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I need a soldering iron recommendation... #1341112
11/25/12 05:01 PM
11/25/12 05:01 PM
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Central Valley, CA.
Quicksilver440 Offline OP
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Can someone recommend a make/model of soldering iron for me?

I have a simple 20 watt pencil style iron now that is almost impossible to solder two wires together with. My main use I'm looking for is for making engine/EFI wiring harnesses (soldering wires together) Mostly splices of multiple 10-18 gauge wires, etc. Should I be looking for a high wattage pistol type gun? a workstation model? or?

Re: I need a soldering iron recommendation... [Re: Quicksilver440] #1341113
11/25/12 05:13 PM
11/25/12 05:13 PM
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1_WILD_RT Offline
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Multiple splices of 10-18 ga wire.... For that sort of soldering I leave the soldering iron on the bench & grab my micro-torch... You need allot more heat than you'll get out of a soldering iron...

For normal soldering I use my Weller workstation... Cleaning & tinning the tip regularly helps allot..


"The Armies of our ancestors were lucky, in that they were not trailed by a second army of pencil pushers."
Re: I need a soldering iron recommendation... [Re: Quicksilver440] #1341114
11/25/12 05:18 PM
11/25/12 05:18 PM
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Lincoln Nebraska
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RapidRobert Offline
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I just went thru this. I'd recommend finding a very large soldering iron (not a gun) or a small butane torch. The trick for me was to solder with NO wind and clean & tin the tip requently & use small clip on heat sinks that look sorta like nail clippers on either side to keep the heat from traveling & melting the insulation and getting the joint hot as quick as you hold it secure/TIGHT/steady & working with clean wiring strands all to avoid burning the wire dark which hinders heat transfer. EDIT missed the gauge you are working with yes you need a butane mini torch

Last edited by RapidRobert; 11/25/12 05:23 PM.

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Re: I need a soldering iron recommendation... [Re: Quicksilver440] #1341115
11/25/12 05:26 PM
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Tallmadge, Ohio
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Paul_B Offline
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I use a big soldering gun that's 200 watts for soldering large wire. I've never tried a mini torch.

Re: I need a soldering iron recommendation... [Re: Paul_B] #1341116
11/25/12 05:30 PM
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1_WILD_RT Offline
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Quote:

I use a big soldering gun that's 200 watts for soldering large wire. I've never tried a mini torch.




The only advantage to a big soldering iron is it tends to push the wires together but if you twist them together well the mini torch puts enough heat in quickly enough that it solders well without destroying the surrounding insulation...


"The Armies of our ancestors were lucky, in that they were not trailed by a second army of pencil pushers."
Re: I need a soldering iron recommendation... [Re: 1_WILD_RT] #1341117
11/25/12 05:46 PM
11/25/12 05:46 PM
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Manitoba, Canada
DaytonaTurbo Offline
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You want a torch with a very focused flame output or you'll melt too much of the insulation. It's doable and it works and I sometimes use it on wire that's thinner than I really should because it's so fast and works well.

Re: I need a soldering iron recommendation... [Re: DaytonaTurbo] #1341118
11/25/12 06:23 PM
11/25/12 06:23 PM
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astjp2 Offline
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I used a solder pot to tin the wires, then I have a good weller soldering iron that sets the temp to 650, the other method is to use solder sleeves, they are a piece of heat shrink with a band of solder on the inside. It seals and solders all in one action with a heat gun. Tim

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=24FjjIVpk9U&feature=related

Re: I need a soldering iron recommendation... [Re: Paul_B] #1341119
11/25/12 08:05 PM
11/25/12 08:05 PM
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6PakBee Offline
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Quote:

I use a big soldering gun that's 200 watts for soldering large wire. I've never tried a mini torch.




That's what I use.


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Re: I need a soldering iron recommendation... [Re: astjp2] #1341120
11/25/12 08:07 PM
11/25/12 08:07 PM
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Central Valley, CA.
Quicksilver440 Offline OP
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I do have a butane mini-torch that I've never used for soldering wires...I've used it for copper piping, etc. I'll give it a try..thanks for the input.

Re: I need a soldering iron recommendation... [Re: Quicksilver440] #1341121
11/25/12 09:33 PM
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pishta Offline
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Cheap ass HF 85W pistol with the blade tip. slide heat shrink down wire, push wires together and mesh strands, place iron under joint, pull trigger until solder flows from top of wires, about 5 seconds, release trigger, slide heat shrink over and hit with heat gun. 20W pencil is good for circuit boards no more. I use a little 2 aligator clip "helping hand" fixture to hold the wires together while I get solder tip under joint and feed solder from top, almost need 3 hands for it.

Re: I need a soldering iron recommendation... [Re: pishta] #1341122
11/25/12 09:49 PM
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Dads426 Offline
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Weller 8200. Been using them since the 1960's. I have 3, one in the workshop, garage and spare (I use them every day) They are on ebay all the time. Radio Shack sells the tips. Buy a cheap Harbor Freight heat gun for heat shrink tubing.



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Re: I need a soldering iron recommendation... [Re: Dads426] #1341123
11/25/12 11:39 PM
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ahy Offline
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I really prefer an iron over a gun. My 40w Weller handles up to 10 guage wire fine. Bigger than that I use a torch.

Re: I need a soldering iron recommendation... [Re: ahy] #1341124
11/26/12 12:46 AM
11/26/12 12:46 AM
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Niles , Ohio
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therocks Online content
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Mine I got from SnapOn like 25 years ago.Has tips that you can change.It was like 40 bucks then.Still works great and if a tip goes bad you just buy new ones.I even soldered a few pin holes in my 65s gas tank with it.Rocky


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Re: I need a soldering iron recommendation... [Re: therocks] #1341125
11/26/12 01:09 AM
11/26/12 01:09 AM
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E. Okla line
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m88mark Offline
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Hey Rocky does your gun have a single point tip? My blue point gun burnt a hole in the side of the tip. It's a single point attachement.
Just woundered if they are still available. Guess I can't complain 35 yrs aint bad. Mark

Re: I need a soldering iron recommendation... [Re: m88mark] #1341126
11/26/12 01:50 AM
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jlatessa Offline
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For splicing I use a method we had where I used to work called
mousing sp?

You take a few strands of the same wire you're
splicing and wrap it tightly around the joint, takes some practice but
helps keep the joint from moving as you solder.

Joe

Re: I need a soldering iron recommendation... [Re: jlatessa] #1341127
11/26/12 11:08 AM
11/26/12 11:08 AM
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South-Central (Sebring), FL
Commando1 Offline
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Quote:

For splicing I use a method we had where I used to work called
mousing sp?

You take a few strands of the same wire you're
splicing and wrap it tightly around the joint, takes some practice but
helps keep the joint from moving as you solder.

Joe



Brilliant. That's always my biggest problem. Thank you!

Re: I need a soldering iron recommendation... [Re: Commando1] #1341128
11/26/12 11:20 AM
11/26/12 11:20 AM
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Moparnut426 Offline
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I bought a butane gas soldering iron from snap-on. Its awesome, workes for almost anything but larger wires. I used it all the time when installing remote starters at the dealership, also used it on all my R/C truck work.

Re: I need a soldering iron recommendation... [Re: Quicksilver440] #1341129
11/26/12 11:45 AM
11/26/12 11:45 AM
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Cincinnati, Ohio
Challenger 1 Offline
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I have like 4 different sizes deppending on the work. 1 iron won't do everything.

I worked at job where we would have to replace soldered in IC chips on display boards 25 years ago, I've replaced hundreds of IC chips with a solder sucker and a low watt iron so not to burn the board. Then higher watt iron for soldering wires all the way to a torch for attaching eyelettes to 00 welding cable.

Brand never mattered to me, just watts.

Re: I need a soldering iron recommendation... [Re: Quicksilver440] #1341130
11/26/12 12:18 PM
11/26/12 12:18 PM
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USA
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360view Offline
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Resistence soldering is a good trick to know

http://www.brunelhobbies.com.au/soldering/instruct/rsinstruct.htm

In a nutshell you use a current to heat up the parts using their own electrical resistance.

Most welders will do this if you use carbon or tungsten rods as tips, but in a pinch just copper works. Solder will not stick to chrome plating which can also be useful.

There is an episode of "How its Made" TV where they make eyeglass frames using resistance soldering.

Re: I need a soldering iron recommendation... [Re: 360view] #1341131
11/26/12 01:45 PM
11/26/12 01:45 PM
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JohnRR Offline
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you want this type of soldering station for doing the type of work you are talking about .

http://www.testequipmentdepot.com/weller/solder/wesd51.htm

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