Hi Dan

Thanks for the trouble you went to with your excellent post.  I think I will be getting the WSD51.

Regards

TrevorM

63-37 solder for sure, however the smallest diameter solder available--I have 0.015" is only good for surface mount work.  I use 0.022 for general electronics work and slightly bigger for wire splices on wire bigger than AWG 18.

I was taught that a solder joint should take about 5 sec which includes adding the solder.  This was in a MIL SPEC soldering class I had to take for repairing military equipment.

Invest in the brass sponge then throw away the wet one--yeah, I know picky,picky.

Not only clean and tin the tip, but clean and tin the parts before making the joint gives the best joint.

Use "Solder Wick" or a competing product to remove excess solder or to remove solder from parts to be separated.

Tinning and  then removing solder with "Solder Wick" really leaves clean leads to be soldered.

"Solder Wick" is a copper braid with lots of rosen flux that really sucks up the solder when put on a joint and heated with an iron.  It comes in various sizes

Terry

I have been soldering for over 60 years. I have worked on AM and FM radios (Vacuum Tube and Solid State), Television, Computers, Analog to Digital Conversion products, micro-electronics, and many other items.

My most often used soldering iron is a Weller model SP-23 (I believe the wattage is 23 watts) - it has no temperature control. I also have a Weller 100 watt "gun" that I use for heavy duty work (chassis connections, large conductors (12 ga. or bigger), et al).

The one thing I find most important is to keep the (iron clad) tip clean. Also, do not use solder blobs that have been around too long - clean it off, because it soon oxides and makes for poor connections and poor solder flow.

I use rosin core solder, Sn60 alloy, 0.025" diameter, manufactured by Kester (P/N QQS-571) and coded as "44" resin core solder. I do not use flux (paste or liquid) - I don't like the residue it leaves. Yes, I have attended and been qualified as a NASA soldering technician.

I agree, that WSD51 model does look good - you'll have everything there all in one and get full control of the temperature.

All-Spec Industries.

Peter

Hi Peter

Thanks for the link.  I will follow it up.

TrevorM

Since I'm very much the "roll your own" type, what are the features of a good soldering station?  I've never used one, so I have no idea what makes them better than just a regular iron that you plug in.

Here are the things I can see being useful, and better than an el-cheapo pencil type iron:

• Power switch
• Temperature control
• Safe place to hold the hot iron
• A way to keep the tip clean

Anything else?  It seems to me that I could make that pretty easily, unless I'm missing some major feature.

I didn't have to keep an eye out for wet sponges. GGG

Have you cleaned your tip today???

Terry

Kevin's advice is right on the spot.

If soldering a few SMD parts, use a small diameter solid solder and apply tiny (VERY tiny ) amount of paste to the clean and shiny parts. If lots of SMD is to be done, then the solder paste mentioned previously makes good sense. Flatten the solder with smooth jaw pliers and scrape the flattened solder to make it shine, then snip a chip of this solder and place it on the fluxed area. Remember, the flux is a very thin layer, just noticeable if the light hits it just so. Now apply the heat with a small tip 15 -20 watt iron or hot air desoldering station. If I did a lot of SMD work, the hot air station would be desirable.

The point is, the part, mounting area, and solder are bright and shiny. Tiny amount of flux (prevents a bubble from boiling up and displacing the part) and clean tip if iron is used. Clean, clean, and shiny.

Solders containing resin or rosin release too much for delicate work. I prefer to control the amount of flux myself. Keeping the heat on for 5 seconds may have been suggested for some assemblies built for Mil Spec some years ago, but small Consumer products won't stand it, in general.