpg|175px|thumb|right|The clamp shaped to fit perfectly onto the teeth of the component not covered in solder.]]

Good Soldering Should Not...

 * Be a dull color making it more sponge like and full of holes and harder for electricity to pass through. [[image:P1140119.jpg|175px|thumb|left|A dull, not shiny blob sitting on top of the component.]]
 * Be soldered onto the top of the component, stopping it from connecting to the copper.
 * Be very thick, making it more likely to melt and spread wherever it pleases when heated.
 * Run over the edges of the copper connecting two parts of copper and shorting out the circuit board.
 * Form a bridge between copper pieces, shorting out the board.
 * Leave bits of solder lying in random places all over the board. [[image:P1140116.jpg|175px|thumb|right|Bad soldering with burnt, and raised components and solder strewn across in all sorts of unnecessary places.]]
 * Burn the components you are trying to solder on.
 * Be so underneath as to cause the component to raise up high off of the circuit board.