Soldering questions.

[papersoul]

Hi guys,

Wondering if you guys could give me a few hints or tips. I re-wired my LP last night after working with Robert through a few email and had the following issues/questions:

1) I notice my solder joints on the back of the pots ball up rather than spread out over the contact point like other's joints. Is there a reason for this?
- I am thinking this is the case because I didn't get the surface ready by either scratching it up or using flux?

2) I am never able to follow what is considered correct soldering technique where you touch the contact point, let it get hot, then melt the solder to the point...not touching the iron tip, and then place the wire. I almost always have to have the solder touching the iron tip to have it melt. Is this weird?
My solder joints for the most part look shiny, I guess. I use a decent 30 watt iron.

3) I accidentally touched some of the wires coming in from the switch and now there is some exposed wire through the plastic covering. Will this be an issue with noise/microphinics/squeels?

Thanks!

[mjsever]

I'm a beginning solderer myself, and I can at least answer your question 2). It's important to "tin" the tip of your iron- take a little bit of solder and put it on the tip of your iron before you touch the contact point. Not so much that it drips off, just a small bit about the size of a ballpoint pen's tip. Then touch the iron and the little bit of solder to the contact point. This process helps conduct the heat better from the tip of your iron by expanding the area of contact.

[southadc]

Regarding number 3, I'd tape up the exposed part of the wire or better still, disconnect it and put some heat-shrink sleeving on it. I'm paranoid about exposed wires touching other contacts or the backs of pots

[papersoul]

Regarding number 3, I'd tape up the exposed part of the wire or better still, disconnect it and put some heat-shrink sleeving on it. I'm paranoid about exposed wires touching other contacts or the backs of pots

I tried to tape it, but the wire is too thin. I tried. Where can I get the heat shrink sleeve?

Thanks.

[rspst14]

I tried to tape it, but the wire is too thin. I tried. Where can I get the heat shrink sleeve?

Thanks.

Radio Shack or any electronics store shold have it. A couple of things, first, what type of solder are you using? Silver solder has a higher melting point than 60/40 or 63/37. Also, I like to have several different thicknesses on hand. For small lugs, I like to use the thin solder. If I need to cover a larger area, I use the thicker stuff. I think 63/37 is the best solder for guitar wiring. Silver solder works well for me, but like I said it does have the higher melting point. I use the thin gauge silver solder though, and I have no trouble with a 30 watt iron. When soldering to pots, lightly sand them with some sandpaper beforehand, and the solder won't ball up. Soldering really just takes lots of practice, I've gotten pretty good at it, but some of my early soldering work was a mess.

Ryan

[3 cent hero]

the first soldering work i ever did was mods to a pedal i'll leave it at saying my solder points were above average for a first timer



XD

[some_dude]

Always use solder with a high lead content, close off all your ventilation, and breath deeply.

Then go watch the Mad Hatter scene on the Alice in Wonderland movie.




Sorry, this post is a complete waste, but I'm bored.



EDIT: Oh. Use resen. It helps your solder spread as it flows over it.



There we go, not a complete waste after all.

[telerifik]

I did it once and hated it so I talked my wife into learning all the tricks via the internet and she is now my solder guru hehe.

[papersoul]

Radio Shack or any electronics store shold have it. A couple of things, first, what type of solder are you using? Silver solder has a higher melting point than 60/40 or 63/37. Also, I like to have several different thicknesses on hand. For small lugs, I like to use the thin solder. If I need to cover a larger area, I use the thicker stuff. I think 63/37 is the best solder for guitar wiring. Silver solder works well for me, but like I said it does have the higher melting point. I use the thin gauge silver solder though, and I have no trouble with a 30 watt iron. When soldering to pots, lightly sand them with some sandpaper beforehand, and the solder won't ball up. Soldering really just takes lots of practice, I've gotten pretty good at it, but some of my early soldering work was a mess.

Ryan

Are the heat shrinks easy to apply? Should I just have my tech friend look at this when I am done?? Maybe I could be having tonal issues due to poor soldering/connections, etc.

I amusing Radio Shack 60/40 solder. Maybe I'l look for the 63/37 type.

I'll try sanding the pot surface next time.....with steel sanding paper??

Thanks!

[3 cent hero]

Are the heat shrinks easy to apply? Should I just have my tech friend look at this when I am done?? Maybe I could be having tonal issues due to poor soldering/connections, etc.

I amusing Radio Shack 60/40 solder. Maybe I'l look for the 63/37 type.

I'll try sanding the pot surface next time.....with steel sanding paper??

Thanks!

heat shrink: cut it to length, slide it onto the wire, and for a VERY short amount of time use a lighter to apply some heat to let it shrink.

60/40 solder is fine, as long as it's the thin stuff

[papersoul]

When you get solder 'balled up' - you haven't even made a joint. All you've done is glue the ball with flux.

Keep your iron tip clean with a wet rag and always make what you are soldering 'shiney' before you apply the iron.

Do that - and you can't go wrong.


Lee

So, I guess I should re-solder these joints and pick up the heat shrinks??

What is the best way to make a good solder joint?? Use the sand paper...what about flux???? (what is flux?)

I thought I was supposed to touch the back of the pot for a while till it gets hot then the solder should melt right on? Never works for me.

3 Cent Hero,

How do I know how thin the 60/40 has to be?? maybe I should just grab the 63/47?

[some_dude]

I thought I was supposed to touch the back of the pot for a while till it gets hot then the solder should melt right on? Never works for me.

That works if you're soldering copper pipe together. I just melt the solder on the tip of the iron and let it flow onto the work.

Flux (or resen [sp?]) is thishis paste stuff that you put on where you want to solder. It helps the solder to flow all over the surface before it hardens.

[papersoul]

That works if you're soldering copper pipe together. I just melt the solder on the tip of the iron and let it flow onto the work.

Flux (or resen [sp?]) is thishis paste stuff that you put on where you want to solder. It helps the solder to flow all over the surface before it hardens.

Great! Thanks......I am glad you cleared up the soldeing issue concering the copper pipe. I thought I was nuts because I could never get that technique to work. "I just melt the solder on the tip of the iron and let it flow onto the work." - that's what I do and usually end up with shiny joints. Not sure why once in a while they come out dull though.

Anyway, flux sounds like it might help. Do I need to sand the surface even when using the flux?? (my solder says it has rosin core though)

Now, I just need to find out why I need the "thin" 60/40 solder.

I don't have problems solder to the terminals.....as it's always the back pots that present the issue. Do I get the wire in place on the back of the pot and then add the melted solder or do I first add the solder then add the sire? I just want to do this right.

Finally, how do I remove excess solder? The one pot has a large blob of solder. I tried a desoldering braid and gave up after 15 minutes of getting nowhere. I tried a solder sucker bulb which kept getting clogged and gave up also after to much hassle.

[HolyDirt]

That works if you're soldering copper pipe together. I just melt the solder on the tip of the iron and let it flow onto the work.

Flux (or resen [sp?]) is thishis paste stuff that you put on where you want to solder. It helps the solder to flow all over the surface before it hardens.

well you shouldnt just plop solder onto tip of the iron and sort of paint it on, THATS A NONO, instead i just tin the tip and touch the solder to the little connection of solder from the tip of the iron to the component, then i quickly move it to surround the rest of the joint, works perfect everytime

[papersoul]

Also if the solder is beading on the back of a pot there could be a coating on the metal.Either a seal to protect the metal or residue from something there before.If the solder keeps beading no matter what you do than sand the back of the pot lightly before trying again.
Don't hold the iron on the back of the pot too long or you could damage it.
Always work with a heatsink to avoid this.

I was thinkgin flux would solve this?? Doesn't this help spread the solder? Maybe I'll have my tech do it and be done with it!

Also, what is a heatsink??

[Lightning]

I can't read this thread. Maybe I read to many books on how to solder trying to answer the same question. Every book I read never said (I agree with Lee but) anything about the tip having a sweet spot. If you can't touch the tip's sweet spot to the larger surface to be soldered to, bridge it by touching the solder to the sweet spot and letting it flow to the surface. If the solder still balls up loosen and retighten the tip, the sweet spot will move. If that doesn't get it get a wheller 140 gun (what I use for removing grounds on pots) $40. While at RS get a desolder braid - wick, use it to remove solder connections, and to clean (prep) terms for new connections. Rotate your iron on the wick while desoldering to breakup carbon traces (carbon traces bypass current from the tip) and widen the sweet spot. Then keep the tip clean like Lee said. I use 60/40 .062 or smaller (the more mass the longer it takes to heat up) don't add flux.

The solder wick is the first thing you nead to get, it removes bulk and gives you a tinned surface to start with.

[papersoul]

I can't read this thread. Maybe I read to many books on how to solder trying to answer the same question. Every book I read never said (I agree with Lee but) anything about the tip having a sweet spot. If you can't touch the tip's sweet spot to the larger surface to be soldered to, bridge it by touching the solder to the sweet spot and letting it flow to the surface. If the solder still balls up loosen and retighten the tip, the sweet spot will move. If that doesn't get it get a wheller 140 gun (what I use for removing grounds on pots) $40. While at RS get a desolder braid - wick, use it to remove solder connections, and to clean (prep) terms for new connections. Rotate your iron on the wick while desoldering to breakup carbon traces (carbon traces bypass current from the tip) and widen the sweet spot. Then keep the tip clean like Lee said. I use 60/40 .062 or smaller (the more mass the longer it takes to heat up) don't add flux.

The solder wick is the first thing you nead to get, it removes bulk and gives you a tinned surface to start with.

Now I'm really confused about the sweet spot thing!

What is a solder wick!? Oh, where is my guitar tech friend when I need him?
Why no flux!!!???????

I tried desoldering braid but it never seemed to do anything. Seemed like it would take about 2 hours to get anywhere with one.

Thanks

[ArtieToo]

Thought I'ld toss in here that flux is nothing more than pine tar, (like from Pine trees). Its sole purpose is to clean the surface thats to be soldered. Like if your mom ever cleaned with Pine-Sol - same stuff.

And yes, its fairly important to good soldering.

[HolyDirt]

flux cleans the solder joint and takes the impurities outta the solder and component joint area, if a pot has a finish over it to prevent residue, the solder and flux dont even get to the metal, they just hit the finish and ball up. thats why you sand lightly to remove that so the solder works. for me, soldering was an experience kinda thing, my first soldering jobs were terrifying and poor, as i practiced i got better, now perfect soldering is a breeze, didnt take too long to get good at it either

[papersoul]

Most guys and techs I talk to never use heat sinks for solder.
I have tried the bulb or solder sucker but it always get sclogged and the desoldering braid never seems to do much or enough.

Time to call the tech!

THanks so much guys...I may give it one more go.

I'll try one more time. I'll use a bulb and desoldering braid to try and remove the older solder. I'll sand a little and maybe use some flux on the back of the pots. Do you have to sand the terminals also? I always use a spong to clean the tip so I'll keep that up. I am determined to not have to rely on a tech though so we'll see. You guys rock!