So I was beginning to solder my robots together, and I was limited to lead free solder, because of the safety issues involved (This is my science fair project and they don't allow leaded stuff without hazard forms, which take weeks to be accepted, and I'm limited to one month!) and I thought it was a good idea to first put on Electronic Water soluble flux on my tip! Not a great idea because after wards the solder can't stick to the tip, and I can barely tin it. Here's the flux: http://www.homedepot.com/p/Bernzomatic-Specialty-Solder-Kit-327801/202259724. Before, the lead free solder wasn't good at all either, because it just gave off fumes, popped, and it barely sticks and I have cold joints everywhere! My soldering iron temperature is about 260 degrees Celsius, and it is this iron: http://www.amazon.com/Weller-WLC100-40-Watt-Soldering-Station/dp/B000AS28UC. Here's the solder I bought: http://www.amazon.com/Velleman-SOLDERDISPLF-Tube-Lead-Solder/dp/B004XZPVX4. And I'm wondering if anyone has advice, tips, and solutions for the position I am in right now.
Use regular lead solder and don't tell anyone.
260C sounds awfully low too. MrsCrossRoads is soldering some stuff right now, temp is set to 368C, and leadfree solder takes even higher temps.
+1
I set my iron to ~360C, depending on the size of the parts.
Your solder (link) does NOT NEED flux. It already has a resin core.
Do not put solder directly on the tip. It burns the resin, and makes the solder useless.
Only re-tin the tip after cleaning.
Rest the tip on both parts (wire/pad) for a few seconds, to pre-heat.
Then flow a few mm of solder in between. It should instantly melt.
Remove the iron 2-3 seconds after that.
Leo..
Clean the soldering iron tip with sandpaper. Fine metal-working Emery paper about 200 or 400 grit is best. Dad's woodworking sandpaper will also do it, but pick the "fine" one if he has more than one type. Mum's steel wool for washing the dishes will also work. The green plastic abrasive more commonly used in the kitchen these days won't work.
Sand the tip when the iron is cold. Get down to shiny metal. Most irons use a copper-coated tip and it's easy to go right through the copper. Don't panic if you do, but a tip without copper will erode and will need frequent touch-ups with the sandpaper. This will restore your iron's ability to "tin" and hold solder.
Flux goes on the things to be joined, not on the iron. It shouldn't usually damage the iron. Maybe there's something wrong with it. Is it properly mixed or did you get just the water off the top of the real flux?
MorganS:
Clean the soldering iron tip with sandpaper. Fine metal-working Emery paper about 200 or 400 grit is best. Dad's woodworking sandpaper will also do it, but pick the "fine" one if he has more than one type. Mum's steel wool for washing the dishes will also work. The green plastic abrasive more commonly used in the kitchen these days won't work.
Sand the tip when the iron is cold. Get down to shiny metal. Most irons use a copper-coated tip and it's easy to go right through the copper. Don't panic if you do, but a tip without copper will erode and will need frequent touch-ups with the sandpaper. This will restore your iron's ability to "tin" and hold solder.
Flux goes on the things to be joined, not on the iron. It shouldn't usually damage the iron. Maybe there's something wrong with it. Is it properly mixed or did you get just the water off the top of the real flux?
Wow, that's exactly opposite to my experience.
My iron has a coating - it's a copper tip with an iron coating, and I think it may have nickel and chrome on top of that. Sanding it would quickly go through the coating, and is not recommended at all.
And copper tips erode away very quickly. I have one (cheap) iron with solid copper tips, and I have to replace them regularly as they get eaten away.
And @brokenAvocado, I'd personally do what CrossRoads suggests - "Use regular lead solder and don't tell anyone."
(I hate the lead-free solder. It's crap by comparison.)
Quite right how is anyone supposed to know there is lead in the solder. There is no hazard in use ing lead what so ever. The only reason it is banned in some places is the faint possibility it might get into the water by leaching through land fill. The stuff is perfectly safe to use.
There's no problem hand soldering with lead-free solder so long as you use the right sort, which
is tin/copper/silver. The stuff which is only tin/copper is for machine use and very hard to work
with by hand as it doesn't rework - its not a eutectic I believe, so the melting point rises after
first use - or that's the impression I get. Yes the stuff with silver is more expensive, but one roll
can last years!
Wawa:
+1
I set my iron to ~360C, depending on the size of the parts.
Your solder (link) does NOT NEED flux. It already has a resin core.
Do not put solder directly on the tip. It burns the resin, and makes the solder useless.
Only re-tin the tip after cleaning.
Rest the tip on both parts (wire/pad) for a few seconds, to pre-heat.
Then flow a few mm of solder in between. It should instantly melt.
Remove the iron 2-3 seconds after that.
Leo..
I've tinned it so much without cleaning, is that going to pose a problem if the resin is almost gone? Do I clean the solder with a sponge or with a metal sponge? How do I make it instantly melt?
brokenAvocado:
I've tinned it so much without cleaning, is that going to pose a problem if the resin is almost gone? Do I clean the solder with a sponge or with a metal sponge? How do I make it instantly melt?
Some solder stations have a small dish for a wet sponge (special sponge).
Others have a tin of "goldilocks" (coarse stainless steel wool).
I find that a damp solder sponge works slightly better.
There should be little or no solder on the tip when you start soldering.
Solder is only added to the pre-heated pad/wire, so most of the flux (inside the holow solder) is used right there before it burns off.
If the tip looks dirty/oxidised, pre-tin the tip and wipe a few times.
Never use sandpaper on a coated tip. Then it will last for many many years of daily use.
Sandpaper/files is only for the old solid copper tips.
Leo..
260C?! That's too low for soldering leaded solder, let alone lead-free. I have my iron set at 700F (370 C). That works for leaded and lead-free solder for me, though lead-free is unpleasant to work with.
It is normal and correct for smoke to be generated when soldering. That's from the flux ("rosin core solder" - the core is rosin flux), do not be alarmed by these "fumes".
Grumpy_Mike:
It depends on what sort of iron you have and what sort of tip it has. Give us information and we can give you answers.
Ok, so my soldering iron has an iron plated copper tip, including nickel and chromium, it can reach temperatures up to 900 degrees Fahrenheit, and is from 5 to 40 watts with adjustable temperatures. The problem is after I tin the tip, after a few connections, the solder starts to not stick any more, and I have to clean it and re tin the tip, over and over. My tip temperature is about 720 degrees Fahrenheit. My question is is there something wrong with the method i'm doing right now? Also, is the brown/grey thing on the tip of my iron normal? The wet sponge kind of melted into the iron, and before I had water soluble flux on my iron and I kind of screwed it up.
You can't use a plastic bathroom sponge, it has to be a real one, you know from the sea creature, or one designed for soldering they do not melt.
That might be your problem.
If you have a coated tip do not use a metal sponge it will scratch the coating and then the solder will eat into the copper.
You should wipe your iron tip before and after every joint, or at least every time you pick up the iron and put it down.
Grumpy_Mike:
You can't use a plastic bathroom sponge, it has to be a real one, you know from the sea creature, or one designed for soldering they do not melt.
That might be your problem.
If you have a coated tip do not use a metal sponge it will scratch the coating and then the solder will eat into the copper.
You should wipe your iron tip before and after every joint, or at least every time you pick up the iron and put it down.
I'm pretty sure the sponge that Weller gave me isn't the bathroom sponge, and also how can I remove the solder from my tip for tinning? Also, how can I determine whether the core has been compromised or not?
Since you're applying fresh solder for every joint, the soldering iron tip shouldn't be going weird on you until you let it sit for a few minutes... You are applying fresh solder as you're making the joint, right? You will not make an effective joint by putting solder on the iron, and then trying to use that solder to make the joint - by the time you get it to what you're soldering, all the rosin flux is gone (thats what the smoke is from), so the solder won't wet what you're soldering.
You only tin the tip of the iron so it makes better thermal contact with what you're soldering - that's not where the solder you're putting into the joint is coming from.
Also - water soluble flux is the wrong flux to use, even if you do need flux for some reason (I've used flux on tricky joints, and for soldering SMDs - but "no clean gel flux", the stuff that comes in the plastic syringe. I got mine on amazon)
DrAzzy:
Since you're applying fresh solder for every joint, the soldering iron tip shouldn't be going weird on you until you let it sit for a few minutes... You are applying fresh solder as you're making the joint, right? You will not make an effective joint by putting solder on the iron, and then trying to use that solder to make the joint - by the time you get it to what you're soldering, all the rosin flux is gone (thats what the smoke is from), so the solder won't wet what you're soldering.
You only tin the tip of the iron so it makes better thermal contact with what you're soldering - that's not where the solder you're putting into the joint is coming from.
I put the solder to tin the iron, then use the spool of solder for my connections in combination with that tinned iron. The solder for the Joint is from the spool, not the iron. I just tin it for what you said.
Grumpy_Mike:
So what model do you have?
I have the Weller WLC100 40 watt iron with the station and changeable watts and temperatures. This is my iron: Amazon.com
Wouldn't that damage the tip? I have a coating on it, and I'm worried about what others have said about a brass pad and a soldering tip with a coated tip leads to the coating rubbing away and damaging the copper core in the process.
