Author Topic: Soldering Equipment Help  (Read 4123 times)

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Offline Urshurak776

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Re: Soldering Equipment Help
« Reply #25 on: February 29, 2020, 01:29:24 pm »
I have the Weller WLC100, very much a beginners iron but seems very reliable (and only costs about $40 or so.).  I also picked up one of those 862D+ stations with the heat gun.  Cheap but something to get started with.  Putting a real Hakko tip on it gets very nice results. 

If you get that Hakko 888, TE equipment is offering a free 1LB solder roll with it. Nice. 
« Last Edit: February 29, 2020, 01:32:52 pm by Urshurak776 »
 
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Offline Cubdriver

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Re: Soldering Equipment Help
« Reply #26 on: March 03, 2020, 08:46:54 am »
Another thing: if you end up not buying a vacuum station, don't buy any desolder pump other than a genuine Edsyn Soldapullt. There's a lot of junk out there, especially the small aluminium ones.

I'll second aeberbach's comment regarding the manual solder sucker.  Buy once, cry once - get the real deal.  There's a reason this thing has been in production literally for decades.

https://smile.amazon.com/gp/product/B006GOKVKI/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&psc=1

-Pat
If it jams, force it.  If it breaks, you needed a new one anyway...
 
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Offline KL27x

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Re: Soldering Equipment Help
« Reply #27 on: March 03, 2020, 05:29:31 pm »
The Soldapult III is also top notch and a bit more compact. I don't know if there was a II, or what happened to it.
 
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JohnnyG56

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Re: Soldering Equipment Help
« Reply #28 on: March 03, 2020, 08:31:07 pm »
For anyone that has application knowledge and can offer any advice that might help me avoid mistakes or which may accelerate the learning curve I would be grateful.  Anything at all.

Back in the 80's I was a Xerox Printing Systems Systems Engineer.  I am just getting back into electronics as a hobby so I'm watching a lot of videos on subject.  It seems that all of the techs that do a great job use a lot of solder paste. 

As soon as my exhaust fan gets here, I'll start building some of the practice boards that I purchased. 10,000 hours to go....

-G


 
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Offline bobcat2000

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Re: Soldering Equipment Help
« Reply #29 on: March 04, 2020, 02:59:32 am »
I have this sucker for like forever.  Never fails.  It sucks every time!   ;D
 
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Offline Veteran68

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Re: Soldering Equipment Help
« Reply #30 on: March 04, 2020, 03:47:28 am »
I have this sucker for like forever.  Never fails.  It sucks every time!   ;D

I've had the exact same SS750 model for like 30+ years I think. Works great!

I also have the Engineer SS-02 which is quite sexy (for a solder sucker) and compact, very high build quality, but can't say that I've used it enough to really compare it with the SS750.
 
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Offline MyHeadHz

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Re: Soldering Equipment Help
« Reply #31 on: March 04, 2020, 04:30:36 am »
I've got another vote for the Hakko FX 888d.  I tried to cheap out and got some cheaper soldering irons before, but always had annoying issues, like poor temperature regulation, poor build quality, stiff cables, and so on.  :/

The Hakko also has quite good temperature regulation, which helps with non-electronics projects like pressing in brass inserts for 3d prints.
« Last Edit: March 04, 2020, 04:32:17 am by MyHeadHz »
 
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Offline Shock

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Re: Soldering Equipment Help
« Reply #32 on: March 04, 2020, 09:11:55 am »
I am just getting back into electronics as a hobby so I'm watching a lot of videos on subject.  It seems that all of the techs that do a great job use a lot of solder paste.

If you are still a beginner at soldering anyone looks good even if they are a full of bad habits. I suggest watching the Pace Worldwide, John Gammell and Marc Siegel channels they are the gold standard for soldering tutorial videos.

As for soldering flux, you really need minimal unless you are using hot air reflow. Gel and tacky fluxes are harder to apply in small quantities so you often end up with more than you need. If someone is constantly doing multiple touch ups or trying to fix their mistakes, having a pool of flux isn't the answer. Better to get the prep work and technique down first.
Soldering/Rework: Pace ADS200, Pace MBT350
Multimeters: Fluke 189, 87V, 117, 112   >>> WANTED STUFF <<<
Oszilloskopen: Lecroy 9314, Phillips PM3065, Tektronix 2215a, 314
 
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Offline angrybird

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Re: Soldering Equipment Help
« Reply #33 on: March 05, 2020, 05:11:57 pm »
For anyone that has application knowledge and can offer any advice that might help me avoid mistakes or which may accelerate the learning curve I would be grateful.  Anything at all.

Back in the 80's I was a Xerox Printing Systems Systems Engineer.  I am just getting back into electronics as a hobby so I'm watching a lot of videos on subject.  It seems that all of the techs that do a great job use a lot of solder paste. 

As soon as my exhaust fan gets here, I'll start building some of the practice boards that I purchased. 10,000 hours to go....

-G

I've been soldering for more than 30 years and I can beat nearly every tech I've ever worked with on assembly down to 0402 size parts, QFN with <0.5mm pitch, you name it... I never use paste.  Too slow!

Good solder is key - I highly recommend using only leaded, 63/37 or the like - The lead free stuff is a great way to spend lots of time making worse quality joints than you will get with leaded.  Sometimes you don't have a choice, if you have a customer who demands RoHS and for this you can charge them, but for any home stuff you don't have to bother with the RoHS nonsense and this will save you a lot of time. 
THE CAKE IS A LIE AND THESE NUTHATCH ARE WAY TOO DISTRACTING
 
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Offline tooki

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Re: Soldering Equipment Help
« Reply #34 on: March 05, 2020, 05:35:19 pm »
Back in the 80's I was a Xerox Printing Systems Systems Engineer.  I am just getting back into electronics as a hobby so I'm watching a lot of videos on subject.  It seems that all of the techs that do a great job use a lot of solder paste. 
Just to clarify, do you mean paste flux, or do you mean actual solder paste (i.e. fine solder granules suspended in flux paste)? Because using an excess of the former doesn't cause any problems other than greater cleanup, but using too much of the latter will result in serious problems.

The confusion arises from the fact that before solder paste (as per the second meaning) came along, people commonly referred to paste flux as "soldering paste".
 

Offline shimanoleTopic starter

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Re: Soldering Equipment Help
« Reply #35 on: March 08, 2020, 02:31:30 am »
I am just getting back into electronics as a hobby so I'm watching a lot of videos on subject.  It seems that all of the techs that do a great job use a lot of solder paste.

If you are still a beginner at soldering anyone looks good even if they are a full of bad habits. I suggest watching the Pace Worldwide, John Gammell and Marc Siegel channels they are the gold standard for soldering tutorial videos.

As for soldering flux, you really need minimal unless you are using hot air reflow. Gel and tacky fluxes are harder to apply in small quantities so you often end up with more than you need. If someone is constantly doing multiple touch ups or trying to fix their mistakes, having a pool of flux isn't the answer. Better to get the prep work and technique down first.

Thank you.  I will definitely check out the channel.
 

Offline shimanoleTopic starter

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Re: Soldering Equipment Help
« Reply #36 on: March 08, 2020, 02:45:58 am »
Another thing: if you end up not buying a vacuum station, don't buy any desolder pump other than a genuine Edsyn Soldapullt. There's a lot of junk out there, especially the small aluminium ones.

Thanks very much.  After seeing your recommendation and follow up posts I've ordered the EDSYN AS196.  I've also ordered the KSGER STM32 V3.1S T12.  I'll follow up once I get started.
 

Offline wizard69

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Re: Soldering Equipment Help
« Reply #37 on: March 09, 2020, 01:42:02 pm »
Thanks again Angry.  Nice to know something like that getting started as opposed to having to post every question on a forum.  Thanks for the early troubleshooting.

One thing that you may quickly realize is that you may need more than one soldering solution.   This is generally true but in your case the problem may crop up much earlier than it will for other people.   The reason is tube gear can often require fairly hot irons (or high heat capacity) to solder to chassis, heavy lugs and the like.   So you may run into this issue fairly quick.

I touched upon the more general case and it often comes down to needing a portable solution.   In the past that often meant butane powered soldering irons.   These days battery powered irons are often a good solution.   As nice as soldering stations are they can often be bulky on a ladder, under a car or up an antenna tower.  In some cases AC power isn't avialable.
 
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Offline Shock

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Re: Soldering Equipment Help
« Reply #38 on: March 09, 2020, 02:59:20 pm »
For the bench just get a station that has some easily swapped chunky tips, power and speed. The tip shown in this photo eats lugs and heatsinks, you can eyeball the comparative masses yourself. Aside from that surface prep, flux, preheating with hot air etc helps. Using a hotter temp in some scenarios is also way less important, on a cold chassis you aren't really soldering at the set temp anyway.

Never needed a battery power soldering iron I don't see the attraction. Butane irons seem a little more versatile, they can also do heat shrink and hot air depending on what tips you have.
Soldering/Rework: Pace ADS200, Pace MBT350
Multimeters: Fluke 189, 87V, 117, 112   >>> WANTED STUFF <<<
Oszilloskopen: Lecroy 9314, Phillips PM3065, Tektronix 2215a, 314
 
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Offline wizard69

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Re: Soldering Equipment Help
« Reply #39 on: March 10, 2020, 08:43:31 am »
As for battery powered irons I have spent years in automation and CNC equipment repair and they do come in handy.   Some of the first units to market were not that great but they have come a long ways.   More importantly you can use them where the safety department will not permit butane.

Personally I have a Master butane iron someplace but recently got a battery power iron by Milwaukee.  I wouldn't call this iron the ideal solution to PCB work but for general field use it is pretty good.   You are right though in that a butane iron does two jobs in the field.   

In any event my concern was about the original posters indication of a desire to work on tube equipment.   Buying an iron that is focused on PCB work may not work out well for everything he might want to do.   Thus he might need two irons far quicker than many in this hobby.
 

Offline shimanoleTopic starter

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Re: Soldering Equipment Help
« Reply #40 on: March 10, 2020, 03:59:19 pm »
As for battery powered irons I have spent years in automation and CNC equipment repair and they do come in handy.   Some of the first units to market were not that great but they have come a long ways.   More importantly you can use them where the safety department will not permit butane.

Personally I have a Master butane iron someplace but recently got a battery power iron by Milwaukee.  I wouldn't call this iron the ideal solution to PCB work but for general field use it is pretty good.   You are right though in that a butane iron does two jobs in the field.   

In any event my concern was about the original posters indication of a desire to work on tube equipment.   Buying an iron that is focused on PCB work may not work out well for everything he might want to do.   Thus he might need two irons far quicker than many in this hobby.

I've got an old tube amp that's not salvageable so I'll get some practice on that one to see if I need addition equipment.  Thanks for the heads up!
 


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