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12th May 2021, 21:38 | #11 |
Gets stuck in
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Make sure the wire you are soldering isn't tarnished too.
Copper that has gone dark wont take solder. It needs to be bright and shiny. You can dip it in vinegar for 10 mins or so before hand which usually removes the tarnish. Then put some flux on it before soldering with a 60/40 solder. Lead-free is harder work for beginners. |
14th May 2021, 20:12 | #12 |
Regular poster
Rover 75 Saloon Join Date: Dec 2020
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Use a decent temperature-controller soldering iron, decent brand solder and lots of flux.
Having said that a lot of wire these days is awful quality. |
15th May 2021, 10:22 | #13 |
I really should get out more.......
Rover 75 CDT Club Tourer Join Date: Nov 2006
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Absolutely correct, flux is very important in both soldering and de-soldering, without it it's harder, as I found out recently trying to solder three small resistors ndext to each other.
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18th May 2021, 18:17 | #14 |
Gets stuck in
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Improved soldering
Ok, I had some time last weekend and did some testing, having obtained some new solder. I dug out my old soldering iron, which I retired as the cable was getting too short (shortened by me a couple of times due to heat damage).
I cleaned my newer and old irons off, and tried both. I found my soldering improved, whichever solder I used with the older iron. I suspect it produces more heat. I’ll just have to use it with an extension! I’m also toying with getting separate flux. The solder is supposed to have a core of it. Is it worth getting a separate tub of flux as well?
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