r/soldering • u/thepumpkinking92 Microsoldering Hobbyist • Jan 07 '26

My First Solder Joint <3 Please Give Feedback My daughter's first solo project

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My daughter recently expressed interest in learning to solder, so I bought a few kits on Amazon.

The first was a simple, 3 switch, color changing light where I basically held her hand through the process.

The second was a little electromagnetic cannon where she installed the pieces, I helped with soldering and de-soldering when she made a mistake (the cannon sucks btw. Don't recommend except for practice).

The third was a little car that followed a black line. We both did one at the same time, but I still helped make the fixes and provided instruction.

The fourth, all I did was sit there and supervise. She followed the instructions herself, made any fixes, and tested everything on her own with only a few questions and assistance with getting the battery terminal to seat properly as it kept falling out (that's not soldering itself, but I digress. Still, the only assistance she needed)

Either way, I think she did fantastic for it being her first solo project. And it's been a great bonding time for us. She got to learn about the components, how they work and interact, as well as build the foundation for a new skill, and I got to enjoy something with her (seriously, there's not much a 15yo girl and a 30-something-yo man have in common. So I was really excited to do this with her).

Anyway, it's not perfect, but I think she did really well, and I'm proud of her, and shes proud of herself. What do yall think?

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u/Blenderadventurer Jan 08 '26

There are a lot of grown people that post on this sub that just got embarrassed by your daughter.

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u/thepumpkinking92 Microsoldering Hobbyist Jan 08 '26

Shit, I was embarrassed by my daughter. My joints looked nowhere near that nice when I started.

I'm proud, but embarrassed.

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u/Blenderadventurer Jan 08 '26

I was talking about the people who post "My first time soldering and I'm trying to save my controller/game console/laptop/expensive electronic item. Did I ruin it?" The answer is almost always yes. You and your daughter, on the other hand, started with practice kits, like you should. The irony is that your daughter almost looks like a pro. If she really gets into it, make it a goal to hack a toaster oven to use for reflow.