At the moment, HHS has a soldering and electrical assembly workstation for through-hole and surface-mount work, repairs, and general assembly. The bench is ESD-safe, and solder is provided free of charge. Work can either be self-serve, or a Hackerspace member can guide you through it.
The workbench is available for individuals to carry out their own soldering and assembly work, at their own pace. Whether you are building, repairing, or simply practising, the workstation and its tools are there for you to use.
Access to the space can be arranged by contacting a Hackerspace member by email. Just get in touch to let us know what you would like to work on, and we will help get you set up.
If you would like a hand, Hackerspace members are happy to assist with instructing, assembling, and reworking your project. Whether it is your first time holding an iron or you are tackling fine surface-mount work, there is usually someone around who can help you move forward.
Our aim is not just to get the project finished for you, but to share the knowledge along the way — so that you ultimately have the know-how to do it yourself next time.
Please note that the soldering workstation is only used while a Hackerspace member is present to supervise setup and make sure the equipment is used safely. Once you are set up and working comfortably, you are welcome to continue on your own. This is for safety, as well as ensuring the equipment is maintained and properly used.
We want everyone to feel comfortable working at the bench, so this policy is about fairness and safety, not blame. Ordinary wear on tips, consumables, and solder is part of the work and is never charged to users. Mistakes happen, and a failed joint or board is simply part of learning.
The soldering iron and related tools get hot enough to cause burns and damage, so we ask everyone to handle them carefully — return the iron to its stand, keep the bench clear, and never leave a hot iron unattended. The station is ESD-safe, but please still use the provided ESD protection when working on sensitive components.
If damage does result from clearly improper use of the equipment — such as ruining tips by running the iron far too hot, or damaging the station through misuse — we would simply talk it through with you to find a fair way to put things right. Our focus is on keeping the equipment available for everyone, not on penalising honest mistakes.
Damage that happens while following the guidelines in good faith is on us, not you. If anything goes wrong, or you are unsure how to use the equipment safely, please ask a Hackerspace member — there are no bad questions, and we would always rather help than see anyone hurt or equipment harmed.
The soldering and assembly equipment has been lent to the space by Ben Gruber for free community use. It is not run as a business, and no one profits from it. For any questions about the workstation, please email a Hackerspace member at hafnarhackerspace [at] proton.me.