Soldering/electrical Connections

>>890703

Weller irons are already less than $20, how cheap are you looking to go?

My understanding is that cheaper soldering irons sacrifice temperature accuracy. If you're not working on anything too delicate (thin PCBs or tightly packed sensitive components) then any old soldering iron should do the job.

But I don't solder much. Take that with a grain of salt.

>>890707
>Weller irons are already less than $20

I'm more talking about things like:
http://www.amazon.com/WTCPT-Temperature-Controlled-Soldering-Station/dp/B00004W463

got a bargain on a wsp81 on ebay. i think the model is discontinued but tips are plentiful and the unit is real sexy.

weller is pretty much universal
other brands definetly depends where you live.
e.g. i never heard of hakko before /diy/

>>890703
bump for interest

>>890703
Check out Ersa. Its a little cheaper but by no means inferior to Weller.

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Ersa, JBC, oki/metcal, Hakko.

>>890955
How are those Hakko FX 888(or something like that, that I see a lot of) soldering stations?

Seem to be the cheapest ones I see compared to Weller


Need something new this iron is not doing it anymore Im glad I havent ruined this board I tried to work on...I hope

>>890973
Out of cheap chinese crap I could recommend Yihua. Worked with one station for three years until the iron broke in half. The blower still works like a charm though. Not bad for 60 odd bucks.

After getting a Weller, would not go back though. That 10 second warm-up time is like god's gift to man.

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>>890977
Guess Ill have to go with a weller mnow what are the cheaper stations? Enough to easily solder wires on a pcb


This radio shack iron just made things hell for me


Any tips on how to solder wires on a board like pic rslated?

>>891013
tips? just do it, christ. using lead solder it's impossible to fuck up through-hole soldering, even a chinese 936 clone would be overkill.

stick with the rat shack iron and buy yourself some decent 60/40 or 63/37 multicore, and some wick and flux. don't cheap out on consumables, buy american.

Aoyue is ok, its about half the price of Weller stuff

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>>890711
The good old WTCPT! I got one of these (pic related) just about 20 years ago. I've replaced the heater once, about two years ago, and have gone through a handful of tips. Basically I ordered 10 or 15 tips from digikey many years ago and I still have a bunch of unopened ones.

The great thing about this iron is that the temprature is determined by the tip that is currently in it. I fucking hate it when I walk by all the cheap irons at work and see that everyone has them turned all the way up all the time. People just can't seem to make the connection that their iron isn't soldering because the tip is fucked. It's fucked because they had it turned up too high, then, as a result they turn it up even higher. The WTCPT solves this problem by not allowing these idiots to have control over the temp. Of course, they are a little too expensive for my workplace to buy them for a bunch of mouth breathers.

Seriously, in my experience this has been nothing but a god tier iron and I have used it *a lot*

>>890955
I've used these oki irons too. They're definitely not bad. I'm not sure what the price looks like compared to a Weller, but if they are cheaper then they would be a good deal.

>>891142
Wait this station without control is actuslly good? Ill look into these in a bit, I always felt having control was a good thing in fact it was the best


>>891107
Its not through hole what i need to is solder below the pcb on the bottom pins from the top white connectors as seen in pic related

I just cant seem to be able to solder a wire on these thin points

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>>891202
Somehow pic didnt go through but I have to solder wires on the pins below the white connectors which im having no luck on

>>891142
I use the older version of this at work and at home.

The work one which was and old thing when I started I have used for 20+ years. About the only thing original is the power lead, the iron stand and the case. The latest mod I have done to it is added a triac in the handle to try and see if it improves switch life. The stock version of these are great in high RF environments where electronic stations can be insta killed with stay RF.

>>891202
>without control

They are temperature regulated but the means by which they do it is non electronic. Temperature can be changed by changing tips.

>>891210
Oh ok, never knew they could regulate themselves depending on the tip as the other guy mentioned...pretty good
>>891209
Will a WTCPT last long in a home that will see rare use with it?


On an unrelated note I thinkI just solved my problem on why I was a hard time. The tip on the radioshack iron is WAAAY to thick to be used for soldering thin wires on pcb...shouldve been obvious but I am a beginner..

>>891224
>Will a WTCPT last long in a home that will see rare use with it?
See >>891142
Mine, in semi-professional use, lasted around 20 years as well.

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>>891202
stop blaming your tools*
go practice


*unless it's lead-free solder

>>891232
>*unless it's lead-free solder
If you're trying to solder/unsolder on a PCB that has lead-free joints just add some of the good ol' leaded stuff to the join and it melts right away.

hey diy,
are the hakko clones from china any good? i'm cheap and i need to get a soldering station.
they have hakko 936 for about 40 €/$...

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>>891228
>>891224
>>891142
Raging upboat for the mighty WTCPT. Pic related is a prototype chassis for some robots I make, all hand soldered with a WTCPT. Considering this is tin and brass (i.e., one giant fucking heatsink) this iron was able to dump enough heat into the job that I could run the tip the entire length of the circled areas and get a consistent, almost weld like finish. The gusseting was formed in a freestanding puddle, this iron can dump heat into a job all day long. Flip that around to PCB work and I have never lifted a track, even when I have found myself hovering over a pad for longer than I need to for whatever reason. This iron seems to self regulate output based on how fast heat is being drawn from the tip, definitely the most versatile iron I have ever owned. Touch pricey, but well worth it, plus, as the other guy said, a wide variety of tips and accessories for various jobs.

>>891251
> Not at his machine
> Can't remember his trip
> Still has to namefag

You really are a self absorbed cunt, aren't you.

>>891228
>Will a WTCPT last long in a home that will see rare use with it?

You'll be leaving it to your grandkids. They are indestructible in professional environments (we have several on our bench at work; This is an engine/airframe shop, so it's not like it's the most sterile or gentle environment), one that lives on its shelf and gets occasional use will be doubly so.

>>891261
>>891265
Thanks for the info shit its amazing how effective and durable that station is then and it is also very inexpensive based on the ebay listings i went through.
>>891232
Its definitely my tool because my tip is very roundish for thisbsmall job and very..burnt if that makes sense. I just can not make a clean contact between the the small pin the solder ans iron.


I am alao uaing silver bearing rosin core

>>891290
Your tip isn't transferring heat because you didn't keep it tinned. This is the number 1 problem for beginners. Think of it this way: the tip is so hot that it is definitely going to oxidize some metal. Would you rather that it oxidizes you tip directly and wears it out almost immediately, or would you rather that it oxidizes a big blob of solder that can easily be cleaned off and re-applied?

You can try to salvage your tip by scraping it with an xacto knife and immediately applying some solder, but if it's too far gone already, well, then it's too far gone already. Your tip should always have a blob of solder on it, and it should always be bright and shiny when you clean that solder blob off.

>>891290
>silver bearing
this is the reason why you can't get a good joint, with tin-silver you get one shot at a perfect wet-out and if you don't nail it you get a crusty oxidised mess that doesn't stick to anything and won't reflow.
it's also the reason why your iron's tip is a crumbly blackened stump that won't wet out.
fuck RoHS. into the trash it goes and get some 60/40 or 63/37 tin-lead rosin core.

>>891301
Even after reading guides I managed to mess up geez I rewd somethig about always wetting the tip etc but keeping it tinned I may have ignored since I thought I can keep it good by just leaving some of the stuff there

>>891309
Thats exactly whats happening with it, Its hard to work with and I cant find ways to rework the joint.

I shouldve never listened to computsr forums andtheir recommendation on silver bearing with pcb work


Is my work salvageable if I were to buy a new iron and the 63/37?

On the pins I need to work on, there are goops of that solder on that i couldnt remove or work with

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I just brought this bad boy did i get ripped off cost me £50

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/310770370634

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>>891315
remove the blobs with wick (webm related)
redo the joints with 63/37
everything will be fine

>>891333
Thank you

Just one more I've searched for 63/37 but I see there are different variations of the solder such as one that says 0.8 and another 0.2 with the 8 having I believe it said 2% flux or so

Do I grab the 8 for pcb work along with separate flux or will just the rosin itself do?


It doesn't matter if it's China made right because that's all I see

Like OP, I'm also starting out in soldering.

I've soldered here and there over the years but never seriously, so I have a couple of really cheap radioshack soldering irons that never get very hot.

I bought a weller portasol but the thing stopped lighting after 3 or 4 uses and now I have to take it apart and light it by hand every time I want to use it. I was hoping it would be enough.

So now I need to buy a decent soldering iron to use at my bench.

I've been watching videos on soldering and noticed some solder guns.

How do you recommend solder guns over irons? I'm intrigued and would like to try a solder gun out.

What's a good video to learn soldering on? I've watched several but I still don't have the hang of it.

>>891362
i don't know where you're looking but china isn't guaranteed to be good.
buy kester or multicore if you're an american, buy cynel if you're a euro. these ARE guaranteed to be good.
for diameter i'd suggest a quite thin 0.02 to 0.03 inch (0.5 to 0.8ish millimeters), because that stops you feeding gobs of solder into everything.
i have no opinion on flux percentage.

>>891378
solder guns have lots of wattage and no temperature control, they're what you want for things like point-to-point wiring a valve amp where you might have half a dozen thick wires wrapped around a terminal needing to be heated at once, but if you try to fix a circuit board or a headphone jack you'll HULK SMASH PUNY CONNECTOR.

Own Metcal station with SmartHeat (bought it for just $49 with pristine looking iron) and a bunch of tips of different shapes and purposes also bought as wholesale lots, paid about $1 per new tip.
Those RF fed irons/tips are amazing how they hold rated temperature, however it's difficult to desolder thru-holes from ground-plane of newer graphics cards with heatsinks on hehe. Also they are indestructible.
Also own Ersa i-con @ $80 with two handles (but no cartridge and tips 'cause expensive in retail and almost non-existent on ebay) and Weller WSD 81 for $20 without iron for similar reason.
Still dreaming to get Pace PRC 2000 for under $300 with all the tools included!

>>891418
Thanks for the info on the solder anon and funny hulk statement

It's scary how delicate these boards are I tested the one I was working on and still works so now I'll just invest properly on better equipment and materials

Thanks again to those that helped me out

>>891317
>http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/310770370634

Huh.
I have the same one (albeit with the fanless version of the hot air gun) and I've had good luck with it.

Well, other than the fact that it needs to be grounded or else it shocks you.

>>891421
Also own a bunch of elstein ceramic heaters with termocouples, temp controllers and SSRs to make IR reflow station one day. Looking for IR optics for making top heater with focusing and component placement like in expensive Pace or Ersa BGA stations but cheap.

How do you guys solder really thin wires on boards?

I've tried cutting the insulation off with a nail clipper but have had very rare success with it. I've probably wasted so much wire on trying to remove the insulation.

I've looked up online and people seem to just burn it off with a lighter or solder the wire with insulation intact onto to the contact in the board. Are these good tactics or what do you guys do?

>>891427
you can trim insulation off 30AWG kynar by pinching it with your thumbnail and pulling

>>891437
I'm talking about the very slim very packed hook up wire around 20-26 range

I've tried pulling by hand with no luck, they're too slim for the cutters and that's when I sought to do it with the nail clippers but made things difficult as well

>>891450
Do it by hand with a utility knife or something.

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>>891450
knipex 1192140 works great
but are you sixty dollars worth of pissed off?

>>891461
I have to deal with these especially thin usb cables as well Ive tried the mini blade and scalpel

>>891468
Sixty dollars fuck no disposable cash, guess Ill try the lighter method

>>891471
That's the best choice you've got I suppose. I avoid nail clippers because you can't feel how much resistance the blades have encountered cause they have such a large lever. I usually use my thumb along with a semi sharp blade and just press my thumb into the wire and the blade and feel it out.

>>891472
That is true I assume I just have a grip on the insulation but end up cutting off two to three strandsfrom the exposed wire.

As I said, I looked up online and found that fire method Ill see if it works but was hoping someone tried the method and hopefully had success with the contact

>>891450
I >>891261 don't even bother stripping wires that thin. Hold the tip under the end and the insulator simply rolls back due to the heat. This also gives you a nice blob of plastic at the end of the insulator, which (when soldering to a PCB) serves as a nice anchor on the through hole, preventing the wire from pushing too far through when you solder it down. This blob can also serve as an anchor for your fingernail if you need to haul more insulation off if you need.

>>891522
Will this work when soldering on existing pins on the board? If I were to solder horizontal on the pin below the board instead of the through hole?

Anyone have any experience with this brand/unit?

http://www.amazon.com/Aoyue-Profesional-Repair-Rework-Station/dp/B007IJVVY0/ref=sr_1_9?ie=UTF8&qid=1445477366&sr=8-9&keywords=soldering+desoldering+station

I was planning on buying a Weller WES81, but if this is a decent unit I might fork over the extra cash because the desoldering gun / hot air tool could definitely be useful.

>>891537
>Chinese
Suspicion.jpeg

>>891333
jesus christ that's a nasty tip

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I really doubt any of you have but, does someone have any info on those Weller military soldering kits? Im tempted to grab one from ebay but Im not sure if theyre ok for home use such as for soldering headphone cables

>>891803
from the image it seems they use 'PTx' tips - these are the ones with temperature control.

if they are the temp controlled ones they're nice irons

there's a temperature sensitive chunk of metal at the base of the tip. when the tip reaches its rated temperature the chunk becomes non magnetic disconnecting the heater.

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>>891805
What about this one? Seller only wrote that it came with twenty things but how is this different from a wctpt station

>>891362
Always add more flux. Yes you can have too much but basically no Flux core has enough.

To keep it painless, just use a flux pen.

>>891822
Arent those pens a bitch to work with rather than the paste itself? I rather a tube of flux paste than those pens

>>891537
Aoyue is one of the better known Chinese brands, they've been around for a while and have their own distributor network etc.

>>891828
How would they be "a bitch to work with?" You just dab the flux on with the pen and there's no step 2.

>>890977
Get a Real Man's Weller with RT tips and enjoy three-second warmup.

>>891820
Anyone?

>>891875
no way of telling from small blurry photos. why don't you ask the seller or the company that makes it?
the setup looks really nice - but if it needs 200V/400hz 3 phase you're shit outta luck

>>891897
What do you mean by 200v/400hz


I ran into those kits while searching for weller stations but I feel they could be overkill for someone who just wants to solder wires led etc on a pcb


I got discouraged over the idea of spending 60+ on these stations for that kind of work

>>891820
it has a lot more than a retail WTCPT station

i have a old WTCPL station ( uses the same tips, has the same control system )

the difference seems to be the transformer is part of the box. also that has desoldering hardware, more tips, and picks.

>>891936
Youre right actually its the same as a wtcpt station

Too bad info on it is rare

>>891317
Had one, got many problem with the reflow.

How do you guys maintain stability when soldering?

Hands shake at times when Im about to place the iron on the wire to the board.

I assume this is where those helping hands come in play correct?

>>892645
what are you doing holding your arms out or something?
keep your wrist on the desk

>>892645
Being well rested, not consuming lots of caffeine or sugar. If you have some kind of muscle problems it's going to be tough. I've never found helping hands to be all that helpful, but then again I'm mostly doing surface mount.

>>892649
Yeah I dont have a way of keeping the board in place while having an arm out with the wire in hand and the iron in the other.
>>892652
Will the helping hands be useful for my situation though? I was thinking having it hold the board tightly closer to me and the other hand holding the wire, so I only have to have one of my hands occupied


I could possibly have high blood pressure which i heard could be a factor to having shaky hands but this comes and goes for me though. One day Ill be stable and the other id be shaking all over

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>>890703
I was given this one as a gift a few years ago, I think it was like $25-30 shipped. It has worked brilliantly.

http://www.hobbyking.com/hobbyking/store/__19240__Soldering_Station_with_Adjustable_Heat_Range_US_Warehouse_.html

>>892655
usually i hold the solder between thumb and index on left hand, board either held down under left pinky/palm or one edge held in pinky/palm one edge on desk.
pencil in right hand.

helping hands are ok but i don't feel great about crocodile clips scratching shit up and they are a pain in the arse to be honest fucking around with the clasps.

bench board holder that claps the edges of the board are nice, spin them around and stuff for ergonomics but won't help you much for soldering wires onto switches etc.

i volunteered in a soldering lab and we had this one kid that had the shakiest hands i have ever seen, couldn't keep the iron on the board never mind hit the bit he was trying to solder. tried everything to help him, just gave him a pass in the end and told him to go home.

>>892705
The alligator clips scratch the boards? These helping hands are about $5-7 on eBay I might grab one see if it helps.


Geez that's terrible about that kid how old was he, I'm sure if he was really young he would be fine once he hits 16

I'm sure I would have probably been in the same boat as he was. Thanks on telling me how you hold things might give your method a try but I'm sure you've gotten used to using your hands like that due to experience

>>892728
The ones with regular alligator clips do scratch the board a bit, yes.

Bend the component legs to keep them in place when soldering. Blu-tack or even tape will keep wires in place (but they can leave a residue, so avoid using them on the solder side). Populate the tallest components last to keep the board even on the table. A rubber table mat will keep things from sliding around.

>>892745
Thanks for the tips

Ive tried holding the wires with black tape but had no luck with it as Im working on limited space inside a plastic casing to make sure all fits well

>>892693
Funny, Never knew Yihua stations were a straight counterfeit of Hakko until I read that their machines were copies of Hakko popular stations


Im sure Hakko themselves copy Weller stuff right?

Does anyone know if you can solder a copper wire to a stainless-steel plate?

>>893276
probably, with some flux and a shitload of heat. if you've got a low powered iron i hope you're ready to sit there for a while to get the plate up to temperature.

there's no screw or you can't tap a hole to fasten the wire?

>>893276
Not easily. You need special flux for that and possibly special solder as well. Haven't seen that stuff in real life.
Brazing with silver solder and normal brazing flux works fine, though.

>>893207
No, Hakko design their own stuff. The Hakko 936 was a super-simple fully analog design, which is why everyone copied it (it's not a counterfeit unless it's trying to pass as a Hakko-made device).

>>893276
Lots of flux and heat the plate up first with a heat shrink gun or a hair dryer.

>>893276
I thought solder wasn't soluble in iron, which was why they coated soldering iron tips in it.

>>893407
That hakko 936 looks nice and simple reminds me of the WTCPT station


Wouldnt working with the chinese station be a risk itself to your work? How effective are those yihua machines

>>893499
Tin wets steel and even ordinary rosin flux kinda-sorta works. The joint just isn't particularly strong.
Stainless steel is an entirely different beast.

>>893567
Couldn't he sand the stainless steel until it is fine then wet/tin, whichever the word may be, it with his rosin solder?

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>>890703
got this bad boy a year ago, used it quite a lot, only had to replace the heating element once, but for 10$ and variable temperature what more can you want

http://www.banggood.com/907-Constant-Temperature-Electric-Soldering-Iron-Lead-free-22OV-60W-p-920554.html

>>893684
The heating element?
Might grab something like this, dont think I need something like a station to fix shit how are these with soldering wires on boards

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I was looking for desoldering braids and came across this thing

Any of you know anything about them?

>>893836
I do a huge amount of soldering and had one of those for years but only used it a couple times. It's only useful for through-hole components, and even then it always leaves too much solder behind to pull the part out cleanly. Solder wick is much better, and if you do a lot of desoldering you should get a hot air gun.

>>893843
I just need to remove this annoying plastic wire casing which I'm not sure what it's called that is on the board. I'll just go ahead and use a braid to remove the solder from the connectors on the bottom.

I saw it and thought it was interesting I'm sure it's not for small pcb work right. How do you even use it

>>893861
The piece of metal connecting the red ball to the iron tip is a hollow air tube. The tip isn't pointed like a regular iron, there's a hole in the center. You squeeze the red ball then place the hollow tip over some solder until it's liquid, release the ball to sucks up the solder away from the board, then move the iron somewhere else and squeeze the ball to spit it out .

>>893574
Have you ever tried to solder aluminum with normal solder? Stainless is somewhat similar.

>>893869
That's interesting sounds nice to have but you claim they're sort of useless because they don't get the job done completely right, probably the reason why you don't see them often

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>>890703
Hakko fx888 or Weller anything?

Those hakko fx888 stations are pretty common to find on eBay compared to Weller stations. I'm thinking of getting a hakko for that reason, should I?

Is there anything I should look out for when dealing with hakko?

>>893895
Hakko counterfeits are relatively common. Make sure you're buying from a reputable source.

I personally think the stand is the best part. It's not wobbly like the wire coil Weller AND it has an awesome wire brush to help you maintain corrosion free tips.

>>893895
Hyundai's are pretty easy to find in dealer yards compared to Bentleys. Does that make them better cars? No, it just means people are willing to sacrifice quality for cost.

Despite the fact Hakko have been around a lot longer than I thought, they are not a name that comes to mind or that I hear often in the circles I move in (avionics trade). I can't think of the last time I have seen one on a bench. Goot and Weller though, e'erywhere. Truth be told, I didn't know about Hakko until I started lurking /diy/, and was very surprised to discover they have been kicking it since the 50's. for a 60+ year old company they dont seem to have much presence..

>>893900
Apparently Hakko is big in USA and not much anywhere else.

>>893684
>>893748
They're pretty much a soldering station, variable temp and all. They can get away with such a small package because the heating core is ran at high voltage and use a triac, so the packaging is very small and cheap and works great. This is the heating core i had to replace but again, its cheap as shit http://www.ebay.com/itm/907H-220V-60W-Heater-Core-907-Iron-Core-/171907220036?hash=item2806780244:g:grAAAOxyhXRTJqbj

It's gona sound like a fucking ad already, but i've been so happy since i got it. There are different shape tips for it too http://www.banggood.com/search/907-iron.html

I needed a heating gun and a variable temp iron and considered getting one of those chineese soldering stations 2in1 but in the end its better to get 1 thing for 1 role.
But watch out, if ur in US, this wont be good since its 220v

>>893895
Careful not to buy a knock off, also look at this video
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J5Sb21qbpEQ

>>893897
>>893921

Shit there are counterfeit Hakko stations...but why?

Thanks for the warning guys , I assums its the same for Weller or are there no counterfeits of Weller?


I might go with Hakko if I cant find a Weller station


>>893900
Im sure Hakko are popular in hobbyists homes or small time soldering users

Im sure they use expensive stuff in avionics anyway

>>894101
spot the fake, i sure cant lol (obviously the banggood one they say it is, but can u be sure for the ebay one too ? since its cheapper)

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Hakko-FX888D-23BY-Digital-Soldering-Station-Includes-FX-8801-Iron-T18-D16-Tip-/171623281221?hash=item27f58b7245:g:THcAAOSwZkJURnxa

http://www.banggood.com/HAKKO-FX-888D-Style-110V-US-Plug-Digital-Display-Solder-Iron-Station-p-952902.html

see if u can find it in retail or something local

>>894111
Most of the Hakko on ebay seem to be made from Malaysia. I'm sure it has nothing to do with anything but Im going to assume the real ones are from there. Other Hakko products come from Japan however but not their fx888 stations...

>>893921
Thanks again on video link. Im actually subbed to the guy he has some very good helpful vids on how to not fuck up desoldering

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>>891251
>not using bismuth solder to do that
>not enjoying the less than 100°C melting point

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Might go for the hakko station. Ive been watching videos on the station and they seem to be pretty good.

Anyone have any personal experience with the Hakko stations?

>>894356
my fx-888 is the shit. probably best iron in its class for the money.

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>>894356
Eh. Try to get the non digital.
On the digital one, controls are pretty shitty (lol, two buttons) and it's very easy to fuck up the calibration while trying to change temperature. I find it a bit more of a hassle than to turn a knob to the desired position.
But if you can live with spending a few more seconds setting the temperature, go for it. They are good irons.

>>894360
Good to see. Leaning towards hakko because the old weller stations are a bitch to find if theyre not listed under some ridiculous price.
>>894387
Thanks for the input, I was just going to ask what the difference between digital and analog were too.

The picture is disturbing

>>894101
Buy from an authorized dealer and you'll be fine.

>>893912
Hakko's European distributor network is pretty bad. In some countries the distributor sells only to industrial customers, and Hakko's rules prevent them from selling outside their own area so you can't import one from somewhere else. Weller on the other hand is available everywhere, so there's never an issue to get tips or spare parts or whatever.

Will Kester 63/37 0.20 be good enough for soldering wires on pcb?

Are the flux pens necessary for this type of work if Im just going to solder wires from one board to another?

>>894883
I'd go for a thicker solder around the .3 to .4 range (simply so you don't need to feed an inch of solder in to get a full joint) but if it is a flux core solder then yeah, you're good without the pen.

>>894885
Thanks. I was under the impression of solder in lower in diameter was best for pcb work but I was wrong

>>894886
The narrower the better certainly, but to a point. .2 would be for SMD and other tiny work. I use .62 for all my through-hole work, seems to be a good balance between speed and flow (remember, the less time you spend on the pad/component leg the better; the thinner you go, the more time you need to spend on the pad because you're waiting for the thin solder to feed in and fill it)

>>894889
Never thought of it like that..in terms of time being spent on board

Will 30ft of the 63/37 be enough for someone just soldering wires on the board? Im going to replace the board in my xbox arcade stick for another as this one doesnt work. I have all the tools needed but not the solder

>>894892
Heh, from the sounds of it, 30ft would be a lifetime supply. Grab the smallest spool you can find if you think this will be the last job you do for the foreseeable future, automotive shops often sell small 5ft "toolbox" rolls, might be worth checking around there as well.

>>894896
I found a listing on ebay for 4 bucks for 15ft of kester 63/37 0.30 might grab two of these

>>894896
This could be my last job but I think I might stack up on it just in case I mess up and some desoldering braid


Im sure the ones found in those stores and radio shack are the chinese stuff anyways right? Ill try my luck this guy on ebay he has over 150 sold

>>891427
sharp scissors

>>894716
>>894387


Decided to for it. Bought an analog Fx888


Hope its not a fake, I got it for $110

Saw on forums that the only way to tell if its real is to open it up and look at the inner parts.


If thread is still alive when it comes Ill report it here if anyone cares or for those that are skeptical that see this thread

>>894883
A flux pen is nice to have when you need it. Just don't buy them off eBay, they're all fakes.

>>891427
thin enamel wire i was always taught to use sandpaper but its a fucking shot in the dark.
rub the iron over it get it really hot then scrape it with your fingernail or just rub it a bit more with the iron. not too quick like a danger wank just gently like you are spreading the heat a bit. just keep heating and rubbing it until you can tin it.

>>895108
Whos the asshole that recommended sandpaper anyways? I too fell for that shit, ended up fucking things up by removing the strands from the exposed wire.


Thats actually a good idea of rubbing the wand on it as you would a heat shrink. Ill try it out next time. I would solder it directly if its throuh hole let it work itself
>>895081
Are you sure theyre all fakes? Even the fucking kester ones? Fucking chinks wont leave anything sacred, theyll even counterfeit their own limbs to sell them off

>>895158
Most are fakes, all brands. If there's tons of resellers from all over the world for a product, and especially if it's cheaper than what you'd pay for at a distributor, it's almost certainly a fake. A couple of years ago I bought some fake Kester pens, thinking it didn't really matter, it's just flux. However, after just sitting in my toolbox for a few months, all the pens burst and I had to throw them away.

>>895174
How did they end up bursting? Did the fake flux pens work or were they crap durin use?

>>895190
All the pens just cracked in the bottom. Something in them must have caused a pressure buildup, never even got the chance to use them. Next time I ordered components I just added a genuine one to the basket and never looked back.

>>895242
Thats weird, did you have the box next to a heat source? Thats the only way I see them bursting, where did you get pens?

Radioshacks are shit and amazon seems the only place for me. Dont know any retailers then again never had a need to use them

>>895373
Stored in a toolbox in room temperature, not in direct sunlight. Since the discussion was about eBay fakes, take a fucking guess as to where I got them.

>>895477
Im obviously referring to the genuine one

>>895656
Not obvious at all since you were referring to the fakes in the same sentence, but Mouser. Any distributor will have them.

Has anyone here done any projects involving the arcade sticks for xbox 360 or ps4? As in padhacks to use a pad in a custom box to serve for an arcade stick?Looking into doing one of those for ps4

>>895845
Take it it's a no

Boy do I regret scraping old headphone cables


Didnt realize I could solder both entry points from my bose to a generic wire

>>894926
Its been a week but I finally received the package for the Hakko FX888


Ive inspected the unit by disassembling the top cover and compared the boards to that of a confirmed genuine unit on eevblog and to the Daves video on hacking the analog led.

Really glad its real one thing that REALLY took me by surprise was the size of the unit. I was expecting it to be a lot bigger.


Wish I can upload photos but site on mobile is acting stupid. Going to tewt it the unit out later and see how it works

Could it be possible that this desoldering braid from Goot be a fake?

I am starting to question whether its just me who is terrible at removing excess solder from wies, or solder from metal pins, or if this wick is not good.


I cant seem to be able to get the braid to eat up some of the solder after sitting here for a while with the tip on the point above the solder with the braid below the tip

Any thoughts?

>>897692
Dunno about fakes, but there are significant differences between different brands of desoldering braids. Basically coarse braid + no flux = shit. You can make it slightly better by applying flux by yourself.

>>891427
I have the Hakko CHP CSP-30-7 Wire Stripper, it strips from 20 to 30 gauge wire and works well. Only costs like $10 + shipping online.

...Also when you are trying to join small solder points on a PCB, it helps to have small wire. I used to have some 22AWG bus wire for this, but I found a place that sells 28AWG bus wire and it is much easier to use.

>>891468
>knipex 1192140 works great
>but are you sixty dollars worth of pissed off?
those are only $43 on amazon (USA) but I dunno where OP is.

I do have these-- Knipex - Crimping Pliers-Comfort Grip - 97-22-240
They did cost a lot but (if you want that style of stripper) they do work very nice.

>>891537
>Anyone have any experience with this brand/unit?
Not that one.
I have an Aoyue 968A+, the $175 one. Had it about a year now. Soldering works great and the smoke-remover is nice... I haven't used the reflow gun really, but I know it does work.

>>897693
That did the trick fucking hell never thought of it

Was helping out in an electronics lab yesterday. First experience with a bad iron. Horrible heat profile. Could only melt solder with the top 2/3 of the tip. Ad a result, one of my worst solder jobs. Managed to not get any cold solders though. The work I was repairing, they had managed to lift most of the pads for the connections, so I was having to solder to traces that I had to unmask.

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>>897952
Found this random picture on a site but I have a question regarding soldering wires on a flat metal surface on a pcb.

Any tips on soldering wires on top of the metal surface if through hole isnt possible? Was told to twist the wire in a L shape then place it on the metal surface but its very difficult for me.

>>898031
Make sure the mask is off the trace, place a blob of solder on the un-masked trace, tin the wire, hold the wire on top of the blob of solder on the board, apply iron untill solder liquefies, immediately remove iron. And hold everything still, then lightly apply the iron to clean up the mess of solder that is left and to clean up the cold solder that you made.

As far as the wire goes, try to make the exposed part follow the trace.
For what I was doing, all the wires needed to come off the board parallel to the bird in align with the few wires they managed to not mess up as it was a keypad matrix. If I had not needed to keep the top clear, I probably would have affixed the wire at aright angle. Probably would be far easier to do then what i did.

>>898062
I think I cut off my wires too long t
because its really difficult for me to hold them on. Thanks for the tips man gonna see if that shit helps because ive never soldered surface always through hole.


Ive tried that method you mentioned sort of but i am not able to keep the wire in place on the solder without it moving all over the place or it being up high I ended up giving up and started tinning the tip leaving a blob of solder on it with no positive outcome.


I think I suck at this now

>>898086
Keeping the competed joint still is the key. Ideally I will have the board blutacked to my bench, with the wire in my non-iron hand. Tin both the pad and the wire, then trim the tinned wire so it is a poofteenth shorter than the pad you intend to solder it to. Eyeball its position to ensure no components or other board obstacles will get in the way come go time. Clean off any excess solder from the pad(s), then give them a tiny touch of fresh solder as a prep.

Place your wire hand in such a way that it is on the bench, but the wire is pretty much where it needs to be, held between your thumb and index finger. If you're doing it right you should be able to pivot around on the inner pads of your thumb and finger, allowing fine movements of the wire, and dead stillness when needed.

Place the wire on top of your target pad, and as the other guy said, heat the pad till the wire sinks into the solder. While the solder is molten pivot the wire around to get nice and centered on the pad, then pull your iron out and hold for two seconds. No sweat if you need to keep trying, but if you need to try more than twice in a row maybe give the board 10 minutes to cool before you start again. You're not going to fuck much up unless you spend more than 5 seconds on a pad, and none of us were born capable of this shit. Suck it up princess.

>>898091
>blutacked to my bench
Often the board is big enough that I can secure it down by resting my soldering iron hand on it, again, eliminating arm movement and allowing fine movement of the iron with my wrist and finger. Jus sayan..

>>898062 Here.

>>898095
I usually pin the board with my wire hand, but same idea.

>>898107
Hah, nice, just depends how you juggle your tools I guess. But yeah, holding shit down with your palm and using fingers is useful as fuck.

>>898091
Thanks man youre right trial and error is the way to go. Been babied with the easy through hole board soldering. Never soldered wires on surface metal

Going to tackle it again tomorrow I know Ill get frustrated but Ill get back to it

I wasted materials today trying to get this done


Looked online and this is the closest photo I found to what Im trying to do but with this rc car board

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>>898116
Shit if somehow image wasnt placed

>>898118
Mother of god I hope you're using thinner wire than that. That's going to be half the battle. Meanwhile, can you track-trace your way to a larger location to solder to?

>>898131
Im using 24 awg seems to be fine why is that too thick


What do you mean by track tracing to a larger location? Unfortunately im soldering wires on a tiny metal surface to another small pin

>>898118

>Drakon tier hot glued solder joints.

Dear Jesus fuck.. I know that's not your board, but it's a piss poor example.

>>898136
If it's not carrying any current you should be using 28-30 AWG.

I like to tack down wires with little dots of Superglue farther away from the joint to keep from ripping pads off, works better than hot glue.

>>898259
Ive never applied hot glue on a solder joint before is that a big no or is it because this guy just lazily applied a shit ton on it?

>>898269
Theyre going to be sending data across from eachother was told 24 was a go for this kind of work

Have you done anything like this yourself?

>>898271
what exactly are you trying to do, anyway?

>>898274
soldering on rc car pcb i already did the motor but now its the annoying board but Im going to get to that in the next few minutes. feel confident about it

>>898091
>>898062
Thanks again for the tips got the wires soldered on the board and started on second.

Hope it works, I managed to get the wires on the metal surface just fine took me a while but got it to work. Some of the wires aren't fully coated with soldered but are held down on the bottom and sides and some of it on top. I ended up pressing on the wire onto the metal surface waiting for it to make a contact and released the iron.


Once I get it done I'll test the power reallyhope it works but looks like it will

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Is this thing any good for desoldering SMD?

>>898681
do you need the portability of a butane iron?

just get a good temperature controlled iron

>>898681
Dude fuck that shit

Heard a lot about butane irons and that was to stay the fuck away.

These are ticking time bombs if not used as an open flame torch

>>898562
You know, Ive been thinking about something that I havent been able to find the answer on googlewhile i was working on the car thats bugging me.

While I was soldering, I was having a hard time tinning the hook up wire. The wire wouldnt eat the solder whatsoever and havent been able to find the answer why. I suspect its because Im supposed to do something else to it? Am I supposed to add maybe flux to the cables and then add solder? I dont have a clue what the fuck was going on, but still made the connections with the solder on the metal surface.

>>899393

when the conditions are right, solder will happily be sucked into a wire, and any metal pads. the conditions are:
- enough heat to get the the whole part above the melting point of solder
- flux present either inside the solder, or applied externally to the parts to solder
- the metal is clean and solderable: copper, brass, gold, silver, tin are great, steel is so-so, aluminum is impossible.

>>899399
Ahh ok, shit is weird because I had just exposed the wires and tried to applied solder on them with no luck.

I was trying to do this at 250C could that be it? Is it supposed to be hotter

>>899475

Depends on how fast the wire's wicking away the heat (mostly dependent on how thick it is), whether you have sufficient thermal contact with it, and whether or not you have leaded solder.

For reference, though, I find I rarely set my iron to anything other than 260° (for most typical pads) or 300°C (for wires, heavy traces, or anything that's being a bitch). The typical tell that your iron isn't hot enough is that it doesn't form a nice smooth connection when pulling it away, leaving a spike or "tail" in the solder instead. This happens just as often because it needs flux, though, so it takes a bit of practice to figure it out.

>>899475
You're going to need a pretty fucking kickass iron to solder at 250. Even good irons need some headroom. Try about 300 for leaded and 450 for lead-free. Once you've got the process down you can try dialing in a closer range.

>>899477
Wait when I left spikes on the joint when I pulled away it was because the iron wasnt hot enough?
>>899486
Im using a Hakko 936 this thing is amazing. I set it at 250 to solder wires on metal surface, could that have been a reason why I was having a hard time then too?

>>899521
The 936 is decent, but 250 is still too low. Also, in case it hasn't been pointed out, use the largest tip you can. The contact area is directly proportional to the heat transfer capability. Small, conical tips look cool, but they're next to useless for most work.

>>899551
Never really thought about the tip as much. Shit I thought the smaller the tip, the better for wiring work. I did have a bit of trouble soldering these wires as I mentioned a few days back but neve thought it was because of the heat. I read 250 was best for wire on pcb, in order to not damage the boards
Whats the recommended heat? I might go back amd rework on the car but im happy shit is running

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just bought the Hakko FX888D
should get here tomorrow
tell me I did good /diy/

>>899675
Please hope that its real. the first thing you should do is remove the casing, when you open it check if the boards are Hakko branded

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>>899675
Weller user/shill here, assuming it passes this >>899749 sniff test, absolutely you did good. While /diy/ could debate for eons over wut iron is gud the FX888D is always balls deep in the discussion with good reason; It is objectively a good iron for any advanced hobbyist and there's fuck all you can not do with it given the right tips and technique. Enjoy your (hopefully genuine) solid iron OP.

>>899749
>>899757
Does Amazon really sell counterfeits?...

>>899759
Not intentionally, but if it takes pulling the lid off and inspecting the PCB to spot the counterfeit you can forgive a fake or two slipping through QC. The problem of course is by taking the lid off to check you may ruin your chance of return because warranty. The reseller risks the same problem if they pull lids to check before sale. I'm not sure how online retailers and the law roll on that front..

>>899757
Jesus christ that is a real stock image.

>>899783
>>899757
>All my motherboards smell like chicken

>>899759
Daamn nigger at least read the thread, there were people talking about the hakko stuff above your post.

The only way that I know of to check whether its real is to open it up and inspect the boards. Check for anything that would suggest that it isnt real such as shit soldering work, cheap looking boards a shit fuse etc. Compare it to a genuine board or watch the daves eevblog guy video on him modding his analog fx888 and compare it. I would start by looking for the Hakko brand tag on the boards see if its genuine because even that is counterfeited

Those chinese shits wont leave anything sacred

>>899757
Whats this bitch doing with that hot iron next to delicate pieces

>>890707
$20 weller irons are worse then than $5 honky-tonky sjingyang irons(been there, done that). So indeed take it with a quite large grain of salt.
@OP just get a hakko clone for the cheapest you can find.

>>899675
So is that shit real nigga, really hope it is for you because shit ie fucked
>>899927
I dont understand why people dont invest 80-100 on a soldering station either weller or hakko at this point. Fuck that excuse about not having money, fuck buying the fake chink garbage, and FUCK those ten dollar radio shack or any plug in irons
Obviously invest in something cheap first to get started but after youve learned the basics why not buy a known station that will last?

>>893892
I use a hakko desoldering pump daily and find it easier and quicker than desoldering braid/wick.
I admit it has it's limitations when doing really fine PCB work and also desoldering large amounts but you just do it a couple times and generally works quite well for general purpose PCB work.
For really big things like removing rectifiers and heat sinks i use the soldering iron and just a normal heat gun on the pcb.

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I've used a full size Metcal for many years and don't honestly know if I would want to go back. OKI has smaller versions with SmartHeat that do very well that are affordable. I guarantee it'll be the last rework setup you ever buy...

>>900572
Nice work space. Whats the machine with the tubes for?

>>900745

It's a Magnavox tube amp I'm rebuilding, (hence the parts off to the side.)

>>900572
6BQ5s in push pull? brofist fellow tubebro

What do I need for soldering next to an iron and solder itself? Planning to buy a Weller WHS40. Already got 63/37 solder and solder wick from Aliexpress.

Some solder wick and/or a desolder pump (some swear by wick, I swear by pumps, get both and see what works for you, both are dirt cheap) , a pair of helping hands, some heat sink clamps (till you git gud enough to not overheat your components). An iron stand with a built in sponge/tip cleaner will be helpful as well (assuming the iron doesn't come with one)

Helpful things to have on hand is acetone to clean down the solder side of PCB's before you commence work, you can use this with a (wooden handled) brass brush to clean your board once you have finished, letting you scrub off flux and other gunk without scratching shit up.

>>901919
oops, meant for >>901884

>>901884
a powered wall outlet
good eyes and a steady hand
decent lighting, perhaps a dedicated lamp and magnifier
helping hand clip things
ventilation or a filter fan thing
a table and chair
parts and a board to solder them to
safety glasses
soap to wash your hands after
a camera to take pictures to show /diy/

>>891820
>Seller
It's pronounced "Weller".

>>902167
He's referring to the person who wrote the product description you dolt.

>>902170
>dolt
It's pronounced "colt".

>>902173
>>>/mlp/

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finally came
looks and feels real enough
the tip already has solder on it though which seems kind of weird

>>902983
Tip is pre-tinned to prevent oxidization. You should always keep the tip tinned when not in use.

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So whats the best way to surely clean a board aftr work? I have flux al over the place I usually scratch it off but thats probably stupid.


Saw radio shack have pic related, is this the way to go?

>>902983
Remove the screws below and lift the blue casing and look at the boards see if theyre genuine Hakko

>>903429
Actone or white spirit/methylated spirits will dissolve most fluxes, though I prefer acetone as it leaves less residue on the board (presumably the bittering agents and other crap they put in methylated spirits is left behind on the board)

>>893836
I have one of those and it works great for thru-hole, I've used it to repair a turntable and an xbox controller so far. Wicks are definitely useful to have for surface work though.

>>903429
dish washer

>>903429
90% isopropol in a sonicator

>>903434
>>903458

Didnt see there was a discussion on this earlier in the thread's life, Ill give acetone a shot since it seems to be the most recommended

>>903442
If only

>>903434
I'd be a bit wary of using acetone, since most parts use some type of plastic casing, but I take it you haven't had problems from that?

>>903470
Well, the question revolved around flux removal, which would imply we are talking about the solder side, not the component side. So no, I haven't had that problem because the plastic is on the other side of the PCB ;)

> Plastic casing
I know transistors and semi's are acetone proof from cleaning label sticky, thermal compound, and other munge off them, only thing I could think of that might get raped is capacitors and coils that use a shrinkwrap coating.

>>899960
>Fuck that excuse about not having money
That's like saying everyone should buy a BMW because every cheaper car is shit.
>why not buy a known station that will last
Because cheap chink shit is able to work well, last well, and thus have a significant advantage (price) over wellers. Who cares to not have the creme de de la creme of everything. I can imagine when making your money with endless soldering, you should go for weller or ersa, but this is just about hobby, and chink shit is just fine for hobby.

>>903470
>>903472
After reading articles on board cleaning after work and the use of acetone, I'm a bit skeptical about it.

I'll probably try a bit of it and see what happens but I'll look into alcohol or that cleanser from radio shack.

I read acetone can be a pain to work with.
>>903533
Well those are two waay different comparisons obviously when looking into a car you have to pay attention to your budget after buying one for maintenance and gas. I see what you mean though but honestly I'd stay away from the Chinese stuff like that yihue or even the dreaded hakko counterfeits.

Why spend $60 on the Chinese stations when you can spend $80 for those genuine hakkos or hell a used Weller wtcpt stations....

Idk I just stay away from those Chinese stuff after starting with one of those radio shack wands

>>903472
>which would imply we are talking about the solder side, not the component side
But anon, they're one and the same...

>>891013
I see you're trying to dual mod your Qanba Q4. Nice.

>>892693
are there more tips available?

>>904107
I think all Hakko-936 clones use the same tips.

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>>904030
Ya know what? I'll pay that, I'm a greybeard who grew up with through-hole and wire wrap, didn't even consider SMD.

Having said that, I guess the same caveats apply. I can't think of any SMD components that will get fucked by acetone short of those highlighted (if present, also, maybe headers), might go scrub down a junk SMD PCB and see what happens.

Get a hakko, you will not be disappointed. I absolutely hate the irons we use at school, they're fucking God awful. don't cheap out on tools.

I want to start into the in electronics.
what do you recommend me ? (equipment, tips...)

>>904362
If you can't even find the electronics general thread, you're doomed.

>>904362
Like all things, bugger around following circuit paths and repairing minor problems and work your way up. I spend a lot of time just poking around old shit, have broken a fair amount of stuff in the process.

I am not a clever man, but I've been able to replace fuses and repair ignition faults in cars and build amplifiers after this.

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Cop an ungar if you can find one. I think weller bought up the brand. God teir ungar shits on hakko

Do you want to save money and nerves on the long run?
Just buy something like a hakko fx 888 for 100 dollars from ebay.
It is the cheap solution imo.
I used a shitty directly to mains 30w piece of shit for a year. Trust me when I tell you that spending a few hours to work for the extra 80 bucks is totally worth it. You'll use your soldering station for like 10-20 years so you might as well spend a few bucks for your comfort.
Also please build a ventilation system.

>>904641
>hakko fx
>from ebay.
Don't waste your money on fakes.

>>904647
>>904641
Its crazy how scary it is to buy these stations on ebay. Stick to used auctions or an electronics store
I never cared for ventilation fans but recently been messing around with a lot of soldering so breathing the flux fumes and the occasional wire insulation hurts

>>890703
Would soldering help with stuck screws?

I'm trying to fix 2 laptops but both of them have at least one screw that won't budge with any size driver.

>>905437
That happened because either you or the person before you stripped them and you probably made it worse. Look up how to remove stripped screws.


Im assuming this is the case because you said you tried multiple sized screwdrivers already and none worked

>>893836
if you remove the sucker bulb and hook it up to some high temp rated silicon tubing and that to an aquarium air pump, you can make a cheap reliable hot air solderer.

other than that, those are great for solder removal. i'd rather use a spring loaded plastic solder sucker than braid any day.

>>891471
>>891468
who says you must buy knipex there definately cheeper brands

>>891585
I bet you never soldered, are you the one of the neat breadboard threads, where you have nice organized breadboards without any useful circuit on it?

>>902167
>>902173
It's pronounced "kill yourself"

>>898681
i had pic releated i lost the tip cant make one by myself because special katalysator a new one cost 15euros the whole iron 25 euro i think

>>904180
yes hated it to also only fead free solder with crap irons they cleaned the tip with sandpaper

>>893900
>Despite the fact Hakko have been around a lot longer than I thought, they are not a name that comes to mind or that I hear often in the circles I move in (avionics trade).
I'd buy Hakko over Weller any day. Given how bad average Wellers are, I don't have much faith in them being able to make anything high-end.

>>899759
>Does Amazon really sell counterfeits?...
God yes. I have more faith in eBay than Amazon.

>>900572
Metcal is cream of the cream. Too bad the consumables are so damned expensive.

>>903429
>So whats the best way to surely clean a board aftr work? I have flux al over the place I usually scratch it off but thats probably stupid.
Use n-clean flux. If you can't 3M Novec will remove almost any flux without leaving residue.
Alcohol, etc, tends to leave behind a sticky white film.

Same guy here >>903429

>>903434
>>903458
>>907575


I ended up buying that radio shack electronics cleaner along with compressed air online for cheap to clean my computer, and the cleaner works really well.


I was able to clean all the gunk with ease only problem I faced was removing the cotton caught between pins from the swab but afterwards came out to be a clean job.

>>908041
Get some lint-free or low-lint wipes. Cotton or paper towels are IMO really bad for cleaning electronics.

>>908072
Will do, learned the hard way not to use cotton

Tookme a while pulling every string out

>>906618
Tad defensive there lad... I think you've been called out on doing it wrong and may want to consider your mistakes. After all, they're only holding you back, not us.