Why is my soldering so bad?!

[angellonewolf]

Not usually required and in some cases really it's to be avoided. Previous job we built a lot of extremely high end SDRs and the process of cleaning the PCB caused more harm than good when it came to RF performance. Rework had to be done neatly to eliminate the need for cleaning.

teacher and later in collage lecture said to remove any flux used as it has a cleaning action and keeps cleaning unless removed

i dont know where thats right or wrong i use isopropyl alcohol to clean it off with a paper towel or toilet roll cotten ear buds again prob not the right stuff but then again its not as what i do is being sent in to outer space

 

[Seadog]

I've a couple of battery valve radios I made around 1957/8. Ersin multicored solder, never cleaned, never corroded. (I love the smell of the flux. I used to make a point of inhaling it at every opportunity

 

[sako243]

teacher and later in collage lecture said to remove any flux used as it has a cleaning action and keeps cleaning unless removed

As always it depends on the flux being used. It was more related to the process used during the pcb fabrication stage (on assembly lines) because the baths that they put them in caused the issues. It wasn't actually the space things that caused a problem because they're usually very robust (and eye wateringly expensive, one chip the commercial variant was about £100, the space built but not certified one was about £10k (for testing on earth) and the actual one to go into space was closer to £100k, 8 month lead time and made to order).

The components it affected were very fragile and high performance RF items. So we worked with the manufacturer and changed the flux to one that was more difficult to work with but meant it didn't require cleaning afterwards. Cleaning by hand after rework wasn't usually an issue because you could be careful around the sensitive parts.

IPA is what was used but it evaporates off quite nicely or you can give it a quick blast of air from a compressor so you don't really need to clean it off per se.

 

[Pigeon_Droppings2]

I used to have problems soldering on boards...copper pipe was always ok.

My problem was the iron...in the end I bought a temperature controlled iron where you can just dial in the heat and job done.

I liked it so much I also bought the hot air temperature controlled heat gun too ...lot easier for working in chips.

 

[Wozzaaah]

I bought some lead-free stuff a while back and just couldn't get on with it at all so bought a reel of Loctite stuff instead, it works perfectly.
Linky to some on Ebay.... much cheapness!

 

[mtt.tr]

Im happy to use lead free and leaded never really noticed any difference

 

[fizzy]

I'm not a bad stick welder. Self taught, pretty neat, and nothing I've made, including most of the equipment/machinery of a 24 ton ocean going boat, has ever broken (at the weld that is.....but let's not go there). Yes, I know, it's 'cos everything I make is heavier than Belgium....

But I can't solder worth a damn. Electrical that is. I can manage a solder joint in a copper pipe!

I've looked at videos, used different irons, guns, solder, but where are those nice shiny blobs other people manage to effortlessly produce? What's the secret? I am the dry joint champion of the world.

Get an Antex iron. The difference is spectacular. Their 20W outperfoms other people's 100W irons. It is all down to the collet type bits. Far better heat transfer than the screw on types.

 

[Pigeon_Droppings2]

This solved my temperature issues...just dial in the temp you want. They aren't expensive these days...

 

[Wozzaaah]

Im happy to use lead free and leaded never really noticed any difference

It was probably the brand I bought to be honest, it wasn't a well-known make.

 

[daleyd]

It was probably the brand I bought to be honest, it wasn't a well-known make.

Happy shopper

 

[mtt.tr]

This iron set was peanuts and lives in my tool box, its no weller but it works well full set was £20

Improved by a decent rubber flex the pvc one was awful.

 

[tflnemesis]

My Antex rework station is a lovely piece of kit, digital heat settings on both the iron and heat gun.

4 different tips for the iron from large chisel to small point and the heat transfer from the iron is amazing.

All the other irons i own range from 30w-60w(mains) and none of them are as good as this one (24v 50w).

 

[Maker]

Get an Antex iron. The difference is spectacular. Their 20W outperfoms other people's 100W irons. It is all down to the collet type bits. Far better heat transfer than the screw on types.

The T12 eSCHEn recommended and the very similar TS100 should be even better, the heating element and tip are stuck together in a replaceable cartridge. JBC irons are the same if you're made of money.

 

[angellonewolf]

JBC irons are the same if you're made of money

i got a jbc was looking on ebay for a year before i got one and cost a quid or two for the extra solder tips i bought 7 in total but well worth the money heats up in 3 or 4 secs and when put in holder it reduces the heating down a low temp when you remove the iron it heats back up ine 3 secs again

a very good unit but yes pricey but worth it

 

[sako243]

JBC units are a different kettle of fish, certainly when it comes to tips... Just bought 3 replacements for my NASE rework station and bill was into triple figures .

Lovely soldering iron for surface mount stuff though.

 

[angellonewolf]

The jbc is very old but I got 6 tips in total

I just checked the price of replacement tips I just cried

 

[fizzy]

The T12 eSCHEn recommended and the very similar TS100 should be even better, the heating element and tip are stuck together in a replaceable cartridge. JBC irons are the same if you're made of money.

No doubt even better but the Antex is very very good and typically costs around £22!

 

[sako243]

No doubt even better but the Antex is very very good and typically costs around £22!

Look at the dimensions though - at least with the Antex ones you're probably getting a decent chunk of metal with it . These are tiddly.

 

[Maker]

I've got a JBC cartridge somewhere, the plan is (Was? it's been a couple of years ) to make a "station" that slots on top of a DeWalt battery, I'll get round to it one day.

 

[DennisCA]

Is it me or does the solder with resin it go bad if you heat it too long? It always seemed like that to me, I figured the flux was used up and this stuff would no longer wet out as well.

A big change for me was a proper soldering station with temperature control. Really made a big diff... I got the Hakko 888 sometihng, the one which looks like a toy, except in silver instead of blue.

I use Stannol lead and tin based solder with flux. Looked at my local store and it's now replaced with lead free alternative. But this I got should last decades, I solder rarely.