solder point lifeless/ not there?!
- Thread starter modophoto
- Start date
Peter Crossley
Active member
Re: solder point lifeless/ not there?!
Hi,
I just read your problem. I build guitars for a living and have had the same problem.
Basically it usually means the back of the pot has got a build up of crap on it.
try sanding back the area with wet & dry sandpaper, about 240 grit. the other thing is to use multi cored solder, which has a resin core (flux) inside.
if all this fails try using a weak acid to wash the surface after sanding back.
steal some from a car battery, you wont need much and you can top up the battery with distilled water, so no-one gets mad.
Hope all this helps,
Peter
Hi,
I just read your problem. I build guitars for a living and have had the same problem.
Basically it usually means the back of the pot has got a build up of crap on it.
try sanding back the area with wet & dry sandpaper, about 240 grit. the other thing is to use multi cored solder, which has a resin core (flux) inside.
if all this fails try using a weak acid to wash the surface after sanding back.
steal some from a car battery, you wont need much and you can top up the battery with distilled water, so no-one gets mad.
Hope all this helps,
Peter
F
firebirdVII
Guest
Re: solder point lifeless/ not there?!
You probably didn't leave the iron on long enough. I personally like cleaning up the pot a bit when changing pickups, but if you have no solddering wick then that would be difficult.
The old soldder is on a big piece of metal. This means that it will take a lot longer to heat up to the melting point than whatever you stick directly on your iron tip. Also keep in mind that there probably isn't any rosin in the lead on your pickup which can result in a mess.
Be patient, but try not to burn out your pot by being too patient.
You probably didn't leave the iron on long enough. I personally like cleaning up the pot a bit when changing pickups, but if you have no solddering wick then that would be difficult.
The old soldder is on a big piece of metal. This means that it will take a lot longer to heat up to the melting point than whatever you stick directly on your iron tip. Also keep in mind that there probably isn't any rosin in the lead on your pickup which can result in a mess.
Be patient, but try not to burn out your pot by being too patient.
F
firebirdVII
Guest
Re: solder point lifeless/ not there?!
Well... Or you could listen to a pro :laugh2:Peter Crossley said:
Artie
Peaveyologist
Re: solder point lifeless/ not there?!
One of the biggest mistakes I see beginners make is to not "tin" the tip. Also called "wetting". You must have a thin melted layer of solder coating the tip in order for it to transfer heat.
I always keep a small tub of solder paste open and dip the end into it, then wipe it on a damp sponge, periodically to clean it off, then immediately "tin" the end with some solder. Do this right before each connection.
One of the biggest mistakes I see beginners make is to not "tin" the tip. Also called "wetting". You must have a thin melted layer of solder coating the tip in order for it to transfer heat.
I always keep a small tub of solder paste open and dip the end into it, then wipe it on a damp sponge, periodically to clean it off, then immediately "tin" the end with some solder. Do this right before each connection.
Re: solder point lifeless/ not there?!
This is what I do for soldering to the back of a pot, but I think it pretty much applies to guitar soldering in general (except maybe for the widest tip part):
-use the widest tip you have for the back of the pot
-let iron (40-45 watts) heat up. when solder flows onto it, its ready to go.
-tin (tinning is applying a thin layer of solder to every surface to be soldered) tip before using it for the first time and keep it wet throughout process. dry tip wont work
-scuff up back of pot
-put flux on pot
-tin back of pot
-put flux on wire
-tin wire
-put flux on pot and wire again
-put solder on tip until a tear drop forms (doing it this way prevents the need for a 3rd hand!)
-put wire on pot
-put tip on wire and pot
-solder will flow onto both
-remove tip but hold wire on pot for a sec or two
-unplug soldering iron
-your done
*NEVER use a soldering gun, only a soldering iron. If in the process of tinning the back of the pot you leave too much solder behind, remove the excess with copper solder braid.
This is what I do for soldering to the back of a pot, but I think it pretty much applies to guitar soldering in general (except maybe for the widest tip part):
-use the widest tip you have for the back of the pot
-let iron (40-45 watts) heat up. when solder flows onto it, its ready to go.
-tin (tinning is applying a thin layer of solder to every surface to be soldered) tip before using it for the first time and keep it wet throughout process. dry tip wont work
-scuff up back of pot
-put flux on pot
-tin back of pot
-put flux on wire
-tin wire
-put flux on pot and wire again
-put solder on tip until a tear drop forms (doing it this way prevents the need for a 3rd hand!)
-put wire on pot
-put tip on wire and pot
-solder will flow onto both
-remove tip but hold wire on pot for a sec or two
-unplug soldering iron
-your done
*NEVER use a soldering gun, only a soldering iron. If in the process of tinning the back of the pot you leave too much solder behind, remove the excess with copper solder braid.
cvansickle
New member
Re: solder point lifeless/ not there?!
I just swapped the 300k pots with 500ks in my new SG, and I had a HELL of a time getting the old solder out. My trusty Radio Shack soldering iron that serves me quite well with my little pedal business couldn't even bubble on the Gibson stuff. They must use plumber's solder on those pots!
I bought the Weller 8200, and even on the 140 watt setting it took A LOT of effort to get the solder out. And the lame Weller tip that came with it just barely made it through the job too.
I just swapped the 300k pots with 500ks in my new SG, and I had a HELL of a time getting the old solder out. My trusty Radio Shack soldering iron that serves me quite well with my little pedal business couldn't even bubble on the Gibson stuff. They must use plumber's solder on those pots!
I bought the Weller 8200, and even on the 140 watt setting it took A LOT of effort to get the solder out. And the lame Weller tip that came with it just barely made it through the job too.
strangegrey
New member
Re: solder point lifeless/ not there?!
The problem here is one of a heat sink. Especially when you're wiring ground connections.
With the ground connected to the bridge (which may or may not have the strings attached to it)...you've got alot of metal to disipate the heat that you're trying to apply to the solder to melt it.
I have this problem in my amps all the time when doing the ground bus. I find I have to use a stronger iron or even take out the weller gun to get things to get hot enough to properly melt the solder.
You may find that tinning the tip does the trick....or holding the soldering iron there longer does the trick...but you may *still* end up with cold solder joints, which will not conduct as well...and will eventually break with time.
Some suggestions:
* Go to radioshack and get a soldersucker. It's a long blue tube with a button on it. Melt the existing solder with a higher wattage gun or iron and use the sucker to clean off the old solder. Less solder means less of a heat sink.
* even with the solder off, you might find that the new solder doesn't melt the way it should, onto the new connection. If this is the case, up your iron/gun wattage a bit and hold the iron/gun to the connection shorter...a hotter iron/gun with a shorter touch is far better than taking a colder iron/gun and sitting there for 5 minutes waiting for something to melt...
You'll see pro solderers will use a real hot gun/iron and barely touch the connection getting it to flow very quickly, and then letting it cool naturally.
hope that helps...
The problem here is one of a heat sink. Especially when you're wiring ground connections.
With the ground connected to the bridge (which may or may not have the strings attached to it)...you've got alot of metal to disipate the heat that you're trying to apply to the solder to melt it.
I have this problem in my amps all the time when doing the ground bus. I find I have to use a stronger iron or even take out the weller gun to get things to get hot enough to properly melt the solder.
You may find that tinning the tip does the trick....or holding the soldering iron there longer does the trick...but you may *still* end up with cold solder joints, which will not conduct as well...and will eventually break with time.
Some suggestions:
* Go to radioshack and get a soldersucker. It's a long blue tube with a button on it. Melt the existing solder with a higher wattage gun or iron and use the sucker to clean off the old solder. Less solder means less of a heat sink.
* even with the solder off, you might find that the new solder doesn't melt the way it should, onto the new connection. If this is the case, up your iron/gun wattage a bit and hold the iron/gun to the connection shorter...a hotter iron/gun with a shorter touch is far better than taking a colder iron/gun and sitting there for 5 minutes waiting for something to melt...
You'll see pro solderers will use a real hot gun/iron and barely touch the connection getting it to flow very quickly, and then letting it cool naturally.
hope that helps...
