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Grrr... I am still a suckass solderer

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MaximRecoil:


--- Quote ---Heat the iron -> tin the tip -> place against wire -> touch solder to wire, when wire is hot enough solder melts -> remove iron as solder melts -> wipe iron on damp sponge

Is that about right?
--- End quote ---

Yeah, you'll see the solder flow down through the wire and it will permeate it quickly when hot. Then remove the iron and solder wire at the same time.

I have actually done official solder training (both being a trainee and a trainer) when I worked in a PCB factory. I am SMT certified and soldered/inspected/repaired about 1000 PCB's a night for the 2 years I worked there. I did both surface-mount and through-hole. We had $500 Metcal MX500 irons that were the greatest thing since cheese in an aerosol can. The boards we built were for elaborate fire alarm systems like are used in schools and hospitals and such; they were categorized as "life-saving equipment" so they were extremely fussy about everything, from the soldering to the glassed in climate controlled environment to the static straps and anti-static coats.

But anyway, some types of soldering can be tricky like replacing a small 40 leg surface mount IC, but soldering a spliced wire together is pretty basic, and the same principles apply across the board for all types of soldering. If your joint is clean, you have enough heat and you have quality flux-core solder, it will solder. Keeping the tip cleaned and tinned is good practice, but not essential unless somehow the crud is thick enough to insulate the tip to the point that you aren't getting enough heat from it; though I can't say I've ever seen that happen.

ChadTower:


The thing that gets me at this point is that you had that iron on the wire for only a couple of seconds... I could do it that way for 15 and not get the solder melted. 

MaximRecoil:


--- Quote from: ChadTower on December 14, 2005, 12:13:24 pm ---
The thing that gets me at this point is that you had that iron on the wire for only a couple of seconds... I could do it that way for 15 and not get the solder melted.
--- End quote ---


ChadTower:


The other thing I noticed is that since you have iron in one hand, solder in the other, something else is holding the wires.

I should do that.  I have one of those helping hands things but never use it because the magnifying glass makes it tip over.  Dumb thing.

RayB:


--- Quote from: ChadTower on December 14, 2005, 12:13:24 pm ---The thing that gets me at this point is that you had that iron on the wire for only a couple of seconds... I could do it that way for 15 and not get the solder melted.
--- End quote ---


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