Building the Handsolder variant? Skip ahead to Power Switch.
When using encoders. Are you planning to use one or more rotary encoders in your build? It’s best to decide on a spot for it now, and not solder a hotswap socket in the position you’re planning to put an encoder. Look at the page Rotary Encoders for guidance on where you can put an encoder.
Each socket has a top and a bottom side, it’s easy to tell: the bottom side is completely flat, while the top side will have two circles extending form them.
Orient the PCB with its bottom side facing toward you, and place a hotswap socket into the PCB on a switch position (marked SW followed by a number, like SW12). The bottom of the hotswap socket will be facing you.
Make sure that the socket is in the correct orientation. The hole for the switch should be unobscured.
Now it’s time to solder the socket. Place the tip of the iron against both the pad and the leg, and feed solder into it until it forms a volcano-like shape. This should take about two to four seconds.
Check whether you like the alignment of the socket. It should sit flat on the bottom of the PCB, so there should be no gaps. If it needs adjustment, heat up the pad and use tweezers to push the socket down.
Then, solder the other pad, and continue doing this for all switch positions on the board.