Trouble soldering!

[papersoul]

Hey guys!

What am I doing wrong? I picked up a new tip for my Radio Shack 40 watt iron. INstalled the tip, made sue ir was tight...let it sit and get hot for a while. I also make sure not to rest it on the metal stand because I know that can difise the heat. Anyway, I added some solder and let it sit then started to solder. It is as if it is not even on!

It takes so long before it melts the solder...up to 15 seconds. In the past I recall soldering and it was almost instantaneous. I tried cleaning the tipo with a dry sponge, keeping it wet, you name it...but nothing helps. Plus, the solder on the tip looks brown all the time.

What should I do? Am I doing something wrong?

Thanks,

Rich

 

[ErikH]

Re: Trouble soldering!

Your technique is all wrong from the sound of it. You're supposed to heat up the area being soldered and apply the solder there. Not to the iron and then apply it. It'll never stick that way.

If you're soldering to the pack of a pot, rough up the pot casing a little (small area) with a little sandpaper or just scratch it with a flathead screwdriver. I have a small wire brush from a soldering kit that I use. That'll help it flow and stick there.

You need a wet sponge to keep the tip clean and if it is a brand new tip, it needs to be tinned. Keep the tip clean and it'll work better.

When you can, spend a little extra and get a better iron. Weller is a good brand. About $50.00 or so will get you a nice variable temp iron.

 

[dave67]

Re: Trouble soldering!

A little flux will help solder flow also.

 

[papersoul]

Re: Trouble soldering!

Your technique is all wrong from the sound of it. You're supposed to heat up the area being soldered and apply the solder there. Not to the iron and then apply it. It'll never stick that way.

If you're soldering to the pack of a pot, rough up the pot casing a little (small area) with a little sandpaper or just scratch it with a flathead screwdriver. I have a small wire brush from a soldering kit that I use. That'll help it flow and stick there.

You need a wet sponge to keep the tip clean and if it is a brand new tip, it needs to be tinned. Keep the tip clean and it'll work better.

When you can, spend a little extra and get a better iron. Weller is a good brand. About $50.00 or so will get you a nice variable temp iron.

Thanks, I forgot I am supposed to heat up the area to be soldered like the lug or pot. For how long? 5-10 seconds? Well, I got the pickup in but it wasn't pretty. Now, I am concerned I did a bad job and it could impact sound and noise. Ugh. Maybe I should install a new pot and resolder.

I notice the solder just balls up on the tip a lot. I also read you should keep the tip wet with solder, not clean and dry. For this reason I always apply solder to the tip before setting down.

 

[ErikH]

Re: Trouble soldering!

Thanks, I forgot I am supposed to heat up the area to be soldered like the lug or pot. For how long? 5-10 seconds? Well, I got the pickup in but it wasn't pretty. Now, I am concerned I did a bad job and it could impact sound and noise. Ugh. Maybe I should install a new pot and resolder.

I notice the solder just balls up on the tip a lot. I also read you should keep the tip wet with solder, not clean and dry. For this reason I always apply solder to the tip before setting down.

The balling up on the tip means it's not tinned properly. It has to be tinned. There should not be balls of solder on the tip. I wipe the tip on a sponge after I make a connection and before. It keeps the tip clean and efficient. There's tip tinner and cleaner at Radio Shack that works great too. I'll use that on it after every few uses.

You also touch the solder to the point where the tip and the components being soldered meet, not to the tip itself. Make sure to use rosin core solder too.

Take some old components and practice. Better to practice and get it right than it is to fry something you need to have working. Been there, done that....LOL.

 

[TheArchitect]

Re: Trouble soldering!

Hey guys!

What am I doing wrong? I picked up a new tip for my Radio Shack 40 watt iron. INstalled the tip, made sue ir was tight...let it sit and get hot for a while. I also make sure not to rest it on the metal stand because I know that can difise the heat. Anyway, I added some solder and let it sit then started to solder. It is as if it is not even on!

It takes so long before it melts the solder...up to 15 seconds. In the past I recall soldering and it was almost instantaneous. I tried cleaning the tipo with a dry sponge, keeping it wet, you name it...but nothing helps. Plus, the solder on the tip looks brown all the time.

What should I do? Am I doing something wrong?

Thanks,

Rich

You need to take some sandpaper to those new tips and rough them up. Then use a bit of flux and solder to tin the tip after its up to temp.

You will also find that after the first time or two of heat up/ cool down the new tip on those irons will come loose and need to be retightened

 

[papersoul]

Re: Trouble soldering!

Thanks guys...now i am confused a bit.

I do use tip tinner and cleaner from radio shack. I did not rough up the tip however. I could try that next. I may also practice on old parts as mentioned.

I also thought using a wet sponge was bad because you want to keep the heat up. I also try to keep the iron off the metal stand because I know that is bad.

I just use a bit of solder or tip tinner/cleaner and then let it sit for a while......but still doesn't work too well.:31:
Shouldn't you keep tinning the tip through the entire process? You mentioned you use the tip cleaner/tinner is that every few uses as in each time you solder pickup or on/off during the entire soldering job?

I know what you mean when you say to touch the solder to the point where the tip and the components being soldered meet. However...normally this isn't possible. For example, solder braided ground to the pot...I need one hand for the solder iron and one for the wire...which means I do not have a free hand for the solder. In this case I have to add solder to the pot and then to the wire separately. Then I just lay the iron tip between the glob on the pot and the wire until they flow together.

Sorry for the questions....this is helpful.

 

[ErikH]

Re: Trouble soldering!

Thanks guys...now i am confused a bit.

I do use tip tinner and cleaner from radio shack. I did not rough up the tip however. I could try that next. I may also practice on old parts as mentioned.

I also thought using a wet sponge was bad because you want to keep the heat up. I also try to keep the iron off the metal stand because I know that is bad.

This is not bad. It is good because it prevents the iron from burning holes in things it shouldn't. Get one of those coil stands with a sponge holder if you don't have one. If that is what you have, use it. The sponge keeps the tip clean. Don't worry about it cooling it off. It's not being submerged in water, just wiped off. It'll stay plenty hot.

I just use a bit of solder or tip tinner/cleaner and then let it sit for a while......but still doesn't work too well.:31:
Shouldn't you keep tinning the tip through the entire process? You mentioned you use the tip cleaner/tinner is that every few uses as in each time you solder pickup or on/off during the entire soldering job?

No, you don't have to tin throughout the entire process. Using the sponge (as mentioned above) will keep the tip clean. Tinning after every few uses is good though. And when you use the tinner/cleaner, it's a get it on the tip then wipe it off on the sponge. Letting it sit just bakes it on and the heat transfer is not as good.

I know what you mean when you say to touch the solder to the point where the tip and the components being soldered meet. However...normally this isn't possible. For example, solder braided ground to the pot...I need one hand for the solder iron and one for the wire...which means I do not have a free hand for the solder. In this case I have to add solder to the pot and then to the wire separately. Then I just lay the iron tip between the glob on the pot and the wire until they flow together.

Get some alligator clips to help hold things in place. You clearly need a third hand. Those clips will help hold things in place and also act as a heat sink so as to not damage other components from the heat.

Sorry for the questions....this is helpful.

Don't worry about it. We all started somewhere. When I started doing this 20 years ago, I didn't have the luxury of online forums. It was trial and error mostly. And then I got some tips on how to do it better from a really good electronics guru that did solder work on PCBs and such.

Get yourself a better iron when you can. I went through several Radio Shack irons before I finally got a Weller. That's one of the best gifts the wife has gotten me.

 

[papersoul]

Re: Trouble soldering!

I just read to not use a coil stand or any metal stand if the iron in any way touches metal because it will drop the temperature of the iron. Apparently you want an expensive stand that does not difuse the heat.

I think my big problem yesterday was letting solder and/or tinner/cleaner sit on the tip to bake! I thought I was supposed to keep the tip set as in wet with solder? I remember when I started soldering a few years ago, I had better luck and at that time I always wiped it down with a wet sponge. Thanks!

Great tip on the alligator clips! Thanks! I think I will end up stopping in Radio shack for a stand and also some clips. Big help!

Should I just grab a Weller on ebay?

 

[ErikH]

Re: Trouble soldering!

Look for a Weller WLC100. It's got variable temp, a stand and a sponge. Tips are easy to find for it too.

Wherever you read that about the stand is completely wrong. Every quality soldering iron I've seen and used has had a stand. It's the cheap ones that don't.

Something else to have handy....a small flathead screwdriver. Here's why. Say you're soldering that braided cable to the back of a pot. Ok, great. Use the solder tip to hold the wire down to the top of the pot, get the soldering flowing. Now, use the screwdriver to hold the wire down near the joint while removing the iron tip. All with two hands.