Any tips for soldering?

[57burb]

I'm upgrading to 8mm bullets and my soldering skills (or lack thereof) are really apparent.

First of all, what solder should I be using? I've got Mininatronics 60/40 rosin core .031". I was told that would be good. However, it doesn't want to tin the stranded core wire I have. It also has a nasty habit of melting during runs.

What wattage soldering gun should I be using? I have a Hobbico 120v 60-watt gun. For some reason it doesn't seem to get hot enough to melt the solder... that melts on board the boat. That's fun.

What are the two holes in the bullet connector for? I've found them useful for keeping the amount of liquified solder inside the cup to a bare minimum.

How do you tin the stranded core wire? My solder just bubbles on top of the wire and falls off.

So needless to say, I suck at this and could use any tips you have. Thank you very much.
-Danny

[johnmaclean]

There are a number of good tutorials on youtube. Here is one from Horizon Hobby. Soldering is a skill that takes practice.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TdxEO--Q2bs&feature=related

[ron1950]

are u getting the wire hot? if its not as hot as the solder it may not take it....if u can hold the wire close to the solder joint its not hot enough...

[HYDROJERRY]

Best to get some solder on the item, then some on the peice your connecting it to then while heating one touch both together till both the solders run together, ill usauly ad more solder to the connection at the same time im connecting them together,,also putting alittle Flux on the item before you try to solder it!!!

[tlandauer]

If I may relay to you my own experience, I too suck at soldering, I found that there is a tweezer that is made specially to hold wire while you solder very useful. Go to www.micromark.com and item no. #60393. It will let you hold the wire better than pliers. This tweezer is good for 12 ga. wire, 10 ga. wire you have to squeez the tips while soldering. I recently had to use 10ga. wire and 5.5mm plug, I tin the strand first (with flux), and stick it inside the cup of the plug. (The plug is held horizontal with clamps, ofcourse). Now I station the wire inside while i hold the solder coil near the hole(s) and apply heat until the solder begins to melt and flow inside the hole, you have to decide how much you want that stuff to flow inside. After you decide it is enough, point the tip of your iron on the hole until ALL solder is melting (the just flowed in and the tin on the strand). It should liquidfy inside the hole where you can actually see it. Now wait until it is cooled down and look at the other hole, you should see solder encasing the wire inside the cup. Just my $.02...

[electric]

Use a blade type solder tip(Think Regular screw driver) melt the solder on the wire. Then melt the solder on the bullet connector. Then put the wire on the bullet connector and heat the connector up by touching the underside of the brass connector with the solder iron. It helps to put just a bit a solder on the tip of the iron before touching the brass connector. The reason is the solder helps the heat "flow" to the brass connector quickly and easily. This will cause the solder to melt on both the wire and the connector and they will fuse togther. Done. Everyone sucks at soldering at first, just keep doing it and you will get the hang of it....

[NativePaul]

You might try a soldering iron instead of a soldering gun, guns heat a lightweight tip directly which results in the tip heating up much faster but the light tip means it can cool down faster too if you try to heat up something that takes more than the 60W the gun has, whereas an iron with a big tip has enough thermal mass to remain hot enough to solder with for a while even if your soldering fat wire that sucks up the 60W.

[RandyatBBY]

I like to use a 80 watt iron and make sure the tip stays tinned. Once the iron is good and hot then touch the part to be soldered with the tip of the iron and apply the solder to the iron. Wait a little while holding the part with the iron once it starts to flow you have it made. Never leave the iron on when not in use, this will oxidate the tip and burn the center away.

[Boaterguy]

I've noticed while waiting for my Iron to cool after use it begins to oxidize, is there any way around that? I do wipe it off on a sponge until the solder hardens to ensure is stays a clean as possible.

[MR2NR]

I find if you use a needle tip with a nicer Weller type adjustable temp it nets me better results than those chisel tips. I use a Weller WLC100 and buy the replacement irons at Harbor freight instead of the expensive Weller tips :) I have to sandpaper the tip if it is oxidized. If you keep the temp low when your not using it it will not oxidize as fast but just keep applying solder and wiping it with the wet sponge.

[numse1964]

Hi

I use a DREMEL liquid gas ( lighter gas ) driven solder iron on anything from 4 mm connectors and bigger. It heats much better then my electric irons.
There is no fysical contact with the connectors so no need for replacement parts. Never had a connector problem after I started to use it.
The solder I use is STANNOL part-nr: 491038 1,5 mm. :-)

[sigelitest]

I use a gas (butane) powered iron also. it heats up much faster and no cord in the way. sounds like u are not getting the wire hot enough. The wire should wick the solder to it if it is hot enough. on the big wire and big connectors i take the end off of the iron and use it as a mini torch works real well. Your wire and connectors should not be getting so hot they melt solder.

60/40 is a good ratio

[Insaniac]

I've been able to solder 6.5mm and 8mm bullets successfully using a Weller 40 watt iron on the monster wire on the Swordfish 200A ESC's. Place the wedged tip edge against the side of the wire and get the solder (I use 60/40) to flow between the two. Keep the iron in contact with the wire until it is tinned throughout. On the bullets, I use a wooden clothes pin and clamp the jaws of the clothes pin in a small vise. I find if I cover the holes in the side of the bullets with the jaws of the clothes pin the solder stays in the cup....otherwise it runs out all over the connector. Heat the connector and flow the solder into the cup...keep the tip in contact with the bullet (cup) and insert the tinned end of the wire into the cup. You will need gloves as the wire gets very hot. The 40 watt iron heats everything very well so you will have to hold the wire very steady until the solder hardens...DO NOT LET THE JOINT MOVE...as this will create a cold solder joint at the resistance will cause the solder to melt if the motor pulls a lot of current.