Title: 5.2 NASA Splice Lab
Course: Electronics Assembly & Soldering (Sandbox) > Section: Module 5: Wire Projects

Introduction

Watch the video and learn how to solder two wires together in a Western Union Splice. This is how NASA projects' wires are soldered.

Lab Instructions

For this project, you will splice two resistors together instead of wires, but the result will be the same: you will have a Western Union splice.

1) Get two resistors from your instructor, and twist/bend them until you have a Western Union splice. This is what a WU wrap should look like:

W8JI

2) When you are finished, its time to solder. It's important that the wire be held still, so you will need a vise or a "third hand".

Vise | Walmart
Third Hand | Time Connection Inc

If you are a high school student and do not have access to either of these, you may have to get creative and do something like this: hold your wires in some pliers/wire cutters that have tension applied with some rubber bands.

Vine.co

If that fails, you can always have a friend hold the resistors in place for you. Remember: metal conducts heat, so the resistors will get hot as you solder them. Therefore, your friend will need to hold the wires with pliers or tweezers, and not between their fingers.

3) Put some flux on the wires. Because we are using SAC305 solder (non-lead), the solder will flow over the wires easier if you put some flux on them.

4) Then, cover the splice completely and evenly with solder. When you are done, the splice should look something like this:

Autodesk, Inc.

Submission

Take a picture of your finished splice and upload it. You will be graded according to the rubric below.

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