The Living Soldering Thread

[MOZ]

ok now i'm super curious. someone buy one of these and report back!

http://www.amazon.com/Aoyue-474A-Digital-Desoldering-Station/dp/B00ABJ4AEC/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1374592266&sr=8-1&keywords=aoyue+474a%2B%2B

looks like it's basically a hakko 474, with all the extra suction that implies. replace the tip, chamber and all the filters with the hakko parts. it should come in at about the same price as an 808 but have about 2-3x more suction

If only I were in the US.

[tjcaustin]

ok now i'm super curious. someone buy one of these and report back!

http://www.amazon.com/Aoyue-474A-Digital-Desoldering-Station/dp/B00ABJ4AEC/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1374592266&sr=8-1&keywords=aoyue+474a%2B%2B

looks like it's basically a hakko 474, with all the extra suction that implies. replace the tip, chamber and all the filters with the hakko parts. it should come in at about the same price as an 808 but have about 2-3x more suction

If I sell my 808, I might get it.

[RabRhee]

ok now i'm super curious. someone buy one of these and report back!

http://www.amazon.com/Aoyue-474A-Digital-Desoldering-Station/dp/B00ABJ4AEC/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1374592266&sr=8-1&keywords=aoyue+474a%2B%2B

looks like it's basically a hakko 474, with all the extra suction that implies. replace the tip, chamber and all the filters with the hakko parts. it should come in at about the same price as an 808 but have about 2-3x more suction

Looks like a bit lower power, and lower temp, than a real Hakko 474, 80w instead of 100w, 150-380 instead of 380-480 degrees C. Same with the Aoyue 936, its lower power, the number is an indication that the parts fit each other. Still, its probably a nice bit of kit for the price.

[mashby]

This link has it for $99.

[SpAmRaY]

This link has it for $99.

And $92 for shipping

[mashby]

This link has it for $99.

And $92 for shipping

Totally missed that! 

nevermind....

[SpAmRaY]

This link has it for $99.

And $92 for shipping

Totally missed that! 

nevermind....

Yeah...Amazon is screwy like that....you gotta watch it.

Out of my ignorance, I saw you posted you bought some stuff for your soldering station....what are the brushes for??

[mashby]

Out of my ignorance, I saw you posted you bought some stuff for your soldering station....what are the brushes for??

Lubing switches. I bought Sax True Flow Masters Finest Red Sable Brushes.

[Neal]

Really helpfull post A+

[SpAmRaY]

Out of my ignorance, I saw you posted you bought some stuff for your soldering station....what are the brushes for??

Lubing switches. I bought Sax True Flow Masters Finest Red Sable Brushes.

That makes sense, I was trying to figure out what you were doing with brushes and solder.

[Xenderwind]

Just ordered a yihua 936, some soldering wick, solder, head light/magnifier thing, safety glasses just incase, hakko tip cleaner(so i dont have to use sponge), some dupont lube, 62g and 65g springs (to see which I like), and mx clears.  Just need to pick up a 2nd board and possibly a radio shack desoldering iron?

Expect questions from me sometime in the near future!

[yasuo]

Goot pump desoldering also good? is $10

[SpAmRaY]

Goot pump desoldering also good? is $10

Huh?? More info please!

[hasu]

I have goot GS-108 and it works. This small size one is easy to load spring by one hand.
It is better than cheap one got from dx.com but I've never used other pumps like SOLDAPULLT and hakko SPPON.

[Photoelectric]

I couldn't get Soldapullt to work with Filco PCBs.  The solder goes very deep, through the holes in the PCB to the opposite side, and RadioShack iron and the like seem to be ideal.  Not sure how others use Soldapullt to desolder switches from Filcos, but mine wasn't getting enough of the solder out (I think it was cooling off quickly by the time I'd get the suction tip over the hole completely.

[domoaligato]

I have used the radio shack desoldering pump for quite a bit now and I think I will get a 808.
the $180.00 USD to save my sanity will be worth it.

[The_Beast]

I couldn't get Soldapullt to work with Filco PCBs.  The solder goes very deep, through the holes in the PCB to the opposite side, and RadioShack iron and the like seem to be ideal.  Not sure how others use Soldapullt to desolder switches from Filcos, but mine wasn't getting enough of the solder out (I think it was cooling off quickly by the time I'd get the suction tip over the hole completely.

Are you sure that you're fully heating the joint? Also, the speed and distance at which you suck the solder matters. I have the tip of the pump on the PCB really close to the joint at which I'm desoldering. Once the joint is fully heated, I move the pump closer or even over the joint, forming a seal around it and then hit the button activating the pump.

I don't always get all of the solder, but it works quite well

[MOZ]

I just bought one of those soldering pumps with built-in heating irons. Will test and report soon. No PCB to desolder from at the moment :/

[gnubag]

I couldn't get Soldapullt to work with Filco PCBs.  The solder goes very deep, through the holes in the PCB to the opposite side, and RadioShack iron and the like seem to be ideal.  Not sure how others use Soldapullt to desolder switches from Filcos, but mine wasn't getting enough of the solder out (I think it was cooling off quickly by the time I'd get the suction tip over the hole completely.

Are you sure that you're fully heating the joint? Also, the speed and distance at which you suck the solder matters. I have the tip of the pump on the PCB really close to the joint at which I'm desoldering. Once the joint is fully heated, I move the pump closer or even over the joint, forming a seal around it and then hit the button activating the pump.

I don't always get all of the solder, but it works quite well

I used my solderpult on my filco and it worked flawlessly. there was no solder remains in the holes and the plate with the switches just fell of the pcb.

[Dubsgalore]

I think today im going to put all my whites into my poker...i want to be able to see if i will even like whites for my gh60...if i dont, then i need to grab like 130 mx blacks soon lol

[SpAmRaY]

I think today im going to put all my whites into my poker...i want to be able to see if i will even like whites for my gh60...if i dont, then i need to grab like 130 mx blacks soon lol

You might as well get some of those 'old' blacks from whiskytango they are dirt cheap!!

And if you don't like the whites I'd like to buy them off you 

[Dubsgalore]

I think today im going to put all my whites into my poker...i want to be able to see if i will even like whites for my gh60...if i dont, then i need to grab like 130 mx blacks soon lol

You might as well get some of those 'old' blacks from whiskytango they are dirt cheap!!

might as well )

i think he's swamped right now..

[Rayne]

i just got my hakko fx888d in the mail! now i get to try it out on my phantom build

[Xenderwind]

D: my soldering iron wont get here until next thursday, so sad.

[oTurtlez]

Where's a good place to get new tips for a 936 and what's a decent tip for switch soldering? If the stock tip will do just fine then I'll stick with it as I haven't ordered my 936 yet.

[Xenderwind]

Where's a good place to get new tips for a 936 and what's a decent tip for switch soldering? If the stock tip will do just fine then I'll stick with it as I haven't ordered my 936 yet.

If you want to be really cheap, theres tips for a couple bucks on ebay but they come from china.  I just went with a legit d24 hakko tip from amazon for like $8 and free 2 day shipping.  I think I've read both good and bad about the stock tip but I figured better safe than sorry.

[SpAmRaY]

Where's a good place to get new tips for a 936 and what's a decent tip for switch soldering? If the stock tip will do just fine then I'll stick with it as I haven't ordered my 936 yet.

There was quite a bit of discussion a few pages back on tips, I would 'assume' they would be applicable, if they work with that iron.

Thanks for confirmation. I thought hakko tips would be compatible.. just wanted to check. What size of chisel tip would you recommend for keyboard soldering?

Here is some discussion from the other day on that topic!!

 

Alright I'm thinking of getting a Hakko 888 soldering kit. What tips should I get with it? I'll buy everything from amazon btw.

I use the d24 (2,4 mm chisel) for most trough-hole stuff...
More contact area than the d16 (better heat transfer) but not too big (like the d32).

Just picked up some soldering gear for when my r3 eDox kit gets here, and I have minimal prior experience with soldering so I was wondering if there's a quick list of do's and don'ts when soldering that I should be aware of, besides the obvious.

Also, will a chisel tip work better for keyboard soldering than a round tip?

I also think you should watch some videos, visual learning really is the way to go here!
Anyway, if you are really looking for a quick simple writeup, here is what I do...

- For switch or LED soldering I use a 2,4mm chisel tip
- Also I use leaded rosin core solder with 1mm diameter
- Make sure components sit flush against the PCB and pins sit right
- Set the temperature of the station to 300-350 degree Celsius and wait for heatup
- Make sure your solder tip is clean, if not clean it (repeat that periodically in the process)
- Put the tip in between pad and pin and feed a small amount of solder in the gap between tip an pin for better heat transfer
- Feed solder from the other side into the gap between pin and pad (enough that you get a solid cone shape bonding) and remove tip
- The two steps above should be done fast and finished when the molten solder completely stops smoking (then the flux is used up)
- Inspect the solder spots... You want a shiny uninterrupted cone shape which contacts the whole pad, best use a magnifying glass for that
- If there seems to be something wrong with the spot, desolder -> clean -> redo, or apply some flux (you can get it seperately) and let the spot reflow by heating it up again

i don't know about the ebay tips because frankly i'd rather have a single tip that lasts 12 years than 12 tips that give me inconsistent heat transfer for one year each.

also because genuine tips are cheap.

i have one of the smaller needle points i never use, a d16, d32 (for big ****), and some other crap i never use. the d16 is pretty much going to be your go-to tip for almost everything except for joints that need a lot of power. the small tips like the d12 or the needle points are only really useful in situations where you need to be really careful about how much power you're putting into the joint. not that this doesn't include most SMD ICs, because you'll want enough surface area to be able to do a quick wipe downwards across the pins. a needle tip won't allow you to do that, but can be useful for really fine rework.

for wires or big components i break out the d32. the 888d has enough power to make quick work of those if you give it the surface area.

[oTurtlez]

Thought I'd share this while I'm here. 1lb spool of 63/37 Kester 44 only $21.80 and shipping isn't outrageous like the other site. http://www.all-spec.com/products/KW4410.html

[Xenderwind]

Thought I'd share this while I'm here. 1lb spool of 63/37 Kester 44 only $21.80 and shipping isn't outrageous like the other site. http://www.all-spec.com/products/KW4410.html

Looks like they charge you a fee if your order is below $25 though.

[oTurtlez]

Thought I'd share this while I'm here. 1lb spool of 63/37 Kester 44 only $21.80 and shipping isn't outrageous like the other site. http://www.all-spec.com/products/KW4410.html

Looks like they charge you a fee if your order is below $25 though.

Yeah, mine isn't because I'm also getting a soldapullt and a tip cleaner from there. With shipping it all comes out to 48.90 or so.

You could just add a tip or two to get it above the $25 mark as well.

EDIT: It appears the FX888D is on sale for 80 bucks right now on that site.

[MOZ]

2.4mm chisel tip is best for keyboard hobby.

[oTurtlez]

I'm seriously contemplating just getting the FX888, a 1lb spool of kester 44, and a soldapullt for $120 shipped from this place right now.

[jdcarpe]

I'm seriously contemplating just getting the FX888, a 1lb spool of kester 44, and a soldapullt for $120 shipped from this place right now.

Probably can't go wrong with that setup. I don't know about that site, but those products are solid.

[oTurtlez]

I'm seriously contemplating just getting the FX888, a 1lb spool of kester 44, and a soldapullt for $120 shipped from this place right now.

Probably can't go wrong with that setup. I don't know about that site, but those products are solid.

They seem to have good reviews on places like BBB and such. Granted I just got paid, I think it's time I get a legitimate setup.

[MOZ]

The desoldering iron I linked earlier, has been tested and is working beautifully, this is so much better than a braid, so much faster and so much cleaner.

[jdcarpe]

The desoldering iron I linked earlier, has been tested and is working beautifully, this is so much better than a braid, so much faster and so much cleaner.

Awesome. Glad it's working good for you. Although, with shipping, the cheapest I could find them in the US was like $20 on eBay. You can get a genuine Soldapullt direct from Edsyn for that.

[MOZ]

The desoldering iron I linked earlier, has been tested and is working beautifully, this is so much better than a braid, so much faster and so much cleaner.

Awesome. Glad it's working good for you. Although, with shipping, the cheapest I could find them in the US was like $20 on eBay. You can get a genuine Soldapullt direct from Edsyn for that.

Soldapullt's tip isn't heated, unlike the one I linked and purchased, the advantage being, you don't have to worry about timing as such, melt and push the button. However I can't comment on suction power as I have never used a Soldapullt.

As far as application goes for me, it has worked quite well so far.

[jdcarpe]

The desoldering iron I linked earlier, has been tested and is working beautifully, this is so much better than a braid, so much faster and so much cleaner.

Awesome. Glad it's working good for you. Although, with shipping, the cheapest I could find them in the US was like $20 on eBay. You can get a genuine Soldapullt direct from Edsyn for that.

Soldapullt's tip isn't heated, unlike the one I linked and purchased, the advantage being, you don't have to worry about timing as such, melt and push the button. However I can't comment on suction power as I have never used a Soldapullt.

As far as application goes for me, it has worked quite well so far.

Oh, sorry. For some reason I thought you were talking about the Goot GS-108. Too many desoldering discussions going on at once, I guess.

[MOZ]

Oh, sorry. For some reason I thought you were talking about the Goot GS-108. Too many desoldering discussions going on at once, I guess.

This is the one I was talking about: http://www.ebay.com/itm/AC-220V-30W-Soldering-Irons-SOLDER-SUCKER-DESOLDERING-PUMP-tips-/141013644464?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item20d51174b0

Got one locally for around $4. Only the front metal part is heated, rest of it works pretty much like any other desoldering pump.

[mkawa]

The desoldering iron I linked earlier, has been tested and is working beautifully, this is so much better than a braid, so much faster and so much cleaner.

nice!! keep us updated on how it holds up over time. this is often the trick with things that create and attempt to hold vacuum

[MOZ]

I did get some grease to lube it ever so often on when I use it. Also, after a long use, I just give the plunger a couple of swift hits without actually locking it in. This has resulted in the iron blowing out some hot solder which was on the inside of the tube as mkawa had earlier suggested.

But I wonder if this would wear down the rubber gaskets faster?

[mkawa]

no idea, but for 4 bucks, i don't think i'd care either

[MOZ]

no idea, but for 4 bucks, i don't think i'd care either

Hmmm

[oTurtlez]

Ordered the FX888, a Soldapullt, and some Kester 44, should be in next week

[HoffmanMyster]

Alright, maybe someone can help me with this issue I've just run into.  I have soldering experience, so I think I know what I'm doing, but maybe I'm missing something.

I'm soldering wires to very old and possibly oxidized connections.  This is a piece of equipment from the '60s. 

So what's happening is that firstly the piece of metal I'm soldering to is taking a really long time to heat up, which is expected because it's a rather large piece (not a small lead like you'd expect to see today).  That's fine.  But then once I heat it up I can't get solder to flow to it, or get wicked away from the iron onto it.  Is that due to oxidation?  I tried cleaning the metal with alcohol (all I've got for cleaning at the moment).  Any suggestions?  The wire gets nice and solder-covered, and I can stick it through and get it "stuck" through the metal piece, but it's certainly not physically connected to the metal in any sturdy way.  I need help! 

Thanks in advance for any help!

[MJ45]

Alright, maybe someone can help me with this issue I've just run into.  I have soldering experience, so I think I know what I'm doing, but maybe I'm missing something.

I'm soldering wires to very old and possibly oxidized connections.  This is a piece of equipment from the '60s. 

So what's happening is that firstly the piece of metal I'm soldering to is taking a really long time to heat up, which is expected because it's a rather large piece (not a small lead like you'd expect to see today).  That's fine.  But then once I heat it up I can't get solder to flow to it, or get wicked away from the iron onto it.  Is that due to oxidation?  I tried cleaning the metal with alcohol (all I've got for cleaning at the moment).  Any suggestions?  The wire gets nice and solder-covered, and I can stick it through and get it "stuck" through the metal piece, but it's certainly not physically connected to the metal in any sturdy way.  I need help! 

Thanks in advance for any help!

Try putting some flux on it with a flux pen or brush on type, that should make the solder stick and flow on it.

[mkawa]

Alright, maybe someone can help me with this issue I've just run into.  I have soldering experience, so I think I know what I'm doing, but maybe I'm missing something.

I'm soldering wires to very old and possibly oxidized connections.  This is a piece of equipment from the '60s. 

So what's happening is that firstly the piece of metal I'm soldering to is taking a really long time to heat up, which is expected because it's a rather large piece (not a small lead like you'd expect to see today).  That's fine.  But then once I heat it up I can't get solder to flow to it, or get wicked away from the iron onto it.  Is that due to oxidation?  I tried cleaning the metal with alcohol (all I've got for cleaning at the moment).  Any suggestions?  The wire gets nice and solder-covered, and I can stick it through and get it "stuck" through the metal piece, but it's certainly not physically connected to the metal in any sturdy way.  I need help! 

Thanks in advance for any help!

sometimes flux just isn't enough and you need steel wool or a stainless steel brush. oxidization is a *****!

[WhiteFireDragon]

I'm soldering wires to very old and possibly oxidized connections.  This is a piece of equipment from the '60s. 

Solder won't bind to stuff that are heavily oxidized or corroded. If it's really bad, first try some physical abrasion, then use flux. RA flux works best, but must be cleaned off after soldering, otherwise it'll cause corrosion over time. The no-clean type works ok too.

Flux is magic

[HoffmanMyster]

Solder won't bind to stuff that are heavily oxidized or corroded. If it's really bad, first try some physical abrasion, then use flux. RA flux works best, but must be cleaned off after soldering, otherwise it'll cause corrosion over time. The no-clean type works ok too.

Flux is magic

sometimes flux just isn't enough and you need steel wool or a stainless steel brush. oxidization is a *****!

Try putting some flux on it with a flux pen or brush on type, that should make the solder stick and flow on it.

Thanks for so many quick replies!!  This confirms my fear.  I really didn't want to clean so many contacts in that way...   
Oh well.  Now I need to go buy some more flux!  (misplaced my old supply)

Once again, thanks a bunch!  Much appreciated. 

[mkawa]

also keep in mind that there's more than one way to heat things. there is contact and there is LAMINAR FLOW OF VERY HOT FLUIDS. basically, take a huge effing hot air gun and heat those oxidated suckers up, then take something really abrasive and abrade the **** out of it while it's hot.