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Grrr... I am still a suckass solderer

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DrewKaree:
Basic Soldering Guide

http://www.epemag.wimborne.co.uk/solderfaq.htm

ChadTower:

Nice, Drew.  I'm reading it now.  Work can wait.

koz319:
I second the recommendation to get a soldering gun.  It provides much more heat, without having to wait for the iron to heat up.  I use one when replacing the coils and switches in my pin, works much better for these types of soldering jobs than my irons.  I picked mine up at the local home depot for something like $30. 

If you dont want to get a gun, what size tip are you using?  If the tip is too fine, it can be harder to get enough heat to the coil lug.   Also, be careful sanding your tips.   Some tips are jacketed, and if you sand through the jacket into the material underneath (can be copper) you have ruined the tip.

Anyway, good luck! 

Koz

(see pic of gun)

SirPeale:
LOL...today I hear the sound of a propane torch, so I check out what's going on.  I see Cool Guy heating the tip of his soldering iron.  He says "Cool thing about these is you don't have to wait for your iron to heat up, you can just heat it with fire!"

Doughbroz:
Yep, I have two of those Wellers lying around for big jobs.  When the tip burns in half, no need to buy new ones--just bend a piece of 14 gauge solid copper wire into the approximate shape and you're ready to go.  No need to fiddle with the ends so they go from inside to outside of the socket either.  Just stick them straight through from one side and tighten the jam nut.  Takes about 30 seconds and lasts just as long as a new tip.  You can also bend the wire to a desired shape and melt chunks out of a styrofoam block to pack parts in, store things, make insulators, all kinds of neat stuff.  You can also lay a nice straight piece of #12 wire in a sawn slot, hook the gun up to it, and heat plexi for bending.  Dunno how big a piece you could handle, but it worked great for a 90 degree bend in 3/16 plexi 12" wide. 

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