Soldering 5mm bullets?!

[Titzwhip]

What's the easiest way to solder them? Looking to convert over to them on my new set up

[krashkrieg]

With a soldering gun...lol...sorry, couldn't resist.... there are lots of tutorials on you tube for soldering.
Not sure if you are using on small setup, but 5.5mm have more contact area than 5 mm (and even 6mm!)

[T.S.Davis]

Stick with an iron. The gun doesn't stay hot as the tip is small. It says 200 watts but the tip is the size of a grape seed. 40 watt with a chisel tip is all you need.

I think Steve sells a jig but I simple piece of wood with a whole in it to hold the connector works.

[Titzwhip]

Lol thanks, I've got a gun and large iron but can't find the iron I'll have to pick one up after work

[gsbuickman]

Hiiya ,

I am running 5.5mm bullets on everything, and you can't beat this deal...

http://m.ebay.com/itm/310894441835?nav=WATCHING_ACTIVE

I picked up a helping hands set & a butane pencil torch from harbor freight ($10) . I put one of the connectors in an alligator clip of the helping hands. Then I heat the connector up with the torch & fill it with molten solder until its 1/2 way full, using the torch to keep it hot. Then I stick my pre prepped lead in the connector and remove the heat. I hold the lead so its vertical in the connector until the solder sets.

make sure you wear a glove when holding the wire, there's a lot of heat transfer that comes up the lenght of the wire. Its a fast slick way to solder bullets. The higher heat seems to make a stronger adhesion to the lead (s) then when I used an iron.

BTW: you don't need the torch on the bullet the whole time your soldering, just enough to keep it hot.

[Titzwhip]

Thanks!!!

[ron1950]

I use a soldering station they are about 75 bucks or so....the tip is soooo hot u can solder 6 or 7 5,5's in 10 min or so.....

[HydroMike]

I use a small torch easy and fast

[ray schrauwen]

Weller 80 Watt

If you abuse it it will last a good 4 years like mine. If you take care of it better than I it will last much longer.

BTW, after I take the heat off a male connector I quench it with a cold wet solder sponge so it does not stay soft by cooling slowly.

[ray schrauwen]

My solder jig. One peice of scrap wood and 3 wood close pegs CA'd down to the wood block. Then add weight. You can make a bigger block with more close pegs to do big jobs but, I find 3 is enough specially when doing motors.
After a while I replace the close pegs or rebuilt the whole thing because resin builds on pegs and makes connectors specially males all grungy with resin.

[Shooter]

I'm always learning things from you, Ray. Love the clothes pin idea.

The one thing I hate is the connectors with the side holes. Nothing like solder dribbling out and having to scrape it off. It's aggravating. Just give me a half moon shape, or solid pocket that I can heat and dip the wire.

[krashkrieg]

Ray, that's a great idea, thanks!

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[Luck as a Constant]

ray thats genius thanks!

[ray schrauwen]

Not many people have clothes pegs anymore, hardly anyone ever puts there skivvies out on the line these days, I don't either I borrowed them from a neighbor and never gave them back. You know, you don't need use bleach to whiten your whites if you dry them in the sun, it seems to do it naturally. Thx, G-night.

[capnswanny]

Great idea with the clothes pins Ray!
I would be careful with quenching as it can make the solder joint brittle.
I'm a solder tech for the US Navy, we target a nice bright solder joint cooled at room temp. If you want a more solid solder joint you can step up to the silver solder (lower lead content), it also has a higher melting point.
Again, thanks for the jig tip!