Soldering Iron/Station.

[Input Nirvana]

I'll stick with brass scrubbies and flux, hopefully I won't get too much tip oxide and have to go the Sal route.

The Hakko 808 mentioned seems like a great way to go de-soldering a lot of contacts. Self-contained.

[bluecar5556]

Salammoniac flux is not used on electrical connections and is in fact corrosive.  

The only use I see for it is if rosin flux cannot remove the heavy oxidation from neglected tips as a last resort.  The corrosive nature of ammonium chloride on the tip's tin coating is questionable which is why it could be a last ditch effort.

[Input Nirvana]

Yea, thanks. I'll save the money until I reach the point my tips are that poor (if that's how it plays out). These tips are pricey. I assume if the oxides don't get too bad, you can usually keep them clean? If you let them get blackened, it's a more serious issue and then to try the sal? Fortunately the least of my concerns for now, I gotta get busy and use/ruin a few things first...  lol
Thanks for that, it clarifies what I knew only a little about.

[N8N]

If the de-soldering pump o-ring is made of silicone, the use of silicone oil is appropriate.  Petroleum based oil will deteriorate rubber similar to using condoms with oil based lube.

Well, I guess that's the question.  Is that O-ring typically a silicone rubber, and how would I determine that?

Fortunately, I do not have experience with the issue that you use as an example

[bluecar5556]

"Silicone grease is an amorphous fumed, silica-thickened, polysiloxane-based compound, which can be used to provide lubrication and corrosion resistance. Since it is not oil-based, it is often used where oil-based lubricants would attack rubber seals. Silicone greases also maintain stability under high temperatures. They are often used, in pure form or mixed with zinc oxide, to join heat sinks to computer CPUs."
"The grease helps to prevent joints from "freezing", as well as ensuring high vacuum systems are properly sealed." -Source

EDIT: Silicone oil or grease is also not detergent based, which has an affinity for dirt and the like, thus making it last longer.  If a high viscosity lubricant (grease) prohibits the functionality of the pump, use a lower viscosity, aerosol silicone.

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[The Solutor]

If the de-soldering pump o-ring is made of silicone, the use of silicone oil is appropriate.  Petroleum based oil will deteriorate rubber similar to using condoms with oil based lube.

It's exactly the opposite, silicone oil/grease should be avoided on silicone rubber. And mineral oils should be avoided with some other synthetic rubbers...

http://www.marcorubber.com/materialguide.htm

[bluecar5556]

Sources saying silicone oil is compatible with silicone o-rings:
http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/448597-REG/Fantasea_Line_11192_Silicone_O_Ring_Grease.html
Silicone lubes are being falsely advertised as being compatible with silicone o-rings all over the place.  It really should be illegal to false advertise, have to research everything these days, ugh.  

Sources saying silicone oil is not compatible with silicone o-rings
http://www.allorings.com/compatibility.htm
http://www.allorings.com/compatibility.htm
http://www.efunda.com/designstandards/oring/oring_chemical.cfm?SC=none&SM=Silicone#chem

[The Solutor]

Sources saying silicone oil is compatible with silicone o-rings:
http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/448597-REG/Fantasea_Line_11192_Silicone_O_Ring_Grease.html
Silicone lubes are being falsely advertised as being compatible with silicone o-rings all over the place.  It really should be illegal to false advertise, have to research everything these days, ugh.  

Sources saying silicone oil is not compatible with silicone o-rings
http://www.allorings.com/compatibility.htm
http://www.allorings.com/compatibility.htm
http://www.efunda.com/designstandards/oring/oring_chemical.cfm?SC=none&SM=Silicone#chem

Is not said that there's a false advertising, just the solvents involved may be different.

BTW when in doubt just use mineral oil with silicone and silicone with other rubbers natural or not.

[Konrad]

Hmm, I've never had to lube up a desoldering pump.  I usually just replace the $2 tip on the $10 tool, in fact the entire tool usually needs to be replaced long before the internal O-rings ever fail, often because the casing cracks after dropping too many times (oopsy).  The tips seem to usually be made of some kind of heat-resistant PTFE/Teflon or Nylon66 plastic, similar to those used in bus terminals and power connectors.  Some economy is required, I do a LOT of soldering (trust me) and really, the $10 tool works well enough as-is without pimping it out with bling.  Drop two or three (or a whole shoebox) of them on the ground over the years and you'll have plenty of spare O-rings if that's a concern.

[bluecar5556]

I've read forums where people have had the same manual de-soldering pump from the 70's with a metal bore and are still using it to this day.  Now they are mainly constructed with plastic bores, instead.  Goes to show how the mighty artificially inflating US dollar, which all other currencies "value" are based on, makes any one product in existence with the best workmanship and quality of materials more of an impossibility to create as time progresses.

Money it's a crime
Share it fairly but don't take a slice of my pie
Money so they say
Is the root of all evil today
But if you ask for a raise it's no surprise that they're
giving none away

Still, if their disposable as you say they are, there has to be a brand of de-soldering pumps that are worth the price and last much longer to compensate in the long run...

[Konrad]

I suppose I could machine my own uber quality desoldering pump.  But, again, it's a $10 disposable part, and of course I don't like throwing money away but there comes a point where the fugly PVC tape patches cost you more hassle than they're worth and I'd rather spend my time working on a more useful productive focus than engineering superior versions of cheapass auxilliary tools.

[bluecar5556]

There is one problem, money and debt does not exist.  Debt really is not recycling the 'finite resources on our planet, making human extinction inevitable, at the current rate.  haha, just kidding!  No seriously, there are many other planets like this one that have or to have seeds planted.  We are a spec in the sand, an experiment at most.

I feel the same way about lighters, so cheap and too easy to lose.  It is nice using filtered butane in the refillable ones, though.

[Konrad]

The funny thing about lighters is that I used to buy one or two every week, could never figure out how and where the hell they kept disappearing because I'm a creature of habit and I instinctively distrust other smokers when they're holding my fire - yet I've seen the same cheap green lighter sitting in my jacket pocket every day for almost a year, don't know what to do with it since I quit smoking.  No doubt it'll mysteriously vanish the next time I actually need to burn something, amazing that I work with liquid metals every day but probably can't start a fire as well as a Neanderthal when I actually need to do so.

[Input Nirvana]

Secret to not losing lighters: Buy an expensive one.

[Konrad]

Hmphf, that logic never seems to prevent my expensive software CDs from mysteriously vanishing.

[bluecar5556]

An idea is back them up with disc cloning software, such as cloneDVD with anyDVD (removes protection) by Slysoft (for Windows,) and keep the originals locked away in a fire proof safe for safe keeping.  Works every time.

[Input Nirvana]

I like it in the old country. You get caught with something that's not yours, they cut off your hand.

[RickyJ]

Picked up a Hakko brass tip cleaner and holder the other day when I was getting some parts for a repair job.  Best $14cdn I spent in a long damn time!

[Input Nirvana]

Yes, it's very slick, the only thing I know of that's better, is this:

Costs a lot more than $14cnd.

[Lanx]

question, if i don't strip the rubber off a wire (no idea what it's called) can i just burn off a little bit with the solder iron, then solder it fast? will it damage my tip? i'm making multiple point to point connections with wire and contacts, and i'm tired of cutting and stripping each wire section per connection.

[RickyJ]

You mean the insulation, right?  You'll be better off stripping the wires properly, the plastic just melts (eventually) and makes a mess.  Wiring takes time.

[The Solutor]

question, if i don't strip the rubber off a wire (no idea what it's called) can i just burn off a little bit with the solder iron, then solder it fast? will it damage my tip? i'm making multiple point to point connections with wire and contacts, and i'm tired of cutting and stripping each wire section per connection.

If you use a proper wire meant for reworking and/or wire wrapping this shouldn't be a problem.

The tiny wires from a PATA 66/100 flat cable could be a good option if you don't have the proper wire.

[Konrad]

Insulation, lol. Melted plastic/rubber fumes are stinky and definitely toxic, probably causes cancer and brain damage and organ failure (yeah, maybe even that organ if you inhale the fumes long enough). But, more significantly, they coat your shiny tinned soldering tip with crusty sticky black crud which contaminates everything it touches and wrecks the chemistry of the flux/rosin ... so soldering will become messy and difficult and the soldered joints will likely end up being substandard, being brittle and more prone to long-term failure under mechanical or thermal stress and vibration.

Don't get in the habit of melting insulation. Keep soldering tips and joints clean. If you insist on melting insulation (instead of properly cutting it off with wirestrippers or blades) then at least do it with a lighter instead of dirtying up your soldering tools, and brush the exposed wires with metal bristle/mesh to remove the almost invisible coat of melty goop which will interfere with solder alloys and electrical conductivity.

[Input Nirvana]

I finally used my Hakko 808 desoldering gun for real. Amazing. Solder pumps and solder wick are dirty words now. Check out youtube videos of this thing in action.

Input Nirvana Recommendation: If you come across a Hakko 808 that has been run over by a truck and sat in a puddle for a month, buy it anyway. It's incredible. As long as the tip gets hot and the suction works...WOW! Do yourself a favor and spoil yourself, you deserve it. You will not believe how fast and easy this is. It does a better job, too.

[dorkvader]

Hakko 808 is expensive, but completly worth it. I've never used one, but REALLY want one. Maybe Christmas..?

[litster]

Anyone used this X-Tronic 4040 soldering station?  it has an iron and a hot air gun.  Very good reviews on Amazon.  The same seller is also selling it on ebay for cheaper price.



http://www.ebay.com/itm/X-TRONIC-4040-HOT-AIR-REWORK-SOLDERING-IRON-STATION-/180672745995?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item2a10ef520b

http://www.amazon.com/X-TRONIC-MODEL-4040-Soldering-MAGNIFYING/dp/B003TC8EQS/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1331667993&sr=8-1

[Parak]

Can't speak for that one in particular, but I was a bit leery of bellows based units. Bellows seem to fail more than regular fans, the station has to be big enough to fit them, and the cord that carries the hot air is a pain to deal with. I did a group order on 8 yihua 898D with a bunch of extra elements and tips that came out to $70 or something per person. Works great, though the temperature sometimes needs calibration.

[Netdewt]

<3 my Weller WES51.

[sordna]

<3 my Weller WES51.

I have the same one! Love it.

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[RickyJ]

I had posted this up before, but the forum rolled back again.

I got my new hot air station last week, same unit that litster linked but rebadged and only $100cdn locally.  Build quality is cheap as expected, but I haven't had time to fire it up yet to see how it performs.  Bought some extra nozzles for some of the chips I have to work with too.