How To Solder A Keyboard - The Basics.

So You Want To Learn How To Solder?

Soldering keyboard switches can seem daunting to a lot of people just starting out. However, with the right tools and techniques, it’s incredibly simple, not to mention very rewarding. In this article we will go through the tools needed, the basics and some tips and tricks for all sorts of things that I have encountered in the last 4+ years of soldering keyboards. 

For context, I have been building keyboards for myself, companies and clients for nearly 4 years now.  Keep in mind I consider myself an avid hobbyist and will try my best to give you what knowledge I have here. None of this is sponsored but you may find some affiliate codes in this article that help support my content.

Let’s dive into this. Also, there are going to be affiliate links here. They give me a kickback and allow me to keep making articles and content at no cost! If you want to further help support my content and tutorials, please considering picking up some merch!

Oh… and I will be updated this more with things like a detailed info on how to install and solder millmax sockets and other tips and tricks as they come up. 

Twitch

A roll of solder.

Tools and Materials Needed

The first step is preparation. Now, I am going to be recommending some more affordable options for an iron as well as what I use. If you are only planning on doing one or two projects, you probably won’t want any serious gear, so please keep that in mind. 

Soldering Iron: A fine-tipped iron is ideal for precision work, while a chisel-tipped iron is ideal for general work. I tend to use a chisel tip as I find it easier to work with for all keyboard switches and makes better contact with the switch pin, however I do have a spare tip for other items.

Here are my recommendations:

  1. Pinecil – This has been a community favourite.
  2. TS101 – I own the previous model of this and love it.
  3. FX888D – This is the iron I use on the daily.


Solder: 60/40 or 63/37 rosin core solder works well for electronics, I use Kester no clean solder and find it perfect for keyboards. I use 0.8mm but you can use a thinner gauge if needed.

Work Mat: I use old desk pads, but I’d recommend a silicone work area to start that way you don’t damage anything.

  1. Work Mat – I own this one and use it when I don’t want to work at my streaming setup.


Desoldering Pump or Solder Wick: For correcting mistakes.

  1. Koto Solder Sucker – I own this, now while I use the desoldering gun, this is a great tool!
  2. Wick – I have a back up roll of this too, I haven’t really needed it but it’s here!
  3. Desoldering Gun – If you do a lot of projects, this is gold. It’s expensive though and tedious to maintain and clean.


Safety Stuff: Eye protection and a fume absorber are ideal. Eye protection styling is totally up to you but I do use the Kotto smoke absorber and it’s working great!

Step-by-Step Guide

1. Preparation, Workspace and PCB

a. Workspace Setup

Now that you hopefully have all the stuff you need to start your soldering, let’s start setting up our work area. Keeping this area clean, well-lit, and ventilated is key. Ventilation is crucial because solder fumes can be harmful and I strongly recommend working outdoors, or with a fume absorber. Also, let’s make sure we stay organized. I can’t tell you how often I misplace things when I’m in a rush, so be sure to work in a clean area.

b. Setting Up Your PCB

Before we turn on any equipment we need to properly set up our PCB. Start by doing your stabilizers and inserting them on the PCB. If you need help with that, check out how you can mod your stabilizers with my video here! Next, put your plate down and then place the switches into the PCB, ensuring they are properly aligned and seated. The legs of the switches should protrude through the PCB holes. I cannot stress how crucial this is. Improperly seating switches can negatively affect sound and even keycap alignment. 

c. OPTIONAL: Plateless Setup

You can skip this if you are not doing a plateless build. For this, the setup is pretty much the same minus the plate. If you do have switches that are not properly seated in the PCB and fall out when flipped over, don’t fret, this happens to me quite often. It may seem frustrating, but there are few ways we can go about this. 

You can use the plate your kit came with and lay it on top of the switches to use a guide to hold the switches in place as you flip it or you can solder each switch one by one. Once you get this set up and are ready to solder, it’s time to turn the iron on. 

IMPORTANT: An additional important piece of information is recognizing what is the switch pin and what is the PCB contact pad. I’ve marked it in the photo attached to this step.

2. Soldering Iron Prep

We are almost done preparing, I promise! Plug in your soldering iron and heat it up to around 330°C (626°F) which is what I use more often than not. Depending on your iron, you can almost use temps up to 350°C (662°F). Don’t go higher or lower, these are pretty much ideal temps for this kind of stuff!

Once it’s heated up you can then apply a small amount of solder to the tip of the iron to help with heat transfer. This is called tinning the tip of your iron! Make sure you turn on your ventilation now if you have it!

Some quick general rules about your iron:

  1. Clean it in the brass wool after every 3-4 switches.
  2. Periodically check to see if your soldering iron tip needs tinning.
  3. Holster the iron when not using it and be mindful about where it is.

3. Soldering the Switches

There is where the fun begins. (queue Anakin Skywalker meme) Before we even get into this, let me address something — less is more. Always. You can always add more solder, so be mindful of how much you’re using. The goal is to get small little cones or pyramids formed, not circles or blobs. Examples are below.

Let’s begin! Place the soldering iron tip against the switch pin and the PCB pad simultaneously. Heat them for about 1-2 seconds, this will make sure both are hot. Now you will feed the solder into the pin, not the iron. If this is not working for you, feel free and push the solder slowly into the corner where the pin and iron meet. The heated parts should melt the solder, forming a cone-shaped joint. Use just enough solder to cover the pad and pin without forming a blob. Remember less is more and you can always reflow this and add more. Once the solder has flowed and formed a good joint, remove the iron and allow the joint to cool.

Once again, when you feel you have pushed in enough solder, let the solder flow for about half a second. 

Quick tip about plateless: When doing plateless, I recommend soldering in one pin at a time per switch. Then after you solder that in, grab the pcb and with the same hand hold the switch and press it down while reflowing the the same solder on pin you just did. As it reheats the pressure you put on the switch will allow it to pop into place if it already isn’t. You will be doing this to really make sure the switch is seated correctly.

Now, you can do this to all the switches! However, I recommend doing one or two and then making sure they work. Also this will give you a chance to inspect your solder joints! Remember, you want small mountains, not blobs.

4. Cleaning

If you used no-clean solder you can probably skip this, but next is to clean the PCB with isopropyl alcohol and a brush to remove any flux residue. I do this even with no-clean solder mainly to remove splatter and some flux if needed. You can also option to use a dry soft brush to remove the splatter. Please be careful here and do not press to hard while cleaning. The last thing you want to do is knock off any diodes.

Too little solder. Great starting point, however you need to add more.

A great example of how much solder to apply to a pin.

A good amount, but still a bit much. 

Way too much solder.

Tips for Successful Soldering

  • Take your time! Rushing can lead to mistakes. Make sure each solder joint is done properly. After some time, this will all come very naturally to you. If you also find yourself stressed or tired, take a break! The PCB and switches aren’t going anywhere.
  • Test your PCB first before you start any soldering, and make sure your layout is correct. Desoldering can be a serious bummer.
  • If you’re new to soldering, practice on a spare PCB or components before working on your keyboard.
  • Make sure your switches are seated! Again, this is so important to make sure you get the best sound, feeling and alignment out of your project. 
    • This is my golden rule for beginners doing keyboards, especially plateless builds. After you solder one pin per switch at a time, let it cool. Then using your hand that is not holding the iron, grab the PCB and start to push in the switch with your thumb or whatever is comfortable. Using your iron, reheat the solder on the pin you just did. As that reflows, it will allow you to properly seat the switch while you push it into place. Once you do this, remove the iron from the pin and let it cool while holding it in place. Violia! You should have a very well seated switch.
  • Don’t aggressively shove the solder into the pin or iron. This can make it splatter more and cause mistakes. The whole motion of soldering in a switch pin should take around four to five seconds max.
  • Keep your iron tip clean and tinned. If you let your soldering iron tip oxidize, it will up being less effective to solder. A solid rule of thumb is to clean it after every three or four joints.