Techniques for Soldering Wire

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Mar 17, 2014 | 08:20 AM

#16

Franklin2

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From: Virginia

You do need the regular lead solder, it flows better and at a lower temperature. I looked online at radioshack, it looks like a lot of the stores do not stock it, but they can order it free to the store shipping. No wonder they are going down the tubes and closing stores.

Mar 17, 2014 | 11:23 AM

#17

GLR

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From: NY and VA

Quote:

Originally Posted by maytag906

I always use a good FLUX too, even with rosin core, which I believe is supposed to have the flux with it.

You want to use rosin core solder. Acid core flows a little better but, does CORRODE the copper.

Mar 17, 2014 | 07:00 PM

#18

bruno2

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From: Broken Arrow , OK

I am using a .062 diameter solder spool. I need to look and get some smaller stuff.

Mar 17, 2014 | 07:59 PM

#19

Hardtruckisthebest

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I've soldered probably 30+ joints on my truck restoration. Here's how I do it:

I use "fine electrical solder" IE not the stuff for sweating plumbing

I strip 1/2" of the jacket away. Then you want to twist the strands that stick out between your fingers so that each wire is ridgid and not all frayed everywhere.

Slip 1" of shrinktube on there

Then you do the aforementioned "X" method, cross the two wires and twist them together

With your hot soldering gun, I dip the tip into this (slovak word= kolofonia) basically it's this .........hard paste ***** that if you were a violin player, you run the violin bow through it to keep it from sliding on the violin strings.. Anyway just use some kind of flux, I dont know the english words to describe the stuff I was taught to use.

And just make sure you don't get a cold joint when you're soldering.

SOMETIMES if the solder hardens kind of .. funky, I take a tiny little file and file away the sharp points or edges, so they dont poke through the heatshrink and cause problems.

I only ever use the X method when soldering wires.

Mar 17, 2014 | 10:18 PM

#20

ctubutis

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From: Denver Metro Area, CO

I use only electronic-grade solder when doing electrical work, not sure I've ever heard of flux-core solder for this kind of work (although it may exist and I've just never used it).

Bruno - you are discovering why I now mostly use the gun; the iron is great for working on printed circuit boards but can be slow on wire connections.

Mar 17, 2014 | 10:38 PM

#21

Gary Lewis

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From: Northeast, OK

Most electrical solder is flux-core, and the flux is rosin. Acid-core, another form of flux-core solder, should never be used on electrical components or connections as the acid can eat the connections up over time. They do make a solid solder but it requires rosin to be added to the mix as you solder and that makes the whole operation more difficult.

Mar 17, 2014 | 11:15 PM

#22

Hardtruckisthebest

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Quote:

Originally Posted by Gary Lewis

Yeah I'm sure you're right, like I said I use this other stuff that they used in the old days. I tried to google my slovak word for it and came up with this, this is exactly what my dad taught me to use, he's been doing electronics stuff since the 60's.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rosin
edit/ ah yea I just read the rest of your post.. yeah I just add the rosin first and then use solder and I always had success. Ive never had the chance to try the solder with the stuff already present in it