The Living Soldering Thread

[Photekq]

Where can I find chisel tips for the yihua 936 hakko knockoff? Preferrably within the uk/eu.

[SpAmRaY]

Where can I find chisel tips for the yihua 936 hakko knockoff? Preferrably within the uk/eu.

I think the hakko 936 tips should work. Have you checked on ebay?

But hopefully someone can confirm that first.

[RabRhee]

Where can I find chisel tips for the yihua 936 hakko knockoff? Preferrably within the uk/eu.

I think the hakko 936 tips should work. Have you checked on ebay?

But hopefully someone can confirm that first.

There are Hakko tips on UK eBay for about £2, cheaper if you want copies from Hong Kong,  a guy on this page says he has both a hakko and a Yihua and the tips work for either.

'For either the Hakko or the Yihua 936, soldering iron assembly’s and tips are very low cost and available on e-bay.'

http://www.rcgroups.com/forums/showthread.php?t=1722684

I have an Aoyue 936 hakko clone, and aoyue sell tips for them on UK eBay and Amazon as well, as another possible source.

[Photekq]

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?

[SpAmRaY]

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.

[Photekq]

Thanks very much ray! I haven't been keeping up with this thread so I completely missed all that.

[Photekq]

Just ordered the yihua and a 2.4d hakko tip. Looking forward to it! 

[mkawa]

i actually picked up a d24 after all the the people talking about it, and man, it's a really nice compromise. you can go from hookup wire to through-hole without changing tips. sweet ****!

[TheSoulhunter]

Someone else talked about the d24?
Btw, someone knows where the Hakko 808 can be obtained in 220-240V configuration?

[jdcarpe]

I think it's so awesome that we are getting more people into soldering their own stuff now. This thread seems to be really helpful when people are first getting their equipment setup. I think HobbyKing is going to sell quite a few of those Yihuas now, as they are a really decent entry level station.

I'm torn between the Soldapullt and the Radio Shack desoldering iron with bulb for an entry level desoldering tool. I personally like the Radio Shack tool better, but it does fatigue your hand after a long session. And the Soldapullt is a high quality tool that I still use when I don't want to break out the Hakko 808 for whatever reason.

I don't have any hesitation recommending the Yihua over the Weller WLC-100, though.

[Photoelectric]

I'm torn between the Soldapullt and the Radio Shack desoldering iron with bulb for an entry level desoldering tool. I personally like the Radio Shack tool better, but it does fatigue your hand after a long session. And the Soldapullt is a high quality tool that I still use when I don't want to break out the Hakko 808 for whatever reason.

Definitely this.  I'll be attempting my next desoldering with a Soldapullt instead of the Radioshack iron, unless I can't master it as well.  Contrary to what was said here earlier, I did not overheat the Radioshack desoldering iron's tip by pressing it into the board or anything, and it still developed a hole after one session.  I just inserted it over a switch pin and then moved it down the touch the PCB just before releasing the suction bulb and did a gentle sweeping turn at the same time.  My left hand was very tired afterwards, and my back as well, as I had to really crouch over the PCB at a bad angle to squeeze the bulb.  Might just be me doing something wrong!

[Dubsgalore]

Today went very well
i have a good grip on what actually is supposed to happen, and how to do it.
Tried to mess around with the alps board, but i was having trouble, so i (carefully) got my pure pcb and successfully desoldered/resoldered a few switches and LEDs.


then i swapped a blue stem and spring on the esc, which is pretty sweet imo
First time having a clicky switch on a keyboard of mine...feelsgoodbro

[Smeagol_RP]

I can't desolder the switches of my poker II. Those from QFR was pretty easy.

[Dubsgalore]

second time ever using the iron, spent 3 hours today, desoldered every switch in my poker, thinking i would need to do that to remove the plate, and swap out some stems. turns out i didn't ( ) ) but it was great practice. desoldering is really, really tedious, but really rewarding and satisfying. took 4 mx whites i had, and put them in the right corner of my poker, aka the arrow cluster. the resoldered everything back on and everything worked. Really productive day, and feels great. very happy to be soldering.

[tgujay]

second time ever using the iron, spent 3 hours today, desoldered every switch in my poker, thinking i would need to do that to remove the plate, and swap out some stems. turns out i didn't ( ) ) but it was great practice. desoldering is really, really tedious, but really rewarding and satisfying. took 4 mx whites i had, and put them in the right corner of my poker, aka the arrow cluster. the resoldered everything back on and everything worked. Really productive day, and feels great. very happy to be soldering.

Radioshack desoldering iron is much nicer and faster if you were using braid.

[Dubsgalore]

second time ever using the iron, spent 3 hours today, desoldered every switch in my poker, thinking i would need to do that to remove the plate, and swap out some stems. turns out i didn't ( ) ) but it was great practice. desoldering is really, really tedious, but really rewarding and satisfying. took 4 mx whites i had, and put them in the right corner of my poker, aka the arrow cluster. the resoldered everything back on and everything worked. Really productive day, and feels great. very happy to be soldering.

Radioshack desoldering iron is much nicer and faster if you were using braid.

apparently it's preference...I'm digging this soldapullt for now

[domoaligato]

second time ever using the iron, spent 3 hours today, desoldered every switch in my poker, thinking i would need to do that to remove the plate, and swap out some stems. turns out i didn't ( ) ) but it was great practice. desoldering is really, really tedious, but really rewarding and satisfying. took 4 mx whites i had, and put them in the right corner of my poker, aka the arrow cluster. the resoldered everything back on and everything worked. Really productive day, and feels great. very happy to be soldering.

Radioshack desoldering iron is much nicer and faster if you were using braid.

apparently it's preference...I'm digging this soldapullt for now

+1

[jdcarpe]

My padawan is learning quickly.

[Photekq]

Today went very well
i have a good grip on what actually is supposed to happen, and how to do it.
Tried to mess around with the alps board, but i was having trouble, so i (carefully) got my pure pcb and successfully desoldered/resoldered a few switches and LEDs.

Show Image

then i swapped a blue stem and spring on the esc, which is pretty sweet imo :D
First time having a clicky switch on a keyboard of mine...feelsgoodbro

I want to see pictures of your joints. I want to see how much you've improved :))

[Dubsgalore]

My padawan is learning quickly.

learning from the best 

I want to see pictures of your joints. I want to see how much you've improved )

good god...RIP '\' LED haha
maybe I can do a 'moose's mod' esque thread haha

[Smeagol_RP]

Took 3 hours to remove all switches from Poker II. I spent about 30min to do it in my QFR. That soldering job...

[Photoelectric]

Finished my first keyboard soldering project today!  I was trying to get solder through those copper inserts in the Filco PCB, dunno if I succeeded or how far in the solder went.  Filco advertises their PCBs having solder going all the way through the PCB, so I was thinking about that while soldering.

before cleaning off the flux:


Everything works well, woot!  Thans to everyone who's contributed to this thread with information

[Smeagol_RP]

Finished my first keyboard soldering project today!

before cleaning off the flux:

Show Image

Everything works well, woot!  Thans to everyone who's contributed to this thread with information :)

This PCB is from what keyboard?

[Sifo]

It says Filco on it

[Photoelectric]

The one I painted Copper.  Typing on it right now   It's pretty nice!  Still getting used to Clears, as 62g Clears are tougher than my normal Browns.

[Smeagol_RP]

It says Filco on it

Sorry.

[bueller]

It's official, I am the world worst solderer! Probably wouldn't have so much trouble but damn these micro-controllers are small, think I need a magnifying visor or something!

[Poom]

I am the worse desolderer ever.... used a sucker and after sucking up all solder from all the switches, only 10% popped out the rest have to redo and about half, i have to solder then desolder again.. the tip of my sucker melted to half the lenght it came with.

but surprisingly everything went perfect when soldering.....

[bueller]

Yeah I found with de-soldering when I was having problems it was usually because I was using the sucker a tiny bit too early, solder would cool too much before I could get the pump on the joint. Actually went a lot better wiring the second row of the micro-controller. Started prepping each wire super methodically and making sure everything was perfect before applying solder, once I slowed down a bit everything went together nicely!

Wish I could source Teensy or similar locally, absolute pain in the arse waiting for them to ship from the US or Hong Kong 

[Poom]

another thing is that, there is no rasin core solder available, apparently only lead free solder is allowed in Europe. Flux is also banned, so I have to get them from China or UK.

feels like a drug dealer ordering a flux pen from the UK preying it wont get confiscated at the custom, lol   )

[bpiphany]

another thing is that, there is no rasin core solder available, apparently only lead free solder is allowed in Europe. Flux is also banned, so I have to get them from China or UK.

feels like a drug dealer ordering a flux pen from the UK preying it wont get confiscated at the custom, lol   )

I don't think you got that right... You are not allowed to sell stuff made with leaded solder (or something like that), you are still allowed to use it for your own pleasures. Rosin core solder is more or less standard, and nothing would work without flux...

[Poom]

oh sorry, i wasnt sure if i wrote what i meant, just that everywhere i go to buy solder, they are all lead free solder, and cannot find flux pen anywhere in Switzerland, then read somewhere that lead isnt allowed anymore or something, but i managed to get a flux pen from the UK which worked like a charm.

just need to work on sucking out soler as I seem to have such a big problem with it.

by the way, what can you use to clean off flux on the PCBs?

[tgujay]

oh sorry, i wasnt sure if i wrote what i meant, just that everywhere i go to buy solder, they are all lead free solder, and cannot find flux pen anywhere in Switzerland, then read somewhere that lead isnt allowed anymore or something, but i managed to get a flux pen from the UK which worked like a charm.

just need to work on sucking out soler as I seem to have such a big problem with it.

by the way, what can you use to clean off flux on the PCBs?

90% or higher isopropyl alcohol and a toothbrush.

[Photoelectric]

Yeah, that's what I use too^

A few rounds of dipping a dedicated toothbrush into alcohol and scrubbing the entire PCB.  Then I dab it with a paper towel, scrub with a dry brush to get all the lint loose, and use compressed air.  2-3 rounds of that, and the PCB gets pretty clean.

[Poom]

isopropyl, isnt it the same as nail polish remover? can i use that instead?

another thing, is it necessary to actually clean the flux off? what if I cant or dont bother??

[Photoelectric]

isopropyl, isnt it the same as nail polish remover? can i use that instead?

another thing, is it necessary to actually clean the flux off? what if I cant or dont bother??

Nail polish remover contains acetone or similar, which is not at all the same thing as alcohol.  Acetone can be damaging to the PCB.  Don't you have pharmacies or similar that have alcohol for wound cleaning?  That's all you really need--the highest concentration you can get.  No it's not necessary to clean off the flux after you've soldered everything in.

[bpiphany]

I use regular rubbing alcohol, ethanol (mostly, that stuff isn't very clean...). It takes some scrubbing but it usually gets the flux off. I let my small stuff soak a while and use an ESD safe brush which is just like a larger version of a toothbrush..

[Poom]

ah ok, ill check the pharmacy out. Thanks for the input guys.

[Photekq]

Well my Yihua just arrived. I haven't used it yet but I must say for a $15 station the quality & feel of it is really good. It might be a knockoff but it doesn't feel like it.

[Dubsgalore]

Well my Yihua just arrived. I haven't used it yet but I must say for a $15 station the quality & feel of it is really good. It might be a knockoff but it doesn't feel like it.

Team Yihua!

[oTurtlez]

Well my Yihua just arrived. I haven't used it yet but I must say for a $15 station the quality & feel of it is really good. It might be a knockoff but it doesn't feel like it.

Where'd ya get it? I could use a cheap variable temp station

[tgujay]

Well my Yihua just arrived. I haven't used it yet but I must say for a $15 station the quality & feel of it is really good. It might be a knockoff but it doesn't feel like it.

Please tell me how you like it, I really need to get a not ****ty soldering iron.

[jdcarpe]

Well my Yihua just arrived. I haven't used it yet but I must say for a $15 station the quality & feel of it is really good. It might be a knockoff but it doesn't feel like it.

Where'd ya get it? I could use a cheap variable temp station

http://hobbyking.com/hobbyking/store/__19240__Soldering_Station_with_Adjustable_Heat_Range_USA_Warehouse_.html

[oTurtlez]

Well my Yihua just arrived. I haven't used it yet but I must say for a $15 station the quality & feel of it is really good. It might be a knockoff but it doesn't feel like it.

Where'd ya get it? I could use a cheap variable temp station

http://hobbyking.com/hobbyking/store/__19240__Soldering_Station_with_Adjustable_Heat_Range_USA_Warehouse_.html

Thanks JD

[jdcarpe]

Thanks JD

You're welcome. It's my vision to see a Yihua on every bench.

[Tarzan]

I used the Aoyue 937+ I got from Amazon on a small job over the weekend, very pleased with it so far.  I still have to master the knack of unsoldering LEDs, but it was perfect for tinning and soldering leads for a replacement cable.

Not super-cheap, it was about $60 shipped, but a little cheaper than the Hakko.

Now I need more tips, it only ships with one fine-point one.

[oTurtlez]

Thanks JD

You're welcome. It's my vision to see a Yihua on every bench.

Shipping is as much as the iron Before I snag this one, is there a better Yihua around $40 that I'd be better off with or is this one just fine?

[jdcarpe]

Thanks JD

You're welcome. It's my vision to see a Yihua on every bench.

Shipping is as much as the iron Before I snag this one, is there a better Yihua around $40 that I'd be better off with or is this one just fine?

Yes, it's around $30 shipped, as I have said before, but it is worth the $30.

This is the best option you're going to get for that price. There is a gap between this and the used genuine Hakko 936, which normally go for about $75 shipped. If you are looking for a bargain setup, go with the Yihua 936. If you can afford a bit more for a starter kit, go with a used Hakko 936, or a new Hakko 888 or Weller WES51.

[oTurtlez]

Thanks JD

You're welcome. It's my vision to see a Yihua on every bench.

Shipping is as much as the iron Before I snag this one, is there a better Yihua around $40 that I'd be better off with or is this one just fine?

Yes, it's around $30 shipped, as I have said before, but it is worth the $30.

This is the best option you're going to get for that price. There is a gap between this and the used genuine Hakko 936, which normally go for about $75 shipped. If you are looking for a bargain setup, go with the Yihua 936. If you can afford a bit more for a starter kit, go with a used Hakko 936, or a new Hakko 888 or Weller WES51.

Got any experience with the Weller WLC100? That one can be had for $40 shipped off Amazon.

[jdcarpe]

Got any experience with the Weller WLC100? That one can be had for $40 shipped off Amazon.

You will note that I deliberately excluded the WLC100 from my recommendations above. I personally wish the WLC100 would go off in a corner somewhere and die. The WLC100 has no real temperature control, only a variable setting of 1-5. There is no way to know what temp your iron is set at, unless you have an expensive thermal meter, which I'm assuming buyers of a $40 soldering station won't have.

I don't have any hesitation recommending the Yihua over the Weller WLC-100, though.

If you are thinking that the WLC100 must be better because it is $40, over the Yihua 936 which is $15, you are mistaken. The Yihua is almost identical to the Hakko 936 (discontinued), which was a $100 station.

Here is a teardown video comparing the Yihua to the Hakko: