When to use a heat sink?

[Webby]

Hi,

Newbie prospective amp builder here from the U.K!

As a person with an engineering background, I am not a complete novice when it comes to soldering techniques.
Indeed, I have done many wiring mods, on my own, and other people's electric guitars over the years, with no problems.

However, building an amp from scratch is a different, and more daunting prospect (especially as a lot of the build is at the component/turret board level).

I have two very simple initial questions to ask before I go any further down the amp building road, and they are:

1. When using a soldering iron at component level, which components are most susceptible to overheating damage?
2. If the use of a heat sink is advised, is there an efficient, purpose built item available, or do you just use a crocodile clip or similar?

Thanks in advance!

Webby

[lprman]

You want to use a heat sink when soldering diodes or any solid state device. An aligator clip or hemostats work well.

[neikeel]

Yes I agree.

Suggest you make a lead up - about 6" long with some bright coloured wire 18SWG (1.2mm) is perfect.

You can use it as a heat sink and also to drain your filter caps through V1 plate resistors to the chassis (plugged into mains but switched off) safely.

Everyone should have one

[Webby]

Thanks to all for your replies.

Just to clarify: Use a heatsink with all components and use about 6" of 18 SWG wire connected to an alligator clip as the heatsink device?

Also, what's a hemostat?

Cheers

Webby

[neikeel]

Thanks to all for your replies.
Just to clarify: Use a heatsink with all components and use about 6" of 18 SWG wire connected to an alligator clip as the heatsink device?
Also, what's a hemostat?
Cheers
Webby

It is a clip which has finger holes and ratchet at on end and a nose with fine teeth on the other.
http://emap-projects.usask.ca/vsac205/g ... ysmall.php
We use them when operating to clip a vessel before cutting and ligating. They go from small (Mosquitos) to large (Robert's) with sizes in between. They get used less and less in surgery now as we do a lot of keyhole procedures which require an energy device that clamps, seals and divides in one go (Ligasure, Harmonic Scalpel, Lotus or Enseal) if you get chance watch a vid of one of these devices in action
Sorry off topic now.
No I don't use a heat sink all the time, just on diodes or fragile components.