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Trying to solder correctly

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FriedLogic:

--- Quote from: fixit7 on June 12, 2019, 12:24:01 am ---I saw some used Wellers in the $40 range.

--- End quote ---

One of the advantages of a good quality used iron is that it can give you access to a range of good quality tips, but you do need to check first since there may not be so much available for old discontinued stuff.

I normally use a damp (not saturated) sponge, but the metal tip cleaner I have leaves a lot more solder spread on the tip, which could be helpful if you have a problem with the tip itself oxidizing.

Using larger diameter solder than necessary can also complicate it.

Vtile:
I'm again heretic. My foil cleaner is a frying pan stainless steel scrub which is exactly like those sold for the "solder tip cleaning", It is just held in place at the hole of the connection wire spool. Didn't cost "anything" as regular household item and cleans nicely my cheap china iron (Which works as good for the irregular hobby job as the traditional Wellers I have used here and there). Benefit for the stainless steel is that the solder do not attach to it so I just clean the dust under the spool at times.

Minor oxidation of components sitting on the drawers between hobby projects can be taken care with (mildly) activated flux (in solder wire or at bottle).

On the other hand I do not do surface mount components, except some OPs to adapter boards and some dead bugs here and there or transistors between perfboard copper dots.

Dabbot:

--- Quote from: Shock on June 11, 2019, 06:45:28 pm ---Some of the series are more about rework and specific tools but still interesting. If you liked those videos Marc Siegel has a few Pace videos he did on his channel as well.

--- End quote ---

Excellent content. Loving a lot of the techniques on display here. Even those without the specialized rework tools.

A lot of people consider it a no-no to apply solder to your soldering iron tip, then carry it over to your work to make the joint, but in this video you can see this exact method being used to solder surface mount components.

I think it's important to note that it's all to do with the flux. Normally, any flux in your solder would have mostly boiled off the soldering iron tip by the time you brought it to your joint, but you'll see in the video that flux is separately applied to the pins and pads prior to the joint being made, and so is available to perform its duties in keeping the surfaces clean as solder is wicked from the tip and onto the joints.

Another important and, often overlooked property of flux, is that it modifies the surface tension of solder and allows it to more easily flow / wick / ball up. And this is something to keep in mind if you wonder why you're making joints with peaky bits of solder sticking out from where you pulled the soldering iron away. It's because all the flux has boiled away. A quick touch-up with some flux or fresh solder and it's good.

MarkR42:
I find that veroboard / stripboard which has been in storage for a while gets automagically caked in awful crud which needs to be really really cleaned before the board is usable.

I'd try fine wire wool, then cleaning wipes, once the board is really clean, soldering is much easier (flux good too)

I'm staying out of the brass foil / sponge thing, I use both, use whatever works for you.

fixit7:

--- Quote from: MarkR42 on June 13, 2019, 09:02:34 am ---I find that veroboard / stripboard which has been in storage for a while gets automagically caked in awful crud which needs to be really really cleaned before the board is usable.

I'd try fine wire wool, then cleaning wipes, once the board is really clean, soldering is much easier (flux good too)

I'm staying out of the brass foil / sponge thing, I use both, use whatever works for you.

--- End quote ---

I found that adding solder to the joints of components you want to remove, works better.

I used some small gauge fine braided wire that I had to wick up the solder.

It is especially needed for the lead free solder.

Waiting for the good stuff I ordered.

1.5mm 2mm 2.5mm 3mm 3.5mm Width 1.5M Length Desoldering Braid Welding Solder Remover Wick Wire

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