Make:

In the Make: Online Toolbox, we try to focus on tools that fly under the radar of more conventional tool coverage: in-depth tool-making projects, strange or specialty tools unique to a trade or craft that can be useful elsewhere, tools and techniques you may not know about, but once you do, and incorporate them into your workflow, you'll wonder how you ever lived without them. And, in the spirit of the times, we pay close attention to tools that you can get on the cheap, make yourself, refurbish, etc.

We've covered the basics of getting started in soldering, basic soldering tools, and other aspects of beginning soldering a lot here on Make: Online. We've also covered some of the ways that makers improve their soldering experience by making their own helping hands, fume extractors, iron-controllers, and other tools and benchtop hacks. Here are some of our faves from over the years.

Here's the "solder cup" set-up I use for capturing all of the desolder I suck up with my desoldering tool.

More:

Soldering Tutorial - Make Video Podcast

Maker to Maker - Soldering on Make: television

• Make: Online Toolbox: Jigs, clamps, and helping hands
• Toolbox: Ten tools you won't want to live without
• Toolbox: Benchtop power supplies
• Toolbox: Portable lighting
• Toolbox: Portable workbench
• Toolbox: From "miserable old box" to workshop showpiece

In the Maker Shed: