I want to get a soldering iron so I can add DCC decoders to my loco's and solder feeds to my track but I'm a little lost as I have never soldered anything before. I'm looking for recomendations on what I need to look for in an iron, what kinds of flux/solder to use and any tips or techniques would be appreciated. Price is a concern for me and while I want something that will work well and be durable, I can't afford to spend big money on something that for now wont see a ton of use. I went to everyone's favorite tool store harbor freight and they offer this gem http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/ctaf/displayitem.taf?Itemnumber=47887 , thoughts?
Soldering Iron questions
- Thread starter fiend540
- Start date
Selector
Well-Known Member
You would want something like a pencil-style iron with a sharp pointed, and round, tip, somewhere between 25-60 watts. The idea is that the hotter the tip, the quicker the heat transfer, and the quicker you can get your iron's tip back off and let the solder cool before more heat flow gets to other things, like the nearby soft plastic insulation and stuff.
Also, a thin tip, with low wattage, say below 25 watts, will have its resident heat sucked out of it more quickly, and will have to recharge longer, with each application. At the same time, you will find yourself possibly leaving the hot tip in place longer to get a better melt and then shiny solder, but all the while heat is also bleeding to adjacent items. This is a problem when soldering feeders onto rails...the ties get melted more with small and less hot irons that have to be left in place longer. The rails transfer heat away quickly, being metal, and that serves to liquify the ties.
-Crandell
Also, a thin tip, with low wattage, say below 25 watts, will have its resident heat sucked out of it more quickly, and will have to recharge longer, with each application. At the same time, you will find yourself possibly leaving the hot tip in place longer to get a better melt and then shiny solder, but all the while heat is also bleeding to adjacent items. This is a problem when soldering feeders onto rails...the ties get melted more with small and less hot irons that have to be left in place longer. The rails transfer heat away quickly, being metal, and that serves to liquify the ties.
-Crandell
kenw
5th Generation Texian
That would be adequate for the DCC work, it might be a little under powered for soldering to track. 30w is fairly lightweight, 45-50w might be more suitable, 100w would probably be overkill. The wattage is an indicator of how fast it will recover if you use it making many connections in rapid succession or solder to large things (like track)
I've been using an ancient 25w pencil iron (similar to the one you show) for 30 years, soldering very fine wires and more than a few track taps, so it CAN work. I have to admit that 30 years in the electronics manufacturing business may be a help...
The downside of underpowered irons is that, for example, when you are soldering to track with plastic ties, the smaller iron can take a long time to heat the rail, and during that time the heat gets to the ties and melts them. A more powerful iron will quickly heat the rail, allowing you to solder without waiting for the iron to recover. Is 30w enough? It would be for me, but you might consider a slightly more powerful one since you are just starting out.
For solder, the standard 60/40 or 63/37 (aka "eutectic") rosin core wire solder is fine, some liquid flux (rosin) is often useful for older wire/track to help with the extra corrosion.
Do not use acid flux. (I use it sometimes but do not recommend it for the novice as it requires special cleaning.)
I've been using an ancient 25w pencil iron (similar to the one you show) for 30 years, soldering very fine wires and more than a few track taps, so it CAN work. I have to admit that 30 years in the electronics manufacturing business may be a help...
The downside of underpowered irons is that, for example, when you are soldering to track with plastic ties, the smaller iron can take a long time to heat the rail, and during that time the heat gets to the ties and melts them. A more powerful iron will quickly heat the rail, allowing you to solder without waiting for the iron to recover. Is 30w enough? It would be for me, but you might consider a slightly more powerful one since you are just starting out.
For solder, the standard 60/40 or 63/37 (aka "eutectic") rosin core wire solder is fine, some liquid flux (rosin) is often useful for older wire/track to help with the extra corrosion.
Do not use acid flux. (I use it sometimes but do not recommend it for the novice as it requires special cleaning.)
Cool thanks alot guys. While a weller soldering station seems to be out of my price range for now I will keep it in mind if I can't find something cheaper. So summarizing the above post what I am looking for is a pencil style iron, with both a pointed and a round tip and somewhere in the 45w-50w range would be versatile enough for a beginner correct? What local stores would you guys go to for these items? Radio shacks around me seem to be less and less of a electronics part stores, do you think lowes/home depot would have what I am looking for? Maybe I will try my local napa.
Selector
Well-Known Member
The tip you want is a thin cylinder, maybe 1/4" in diameter, and it has a pointed tip.
If you haven't soldered before, you should practice on some junk metal bits. The tip must be hot, so plug it in for at least seven minutes before you use it, and keep it plugged in. Dip the tip in some paste flux (no need to smear it, just a quick dip, and then tin the tip with some solder. After your practice or soldering session, tin the tip to protect it.
Another good idea is to periodically wipe the tip with balled up, clean, paper towel...maybe every five minutes or less. It will get black with carbon over time, and the scrubbing with wadded paper towel will help remove the black. The black acts as an insulator for the tip, which is exactly not what you want when you touch metal to get the solder to bond with it.
If you would like to see some good soldering in video, go to www.handlaidtrack.com and watch the video where Tim Warris solders up one of his turnouts. Good stuff.
-Crandell
If you haven't soldered before, you should practice on some junk metal bits. The tip must be hot, so plug it in for at least seven minutes before you use it, and keep it plugged in. Dip the tip in some paste flux (no need to smear it, just a quick dip, and then tin the tip with some solder. After your practice or soldering session, tin the tip to protect it.
Another good idea is to periodically wipe the tip with balled up, clean, paper towel...maybe every five minutes or less. It will get black with carbon over time, and the scrubbing with wadded paper towel will help remove the black. The black acts as an insulator for the tip, which is exactly not what you want when you touch metal to get the solder to bond with it.
If you would like to see some good soldering in video, go to www.handlaidtrack.com and watch the video where Tim Warris solders up one of his turnouts. Good stuff.
-Crandell
tankist
Active Member
ebay, ebay, ebay.
you will be surprised
http://cgi.ebay.com/Weller-WTCPT-wi...emQQptZLH_DefaultDomain_0?hash=item4a9b5f86cd
the culprit is probably something simple
although this one is not regulated... hmmm
EDIT: and i see some others
Last edited by a moderator:
Rdio Shack still has a pretty good selection of soldering irons and supplies. I use the one at http://www.radioshack.com/product/index.jsp?productId=2062738. It's 40 watts, which heats things up a litle faster than a 30 watt without melting plastic if you work fast. It has a fine point for things like decoders and you can buy a chisel point, which works better on track feeders. I have no idea how good the quality of the HF model is but, for $9, I've found the RS iron does a good job.
tankist
Active Member
thats the one. the only thing i didn't like about it (and got weller as a result) is heavy desoldering is impossible (tried to salvage parts from old circuit). which obviously given its power output to be expected.
amdaley
Member
There are two ways to look at this.
Either you need the iron for occasional work on your railroad or you will be using it all the time in a professional or semi-professional manner.
If you just need the iron for work on your own layout then 25/30 watt iron will be fine. An iron of that wattage usually comes with a small tip which is ideal for model railroad work. I use a Weller 25watt iron which I have had for a number of years. It is powerful enough for soldering droppers to tracks as well as small enough for delicate electronic work.
If on the other hand you intend to use the iron for extensive work,like all the time every day then the sky' the limit.
Either you need the iron for occasional work on your railroad or you will be using it all the time in a professional or semi-professional manner.
If you just need the iron for work on your own layout then 25/30 watt iron will be fine. An iron of that wattage usually comes with a small tip which is ideal for model railroad work. I use a Weller 25watt iron which I have had for a number of years. It is powerful enough for soldering droppers to tracks as well as small enough for delicate electronic work.
If on the other hand you intend to use the iron for extensive work,like all the time every day then the sky' the limit.
Cjcrescent
Master Mechanic
I have two irons that I use on the layout and workbench. One is a 60w iron that is used strictly for trackwork. Heavy enough not to lose heat and will solder feeders to rail very fast. For the workbench I have a dual watt iron that can be set to either 20 or 40 watts. I use the 40 watt side on almost everything, even decoder installs. I think I've used the 20w side just once, and that had nothing to do with trains.
jdetray
Well-Known Member
Cory -
You'll do fine with the soldering tools recommended in this thread, but I'll put in another plug for a Weller soldering station. I bought my Weller WTCPT station more than 20 years ago. I've used it to make more than 10,000 solder joints, and I am still using the original tips.
But no matter what kind of solder tools you get, there are some tips and techniques that will help you be successful.
The Three Rules of Successful Electronics Soldering
1. Keep it clean
2. Make a good mechanical connection (where possible)
3. Heat the work, not the solder
Keep It Clean
Have a damp sponge or cloth handy, and wipe the hot tip on it before and after each and every soldering operation. Do this every time so that it becomes a habit. The result will be better, more reliable solder joints and a longer lifetime for your soldering iron tips.
Make a Good Mechanical Connection
Electrical soldering isn't really designed to hold parts together; it is designed to make a good electrical connection between them. So, whenever possible, make a solid mechanical connection between the parts to be soldered (the work) before you actually solder them. For example, when soldering two wires together, twist the wires together first if you can. It's not always possible to do this, but if you can, it's a good idea.
Heat the Work, Not the Solder
Proper technique is to get the parts you are soldering (the work) hot enough that the solder will melt and flow over the parts without the soldering iron touching the solder. If you don't get the work hot enough, you can end up with a "cold" solder joint, one that is electrically poor and subject to failure. A proper solder joint will be smooth and shiny. If it is lumpy, dull, or grainy looking, it's a cold joint and may not be reliable.
Now some practical tips.
- A 25-40 watt pencil type iron is the right tool for our kind of soldering.
- Use rosin core solder designed for electronics work. The rosin core solder from Radio Shack is fine. Separate flux is helpful but not usually necessary necessary if you use rosin core solder.
- It is normal for the tip of the iron to discolor when it heats up.
- Accumulating a blob of solder on the tip of the iron and then touching it to the work is definitely NOT the right way to do it!
Your first step should be to tin the iron. Let the iron heat up, then apply a small amount of solder to the tip of the iron. It should melt very easily and coat the tip. Using a damp sponge or damp cloth, wipe the tip to remove excess solder, leaving a smooth, shiny coating of solder on the tip.
It can be helpful to tin the work before soldering. To do this, heat each piece of the work with the iron and melt a small amount of solder onto it. You don't want a big blob of solder, just a very thin coating. When tinning stranded wire, be sure the solder flows into the strands and doesn't form a blob on the surface.
Find a way to hold the work very steady so the parts are held together and do not move while you are soldering them. Spring-type wooden clothespins are useful for this, as are "Helping Hands" tools. The parts (or wires) must not move while you are soldering them, or you risk cold joints.
To make the solder joint, first apply the iron to the work and let the work heat up. Keeping the iron on the work, touch the solder to the work. It should melt and flow over the work. In the case of wire, the solder should flow easily into the wire strands. If the solder does not flow when touched to the work, the work is not hot enough.
Even if you have tinned the work, you should still add at least a little more solder to assure a good joint. Just re-heating the tinned parts to stick them together without adding more solder may result in a cold joint.
Remember: Wipe the tip on your damp sponge or cloth before and after each joint. Never let more than a very thin coating of solder accumulate on the tip.
- Jeff
You'll do fine with the soldering tools recommended in this thread, but I'll put in another plug for a Weller soldering station. I bought my Weller WTCPT station more than 20 years ago. I've used it to make more than 10,000 solder joints, and I am still using the original tips.
But no matter what kind of solder tools you get, there are some tips and techniques that will help you be successful.
The Three Rules of Successful Electronics Soldering
1. Keep it clean
2. Make a good mechanical connection (where possible)
3. Heat the work, not the solder
Keep It Clean
Have a damp sponge or cloth handy, and wipe the hot tip on it before and after each and every soldering operation. Do this every time so that it becomes a habit. The result will be better, more reliable solder joints and a longer lifetime for your soldering iron tips.
Make a Good Mechanical Connection
Electrical soldering isn't really designed to hold parts together; it is designed to make a good electrical connection between them. So, whenever possible, make a solid mechanical connection between the parts to be soldered (the work) before you actually solder them. For example, when soldering two wires together, twist the wires together first if you can. It's not always possible to do this, but if you can, it's a good idea.
Heat the Work, Not the Solder
Proper technique is to get the parts you are soldering (the work) hot enough that the solder will melt and flow over the parts without the soldering iron touching the solder. If you don't get the work hot enough, you can end up with a "cold" solder joint, one that is electrically poor and subject to failure. A proper solder joint will be smooth and shiny. If it is lumpy, dull, or grainy looking, it's a cold joint and may not be reliable.
Now some practical tips.
- A 25-40 watt pencil type iron is the right tool for our kind of soldering.
- Use rosin core solder designed for electronics work. The rosin core solder from Radio Shack is fine. Separate flux is helpful but not usually necessary necessary if you use rosin core solder.
- It is normal for the tip of the iron to discolor when it heats up.
- Accumulating a blob of solder on the tip of the iron and then touching it to the work is definitely NOT the right way to do it!
Your first step should be to tin the iron. Let the iron heat up, then apply a small amount of solder to the tip of the iron. It should melt very easily and coat the tip. Using a damp sponge or damp cloth, wipe the tip to remove excess solder, leaving a smooth, shiny coating of solder on the tip.
It can be helpful to tin the work before soldering. To do this, heat each piece of the work with the iron and melt a small amount of solder onto it. You don't want a big blob of solder, just a very thin coating. When tinning stranded wire, be sure the solder flows into the strands and doesn't form a blob on the surface.
Find a way to hold the work very steady so the parts are held together and do not move while you are soldering them. Spring-type wooden clothespins are useful for this, as are "Helping Hands" tools. The parts (or wires) must not move while you are soldering them, or you risk cold joints.
To make the solder joint, first apply the iron to the work and let the work heat up. Keeping the iron on the work, touch the solder to the work. It should melt and flow over the work. In the case of wire, the solder should flow easily into the wire strands. If the solder does not flow when touched to the work, the work is not hot enough.
Even if you have tinned the work, you should still add at least a little more solder to assure a good joint. Just re-heating the tinned parts to stick them together without adding more solder may result in a cold joint.
Remember: Wipe the tip on your damp sponge or cloth before and after each joint. Never let more than a very thin coating of solder accumulate on the tip.
- Jeff
Irritating is an understatement.
You only need the room to be well-ventilated if it's very small or if you're doing a LOT of soldering. My advice for dealing with the fumes is to have a fan ready to blow it away from where you are. Once it's out of your way you should be fine.
ChevelleSSguy
Member
I have a nice butane cordless unit that I have used for all sorts of stuff like this. Refillable and no electrical chords.
I agree with Jeff, that 25-40watt iron is plenty in our hobby. More than that...you are not doing something right. I use a Weller 35 watt w/1/8" chisel tip for track work and an old Unger Princess 32 watt with needle point for decoder and small work.
I also would like to suggest using rosin core silver bearing solder, 62/36/2 (tin,lead,silver). It cost a little more, but is strong enough for our hobby with lower melting point than standard 60/40, and excellent conductivitiy. Ideal for work with <24awg wire and small electronic/electrical components. I even use it on track joints for quick on/off with the soldering iron. Here, it is not used for mechanical strength but for improved conductivity through the joint.
I also would like to suggest using rosin core silver bearing solder, 62/36/2 (tin,lead,silver). It cost a little more, but is strong enough for our hobby with lower melting point than standard 60/40, and excellent conductivitiy. Ideal for work with <24awg wire and small electronic/electrical components. I even use it on track joints for quick on/off with the soldering iron. Here, it is not used for mechanical strength but for improved conductivity through the joint.
dpeterson3
Member
I'll put in another vote for a Weller. I found it at home depot after my 15w one from Radioshack broke. It is a little $20 40W iron. I use it constantly for everything. There is very little it can't do. It does a nice job of soldering buses to track. I also have a pencil tip for it to do PCB work. The only problem with it is finding tips. I could only find them at a local Electronics parts dealer (Gateway electronics for fellow Saint Louisians). I am sure you could order them just as cheap, though.I can't do online orders yet, so I have to get mine locally. If you can get tips, I would go to Home Depot and get a Weller. It will last forever.
Well it took awhile but I finally got around to soldering for the first time. Overall not too difficult, well other than realizing the truth behind "The soldering Iron Is Hot" I'm happy with my first effort I guess, since it was just leads to my test track but hopefully I can get my connections a little smaller and less obtrusive. Time to tackle my decoder harness later tonight.
I'm happy with my first effort I guess, since it was just leads to my test track but hopefully I can get my connections a little smaller and less obtrusive. Time to tackle my decoder harness later tonight.