Solder and Soldering Irons

Discussion in 'DIY' started by JK47, Nov 28, 2015.

  1. Thad E Ginathom

    Thad E Ginathom Friend

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    Thanks!

    In India, even some of the mains-cable conductors for stuff like lighting are stupidly fine.

    I had an automatic wire striper once, when serial computer cables were a part of my days. Time to get another one.
     
  2. Cspirou

    Cspirou They call me Sparky

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    Recently bought a Monoprice USB microscope to help me inspect my soldering. Here is a pic of a capacitor on a Raspberry Pi Zero as an example. This one is located in between the USB ports.

    94E78248-12D4-4E36-B6E5-451B55A5EF8B.jpeg
     
  3. highflyin9

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    Nicely done! :)
     
  4. Priidik

    Priidik MOT: Estelon

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    A friend of mine put together a soldering kit based on the TS100 that is actually usable in the field.
    Link to store: KOMPS



    I have sparingly used the TS100 for some time now, but the fiddling with shitty power banks and stiff cables got on my nerves.
    Now, even behind workbench I seldom use my pro Weller station. This kit is 95% there in terms of ergonomics and surpasses the Weller in performance.
    The portability factor is nice when working on speaker XO-s. There is nothing more annoying than running out of soldering iron cable reach.
     
    Last edited: Mar 3, 2019
  5. uncola

    uncola Friend

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    I just upgraded to the ts100. That's a nice looking kit..
     
  6. Armaegis

    Armaegis Friend

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    Bloody 'eck, 11sec heat up time with a portable unit? I feel like I'm living in caveman times with my old Weller that takes a couple minutes to reach temp.
     
  7. highflyin9

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    I upgraded to the FX-100 RF earlier this year. Works great, and instant heat up. The only thing I don't like is the iron holder has minimal support and the iron can slip out if it's not perfectly placed.

    [​IMG]
     
  8. Cspirou

    Cspirou They call me Sparky

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    The iron I listed earlier that I inherited from my EE father in law gets to temp faster then anything I have ever used. I never tried Hakko but I feel like it would be a step down compared to the one I have. There is no transformer so it's powered directly with mains voltage. Which freaked me out at first, but it still has a ground prong and the casing is plastic. I'm sure the engineers knew what they were doing.
     
  9. Azimuth

    Azimuth FKA rtaylor76, Friend

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    I love my Hakko and also gets warm very quickly. I have not timed it, but it is likely close to a minute I am sure. Fully loopback temp controlled too for $100 on Amazon, hard to beat.
     
  10. Cspirou

    Cspirou They call me Sparky

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  11. winders

    winders boomer

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    I love my Hakko FX-888D. It's always great working with quality tools!
     
  12. Zampotech

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    I think the danger of solder Pb63Sn37 greatly exaggerated. Lead is an inert metal. I don't know of any lead solder poisoning.
    I know people who worked with solder since 1955-1960. the oldest is now 79 years old. She started working with solder at the age of 15. This woman worked as a soldering iron until she was 75. Yes, she has a disease, but they are all associated with old age. The rest of the female installers are also no different from their peers.

    Another thing is lead-free solder. By itself, it is not poisonous. But his fluxes have a lot of toxic substances. In production it is easily cleaned. In the home cleaning from the fumes flux is usually unrealistic.

    Lead-free solder unlike lead has unstable mechanical characteristics. He during the first few years there is a growth of crystals. Sometimes the growth of crystals forms microcracks. Microcracks can bring an electronic device out of working condition.

    Of course, there is a particularly strong and stable lead-free solders based on silver, but they are not available to the average user or very expensive.

    My belief is that the introduction of lead-free technology is associated with an artificial reduction in the service life of the equipment. This is noticeable in the short life of new gadgets. Old gadgets of course obsolete morally, but they work. New gadgets in three to four years usually have problems.
     
    Last edited: Mar 11, 2019
  13. AudioFriend

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    The fact that some people lives a long life after being exposed to lead doesn't mean that lead fume is not dangerous. Many people who smoked heavily lived 80+ years. It doesn't mean that smoking is not harmful.

    It's scientifically proven that exposure to lead fumes is harmful. Some people are more sensitive for it, while others are not. It might depend on their genes, diet, lifestyle, and who knows what else.
     
  14. Cspirou

    Cspirou They call me Sparky

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    The danger from lead isn't so much shortened lifespan, but cognitive impairments. I have kids, so it's something I think about. There's also a pretty strong correlation with lead exposure and violent aggression. While the manufacturing process might not be an issue, the bigger problem is disposal and getting into groundwater.

    That being said, disposal is probably not as much of an issue for DIY audio stuff. Most things last a very long time as can be seen from people buying vintage amplifiers from the 70s.
     
  15. Zampotech

    Zampotech Friend

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    Without a doubt, lead vapor is dangerous. But when soldering lead vapor in the air is very small, almost in homeopathic doses. The temperature to lead (1750 degrees) is much higher than the soldering iron temperature. But there are pairs of the flux, which is much more dangerous. Elementary air extractor and performing personal hygiene reduces exposure to vapours of lead almost to zero.

    From two options lead solder + rosin and lead-free solder + a special flux the most dangerous will the second option. Because of flux.

    The impact of any harmful substances on children without a doubt should be excluded. No discussion, no excuses.
    That's why I don't solder at home.
     
    Last edited: Mar 11, 2019
  16. randytsuch

    randytsuch Friend

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    FWIW, I work on stuff that goes on commercial aircraft, by brand A and brand B.

    Neither one wants lead free solder in their products.
    With lead free solder, you get something call "dendrite" growth, also called tin whiskers.

    Over time, they will spread across the board, and short out signals. One reason why things fail faster now then before.

    So leaded solder can be more reliable.

    When I solder, I try to stay away from the fumes, should really get a fume extractor. As I get older, the fumes bother my lungs more.
     
  17. Bobcat

    Bobcat Friend

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    Just can't help myself... If someone slings some lead my way you can count on me to return fire, so I guess there is a relationship between lead and violent aggression. :)
     
  18. Armaegis

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    Just to be pedantic, but dendrites and tin whiskers are not the same thing. Dendrite formation typically occur during the liquid-to-solid transition and does not grow any further under normal circumstances. Whisker formation happens in the solid phase with materials that are under some form of internal stress. I would wager that the whisker growth is a stress relief mechanism fed from localized dislocations (a type of crystal defect).
     
  19. Thad E Ginathom

    Thad E Ginathom Friend

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    This has been (is) a very informative conversation about the pros and cons of leaded and unleaded solders and the fluxes that are used with them.Thanks guys!

    Silver based solder was mentioned. Is there such a thing as soldering-iron-meltable silver-based solder, rather than the silver solder that is used for brazing and the high-silver-content solder used in jewellery? Is there an alloy of silver that brings the melting point that low?
     
  20. Zampotech

    Zampotech Friend

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    Yes, I do. Here are some:

    Durable
    1. Sn96,5/Ag3/Cu0,5 - T=221 C
    2. Sn95,5/Ag3,8/Cu0,7 - T=217 C
    3. Sn96,7/Ag2/Cu0,8/Sb0,5 -T=222 C

    Usual
    1. Sn96,5/Ag3,5 -T=221 C
    2. Sn98/Ag2 - T=226 C

    probably more accurate to call them tin solders, with the addition of different metals.

    If you make these solders, melt silver and copper is not necessary. Add silver or copper powder to the liquid tin. Copper and silver will dissolve in liquid tin.
     
    Last edited: Mar 12, 2019

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