Solding Guidance

[Caswell]

Trying to learn how to solder. I've got the Hakko 936 knock-off from Hobby King. Most of my attempts have been with it set to 750 degrees. Using 60/40 solder that is .031 thick. Tip of iron is tinned.

All the videos I've watched, they touch the motor terminal wait less than a second, and apply the solder and it melts. It seems like I have to hold mine forever before the solder will melt.

Heat transfers up the wire just fine, just doesn't liquefy solder as fast as it seems it should.

[phishead1101]

I've never really paid attention to my heat setting. Seems like you need more heat to get the solder to flow. Try cranking it up a bit. You can do damage if you heat stuff for to long.

[Caswell]

Even maxed (900 degrees) it takes a while.

[phishead1101]

Is your solder tip cleaned off?

[Eric0424]

You shouldn't have a problem with 60/40 solder a 750° and certainly not a 900°, it shouldn't take long to get to 750° either. Make sure your tip is clean and tight in the handle, if it's loose or dirty it will reduce heat. Pre-tin the wire, the motor terminals and the solder tip. If those are not the problem then you may have a defective station or bad heating element.

[84yoda]

I was having trouble soldering too, watched videos and in person and seemed super easy. But every time I tried myself I had so much trouble. My problem ended up being the tip, just a cheap tip (multiple of them) and finally got another brand and also picked up some flux and I've been good ever since. You probably ruined the tip so pick up a new one and use flux (solder paste) as well. Anything you touch with the soldering tip with solder on it will take a second to transfers it. Also tin the tip before you solder and also when your done soldering as well (letting it cool down). That will help keep the tip in good shape.

[barrybelvedere]

Drag the angled surface of your tip across sand paper. It works like 30 Mexican roofers
Even if you are un-soldering touch the new solder on the tip. If there is a hot drop of solder on the tip it will transfer the heat instantly for soldering and un soldering.
Also do not use the wet sponge, it cools off the tip and makes the tip weak. Put a copper Brillo nest in your solder tray.

[mrG]

Read this
How to solder correctly (a not so brief lesson) - R/C Tech Forums
I did have a tip go bad once. You may try replacing yours.

[RiceP]

Just break down and spend the money on a good station. I had the hobbyking station to and thought the same everyone made it look so easy and I had a hell of a time soldering posts on rx8. Then the hobbyking broke and it was a blessing cause I bought a trakpower 950 and my next soldering of a rx8 was just like the videos so easy and made me look like I knew what I was doing lol

[tacocat]

I use a $20 iron from Lowes and have great success. As long as you use flux its basically impossible to **** it up.

If you are having a hard time I suggest buying a few feet of the wire you will use and a handful of whatever connectors you use and practice practice practice. That's what I did and I haven't had any trouble since.

[Lordtuna]

I had LOTS of issues learning to soldering. The biggest tip I can give you is to make sure your tip is clean, and tinned. The tip MUST have solder on it to have good thermal transfer. if the tip doesn't have enough solder you aren't getting all the heat to the part fast enough, even if you are de-soldering you still need to have solder on the tip. When the solder liquefies on the tip of the iron, heat transfer is almost instant.

[Lordtuna]

oh, and practice, practice, practice. I tinned some wire and just practiced joining the ends for a couple of hours one day, now I solder like Picasso

[Mnster]

It's all about tinning.

Tin the tip

Tin the motor

Tin both wires.

Tin the iron again

Then melt the tins together.


I usually have the Hakko on the max setting unless I am doing servo leads or something tiny. Big chisel tip.

[4508js]

Originally Posted by Mnster

It's all about tinning.

Tin the tip

Tin the motor

Tin both wires.

Tin the iron again

Then melt the tins together.


I usually have the Hakko on the max setting unless I am doing servo leads or something tiny. Big chisel tip.

Yeap what he said !! I just recently bought a soldering iron and started learning how to solder, I was having problems until I saw this post. Once I did what Mnster said things became much easier and worked a lot better. I just have a $25 Weller iron from Lowes and now I'm soldering everything from small LED or servo wires up the ESC wire. Thanks Mnster !!

[Highmark]

Originally Posted by Caswell

Trying to learn how to solder. I've got the Hakko 936 knock-off from Hobby King. Most of my attempts have been with it set to 750 degrees. Using 60/40 solder that is .031 thick. Tip of iron is tinned.

All the videos I've watched, they touch the motor terminal wait less than a second, and apply the solder and it melts. It seems like I have to hold mine forever before the solder will melt.

Heat transfers up the wire just fine, just doesn't liquefy solder as fast as it seems it should.

If you're using the pointy tip that came with it that's your problem. You need a chisel tip (you can get them off ebay for a 936). Otherwise what Mnster said.

[cyberhog05]

I struggled all because of a dirty tip. I solder almost daily at work because we don't use button connectors etc. Never had any issues at work. So I ditched my craftsman iron and bought a butane one from my mac guy. It's the shiznat and I can throw it in my rc box on the trail for swapping things or fixing bad joints others make

[cardiffclimber]

X2 on the butane iron!


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[rex21]

As Highmark said above, you can not solder 12 gauge wire with the tiny tip you get with it. You can buy an assortment off of eBay for $10 that are for a hakko 936. Use a tip close to your wire size and make sure it is cleaned and tinned. This cheap solder station works great set up properly.

[smitty2919]

I've also come to appreciate flux. I tried messing with soldering using only solder and bare wires. Once I picked up some flux things went A LOT better.

What I have done that works for me:
Clean iron tip
Dip iron tip in flux and tin the iron tip
Dip both wires in flux then tin the wires
Hold wires together and touch the iron to them until solder melts.

I'm no expert and can obviously be better. But for the minor soldering I do, this has worked MUCH better than anything I have tried. The flux is MAGICAL lol It's like a magnet that sucks the tin into the wire strands.

[K.O.M.]

I learned how to solder with a cheap 35 watt Radio Shack iron when I was 12. I used the same iron for near 5 years before heading off to college.

I was able to solder battery bars with that tiny iron. The key was what the old timer at Radio Shack taught me the day I bought that iron: properly tin the tip every single time you plug it in, that thin coating is what transfers the heat. And that day I also bought paste flux, steel wool, and a sponge.

Before the tip has had a chance to oxidize, you must begin melting 60/40 solder on it. You literally plug it in, monitor every 30 seconds and melt the solder on. Take the steel wool and lightly brush off the excess, apply flux with a metal brush to the not so shiny parts of the tip, melt the solder on. I usually tin about 3/8" from the end entirely. Once the iron is properly tinned, I just wipe off any excess solder on the sponge while working. Before I unplug the iron, I re-tin as needed so the iron is ready to go the nex time I use it.

Used this procedure on every single iron I've owned, which is a grand total of 3, and my best one is a 60 watt Weller that people ask what it is when they struggle with their fancy soldering stations and oxidized tips to solder motor leads as they come over and I solder motor leads, battery connectors, you name it effortlessly.