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incova
Joined: 27 Nov 2006
Posts: 789
Location: london
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| Posted: Sun Dec 18, 2011 6:04 pm Post subject: Soldering, should the solder iron be letting of smoke? |
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I just got a solder Iron as I have to remove a pin from a focus board and put it on another focus board, the solder iron is new and does not seem to be melting the solder, it is however smoking at the top near the handle, is this normal?
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Nashou66
Joined: 12 Jan 2007
Posts: 16171
Location: West Seneca NY
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incova
Joined: 27 Nov 2006
Posts: 789
Location: london
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| Posted: Sun Dec 18, 2011 6:18 pm Post subject: yup |
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yes its lead free.
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incova
Joined: 27 Nov 2006
Posts: 789
Location: london
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| Posted: Sun Dec 18, 2011 6:20 pm Post subject: ok |
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Well, I tried it on some solder and it melted that but not the solder around the pin when I tried it on there.
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macgyver655
Joined: 22 Aug 2007
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| Posted: Sun Dec 18, 2011 6:49 pm Post subject: |
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The pin maybe absorbing most of the heat. You may have to hold in on there for a while until it melts.
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Nashou66
Joined: 12 Jan 2007
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Location: West Seneca NY
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incova
Joined: 27 Nov 2006
Posts: 789
Location: london
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| Posted: Sun Dec 18, 2011 7:42 pm Post subject: ok |
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Thanks guys, appreciated.
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dturco
Joined: 06 Feb 2009
Posts: 3778
Location: Eastern Shore Maryland
TV/Projector: Runco DLP VX-3000i Marquee 9500 parts doner
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| Posted: Sun Dec 18, 2011 7:58 pm Post subject: |
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Reading the title of this post I bet you guys thought it was me. 
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diezzler
Joined: 23 Dec 2010
Posts: 38
Location: Potomac, MD
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| Posted: Sun Dec 18, 2011 8:27 pm Post subject: |
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It depends on the watts of the iron you bought. I know RadioShack sells them in 15, 25, and 30 watts. Also, sometimes putting some new solder on can make the older solder melt easier. In your case though, since you are trying to remove a component you should be using a desolder iron or device. Too much heat can damage parts.
http://store.curiousinventor.com/guides/how_to_solder/desoldering/
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incova
Joined: 27 Nov 2006
Posts: 789
Location: london
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| Posted: Sun Dec 18, 2011 9:02 pm Post subject: ah |
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I have removed 2 pins, didnt know about the desolder device! had to lave it there for a while though.
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Sparky015
Joined: 12 May 2009
Posts: 1185
Location: Cleveland / Akron, OH
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| Posted: Sun Dec 18, 2011 9:44 pm Post subject: |
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be careful. Too much heat and you will delaminate the board and ruin the solder pad. Not sure if you bought fluxcore solder or not, but if you didnt, you may want to buy yourself a bottle to help get the solder to flow. Good luck, and dont leave the iron on too long to avoid board damage!
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BTS
Joined: 15 Oct 2006
Posts: 79
Location: vulcan
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| Posted: Mon Dec 19, 2011 12:03 am Post subject: |
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so if i go to radio shack what do i buy, 15 or 25 or 30 ??
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macgyver655
Joined: 22 Aug 2007
Posts: 8508
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| Posted: Mon Dec 19, 2011 12:09 am Post subject: |
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| BTS wrote: | | so if i go to radio shack what do i buy, 15 or 25 or 30 ?? |
I actually use a 30 watt and a 40 watt from the shack. But I have the 30 watt tip filed to a sharp narrow point so it really doesn't heat like a regular 30 watt, which is how I want it. The 40 watt is filed to a chisel type sharp point. Get some replacement tips for them and you can shape them how you like.
Oh, and get a file if you don't have one.
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BTS
Joined: 15 Oct 2006
Posts: 79
Location: vulcan
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| Posted: Mon Dec 19, 2011 12:15 am Post subject: |
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thanks, always wondered
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diezzler
Joined: 23 Dec 2010
Posts: 38
Location: Potomac, MD
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| Posted: Mon Dec 19, 2011 1:48 am Post subject: |
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I use a 30 watt too (really I have a soldering station, but when I need a small one, I use the radioshack ones). I always use a file before and after I solder something on the tip of the iron. I keep it sharp and clean. Just let it head up, and run the file alone it. I also use, needle nose pliers and twirl the tip to clean it.
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CasetheCorvetteman
Joined: 09 Nov 2008
Posts: 6326
Location: Australia
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| Posted: Mon Dec 19, 2011 5:26 am Post subject: |
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I usually run the iron about 400*C, as soon as i touch it to most items the solder will melt almost instantly, and hit the button on the solder sucker and its all gone. The board is almost always still cool enough to touch.
I have found that if the iron is not hot enough, it takes a long time to melt the solder, and that allows more heat to transfer into the surrounding area... I dont know if anyone else shares this view or not..
But while on the subject of solder, why would you be using lead free solder??
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Sparky015
Joined: 12 May 2009
Posts: 1185
Location: Cleveland / Akron, OH
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| Posted: Mon Dec 19, 2011 11:36 pm Post subject: |
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650C is adequate for most work, less on small ICs. I would get yourself a variable temperature soldering iron, and don't file the tip! You can buy tips to suit the application. To keep them clean just simply "wet" the tip with solder before you use it, and leave solder on it when you turn it off to keep the tip from oxidizing. When you file a tip, your removing the plating on it. One, that severely reduces the life of the tip, two, it taints your solder by mixing in a metal that shouldn't be there, which can weaken the joint. In some cases, like when using lead free solder, you can make the joint so brittle, it will break on its own though copper-tin migration.
Soldering is a science all to itself, lol! Anyway, stay away from crap shack equipment. You can get yourself a nice variable temp iron with interchangeable tips for cheap. Don't ruin your class III mil-spec projector solder job by using the wrong tools.
Dont want to affend anyone using the methods I said not to use, but this is what I do, and the stuff I have to solder has to work in the worst environments you can think of. I've got years of data to support my findings.
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macgyver655
Joined: 22 Aug 2007
Posts: 8508
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| Posted: Tue Dec 20, 2011 12:44 am Post subject: |
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funny...... 
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Sparky015
Joined: 12 May 2009
Posts: 1185
Location: Cleveland / Akron, OH
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| Posted: Tue Dec 20, 2011 1:10 am Post subject: |
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Sorry Mac. I cringe at the sight of tips being filed.
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macgyver655
Joined: 22 Aug 2007
Posts: 8508
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| Posted: Tue Dec 20, 2011 1:17 am Post subject: |
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It's not really that Sparky. I wouldn't file a tip on a soldering station either. But on a cheap iron with cheap tips I file them all the time. And they work great.
Whats funny is your talking to these guys like they are nasa techs. They are weekend warriors and would probably only solder anything once or twice a year so they would probably not spend the money for a soldering station, even a cheap one.
My point was that a rat shack iron is more then fine for the work these guys are going to do. I use them every day and I'm sure my qualifications speak for them selves. Soldering stations do not make anyone a master solderer. But you can be a master solderer even with cheap rat shack irons...... 
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