how to solder? continue from my status update

[froggy8]

ok guys i thought i would continue in a new thread 🙂 

 

pictures from what i did last night, i think it took me over an hour to solder 2 wires to the motherboard 😄 

 

 

@JonnyUK this is the closest i could find that is similar to what ive got:

 

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/335112664458?hash=item4e0645758a:g:V24AAOSwmbtlXaWb&amdata=enc%3AAQAIAAAA4Je%2FOoANPG42RGCe8WMmHaIAmSyJpwfQ2Mi3%2Fd3QbQ0yr1bMlVABlR1OtFaq%2BnM08KvnUXn0z%2F172VNpmYjQQsMp8kcD4qHU%2FklU2cWBUSIOYCHW9a99CHlCBBymjIXxMVSKU2tA%2BHuGuORjuyZAD%2FpUAuv3MGom6mQ%2F%2F4HXDPmJGlGF71tntmo4EmdUquvd3lEnSm21DWn8slo%2Ffpv4s2ZVvCnXAEP40XXdyNP%2F%2BXnfY4ZzgRvaGVNhDO4ES%2FJao%2FpfEEEcEXayFe7hbf3ze67mmVqVen3FMwXfQLQmapso|tkp%3ABk9SR9SxlOCCYw

 

ok guys, i really could do with a decent soldering iron or station, i am leaning more towards a station as obviously that can do more and it could help me more too so could anyone recommend me one please?

 

many thanks again guys 🙂 

[froggy8]

i really dont think the solder i used has any flux in it.

[Lone-wolf]

decent solder will make all the difference, cheap solder is now lead free and does not flow like decent solder, here is a link to a seller i use on ebay this gives an idea of what spec https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/163796595676?var=463342878360

[froggy8]

nice one! solder is sorted 🙂 

 

il be getting the special brass wool and solder mat but just need a decent solder station now.

Edited November 28, 2023 by froggy8

[Stormbringer]

Solder with lead and flux in it is way to go just make sure its electrical/electronics solder as plumbers solder the flux is often corrosive 

[Lone-wolf]

I have a soldering station but dont use it, as i have an ancient soldering iron a friend gave me years ago that just does the job

[froggy8]

brilliant! il keep that in mind 🙂 

[froggy8]

so if i get solder with flux in it then i dont need to get any flux?

[Stormbringer]

More or less , ive never used solder without flux in 40 odd years of soldering stuff at work or at home and have never needed separate flux

[froggy8]

nice one, good to know mate

[Alex97]

I'd also consider - Dremel Versatip 2000 Cordless Soldering Iron https://amzn.eu/d/5C263N

 

I've never used one however for the odd occasion I need to solder having the portability would be handy. If I was soldering a lot then maybe it wouldn't be the right option. 

 

[wolfie1]

I use a Snap On gas soldering iron, had it for many years now and its great, i did buy a lidl gas 1 to use  at home and it is rubbish in comparison, so you def get what you pay for in soldering irons, that being said i have never used a soldering station so cannot compare the 2

[m4inbrain]

Many moons ago i purchased a chinese clone soldering station (like, actual 10 years ago):

 

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Soldering-Station-Welder-Rework-Repairing/dp/B074Z84TDL?th=1

 

works a treat to this day. If that at some point goes poof, i'll be sure to order another one. I genuinely never had the need for anything else, and i've been through a lot of RCs/solder jobs.

 

In regards to soldering itself: as was mentioned a lot, your joints there were rather dry. It does look to me like your iron doesn't get hot enough (or doesn't transfer enough heat). For small pointers, try to heat up both sides generously, without melting stuff (both pad and wire need to be hot to form a nice joint). Solder doesn't flow well over cold surfaces. Pre-tin both your wire and tip generously (not so much that it drips, but enough that it is all nice and shiny). A pre-tinned wire doesn't need additional solder to adhere to a pad, if you heat up the pad and melt the solder of the pre-tinned wire, it'll flow together. A pre-tinned tip on your iron (clean the tip in a copper sponge, then add "a cm or so" of solder) helps it to spread heat much faster. 

 

As was also mentioned, solder is important. Personally i discovered eutectic solder a year or so ago for myself, won't go back to anything else. The difference is the way the solder solidifies - normal solder goes hard slowly, so you melt everything, and then you can wiggle stuff around until it "slowly" hardens. Eutectic solder is basically "on" or "off". It's either melted, or it's not. It immediately solidifies, not gradually like normal 60/40 solder. 

I use this solder in particular: 

 

https://www.flyingtech.co.uk/accessories/tbs-multicore-6337-rosin-core-solder-wire-real-100g-05mm

 

and i absolutely swear by it. Soldered everything from tiny SBUS wires (24 gauge or something) to QS8 connectors (6-8 gauge), and it is rock solid. 

Other than that, there really isn't much to it. Heat up both ends, pre-tin the wire and tip, and just have at it. Make sure the iron has the "correct" temperature (mine's set to around 380 degrees for most jobs apart from big wires for 8s+), understand that solder only really flows on hot surfaces (meaning both wire and the stuff you wanna put the wire onto need to have temperature), and it'll become super easy. The two things mentioned here (station and solder) don't break the bank and will do 100% all of the jobs required in RC use, with ease. 

 

edit: as an example for an XT connector, this is how i do it: get the connector/bullet into a 3rd hand (invaluable help for connectors), pre-tin the soldering tip generously, hold the wire against the tip (from the bottom, so you can "push" against the wire a little bit), and hold the solder where the tip meets the wire. After a few seconds (can take a little while for thicker cables) you'll see the solder pull into the wire, at that point just make sure that all of the exposed wire is covered in tin (if a drop forms, it's too much). Once the wire is pre-tinned, i just stick the soldering tip into the bullet connector for a few seconds (making sure that there's a generous amount of solder on the tip again) - while holding solder against the metal of the connector. The connector itself eventually becomes hot enough (few seconds, again) to melt the solder itself - fill the bullet around a quarter to a third way up with solder and let it cool down. Here's where things can go a bit wrong, in the beginning i did melt a few connector housings this way, but once you've done a few connectors, you can easily judge how much heat you can throw at the bullet inside the housing before melting the plastic. There's a slight help you could use there as well, by connecting the connector that you're soldering to the corresponding male/female connector (just a connector housing, not attached to an ESC or battery). 

 

Once both sides are pre-tinned, i just stick the iron back into the bullet while at the same time holding the wire against the tip (so the tip is basically sandwiched between bullet and wire), liquifying the solder on both parts (you can see it become shiny). Once liquid, you just pull the soldering iron out of the bullet while pushing the wire into the connector, wait a second until solid, done. 

 

It's kinda hard to explain, i hope it makes sense. Looks like this then.

 

 

That's straight from the iron, no brushing or anything. 

Edited November 29, 2023 by m4inbrain

[froggy8]

many thanks guys 🙂 

i only chose a station as it seems better for a beginner such as myself. 

i am really determine to master this art 😄 

at this moment i dont think i will be soldering anything rc, i dont have any and not sure if i will be getting any.

all i am thinking about is soldering motherboards, i know it will be harder as everything on a mobo is tiny but i am guessing once i can solder mobos then i am sure il be able solder anything rc.

 

i can get all the rest of the bits i need such as specail wool, mats and solders, i can take the link what @m4inbrain and @Lone-wolf put up.

 

i am just struggling to find a decent station though. there are so many out there 😞 

[m4inbrain]

24 minutes ago, froggy8 said:

i am just struggling to find a decent station though. there are so many out there 😞 

 

Not really. 

 

The one i linked is all you need. It will do everything you need it to do and more, and it lasts (mine's over 10 years old). If you don't want to go "cheap", you buy a Hakko FX888D. 

 

That's it. Everything else is either worse, or not as much value. And i very certainly wouldn't suggest going over £150 on your first soldering station unless you intend to start doing it semi-professional to get paid. 

 

edit: for MB soldering i'd certainly suggest getting a sucker pen too.

Edited November 29, 2023 by m4inbrain

[froggy8]

apologies mate, completely missed that station link, yeah i think il get that one 🙂  that is very similar to the one i sold on here few years back. nice one bud 🙂 

i think i am sorted for now but be warned everybody, i will most certainly be asking for more help when i hit a brick wall 😄 , i tend to do that alot 😄 

[m4inbrain]

No worries lol, i'm chewing the ears off people who know how to paint hard shells currently lol.

[froggy8]

😄 that is me all over, i like to ask loads of questions. if you dont ask then you wont know 😄 

 

 

[froggy8]

oh forgot to mention, when you recommended the pricey solder station ( hakka) i would say no as that is nearly 200 squid, as nice as it is, i cant pay that much.

[JonnyUK]

1 hour ago, froggy8 said:

oh forgot to mention, when you recommended the pricey solder station ( hakka) i would say no as that is nearly 200 squid, as nice as it is, i cant pay that much.

You don't need a fancy soldering station.  They are more for people doing it everyday.

I own two irons, both about £15.

A 15w small point and a larger flat ended one, think it's 45w.

I use the 15w for most tasks.

If I ever need to solder large things such as battery cable on full sized cars, I use my mini blow torch instead. 

 

Use heat shrink and a lighter for a tidy safe result.  Glued heat shrink for waterproofing. 

[froggy8]

i am not getting a pricey one, i will be getting the 936d which is around 40 new, i think that is a good price for a station 🙂 

thank you for the tips (pun not intended) 

keep your ideas/suggestions coming as i know i will need all the help i can get.

 

cheers again mate 

[Cactus]

I've had a few chinese soldering stations in the past but wasn't impressed with any of them, I have two Weller irons that are over 20 years old and work amazingly so I've stuck with those.

I've also got a Weller gas iron in my RC bag for repairs out and about, that's great too!

 

Good luck on your soldering journy dude.

[MAZ]

Just been reading through this thread as I need a soldering iron/Station as I can't find my old one (I have a feeling that I may have given it away years ago..)

 

Bookmarking this solder for later on 🙂

https://www.flyingtech.co.uk/accessories/tbs-multicore-6337-rosin-core-solder-wire-real-100g-05mm

 

just need to find a half decent soldering station now