[chris_ah1]

Well I'll probably get the 936 station when i get back from hols. The antex ones are crappier and more expensive. I don't trust the maplin cheapo kit.

I don't really need the digital display of the 937 and 35W of the 936 as opposed to 45W (937) should be enough.

The weller WLC100 is far more compact though.

lead vs lead free??? does it matter?

 

[user18]

Lead solder is easier to work with; most lead-free solder need a higher temperature to melt. But if your in the UK, then aren't you limited to lead-free because of RoHS?

 

[akione]

Quote:

Originally Posted by user18 /img/forum/go_quote.gif Lead solder is easier to work with; most lead-free solder need a higher temperature to melt. But if your in the UK, then aren't you limited to lead-free because of RoHS?

Only if you intend to sell the stuff you build commercially.

 

[BoyNamedSue]

Can anyone recommend a soldering iron kit for a beginner but one that is also robust and will last me a long time??? I want to learn soldering as a hobby mainly for audio purposes (e.g., DIY interconnects). My immediate DIY goal is to re-terminate a D7000 SE cable to 4-pin balanced using this exact procedure:
 
http://www.audio-gd.com/Pro/Headphoneamp/Phoenix/ModifyEN.htm
 
On a related note, what is the level of difficulty for this balanced cable procedure? And what tip and solder is recommended?? The procedure appears straightforward enough, but I don't want to screw anything up and so I am deciding whether to have it done professionally or do it myself.
 
Lastly, is it worth it to get the cardas solder and rosin flux?
 
Thank you.

 

[Avro_Arrow]

I can't comment on your re-cabling project but I can recommend a good soldering iron.
This is the one I use.
Which ever one you pick, make sure it has temperature control and a good selection
of tips available for it.
Any good quality solder in a eutectic blend will do. Same with flux. Look for a flux
that is easy to clean off. I use MG chemicals flux and it cleans up pretty well with
alcohol.

 

[BoyNamedSue]

Thanks Avro_Arrow. I've been eyeballing the WLC100 but I think the temperature control on the WES51 will come in really handy. What size tip is good for electronic or cabling work? It appears that the default tip is a bit large. Also, what is the purpose of using flux? The tutorial videos I've been watching only show the soldering step but not the flux. 

 

[the wizard of oz]

I have bought a Weller WSM 1C micro-soldering station for my DIYMod project, since the mobo is so small and the work so precise; do you reckon it is totally overkill? I thought it'd be a good investment in the long run.
Only I'm quite a noob regards to soldering, am of course practising on old PC mobos before attacking the iPod 5.5G mobo, but would also like some more input on soldering, do I need flux, etc.

 

[Avro_Arrow]

The Flux helps the solder to flow better by deoxidizing the joint as you solder.
Solder also has a little flux in it (if you buy flux core solder) but a little extra
flux can be helpful. The tip that comes stock on the WES51 is good for general
work and through hole components but you will need smaller tips for fine wire
and SMD components. The great part about the adjustable temperature is that
you can keep it just above the melting point of your solder for fine work or crank
it up for larger components and heavier gauge wire and burning the enamel from
some coated wires. I'll have a look through my records later and see if I can find
the tip sizes I got when I bought my WES51.
 
Quote:

Thanks Avro_Arrow. I've been eyeballing the WLC100 but I think the temperature control on the WES51 will come in really handy. What size tip is good for electronic or cabling work? It appears that the default tip is a bit large. Also, what is the purpose of using flux? The tutorial videos I've been watching only show the soldering step but not the flux. 

 

[the wizard of oz]

Thank you for the valuable information. I'll check out the MG Chemicals flux you mentioned earlier. I have the RT 1NW soldering tip so should be covered for the fine soldering work, & just found this thread and posted my question there about advice on what I'd need to do the shrink wrapping around the capacitor pins.

 

[Avro_Arrow]

That 
 
Quote:

I have bought a Weller WSM 1C micro-soldering station for my DIYMod project, since the mobo is so small and the work so precise; do you reckon it is totally overkill? I thought it'd be a good investment in the long run.
Only I'm quite a noob regards to soldering, am of course practising on old PC mobos before attacking the iPod 5.5G mobo, but would also like some more input on soldering, do I need flux, etc.

That Weller WSM 1C soldering station is pretty cool. Can I ask how much you paid for it?
You don't have to get stuck on any certain brands of flux or solder. Try and find products
that are of good quality and available locally. My local electronics store stocks Aim Solder
and MG Chemicals products so thats what I use. Find out what is available locally to you
or at an on line retailer that ships to your area and then ask us if brand x or type y is
suitable to your use. PC motherboard are quite difficult to work on because they usually
have many layers and strong ground planes that sink lots of heat. One more note on
solder. You want to pick a gauge of solder suitable to the project as well. I find .032"
to be a good general purpose gauge. If you are dealing with SMD work a lot then you
should consider solder with some silver in it as well. SMD component contain solder
in their attaching points and the silver in the solder makes the joint better and last longer.

 

[Avro_Arrow]

Weller also makes this nice little heat gun that is great for doing heat shrink and can also do SMD rework.
It's pretty cheap compared to other heat guns that can run into the hundreds of dollars...
I've been meaning to pick one up to replace the modified paint stripper I have been using.
 
Quote:

Thank you for the valuable information. I'll check out the MG Chemicals flux you mentioned earlier. I have the RT 1NW soldering tip so should be covered for the fine soldering work, & just found this thread and posted my question there about advice on what I'd need to do the shrink wrapping around the capacitor pins.

 

[the wizard of oz]

The WSM 1C wasn't cheap, a little less than 300€. And they want close to 200€ for that heat gun over here

. For solder I have bought Mundorf Solder Supreme with nearly 10% silver, and for wire, I chose 28AWG silver Jupiter interconnect. I'm not looking forward to spending another 200€ on a heat gun, but if you reckon it would be a worthwhile investment, I might look into it. Obviously, if I succeed with the operation, to pay this project off I'll be building a number of DIYMod 5.5G iPods

.

 

[Avro_Arrow]

Ya, it's a shame things from North America are so expensive over in Europe.
On the other hand, you can get the HiFi2000 cases more cheaply...
If you are going to do a lot of projects, good tools are well worth the cost.

 

[BoyNamedSue]

 
[size=medium]

So is flux something you coat the iron with prior to soldering? Also, the mod kit I purchased comes with "WBT solder". Would this solder be good enough for my purpose of reterminating my D7000s to balanced plug, or should I look into a "eutectic blend" as you suggest? 
​

[/size]


Quote:

The Flux helps the solder to flow better by deoxidizing the joint as you solder.
Solder also has a little flux in it (if you buy flux core solder) but a little extra
flux can be helpful. The tip that comes stock on the WES51 is good for general
work and through hole components but you will need smaller tips for fine wire
and SMD components. The great part about the adjustable temperature is that
you can keep it just above the melting point of your solder for fine work or crank
it up for larger components and heavier gauge wire and burning the enamel from
some coated wires. I'll have a look through my records later and see if I can find
the tip sizes I got when I bought my WES51.
 

 

 

[Avro_Arrow]

No, the flux goes on the joint prior to soldering, not on the iron.
A small drop is all you need. Some people use a "flux pen",
some use Q-tips but the "pros" use a bottle with a needle tip.
The flux is mostly evaporated during soldering but will leave some
residue behind. If it is only a small amount then it is o.k. to leave
it. If there is too much or you want a nice, clean, shinny joint
then you can clean it with alcohol. The solder you mentioned
will be fine to use. 
 
Quote:

 
[size=medium]

So is flux something you coat the iron with prior to soldering? Also, the mod kit I purchased comes with "WBT solder". Would this solder be good enough for my purpose of reterminating my D7000s to balanced plug, or should I look into a "eutectic blend" as you suggest? 
​

[/size]