Soldering...

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tobyw

Member
After a lot of breadboard projects..I want to start making more permanent circuits. I need to decide on a soldering iron.

I'm confused by the fact that I know too much heat can damage the picaxe..and other ICs and components. But other things I have read say if the iron is too underpowered it won't be hot enough to work well and quickly. I have an 18W Antex at the moment, with slot on tiips, but the tip seems to oxidise immediately you heat it up..tinning is almost impossible after a few uses.

What sort of wattage should I be looking for to solder picaxe chips and other delicate objects? Is there one iron which would do everything? Is 40W ok...or would it burn out my chips? What about 80W?

I have seen a few which might fit the bill...

http://www.axminster.co.uk/weller-weller-2012-fine-soldering-iron-prod23610/
http://uk.rs-online.com/web/p/soldering-irons/7683615/
http://uk.rs-online.com/web/p/soldering-irons/7683567/


My budget is around the 20-25 quid range..what would you guys recommend>
 
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nick12ab

Senior Member
The power rating affects how long it takes for a soldering iron to warm up. 80W is overkill for electronics and any iron of that power is probably for something which requires the iron to warm up again straight away when used on something that sinks a lot of heat e.g. plumbing.

There are already some threads on the forum about choosing a soldering iron (like this one) and the general recommendation is to get an adjustable temperature one, particularly for surface mount ones.

However the 18W Antex iron should be fine. Although it is only 18W, it is equivalent to a higher wattage iron due to the tip covering the element rather than the other way round so more heat gets transferred to the tip. I use one and don't have the problem that you describe. You must be using it wrong. Are you remembering to clean the tip and are you remembering to avoid lead free solder?

Don't forget when choosing a soldering iron to make sure that you can buy spare tips and that you can also get fine tips for surface mount work. Some cheap irons are impossible to buy tips for.
 
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mrburnette

Senior Member
@tobyw:

For newcomers in the field, I always recommend a variable-power unit. I found this one within your budget, but stopped looking, I would suggest you look extensively before purchase.
Soldering-Station-Iron-Kit

For heavy traces on PC boards such as Grounds and Tabs on power transistors, you will need to run a higher wattage. For delicate work, a lower wattage. An inexpensive variable station provides a fair trade-off for using one iron. I personally use 3 separate irons, but I'm a bit strange, too. One iron has a 2A 400V diode in a little adapter that I built so I can drop the power by 1/2 cycle when the iron just needs to idle for a while... like when I'm stuffing the board with components. Then, short the diode and the iron is ready to go in a few seconds!

- Ray
 
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russbow

Senior Member
I use an Antex 18 watt. No problems. Maybe you need a new tip - and don't file it clean. Just a wet sponge and a wipe.

I always use old fashioned lead solder. Tried the new stuff and got problems.
 
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MartinM57

Moderator
My 80W iron works perfectly for 0805 and SOIC surface mount components - and also for attaching 7805-like regulator tabs to ground planes, which takes a lot of heat.

...but it's temperature controlled, heats to 350C from cold in 13 seconds, goes to a standby 150C (programmable) after 5 (programmable) minutes non use, and turns off after 10 (programmable) mins of non use and is about 20x (unfortunately) over your budget :)

Never use a wet sponge IMHO to clean a tip. I wrecked many Antex tips doing that - and half of them were rubbish anyway (totally non-stick to normal fluxed leaded solder straight out of a brand new packet). Much better to use something like (picked at random)
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/SOLDERING-IRON-TIP-CLEANER-REPLACEMENT-BRASS-WOOL-/250826625747
...no thermal shock, no water to get in and rust the tip and a gentle rubbing/cleaning action

EDIT...and over the 3 years or so I've had it, I'm still on the original tips - 3mm chisel, 1.5mm chisel and a cone (to a point) - and that's at several thousand solder joints per month
 
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Jeremy Harris

Senior Member
As already mentioned, there's no need for a lot of power, but I do find that having a 48W iron, with temperature control at the bit, a godsend. I've been using a venerable 45W Weller soldering station (the one with iron coated ferromagnetic temperature controlling bits) for around 30 years now, and found that it does everything I could wish for. I can fit big fat bits for soldering heavy stuff, yet use the same iron with a tiny tip for soldering very fine work.

I also second the use of ordinary 60/40 tin-lead multicore solder. The lead-free stuff is truly dreadful and makes life overly difficult for even experienced users.
 
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tobyw

Member
"You must be using it wrong"
Click to expand...
That's almost certainly true.

I find that as soon as it heats up, the tip seems to lose it's tinning immediately, and become blackened. After that, I can't tin it whatever I do. I tried with two completely new tips, and both tips the same thing happened. I don't know what makes it happen..

The problem is, that a pack of tips costs almost the same as the iron itself, so I didn't want to throw good money after bad if it was the tips themselves which were the problem - so hence looking for a different iron. However, if you are using them with no problem, I guess I will just buy some more tips and try again. It's an expensive learning process...!
 
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nick12ab

Senior Member
tobyw said:
I find that as soon as it heats up, the tip seems to lose it's tinning immediately, and become blackened. After that, I can't tin it whatever I do. I tried with two completely new tips, and both tips the same thing happened. I don't know what makes it happen.
Click to expand...
I have had that happen, but only after lots of use. If conventional cleaning methods don't work (either the one suggested by MartinM57 or a damp sponge) then I use that weird bit of metal that came with the soldering iron to scrape the black stuff off then it works like new again.

What can make this blackening happen quickly is use of lead free solder. With lead free solder, it is vital that you get the extra plated to increase protection from the more aggressive fluxes used with lead free solder version.
 
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mrburnette

Senior Member
It's an expensive learning process...!
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Amen... as is electronics in general. Once started the things you need are directly proportional to the scope of knowledge your brain is exposed.

- Ray
 
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Haku

Senior Member
The wet sponge makes a nice 'TSSSS' sound but getting the excess solder off the tip didn't work very well I found and the tips used to blacken and solder wouldn't stick to them, once I moved on from the Antex irons I got a 48W variable temperature iron and a brass wool cleaner and haven't looked back, the heating element died after a couple of years use but I bought a replacement for a tenner and continued to use the original tip as that still works great, leaving me with a backup tip should I need it one day.

Agreed on leaded solder, I once tried unleaded and found it horrible to work with.
 
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Ravenous

Member
The Antex 18W is perfect, I've had one for years. And a 25W one for slightly bigger things like heavy audio connectors.

For a new tip, hold the solder against it the very first time you start it up. The flux should melt and get onto the metal before it starts to oxidise. (This is what I was told to do anyway.)

You can probably save your existing one by rubbing it hard on thick cardboard, while trying to reapply solder. While it's hot of course :) Maybe gently scraping off any stubborn bits if you get that far.

As nick12 mentioned, don't file bits, ever. It removes the surface plating and the stuff underneath often corrodes very quickly in contact with the molten solder itself!

I've always used one of the slightly damp (NOT wet) sponge things to clean the bits. Seems to work for me better than (almost) any other method.

Favourite workshop tip: I blu-tacked my stand to a square of heavy metal. That feller's going nowhere. Never try to solder without a stand nearby!
 
JimPerry

JimPerry

Senior Member
Fully agree with Ravenous -- you MUST tin the bit with flux first use - my wife burnt out 3 cheap bits (used in stained-glass) before I realised what she was NOT doing!

I've used Antex and Weller for 35+ years and never had a problem. :eek:

EDIT: Do NOT use the new waterbased non-toxic etc flux - it ruins more tips than most anything else.
 
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Goeytex

Senior Member
A tip that gets black or crusty very fast generally means the temperature is too high and/or possibly that the solder is crummy.

Excessive temperature is what damages electronic components, not necessarily wattage.

Higher wattage in a quality temperature controlled soldering system, means the tip will stay at the set temperature when soldering larger items that sink a lot of heat.

A good temperature controlled unit will control the temperature at the tip and will adjust the temperature according to demand/load. A cheap/crummy one will have no temperature sensing and will simply adjust the voltage with a dial. Non-adjustable irons might be ok in a pinch, but are not generally suitable for fine quality work or consistency.

You generally get what you pay for. You're not going to get very much for < 25 quid.

Personally I would not waste my money on any of the irons you linked to. I suggest you save your money until you can afford a decent temperature controlled unit and in the mean time get some quality solder, some solder flux, and some new tips for your existing iron.

I have had the same two HAKO 936 soldering stations for the last 10 years and have only replaced the tips once in that time.
 
Technoman

Technoman

Senior Member
For the cleaning of the tip, the brass wool cleaner is fine. I have also tried with success a simple pot in which I put a stainless steel scrubber.
 
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John West

Senior Member
The "scrubbers" seem to work OK, but I'm accustomed to the slightly damp sponge method for tip cleaning. The important point to remember is that after cleaning the tip on the sponge you must immediately cover it once more with solder. I do this every time I pull the iron from its stand as I'm bringing it over to the work piece, and often as I'm putting it back in the holder. I've used the same Hako iron tip for a decade or more and it still tins up nicely.
 
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boriz

Senior Member
I have used the same old 18W Antex for many years. Only needed to change the tip once. The secret? ...

Always use 'proper' 60/40 solder, never the lead free rubbish. Always leave a generous blob of solder completely covering the tip between uses. Always wipe it then 'blob' it immediately during use. If it does get dirty, I alternately wipe it then jab it into a pot of flux, then wipe-jab-wipe-jab. Occasionally wire wool for the stubborn stains.

Works for me.

Never be tempted to use anything too abrasive, like a file or sandpaper. The tip is not solid metal, it is plated and you can easily wear through the plating ruining the tip.
 
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tobyw

Member
The advice available on this forum never ceases to amaze. Thanks to all who have contributed. I have learned much better than reading all those online articles (many of which suggest sanding the tip to clean it..and yes..i did. that ruined my first one)

I'm going to stick to the Antex for now, since so many people reckon it works for them, and get some spare tips to practice my technique with. I will also invest in some 60/40 leaded solder instead of the lead-free stuff i got from maplins.

many thanks
 
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Paix

Senior Member
Many years ago I used a 50W Weller iron with the changeable bits for the different temperatures. Each had a different Curie point. The bits were plated and on occasions problems were noticed when the plating developed a pinhole and became hollowed out underneath the plating. Because the posting was in the middle of the Indian Ocean and spares were not immediately available, we took the decision to dress the bit with a large file, which obviously revealed the severe pitting of a caldera under the plating. As a dressed bit it gave good service, with occasional maintenance for quite some time. Not ideal but a good get you home fix.

Normally I use a 25W Antex iron with the default chisel tip and occasionally a cone shaped bit for fine work. the chisel is my preferred choice.

I once bought a Weller soldering iron sponge from Maplin's and it was absolutely useless. The bit became black and I got the feeling that instead of being natural sponge that this must have been some form of urethane. Totally useless for cleaning a soldering iron bit. I did think at the time that a complete novice picking up one of these, particularly if they came with a soldering iron to reinforce the point of their use, just wouldn't figure out the problem fast enough to be helpful.

Smoke smoke.
 
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Puuhaaja

Senior Member
I'm using 25W weller for my Picaxe projects and it seems to be ok. So...ER30 230V 30W soldering iron might be good.
 
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Ravenous

Member
Oh I forgot to say, many years ago I happened to find this:

http://www.fixup.net/tips/soldering/index.htm

I don't do everything he says (especially his oral desoldering technique!), but most of the ideas are good.

I used to be a lab demonstrator at the local university, and the very nice old gentleman who ran the undergrad classes there was full of knowledge (and stories). To clean the iron he just flicked (!) it so excess solder would splash on the floor. Hard tiled industrial floors, you see. I never did that at home...
 
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Paix

Senior Member
My first soldering iron was a 25W Henley Solon. My first project a simple valved oscilloscope. I flicked a lot of solder and used a thumb or finger to clean the bit. The smell of toasted skin and the brown cracked skin as the project ended was silly. My jeans took a lot of the flicked solder, but I was posted to Aden and wearing shorts cured me of the solder flicking habit. A damp sponge substituted for the cracked thumbs.
 
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Ravenous

Member
Paix said:
You will all be happy to hear that I have run out of soldering stories :)
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Personally I'm sad. Can you just start repeating the old ones again? :D

Oh as a young teenager I started by buying an iron and no stand. Because I was skint. But one day I put it down gently on the table and the weight of the lead started it rotating, before it fell to my Mam's carpet I instinctively grabbed it - hard, with all of my hand, and by the wrong end. I had an interesting palm for a while. So then I bought the stand separately, though that ended up costing more.

THIS is why I recommend a stand, and blu-tacking it to something heavy. There is no joy quite like a solid iron stand at your side.
 
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