Soldering tips/tutorials

[Dotay]

I recently purchased a soldering station based on this thread to solder the wires to binding posts on my sub and for my upcoming speaker projects. I think I have come to the conclusion that I really don't know what I'm doing when it comes to soldering. I don't know if I was using the wrong materials (I bought some Radio Shack 4% silver solder) or I wasn't using enough heat but the solder just didn't seem to want to flow onto the wire quite like I was expecting.

Before I go frying expensive caps by using too much heat I'd like to get some tips from people who actually know what they're doing. In addition to that if there is a good tutorial (lots of pictures) for n00bs like me that would be extremely beneficial.

Also, a list of necessary equipment would be nice. I felt like I needed a third hand a lot of the time while I was working. Is there some sort of holder people use or something?

[MDJones]

Here is a good basic one, it even has movies!

http://www.starbase74.com/mame/solderframe.htm

And another, not really as good:

http://ourworld.compuserve.com/homepages/g_knott/index2.htm

[chasw98]

And here is another one http://www.epemag.wimborne.co.uk/solderfaq.htm. Remember that a good mechanical connection is part of the joint also.

[dyazdani]

There are 3 movies on Tangent's website.

They are:

1. General overview of equipment and solder types
2. Basic soldering tutorial, standard PCB soldering
3. Slightly more advanced, surface mount components

[ThomasW]

One 'trick' is very hot iron and very short time in contact with the component.

Silver solder has a higher melting temperature, and the higher the silver content the higher the melting temperature. So one needs a very hot iron to work with it.

To the rescue of the soldering noobie comes George Cardas and his Quad Eutectic solder. It flows so easily it would take a bind man to mess up a joint. The downside is of course cost. SonicCraft sells the 1lb spools for 1/2 the cost of other retailers. A 1lb spool of solder is a lifetime supply for most people .

Jonmarsh who knows solder inside out, backwards, forwards, and upside down, says Cardas Quad Eutectic is the finest solder on the planet.

[dyazdani]

SonicCraft sells the 1lb spools for 1/2 the cost of other retailers.

Wow, and they're in Hot Springs. Just a couple of hours from me...that's almost next door compared to any hi-fi dealers.

[---k---]

Those are some great links. I know I had this same question when I started. This would probably be a good addition to the archived thread sticky.


Question, that first link talks alot about how the wire should heat up "instantly". It looked like he was using a pretty thin wire though. When I was sodering with 12ga wire, a 60W Tenma solder station, and that same RS 4% silver solder; it seemed like it took a minute or so for the wire to heat up to the point where the solder would flow. Definitely not the "instantanous" that the link implies. Is that just the thicker gauge, or was it me?

Edit: Thomas posted while I was reading and typing. I think he answered it my question.

[Dotay]

Thanks for the replies. :T I'll read through some of the links with the videos once I get home from work.

I had a similar problem to K in that I was using 12ga wire and it seemed to not heat up for a long time.

Is there such a thing as turning up the iron too high? For the station I have would it be easier to use if I simply crank up the temperature all the way?

[heebee-jeebee]

i think the main thing to remember is that the solder is attracted to the heat. i usually put the gun on one side of the connection, and the solder on the other. but i have a 100/140watt gun, makes it really easy to work with the silver. takes about 2-5 seconds of contact, depending on the gauge wire. but i dont use the gun on pc boards. (have limited expreience with them anyways.)

also, a pair of "helping hands" like this one is helpful, although you dont really need the magnifying glass.

[heebee-jeebee]

Thanks for the replies. :T I'll read through some of the links with the videos once I get home from work.

I had a similar problem to K in that I was using 12ga wire and it seemed to not heat up for a long time.

Is there such a thing as turning up the iron too high? For the station I have would it be easier to use if I simply crank up the temperature all the way?

if you have the temp up real high, then you could possibly damage some components if you really heat them up. i found that i can drop a little solder on the bare speaker wire, and the touch the components to the wire, that way the leads are not real hot for a long time, and the heat will stay mostly localized.

[ThomasW]

The idea behind a really hot iron is it instantly heats most wires so the heat doesn't travel far.

I use a Weller WTCPT station. It's a production station designed to keep the assembly line user from adjusting the temp of their iron. The heat is controlled by changing out the tips. I use a tip with either 700 or 800 F. This works fine for everything from little integrated circuits to big heavy lead crossover caps.

The other important consideration is the gauge of the solder. Thick is fine for crossovers. Thin is mandatory for PCB work.

I prefer 'organic core' solder for PCB work, because one can easily clean off the flux with soap and H2O. Standard core flux removers aren't environmentally friendly.

A word to the wise, lead based solders are going to completely disappear in the not too distant future. My advise is stock up now while you can....

[chasw98]

Just a side note for soldering:
When I went to "Crown School" as a service tech in the 80's, one of the tasks on the test at the end of the course was to take a 14 pin dip IC and solder and desolder it 10 times on a factory circuit board. The final result was compared to a factory solder job and that was part of the grade.

[ThomasW]

When I went to "Crown School" as a service tech in the 80's.....

I bet you learned to use high temp iron....:wink:

[dyazdani]

The idea behind a really hot iron is it instantly heats most wires so the heat doesn't travel far.

I use a Weller WTCPT station. It's a production station designed to keep the assembly line user from adjusting the temp of their iron. The heat is controlled by changing out the tips. I use a tip with either 700 or 800 F. This works fine for everything from little integrated circuits to big heavy lead crossover caps.

I've always set my station a bit above the melting point of the solder, say ~50F higher. I've got a few circuit boards I use for practice, I'm going to crank it up and see what happens.

[dyazdani]

This is what I use...

[ThomasW]

I have two of these.



One's 25yrs old and was given to me. Later I bought another one so I didn't have to go up and down stairs all the time...

http://www.eham.net/reviews/detail/4478

My recommendation is buy one and will it to your grandchildren..... :B

[dyazdani]

Mine has performed great, I've had it for 4 years or so. I don't think I've ever changed the tip, I have a whole box of new ones, so it's probably about time.

It's nice to have a decent iron. I went through many of the cheap ones before I got this one.

[TacoD]

A word to the wise, lead based solders are going to completely disappear in the not too distant future. My advise is stock up now while you can....

I agree with that!! I have some Sn96% Ag4% solder and it's hard to solder using 12 awg or thicker wire with my 50W soldering station.

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I prefer lead based solder. WBT silver solder is a lot better but to expensive for me.

[chasw98]

I bet you learned to use high temp iron....:wink:

You bet, but I also picked a ultratorch butane powered iron that is very handy.

[---k---]

I'm starting to feel very inadaquate with my $20 soldering iron.

[HMenke]

I have two of these.

These are used in production at the company where I work. I can confirm that they are great irons and probably the last you'll ever need to buy.