I got a weller gun for christmas but i can't figure it out. i know you start of by putting a little tin on the tip but then do you heat the joint, pull the gun away and put the solder were the tip was? or do you keep the tip in one spot and kinda use the tin solder to move around the original tinning? i've tried seaching but couldn't make sence of it. if you know any links or better yet videos please post.
Honda-Tech Member
up me too, i just picked one up but im horrible at using it
Old Fart
Soldering is very easy if you remember one thing, its all about HEAT, and a few other things, but HEAT is most important, for most of the soldering you are doing in a car you need a 60/40 resin core solder, you need to keep a clean solder tip, the tip will last longer, you do this by having a wet sponge close and wiping the tip after each use, you need to keep the tip "tinned", [ thin layer of solder] on it at all times, also I should mention that there are a lot of tip shapes, the finer the work, the smaller the tip, for most of the soldering you will do a 1/8" to 3/16" wide wedge tip will do.
OK practice time, grab some wire, 18ga 16ga 14ga 12ga, with 12ga being the biggest you can solder easly with a solder pencil, although you can do up to 8ga but a soldergun is better , [more heat] back to practice, cut a bunch of 3" or 4" lenths of wire and strip off 1/2" of insulation off both ends and practice "tinning", you have to heat up the wire hot enough for solder to melt, do this by putting a small drop of solder on the tip, hold the tip to the wire, so the drop of solder makes contact with the wire, [the solder will help transfer heat to the wire] then add a solder, [just a little at a time] by touching the solder "wire" right where the tip is touching the wire, try and make contact with the tip and the wire, again, just a little solder till it "flows", [ flowing is when the solder starts to spread insted of staying in a bubble] it will only "flow" when there is enough heat and and the metal is covered with resin, [ to much solder will burn off the resin or keep it from coating the wire] you will know when when the solder "flows" it happens pretty quick , [ its like nothing, nothing, nothing, then poof, the solder "flows" and soaks into the wire] when this happens you can move the solder "wire" out from between the wire and the tip, and touch it to the wire on the opposit side of where the tip is, the wire will be hot enough to melt the solder, and it will "flow" into the wire. This same method is used when you want to solder two wires together, first twist the wires together perallel or inline, then "tin" them, a little drop on the tip, to help transfer heat, then a little between the tip and wire till it "flow", then "fill the rest of the wire. You can also solder the wires together without twisting them together, place two wires, [ that are "tinned" ] next to each other , pick up a drop of solder onto the tip, [ you can get a good size drop to stay on the tip without dropping off] then touch it to the two wires, as soon as it 'flows" remove the tip, do not move the wires till it cools. [you can help by blowing on it ] you need to know how to do this kind of soldering so you can solder a wire to a termminal, pretin the wire and the side of a term. hold the wire next to the term. apply heat and solder.
A tip about heat, bigger things take longer to heat up then smaller things
so if you are soldering a small 18ga wire to a big term, or bigger wire start by heating the bigger item up first.
Solder will not "stick" to anything that is oxidzed
I hope this helps
if you have a Q IM me 94
OK practice time, grab some wire, 18ga 16ga 14ga 12ga, with 12ga being the biggest you can solder easly with a solder pencil, although you can do up to 8ga but a soldergun is better , [more heat] back to practice, cut a bunch of 3" or 4" lenths of wire and strip off 1/2" of insulation off both ends and practice "tinning", you have to heat up the wire hot enough for solder to melt, do this by putting a small drop of solder on the tip, hold the tip to the wire, so the drop of solder makes contact with the wire, [the solder will help transfer heat to the wire] then add a solder, [just a little at a time] by touching the solder "wire" right where the tip is touching the wire, try and make contact with the tip and the wire, again, just a little solder till it "flows", [ flowing is when the solder starts to spread insted of staying in a bubble] it will only "flow" when there is enough heat and and the metal is covered with resin, [ to much solder will burn off the resin or keep it from coating the wire] you will know when when the solder "flows" it happens pretty quick , [ its like nothing, nothing, nothing, then poof, the solder "flows" and soaks into the wire] when this happens you can move the solder "wire" out from between the wire and the tip, and touch it to the wire on the opposit side of where the tip is, the wire will be hot enough to melt the solder, and it will "flow" into the wire. This same method is used when you want to solder two wires together, first twist the wires together perallel or inline, then "tin" them, a little drop on the tip, to help transfer heat, then a little between the tip and wire till it "flow", then "fill the rest of the wire. You can also solder the wires together without twisting them together, place two wires, [ that are "tinned" ] next to each other , pick up a drop of solder onto the tip, [ you can get a good size drop to stay on the tip without dropping off] then touch it to the two wires, as soon as it 'flows" remove the tip, do not move the wires till it cools. [you can help by blowing on it ] you need to know how to do this kind of soldering so you can solder a wire to a termminal, pretin the wire and the side of a term. hold the wire next to the term. apply heat and solder.
A tip about heat, bigger things take longer to heat up then smaller things
so if you are soldering a small 18ga wire to a big term, or bigger wire start by heating the bigger item up first. Solder will not "stick" to anything that is oxidzed
I hope this helps
if you have a Q IM me 94
Member
I'll add another thanks. I have been playing around since I am rewiring some things and I am trying to learn.
Honda-Tech Member
ahh the wonderful world of fusion
well i found my problem. i was trying to use 95% tin which is used for plumbing. i found some 60/40 and now its easy to do. thanks for the help.
hey buy a coldhehttps://www.asseenontvnetwork.com/vcc/coldheat/coldheat/121315/at i got one for my car it get hot in 3sec and cool in 3 sec here it so nice for puting in leds with
Honda-Tech Member
<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by coot_er »</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">well i found my problem. i was trying to use 95% tin which is used for plumbing. i found some 60/40 and now its easy to do. thanks for the help.</TD></TR></TABLE>Throw whatever you soldered with this away. This uses acid core solder and will corrode the hell out of whatever you solder with it. You want rosin core solder. Or flux free solder.
"rosin" is a type of flux it helps the solder flow and will make your job easier. It is a good idea to clean the flux off when finished. You will need to clean it with alcohol.
"rosin" is a type of flux it helps the solder flow and will make your job easier. It is a good idea to clean the flux off when finished. You will need to clean it with alcohol.