Soldering Workshop: Extra Information

[Jim (Chairman)]

All,

Thanks for the great reception to my Soldering Workshop last night. Hope you all found it useful.

Here's a couple of extra bits of information that came up.


Soldering Iron Selection

If you select a variable temperature controlled model where you can set the exact temperature, then you should set it at 400 Degrees Centigrade for working on thick silicon wires (like battery wires) and battery connectors (like XT60s or Deans). If you are doing smaller wire or circuit boards, drop the temperature to around 320 - 350 Degrees.

Here's some temperature controlled irons from Maplins:

50 watt (simple) for £25: http://www.maplin.co.uk/p/maplin-50w-solder-station-n78ar Set knob to about 75% to solder XT60s etc

48 watt for £50: http://www.maplin.co.uk/p/48w-professional-2-line-lcd-display-solder-station-n34fb

60 watt for £60: http://www.maplin.co.uk/p/60w-professional-lcd-solder-station-with-esd-protection-a55kj

If you go for a fixed temperature mains iron, then you should go for one that's rated at at least 50 watts. 18, 25 & 30 watt irons do not have enough heating power to get the large battery connectors and wires hot enough for the solder to flow nicely.

30 / 60 watt gun type for £15: http://www.maplin.co.uk/p/maplin-30w-60w-soldering-gun-with-solder-feed-n80dv

80 watt for £34: http://www.maplin.co.uk/p/weller-sp80n-soldering-iron-with-led-light-80-watt-230-volt-r37qa


Soldering Iron Tip Selection

You can always change the tip on your soldering iron because they ultimately wear out.

For soldering large battery connectors like XT60 or Deans, I would recommend a tip that's about 4 - 5 mm diameter with a flat (or flats) on it. The flat gives a good large "contact patch" with the work piece.

DO NOT be tempted to file a flat onto a tip that doesn't have on. The tips have a soft metal core with a harder outer plating. If you file through hard plating, the soft core metal burns away very quickly.

When buying a new tip for your iron, I recommend that you actually take the iron itself along to (let's say) Maplins and make sure you're getting to right one. There are many different types of iron tip out there, and no real standards.


Solder Selection

I recommend that you try to find some proper lead / tin solder. The new style "lead free" stuff is pretty rubbish!

You want lead / tin solder with multicore flux (flux is built into the solder wire).

No diameter / gauge, they tend to be measured in millimeters, so you want solder between about 1.5 to 2mm.

The market leader in the lead / tin solder world is a company called "Multicore".

Maplins only really seem to sell the "lead free" rubbish and lead / tin solder without flux.

RS have good "Multicore" solders:

1.6mm Multicore Lead / Tin / Silver for £32 (500g): http://uk.rs-online.com/web/p/solders/0555099/ Expensive but very good!

1.6mm Multicore Lead / Tin for £19 (500g): http://uk.rs-online.com/web/p/solders/0557118/ Excellent

2mm Stannol Lead / Tin with flux core for £19 (500g): http://uk.rs-online.com/web/p/solders/0517996/

500 grams of solder will last a very long time for the amounts that we use.


Hope that help!

Cheers!

Jim

[DannyF]

well done for bringing all the gear and taking the time to explain the techniques, I was a bit on the periphery but listened in to some sections, you did a great job well done

I hope to do something similar on glassing and peel ply, if my MOJO ever returns   

Cheers
Danny

[Jim (Chairman)]

Danny,

Cheers! The next time I do it(?) I'll try to use a smaller table so people can stand / sit all around and get a better view.

Where's yer MoJo gone? Have you had glassing issues that I've missed?

Will you have enough time for the glassing to cure in a club night session?

[DannyF]

Trouble with a smaller table is you get less people around it. Chris and I were musing over having a camera feed to the centre of the table, projected onto a screen, so the closeup stuff could be seen by everyone. This was when i was toying with a litho forming session. With me it's all a lack of time.......

My Modelling MOJO has left the building, it will be back no doubt, just not present currently.
No glassing issues but several people have asked to see how I do it, I have made videos on the subject but it still seems to be something people want to see in the flesh.

No the glassing would have to be carefully carried home afterwards. There is no way it would set in time 

Cheers
Danny

[Jim (Chairman)]

Danny,

Yeah, I thought about a webcam on a little tripod in front of me / the workpiece.

The problem is the projection. I could get a large format monitor maybe...?

I will think about it...

Cheers!

Jim

[maverick]

have a search on ebay for leaded solder 60/40 plenty of it around different lengths and diameter

[Jim (Chairman)]

Maverick,

I agree! The first post had links to some solid, reliable, stable suppliers.

Maplins and RS are NOT cheap but are fairly reliable.

Here's a few Ebay bargains I've found for irons and solder.

UK Suppliers only, Buy It Now only. I cannot endorse any of them...

60 watt mains iron for £7.49: http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/60W-Watt-Soldering-Iron-Kit-60-40-Lead-Solder-Wire-ESD-De-Solder-Desolder-Pump-/121107790120?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_3&hash=item1c32963928

48 watt Digital Soldering Station for £56.20: http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Duratool-Soldering-Station-UK-Plug-D00675-/371311028826?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_3&hash=item5673dcaa5a

This is the same Maplins badged unit that I was using last night. Originally made by Duratool, Part Number D00673. Spare tips available from Maplins still.

60 watt Digital Soldering Station £65.90: http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Duratool-Soldering-Station-UK-EU-Plug-60-Watt-D00673-/281669956868?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_3&hash=item4194d67504

Hope this helps...

[Paul Cooper]

Found some cored solder that has lead 60/40  Halfords at Cannock have solder made by Draper 100G roll and only £4.29 I picked up the last one on the shelf (sorry) but it looks to be a well stocked product. 

[Jim (Chairman)]

Paul,

Nice tip! Yeah that's the right stuff...

There are plenty of Halfords around.

Roughly how thick is it?

Cheers!

Jim

[Paul Cooper]

Hi Jim,
             It looks about 1.5 mm had a quick test on a piece of wire and it's loads better than the lead free stuff I have been using  . Just need to find something to solder now lol  . Great job on the soldering tips last night going to save me loads of melted connectors and burnt fingers. 
Cheers,   
                  Paul.