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Author Topic: How old should a child be to handle a soldering iron?  (Read 101819 times)

AC2EU

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Re: RE: How old should a child be to handle a soldering iron?
« Reply #45 on: November 01, 2022, 11:33:08 AM »

Oh, I think that younger amateur radio operators can handle more complicated things;

Home-made black-holes.

https://sciencing.com/build-hole-science-fair-project-7695677.html

No longer use the excuse "the dog ate my homework".

If a teacher doesn't believe you, just remember that a black hole is convenient for getting rid of all sorts of pesky problems.

well that's scary, because millennials can't even make change without a computer or calculator.
When the black hole gets out of control they will stand there with a look like a deer in headlights!   :o ::)

N4MQ

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Re: How old should a child be to handle a soldering iron?
« Reply #46 on: November 01, 2022, 02:18:59 PM »

Consider a soldering gun, safer on a couple of levels. Enjoy woody ok
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K1KIM

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Re: How old should a child be to handle a soldering iron?
« Reply #47 on: November 01, 2022, 03:24:34 PM »

When they are old enough to not lick the tip to see if it's hot !!!!

I was using a table and circular saw at 10 years old building a boat with my dad watching.

It's all about the who the child is.

Some "adults" I wouldn't allow near a soldering Iron! And I know why they only where slip-On shoes..;D ;D
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So Many Toys.......So Little Time!

AF7JA

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Re: How old should a child be to handle a soldering iron?
« Reply #48 on: December 23, 2022, 08:22:51 AM »

I have my 8th grade Robotics 2 students using a soldering iron. The first soldering project is a little LED christmas tree. For most of them it is the first time they have ever soldered.

A few weeks ago I was helping a student soldering some leads on to an eight way rotary switch. I was holding some wires for him and told him to be careful not to burn me. Of course he did. It was nothing bad. In fact I was able to say, "look at what the iron is touching."

I do instruct them that there is no food or drink between soldering and washing hands.

Obviously, it isn't the main part of the class. The core of the class is an introduction to electronics and programming with the Arduino, soldering is just a small part of it. This is after the Robotics 1 class.

Robotics 1 is generally 6th or 7th grade. The core of that class is a set of lessons that have them using the Lego EV3 robot. One thing I find a bit odd is that I am using the same robots and textbook that is used at the local community college in its introduction to robotics course. Of course, I also use the same book, and lessons in my 7th and 8th grade introduction to Photoshop class as the community college uses.

Back to soldering, I generally start it at 8th grade. However, in a small number of cases, I have gone down to 6th grade (I am thinking of a particularly apt 6th grader who started in robotics 2, bu that is rare).
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SWMAN

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Re: How old should a child be to handle a soldering iron?
« Reply #49 on: December 28, 2022, 07:59:01 PM »

 I was in 5th grade about 11 years old when I built and soldered my first Heathkit. A DX 60 transmitter. Didn’t have any problems with the soldering.
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KC3TEC

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Re: How old should a child be to handle a soldering iron?
« Reply #50 on: December 29, 2022, 06:44:30 AM »

Between 8 to 10 years old a child should have learned enough to pay attention to safety instructions.
Although simple electronic projects are recommended especially for learning theories.
Here is where an interesting teacher is most valuable.
Once the basics of theories are absorbed then natural curiosity takes over.
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US7IGN

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Re: How old should a child be to handle a soldering iron?
« Reply #51 on: December 30, 2022, 10:13:01 AM »

My daughter was 5 years old when she soldered her first DIY receiver.
https://www.us7ign.com/?p=454
https://youtu.be/7Pv15A3b84g
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AC2EU

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Re: How old should a child be to handle a soldering iron?
« Reply #52 on: December 30, 2022, 08:01:25 PM »

My daughter was 5 years old when she soldered her first DIY receiver.
https://www.us7ign.com/?p=454
https://youtu.be/7Pv15A3b84g

As said previously , it depends on the child!
I have a very bright 8 year old grandson who solves Rubik cubes in one minute 30 seconds, does origami and algebra, etc, etc.
However, I wouldn't trust him to cross the street by himself. He has absolutely no situational awareness.
I went with push-in wire protoboards!

AI5BC

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Re: How old should a child be to handle a soldering iron?
« Reply #53 on: December 31, 2022, 08:30:06 AM »

I waited until they learned how to play with matches and gasoline.
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W9WQA

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Re: RE: How old should a child be to handle a soldering iron?
« Reply #54 on: December 31, 2022, 04:21:04 PM »

"Eight Wildly Irresponsible Vintage Toys"

Those darn chemistry sets!   I had a couple of them.  Neither one had the chemical that I wanted . . . Potassium Nitrate!

mix in sugar,.  made rocket fuel, and lots of smoke...

 ::) (innocent smiley)
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US7IGN

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Re: How old should a child be to handle a soldering iron?
« Reply #55 on: January 01, 2023, 08:32:23 AM »

As said previously , it depends on the child!
I have a very bright 8 year old grandson who solves Rubik cubes in one minute 30 seconds, does origami and algebra, etc, etc.
However, I wouldn't trust him to cross the street by himself. He has absolutely no situational awareness.
I went with push-in wire protoboards!

Fully agree. When I was 5 years old, I set fire to my great-grandfather's house by playing with matches under his wooden wall. My children didn't understand why I played with matches at all. They were already playing with their phones.
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