Newbie solder question

[jeremy]

i have a gun i use for pots, but i use an iron for everything else

[Mikelamury]

I've got a cheap 60watt solder gun I got off of eBay. I'm going to try that next time, seems like it will be easier and I might not have to use the helping hand.

[GuitarDoc]

I used to use a Weller gun like that. While it would get hot very quickly, the tips needed to be replaced often and it was big and bulky to be using inside a guitar cavity.

While a lower wattage iron MAY do the job, they don't store much heat and that heat is used up too fast to do a good job with large amount of metal (like a pot back). It sometimes will cool down too much to complete the joint, then it takes forever to heat back up to operating temp.

Soldering irons are pretty cheap, you can get a 60-80 watt iron for $20 which will work much better.

In the past 60 years I've used a lot of different irons and inexpensive soldering stations. Now I have one similar to this...

https://www.amazon.com/YIHUA-Soldering-Station-Multiple-Functions/dp/B07RY5XWVG/ref=sr_1_22?_encoding=UTF8&c=ts&keywords=Soldering+Stations&qid=1643210639&s=hi&sr=1-22&ts_id=13837391

(That one is only 75 watts but the one I have is over 100 watts and I think it only cost about $80).

I can't tell you what a dream it is to work with a good station...It heats up almost instantly and remains at the set temp constantly no matter what or how much you're soldering.

If you do a lot of soldering and want excellent results and no stress, it is a great investment. If you don't do much soldering or can't justify spending that much, this 100 watter is less than $20...https://www.amazon.com/Studio-Pro-Ho...s%2C194&sr=1-9
(There's really no excuse for not having the right tools for the job).

[cooldonkey]

I think generally the cheap solder on stock guitar pots and the larger surface area of being on a pot makes those pot solder points harder to melt. I take fine grit sandpaper to the tip of my soldering iron and clean the excess solder off when it seems like it's taking a long time to melt the solder. I'll sand the whole tip down till I see nothing but copper. I do this every 3rd time or so I use it for the day. Also, you'll find that your soldering iron has a hot spot on it. Meaning: A spot on the tip that works best. Watch and try to locate that spot on yours. Note: be careful and patient, waiting enough time for cooling, when heating up pots and soldering on them. You can fry them by leaving heat on them too long. Making you think you wired something wrong, but the pot is just toast. You'll also be waiting weeks for pots with ebay if don't have spares too. lol.. Hope that helps a little. Good luck!

[GuitarDoc]

I take fine grit sandpaper to the tip of my soldering iron and clean the excess solder off when it seems like it's taking a long time to melt the solder. I'll sand the whole tip down till I see nothing but copper. I do this every 3rd time or so I use it for the day.

That's a very good way to wear out your tip VERY quickly. I hope nobody else is doing this.
I do a lot of soldering and only need to take these drastic measures maybe once or twice a year, not several times a day! That's just crazy.

Really, that's totally unnecessary if you're using and caring for your soldering iron correctly...keep it clean by wiping off excess solder each use (every solder joint), and keep it tinned.

[cooldonkey]

That's a very good way to wear out your tip VERY quickly. I hope nobody else is doing this.
I do a lot of soldering and only need to take these drastic measures maybe once or twice a year, not several times a day! That's just crazy.

Really, that's totally unnecessary if you're using and caring for your soldering iron correctly...keep it clean by wiping off excess solder each use (every solder joint), and keep it tinned.

I'm not working as a luthier doing pickup changes everyday. I don't do a lot of fine electronics soldering, so I don't need a expensive soldering iron. Not to mention I've been doing it on one that I've had for like 15 years. So your hypothesis, though with some understandable concerns, doesn't hold water. You could be right to a degree when it comes to some brands. But soldering irons are cheap dude. Ridiculously cheap. I value my time more than screwing around with something that isn't working well. Just my opinion.

[GuitarDoc]

I'm not working as a luthier doing pickup changes everyday. I don't do a lot of fine electronics soldering, so I don't need a expensive soldering iron. Not to mention I've been doing it on one that I've had for like 15 years. So your hypothesis, though with some understandable concerns, doesn't hold water. You could be right to a degree when it comes to some brands. But soldering irons are cheap dude. Ridiculously cheap. I value my time more than screwing around with something that isn't working well. Just my opinion.

You didn't read my post #12?

If you "value (your) time more than screwing around with something that isn't working well", then do as I suggested...dress your tip once and just keep it clean and shiny by wiping it after each use. Wiping it is MUCH quicker than "sand the whole tip down till I see nothing but copper. I do this every 3rd time or so I use it for the day".

But, hey, it's your iron, your time, and your money. Do what you like (but it's still a good idea to learn how to properly use your tools). Just don't recommend such drastic and inappropriate measures to anyone else.

[solspirit]

I wipe my tip after every use and I've never had to sand them.

[solspirit]

Hahahahahahah

[GuitarDoc]

I wipe my tip after every use and I've never had to sand them.

+1 .

[Hank-]

Lead Free Solder Wire, needs hot irons to melt. I am lucky to have found old spools of 60/40 solder in storage, not that its not available where i live, this thing is so easy to work with a 25W-35W iron.

I had tough luck trying to melt Lead Free blobs off from a wah pot in a dunlop pedal until I realised what I'm working with

[GuitarDoc]

I never use lead-free solder, it's ridiculous hard to work with. I understand its use in large manufacturing where a lot of lead vapor is released, but it makes no sense for us little guys to use it. If I die from lead poisoning it's going to be from eating fish not soldering.