# Need soldering iron help from you manly men.



## TotoWeRNotInKansasAnymore (Apr 7, 2011)

Seriously guys, what the heck is the trick to working with a soldering iron and soldering wire? Think small soldering iron and repairing something electronic. The wire melts, the little balls forms, but then doesn’t stick where I need it to. It just rolls away. UGH!!! I've even tried holding the tip of iron and wire really close to electroncis wire I'm trying to solder back down and it looks like I've almost burned it.

My friends often say I have a lot of patients but this little repair project is about ready to fly across the room.


----------



## Halien (Feb 20, 2011)

TotoWeRNotInKansasAnymore said:


> Seriously guys, what the heck is the trick to working with a soldering iron and soldering wire? Think small soldering iron and repairing something electronic. The wire melts, the little balls forms, but then doesn’t stick where I need it to. It just rolls away. UGH!!! I've even tried holding the tip of iron and wire really close to electroncis wire I'm trying to solder back down and it looks like I've almost burned it.
> 
> My friends often say I have a lot of patients but this little repair project is about ready to fly across the room.


Remember: The solder follows the heat. You heat the contact point to be soldered, then apply the solder to the intersection of that point and the iron tip. Correct me if I'm describing this wrong, guys. I don't do it very often. More adept at copper pipe soldering.


----------



## unbelievable (Aug 20, 2010)

Try heating the wire instead of directly heating the solder. Once the wire is hot, touch the solder gently to the heated wire and it should melt. Let gravity drag the solder down the wire. This may not be the right answer but it's the way I do it and it works for me.


----------



## TotoWeRNotInKansasAnymore (Apr 7, 2011)

Thank guys! I will try it that way. I was touching the soldering wire directly to the tip of iron before. My son thanks you also. I’m trying to repair an accessory for his Xbox.


----------



## Halien (Feb 20, 2011)

TotoWeRNotInKansasAnymore said:


> Thank guys! I will try it that way. I was touching the soldering wire directly to the tip of iron before. My son thanks you also. I’m trying to repair an accessory for his Xbox.


Sorry, that produces unpredictable results. Like spattering. Curse words. etc.


----------



## vmax (Jun 1, 2011)

its been a long long time since 7th grade shop class but I remember using a flux 


or search google you might get lucky and find a youtube video on how to do it--thats how i found how to fix my lawnmower


----------



## Zulu (Apr 16, 2010)

The thing is, both items that need soldering need to be the same heat, so heat up the "to be soldered" thing and then jst dab a drop of solder on and it will flow and then remove the heat and give a light blow, will cool it down sufficiently to make it stick.


----------



## BigBadWolf (Nov 30, 2009)

Halien said:


> Remember: The solder follows the heat.


This is most likely your issue.

In soldering, cleanliness counts. 

Use alcohol to clean all contact points, typically with a swab, and keep tip of your iron clean AND coated in a layer of solder (tinning), and right before soldering clean tip again (such a lab wipe dabbed in alcohol or similar, some soldering irons have a sponge in the base for cleaning the tip).

Not sure what exactly you are soldering, but if a bare wire or similar then tin the end of wire with a coat of solder before making a joint. Integrated chip pins or similar will NOT need to be tinned.

Heat both contact points with tip of iron for a few seconds, you can apply solder BRIEFLY to tip of iron to get it flowing, then apply solder to joint.

Do not heat up too long of course, or attempt to do too many "redos", as the heat can damage electronic chips or cause printed circuit board traces to lose contact and "lift" off the board. 

Not sure in this case, but if you can adjust the heat of your iron then start out lower rather than hotter (700 degree F or lower for small work, increase to 750 F or more for larger pieces, use only enough heat as necessary).

Remove solder first and then remove iron to avoid solder "spurs". 

A good solder joint should exibit smooth flow all around and be bright and shiny as a mirror.

Flux, many electronic solders have a "flux" core, if so that is fine. If not it is okay to use a small amount, say from a can, on such electronic work, but be wary of using too much and clean it up afterwards, as the acids in some flux can erode connections over time if left on.

Hope this helps, good luck.


----------



## RandomDude (Dec 18, 2010)

I hate soldering, it's like TIG welding, one f up and BAM, not like MIG where you can just grind all the ugly spots down, and that's why I never work with electronics!


----------



## bill2011 (Feb 5, 2011)

Like the other posts mention, you should be using solder which has a flux core, most solder for electronics does; however solder for plumbing does not. You always heat what is being soldered not the solder itself. If attaching a wire to a contact point you should tin the wire first. Which means strip the wire and heat it with the iron and apply some solder. Then you heat the contact point and they wire should just melt together because it already contains solder.

Hope this helps.
Bill


----------



## Enchantment (May 11, 2011)

unbelievable said:


> Try heating the wire instead of directly heating the solder. Once the wire is hot, touch the solder gently to the heated wire and it should melt. Let gravity drag the solder down the wire. This may not be the right answer but it's the way I do it and it works for me.


Ha Ha, I can't help it! When I read through some of these posts, I had to laugh because I can see this as a parody for something a lot more intimate. Ya'll are talking about JUST soldering, right?


----------



## Therealbrighteyes (Feb 11, 2010)

Enchantment said:


> Ha Ha, I can't help it! When I read through some of these posts, I had to laugh because I can see this as a parody for something a lot more intimate. Ya'll are talking about JUST soldering, right?


Jesus, I was thinking the same thing. Heat up the wire and let gravity pull it to the source. Apparently I am not the only pervert here.


----------



## unbelievable (Aug 20, 2010)

Just my luck. Sitting in the midst of the Great Nookie Drought of 2011, couldn't heat my wife up with a blow torch. When I finally do get a reaction out of someone, it's unintentional and I'm talking about soldering. Y'all think that's hot, you ought to see me lay tile! I got ceramic game.


----------



## Halien (Feb 20, 2011)

Therealbrighteyes said:


> Jesus, I was thinking the same thing. Heat up the wire and let gravity pull it to the source. Apparently I am not the only pervert here.


Wait 'till the thread about layin' pipe comes up. Or tongue and groove brazillian cherry.


----------



## Therealbrighteyes (Feb 11, 2010)

Halien said:


> Or tongue and groove brazillian cherry.


Is a chisel being used?


----------



## Halien (Feb 20, 2011)

Therealbrighteyes said:


> Is a chisel being used?


Sadly, no, but lots of caressing and a power driver. Lots of sweat too.


----------



## Sawney Beane (May 1, 2011)

Enchantment said:


> Ha Ha, I can't help it! When I read through some of these posts, I had to laugh because I can see this as a parody for something a lot more intimate. Ya'll are talking about JUST soldering, right?


Just as well he didn't mention sometimes the only way to get the bits clean enough is a good going over with a bit of sandpaper followed by a dunk in acetone


----------



## TotoWeRNotInKansasAnymore (Apr 7, 2011)

It’s not the prettiest soldering job, but the Xbox accessory works again. Yeah!!! 

Believe part of my initial soldering frustration had a lot to do with not having the proper solder wire. The solder wire came with the Weller soldering iron when I purchased it. Package only stated the solder wire included was lead free. It was solid, more flat than round and also a light in color. Kind of a brushed tin shade, unlike a silver-ish color. If that make any sense. 

Anyhow, it’s been a learning experience. Thanks for the help everyone.


----------



## TotoWeRNotInKansasAnymore (Apr 7, 2011)

Halien said:


> Wait 'till the thread about layin' pipe comes up.


:lol:


----------



## TotoWeRNotInKansasAnymore (Apr 7, 2011)

You gotta love how everything in the hardware store is classified with a “female end” or a “male end”. Definitely a mans ideal shopping place when a store freely uses terms like that. LOL!!!


----------



## Runs like Dog (Feb 25, 2011)

All engines that don't start are female.


----------

