RCCrawler Forums

AlmstEvil665 · 08-06-2009, 08:16 PM

I have been using the $30 Weller 100w/140w soldering gun every since I got into electric RC's. I know its not the best tool for the job but at $30 I'm not complaining and it works really well. Some tips that have helped me are always use flux. I know its not really needed for soldering small wires and whatnot but it helps. Also I have a nice fine stainless steel snap on wire brush that i use to clean the tip after every solder joint I make. i know that might not be needed as well but it seems to help. Tin tin tin and tin lol. Once I learned about tinning wires my soldering looks really good. I never even knew about tinning. There used to be a really good video on Tekins websight about soldering but I can't find it now. After I watched that I could solder like a pro. A good quality solder is also a must and I think everyone knows 60/40 is the only way to go. Also a good flux. Never use acid core or 50/50 and always use electrical flux and not plumbers I think that goes without saying. As far as esc wires go i don't know much about them. But what I do know is they use a solder that has a higher melting piont so you don't de solder the conections on the circuit boards when you make your connections. At least with the FXRs and whatnot. I love soldering though once I started tinning the wires and doing it the right way. Before I knew anything about tinning I was setting myself up for disaster. Do a quick search on youtube lots of how to videos on soldering. After you watch one of those and practice for about 5 mins you'll be good to go.

Alex.G · 08-10-2009, 08:00 AM

I wanted to buy 936 from Hakko, too.. but ended with 936 clone from Kada
It is 44.32USD shipped worldwide, before that i checked it (via forums..etc), it has hakko style tips, it has ceramic heating element and it has temp lcd (hakko has no). So it is the 'same', but cheaper. And it is 230V model, most of the hakko is 110V (when bought from usa, ebay).

http://www.dealextreme.com/details.dx/sku.1874

bigflex · 08-10-2009, 10:35 AM

I have been using one of these for about a year now and it is awesome.

It has 3 programmable settings heat up in just seconds and keeps its temp perfectly.

ScalerLover · 08-10-2009, 02:47 PM

Im rockin a 40w radio shack iron i bought new for 7 bucks.
Havent come across anything i cant solder yet and i dont use flux

rmb2485 · 08-10-2009, 06:52 PM

I have a Bernzmoatic butane soldering torch and love it. Takes a minute to heat up, but once it hot, its HOT. Its also great because you don't need an outlet. I always throw it in the toolbox when I go wheeling in my Jeep and have used it for a bunch of trail fixes.

Big Mike · 08-12-2009, 08:42 AM

I have a Weller WES51. Adjustable up to 85 watts. I use it daily at work, I turn it down to around 30-35 to solder-desolder small components off of circuit boards, or crank it up to 75 for heavy work. Any r/c work I typically do at 75 watts, I get the work done faster and thus have less heat transfer into other components. The tip is fine enough to get into any small area I've encountered doing r/c work.

You can score one at Amazon.com for 85 bucks. A little steep maybe, but it's probably the last iron you'll ever buy...

Oh BTW, see the sponge in the base? That's all you need to keep your tip clean and hot, a damp sponge. Wipe the tip on it before and after each use. If your iron tip is all black and nasty looking, that's your problem - lack of heat transfer because of the foreign material. Wipe it on the sponge so it looks bright and shiny...

Alex.G · 08-13-2009, 12:37 AM

i used to use this kind of wet sponge, but it is not really the best solution. Water's max temp is 100C (when it boils) and your tip can be over 200, 300 C.. so it is a temp shock for the tip with faster oxidation way.

Once i bought brass soldering ball (also called - Dry Tip Cleaner)

and this works better that sponge, and you don't need to rotate the tip to clean.. just insert it into the brass sponge.

Try it.. you love it and never go back to wet sponge.

Ripperfi · 08-13-2009, 12:57 AM

Awesome tip with the brass sponge. Why didnt I think of that? Ive always used a sponge or wet rag. I use a weller 100/140 for most work. Just read thru all the pages and didnt see anyone using a fine file to recondition the weller tips. It allows me to reuse a tip that would usually get thrown away. I also have a benzo butane soldering torch that is very useful for 22 awg and above. Great for small circuits and field fixes. Keep that in the pit box. It will do a sermos plug if your patient. I also have a harbor freight gun thats 180 watts and heats to 1,135 degress. Cost me 12 bucks and the bloody thing gets red hot. Too freakin hot for anything above 8awg IMO. I think its pretty much worthless. On a side note, anyone ever tried cold heat soldering? Seems like a novelty to me, then again, what do I know.

http://electronics.howstuffworks.com/cold-heat.htm

Alex.G · 08-13-2009, 01:04 AM

NEVER file the soldering tip.
buy brass ball, heat the tip and move the tip inside of the brass, this will help for 95%. If your tip is really oxidized and bad... you need to buy something like this

heat the tip and sink it into the gray stuff.

if this will not work for you.. better buy new tip.

Ripperfi · 08-13-2009, 01:22 AM

As long as you dont go too deep why not file? I mean once you go past the brass its pretty much useless but this has always worked for me.

Alex.G · 08-13-2009, 01:28 AM

anyway... it is not recommended.
Better clean your tip after every use, it will last longer and fresher.

rednck21 · 08-16-2009, 07:20 PM

am i the only one with an old Ungar iron? its about 15 years old and gets up to 1000 deg

i bought it from my local slot car track when i was a kid and still works perfectly

Ripperfi · 08-16-2009, 08:19 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by rednck21

am i the only one with an old Ungar iron? its about 15 years old and gets up to 1000 deg

i bought it from my local slot car track when i was a kid and still works perfectly

Got any pics of it?

Spiftacu1ar · 08-30-2009, 01:16 PM

I love my hakko 936 as well. Lots of tips to choose from, heats up quickly, and the pen has a nice size / feel to it.

FYI, if you have got solder stuck to your tip, you are doinf somehting incredibly wrong. Make sure you keep it tinned while sodlering so the tip doesn't oxidize. Also, wipe off solder BEFORE you turn it off. If you cool down an iron with sodler on it, then it will be stuck there. Often it comes off the next time you heat it up, but other times it just gets stuck, andyou have scrape it off, etc, which you shouldn't have to do.

Dirtydids · 08-30-2009, 02:56 PM

honestly i had the same problem the first time around with mine. i am also using a radio shack 45 watt. flux makes all the difference. i had trouble soldering my traxxas battery connectors without the flux. easiest thing i found was to get a peice of aluminum if you have one to use as a backer. dip the wire in the flux lay it flat and put the iron on it to get it hot then feed the solder into the wire. itll work. same with the fxr posts.

rc_man · 08-30-2009, 03:57 PM

i have the master craft 100W soldering gun it is good to solder wires but to solder tubeing to make my roll cage never done it

jeepcj776 · 09-01-2009, 04:15 PM

I have a Weller WES51

and although it has the power to solder with out I use solder paste on almost everything, Very Fast soldering and and very clean.

It is what is used in circut board soldering comes in a small jar and I just brush/dip the wires or contact point in the jar.

Makes a sizzle sound then the solder flows very fast.

phillyb · 09-02-2009, 07:00 AM

I have one of the hakko irons, not sure which one. Also the hakko R2D2 looking trash can with the metal brillo pad in it. I have a tiny tin from radio shack that has some sort of solid cleaner that turns to liquid, supposed to clean it but I don't like it.

I also have a small selection of rat shack irons, but I only whip out the tiny one if I need to redo a radio antenna or other tiny component, it has a very sharp pointy tip and its only like 15w. I really want a 936 with flames and a few extra tips.

Anyone tried out the new LRP one, its like 200$.

philthewrench · 09-02-2009, 08:08 PM

I use a butane iron from made by Power Probe. Good quality more compact that many other of the better quality butane units and the portability REALLY makes it shine. It will never take the place of a good solder station but it's such a great tool to have in the bag-o-stuff.

Phil

Skullbasher · 09-03-2009, 02:23 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ripperfi

On a side note, anyone ever tried cold heat soldering? Seems like a novelty to me, then again, what do I know.

http://electronics.howstuffworks.com/cold-heat.htm

I will never even look at the cold heat anymore. I got one a few years back and it was the WORST thing I ever bought(And this is coming from a guy who is used to radio shack irons who's tips are long overdue).
I literally threw mine against the wall after trying to solder a spliced wire for, what felt like, hours.
It is like you need a perfect surface for the thing to work. As I remember it needs to complete a circuit from one half of the tip to the other, and that was much harder than it sounds.

Anyways. I use the cheap $24 station from radio shack and it gets the job done. I do plan on getting a nice one now that I'm getting back into the hobby though.

08-12-2009, 08:42 AM	#46
Big Mike I wanna be Dave Join Date: Oct 2006 Location: Martinsburg WV Posts: 2,781	I have a Weller WES51. Adjustable up to 85 watts. I use it daily at work, I turn it down to around 30-35 to solder-desolder small components off of circuit boards, or crank it up to 75 for heavy work. Any r/c work I typically do at 75 watts, I get the work done faster and thus have less heat transfer into other components. The tip is fine enough to get into any small area I've encountered doing r/c work. You can score one at Amazon.com for 85 bucks. A little steep maybe, but it's probably the last iron you'll ever buy... Oh BTW, see the sponge in the base? That's all you need to keep your tip clean and hot, a damp sponge. Wipe the tip on it before and after each use. If your iron tip is all black and nasty looking, that's your problem - lack of heat transfer because of the foreign material. Wipe it on the sponge so it looks bright and shiny... Last edited by Big Mike; 08-12-2009 at 08:45 AM.

08-13-2009, 12:57 AM	#48
Ripperfi Rock Crawler Join Date: Aug 2008 Location: Tucson Posts: 625	Awesome tip with the brass sponge. Why didnt I think of that? Ive always used a sponge or wet rag. I use a weller 100/140 for most work. Just read thru all the pages and didnt see anyone using a fine file to recondition the weller tips. It allows me to reuse a tip that would usually get thrown away. I also have a benzo butane soldering torch that is very useful for 22 awg and above. Great for small circuits and field fixes. Keep that in the pit box. It will do a sermos plug if your patient. I also have a harbor freight gun thats 180 watts and heats to 1,135 degress. Cost me 12 bucks and the bloody thing gets red hot. Too freakin hot for anything above 8awg IMO. I think its pretty much worthless. On a side note, anyone ever tried cold heat soldering? Seems like a novelty to me, then again, what do I know. http://electronics.howstuffworks.com/cold-heat.htm Last edited by Ripperfi; 08-13-2009 at 01:01 AM.

08-06-2009, 08:16 PM	#41
AlmstEvil665 Quarry Creeper Join Date: Jan 2009 Location: Hagerstown Posts: 369	I have been using the $30 Weller 100w/140w soldering gun every since I got into electric RC's. I know its not the best tool for the job but at $30 I'm not complaining and it works really well. Some tips that have helped me are always use flux. I know its not really needed for soldering small wires and whatnot but it helps. Also I have a nice fine stainless steel snap on wire brush that i use to clean the tip after every solder joint I make. i know that might not be needed as well but it seems to help. Tin tin tin and tin lol. Once I learned about tinning wires my soldering looks really good. I never even knew about tinning. There used to be a really good video on Tekins websight about soldering but I can't find it now. After I watched that I could solder like a pro. A good quality solder is also a must and I think everyone knows 60/40 is the only way to go. Also a good flux. Never use acid core or 50/50 and always use electrical flux and not plumbers I think that goes without saying. As far as esc wires go i don't know much about them. But what I do know is they use a solder that has a higher melting piont so you don't de solder the conections on the circuit boards when you make your connections. At least with the FXRs and whatnot. I love soldering though once I started tinning the wires and doing it the right way. Before I knew anything about tinning I was setting myself up for disaster. Do a quick search on youtube lots of how to videos on soldering. After you watch one of those and practice for about 5 mins you'll be good to go.

08-10-2009, 08:00 AM	#42
Alex.G Quarry Creeper Join Date: Nov 2008 Location: Slovakia Posts: 308	I wanted to buy 936 from Hakko, too.. but ended with 936 clone from Kada It is 44.32USD shipped worldwide, before that i checked it (via forums..etc), it has hakko style tips, it has ceramic heating element and it has temp lcd (hakko has no). So it is the 'same', but cheaper. And it is 230V model, most of the hakko is 110V (when bought from usa, ebay). http://www.dealextreme.com/details.dx/sku.1874

08-10-2009, 10:35 AM	#43
bigflex I wanna be Dave Join Date: Jun 2005 Location: drillin Holes for the man Posts: 2,736	I have been using one of these for about a year now and it is awesome. It has 3 programmable settings heat up in just seconds and keeps its temp perfectly.

08-10-2009, 02:47 PM	#44
ScalerLover Rock Crawler Join Date: Dec 2008 Location: Marengo, Ohio Posts: 980	Im rockin a 40w radio shack iron i bought new for 7 bucks. Havent come across anything i cant solder yet and i dont use flux

08-10-2009, 06:52 PM	#45
rmb2485 Pebble Pounder Join Date: Jul 2009 Location: Lehigh Valley, PA Posts: 100	I have a Bernzmoatic butane soldering torch and love it. Takes a minute to heat up, but once it hot, its HOT. Its also great because you don't need an outlet. I always throw it in the toolbox when I go wheeling in my Jeep and have used it for a bunch of trail fixes.

08-13-2009, 12:37 AM	#47
Alex.G Quarry Creeper Join Date: Nov 2008 Location: Slovakia Posts: 308	i used to use this kind of wet sponge, but it is not really the best solution. Water's max temp is 100C (when it boils) and your tip can be over 200, 300 C.. so it is a temp shock for the tip with faster oxidation way. Once i bought brass soldering ball (also called - Dry Tip Cleaner) and this works better that sponge, and you don't need to rotate the tip to clean.. just insert it into the brass sponge. Try it.. you love it and never go back to wet sponge.

08-13-2009, 01:04 AM	#49
Alex.G Quarry Creeper Join Date: Nov 2008 Location: Slovakia Posts: 308	NEVER file the soldering tip. buy brass ball, heat the tip and move the tip inside of the brass, this will help for 95%. If your tip is really oxidized and bad... you need to buy something like this heat the tip and sink it into the gray stuff. if this will not work for you.. better buy new tip.

08-13-2009, 01:22 AM	#50
Ripperfi Rock Crawler Join Date: Aug 2008 Location: Tucson Posts: 625	As long as you dont go too deep why not file? I mean once you go past the brass its pretty much useless but this has always worked for me.

08-13-2009, 01:28 AM	#51
Alex.G Quarry Creeper Join Date: Nov 2008 Location: Slovakia Posts: 308	anyway... it is not recommended. Better clean your tip after every use, it will last longer and fresher.

08-16-2009, 07:20 PM	#52
rednck21 09 RCA champ! Join Date: Sep 2006 Location: Acworth, Ga Posts: 966	am i the only one with an old Ungar iron? its about 15 years old and gets up to 1000 deg i bought it from my local slot car track when i was a kid and still works perfectly

Sponsored Links

08-30-2009, 01:16 PM	#54
Spiftacu1ar Quarry Creeper Join Date: Aug 2009 Location: Palo Alto, Bay Area Posts: 218	I love my hakko 936 as well. Lots of tips to choose from, heats up quickly, and the pen has a nice size / feel to it. FYI, if you have got solder stuck to your tip, you are doinf somehting incredibly wrong. Make sure you keep it tinned while sodlering so the tip doesn't oxidize. Also, wipe off solder BEFORE you turn it off. If you cool down an iron with sodler on it, then it will be stuck there. Often it comes off the next time you heat it up, but other times it just gets stuck, andyou have scrape it off, etc, which you shouldn't have to do.

08-30-2009, 02:56 PM	#55
Dirtydids Newbie Join Date: Jul 2009 Location: Phoenix Posts: 34	honestly i had the same problem the first time around with mine. i am also using a radio shack 45 watt. flux makes all the difference. i had trouble soldering my traxxas battery connectors without the flux. easiest thing i found was to get a peice of aluminum if you have one to use as a backer. dip the wire in the flux lay it flat and put the iron on it to get it hot then feed the solder into the wire. itll work. same with the fxr posts.

08-30-2009, 03:57 PM	#56
rc_man Newbie Join Date: Mar 2009 Location: HAlifax Nova Scotia Posts: 25	i have the master craft 100W soldering gun it is good to solder wires but to solder tubeing to make my roll cage never done it

09-01-2009, 04:15 PM	#57
jeepcj776 Pebble Pounder Join Date: Jun 2009 Location: Belle Fourche Posts: 172	I have a Weller WES51 and although it has the power to solder with out I use solder paste on almost everything, Very Fast soldering and and very clean. It is what is used in circut board soldering comes in a small jar and I just brush/dip the wires or contact point in the jar. Makes a sizzle sound then the solder flows very fast.

09-02-2009, 07:00 AM	#58
phillyb Rock Crawler Join Date: Nov 2004 Location: roanoke Posts: 550	I have one of the hakko irons, not sure which one. Also the hakko R2D2 looking trash can with the metal brillo pad in it. I have a tiny tin from radio shack that has some sort of solid cleaner that turns to liquid, supposed to clean it but I don't like it. I also have a small selection of rat shack irons, but I only whip out the tiny one if I need to redo a radio antenna or other tiny component, it has a very sharp pointy tip and its only like 15w. I really want a 936 with flames and a few extra tips. Anyone tried out the new LRP one, its like 200$.

09-02-2009, 08:08 PM	#59
philthewrench Newbie Join Date: May 2009 Location: westchester county Posts: 26	I use a butane iron from made by Power Probe. Good quality more compact that many other of the better quality butane units and the portability REALLY makes it shine. It will never take the place of a good solder station but it's such a great tool to have in the bag-o-stuff. Phil

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Thread: Soldering iron