westhemann Posted February 21, 2005 Report Share Posted February 21, 2005 my new weller was $17 and it works great Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
crafty Posted February 22, 2005 Report Share Posted February 22, 2005 Is there any difference in performace with a cheaper iron or a more expensive one? Obviously one with digital readouts and multiple settings would be nice, but take the cheapest 25W and the most expensive one you can find, and will there be that much difference? I've always used cheap irons and I've not had much problem, but I'm just wondering. It just depends on what you're working on. The plug-and-go irons like what Wes bought are perfect for basic guitar electronics. 25 watts is plenty of heat for anything you'll do with passive guitar electronics. But if you're an electronics nut and you find yourself building or repair things like digital effects or anything with discrete components, digital readouts and fine temperature control are a must-have, especially if you're working with SMT components. Most people here will never do that, and I haven't done that kind of work myself in years. I use a Weller soldering station I picked up at Sears for around $40. It consists of a stand and a temperature control knob on the stand for a little better versatility. I'm into ham radio too, so it's nice to have the option of low temp for electronics and high temp for building antennas and feedline connections. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guitarfrenzy Posted February 22, 2005 Report Share Posted February 22, 2005 All the tips here are great, just wanted to add something to the discussion. To prepare the pot, I usually just take my knife and lightly scratch the back of the pot where I'll be soldering then like Wes does, solder some on the pot first. Then, be sure to tin the wire, that's very important. If you don't know what it means to tin the wire, then read some on this link to get a better understanding. Next, I just heat up the solder again on the pot and with some needle nose pliers push and hold the wire into place until it cools. You want it to get hot enough to make a good bond, but not enough that it will do any damage though. I usually don't use flux myself either, since the solder I use already has enough flux in it to make a great joint most of the time. I also favor the station type of soldering guns, since you can vary the wattage. I have best results with a 40 watt gun though. But each person has their own method and each is valid. As long as it works and you end up with a great solder joint, then it doesn't matter really. This brings up a very neat subject though, which I thought I'd bring up again since I really want to try one myself. Has anyone tried the Cold Heat Soldering gun, that heats up instantly then cools off right after your done? I've been kinda skeptical about the device every since I saw it on tv. Anyone have one or know if they work like advertised? If it did, I want one bad.. lol Cold Heat Solder Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bigdguitars Posted February 22, 2005 Report Share Posted February 22, 2005 I use my iron every night for about an hour or so, all I do is replace the tips. its 15watts. Here is a tip for soddering the back of pots. File down the back of the pot a bit. That way you remove any sealant or whatever is there... you get down to the good metal to metal connection. I have no problems getting the wires to stick to the back of pots. I will post a pic tonight. Also blow on the sodder joints and wait till its solid, bout 30 seconds. A good connection must be made before you add any sodder. Sodder should not be the connector, it should be the sealant. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thedoctor Posted February 22, 2005 Report Share Posted February 22, 2005 I don't know how the cold irons of late work. I used to use a cordless Wahl that heated in seconds but was hot for a while after. Good little iron. Batteries take a crap after about two years. The other instant heat iron I have is a carbon-finger resistance unit that will tear heck out of any semidelicate component, pickups, diodes, pots, etc. We use it just to make LARGE connections in a hurry, like #10 wires to the back of a fuseholder. It puts out about 120 amps AC @.75 volts and will kill any small wattage thing in its way. Cools instantly, though. Well, IT never gets hot: the part clamped between the fingers does. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jer7440 Posted February 22, 2005 Report Share Posted February 22, 2005 I read some reviews of the cold heat soldering iron online. Most said it was useless for all but the smallest of jobs. I got the impression that it would not have enough heat to be soldering onto the backs of pots. But what can you expect from 2 AA batteries Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
westhemann Posted February 23, 2005 Report Share Posted February 23, 2005 Also blow on the sodder joints and wait till its solid, bout 30 seconds. huh? all the solder joints i have ever made cool enough to be solid in about 1 to 2 seconds...without blowing a bunch of dust and crap out of your cavities and up into your face by the way...it's "solder" how do you buy the correct stuff if you can't spell it? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
VanKirk Posted February 23, 2005 Report Share Posted February 23, 2005 Here's a few threads that should help. Soldering to 'pot' casings More on soldering to pots Soldering tips & tricks I never blow on solder joints because the outside can cool quicker than the inside causing problems similar to a 'cold solder joint' which is a solder connection where one or more points being soldered are not heated up fully. Solder flows into and sticks to a clean surface (free of oil and contaminates) that's been properly heated. You need the heat to transfer from your tip, into the solder then to each point that is being connected till the solder flows onto the components. Flux helps heat transfer and solder flow. If your solder doesn't transfer off your tip onto the component then the component hasn't been heated enough. The trick is to get on, heat it quickly and fully, then get off (sounds kinky I know ) One thing I've found, especially on SMD components, is that if too much flux is used and not cleaned off properly it can make a sticky surface that dust particles stick to. Sometimes dust particles contain conductive material and can short a line. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ooten2 Posted February 26, 2005 Report Share Posted February 26, 2005 Another tip for soldering: Grow a third arm, and maybe a fourth, so you'll have enough freakin' hands to do the job. Seriously, a good clamping device to hold the components makes everything alot easier. Sometimes a lighted magnifying glass thing helps, too. (Or maybe my eyesight is just going) Great post here. I've soldered several 9 pin, 15 pin, 25 pin, etc. connectors for communication cables, and the same soldering techniques work on pots. I've never had a problem with pot and switch lugs. But when it comes to pot casings, I learned a whole new vocabulary of cuss words. I'm sure my problem was that I wasn't getting through the coating on the case to the metal. Next time, I'll do some filing, scratching, and cleaning first. Thanks to everyone for the excellent info. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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