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(@gnease)
Illustrious Member
Joined: 20 years ago
Posts: 5038
 

I have both, and use neither for electronics.
A standard 35 watt (or thereabouts) is my iron of choice for electronics and guitars.

The butane iron, I use for automotive work, working at the top of ladders, fixing cables and other things where power isn't convenient - the sort of jobs I would use a 150 watt soldering gun for if there was a handy place to plug it in.
The battery powered resistance soldering unit is very seldom used (mine was a gift), and mostly for soldering bits of brass together.

I used the butane soldering iron outdoors to assemble a custom designed, compact AM (LW) radio transmitter antenna. That was more like plumbing work than electronics.

-=tension & release=-


   
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(@dubyatf)
Trusted Member
Joined: 17 years ago
Posts: 64
 

Just FYI for anybody looking for a soldering iron - Radio Shack's selection is not what it used to be - and the prices are suspect at best. I went out looking for a soldering iron last year for the kid's science fair project (a couple BYOC analog effects pedals) and soldering gear has become scarce. I chalk that up to surface mount electronics (and smaller) - plus people just throw things out and buy new stuff now (sadly). Anyway - here's a couple sources that have soldering gear:

http://www.action-electronics.com/westations.htm <- I bought a weller variable soldering station from them

http://www.microcenter.com/ <- All kinds of great small specialty tools too - I have one nearby - my favorite store besides any old guitar shop!

http://www.ramseyelectronics.com/ <- Great tools + great electronic projects. :mrgreen:


   
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(@xylembassguitar)
Trusted Member
Joined: 16 years ago
Posts: 66
 

KerbDoG,

Check out Stewart MacDonald for a free guide to understanding instrument wiring. It's pretty basic, but it will definitely get you started. StewMac also has several different wiring diagrams that you could refer to while you are soldering on the new pickups.

I also noticed that greybeard recommended you get flux seperately from the solder. I've never used seperate flux, just very thin-gauge rosin-core solder, and it has worked just fine. If it were me, I'd probably start out with the rosin core solder, then when you have more experience try out the seperate flux.

Xylem Handmade Basses and Guitars


   
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(@gnease)
Illustrious Member
Joined: 20 years ago
Posts: 5038
 

Separate flux is especially useful for soldering somewhat oxidized and greater mass parts. A tiny bit of flux on the back of a pot can help a lot. But be careful, hot rosin "spits." And this extra amount of flux can be used with rosin core solid -- just sparingly.

Fluxes also have come far since the days of plain ole rosin. For example, one can get special formulations for SMT (surface mount tech) parts that are more environmental and human friendly. Check DigiKey.com and Newarkelectronics.com. One of my faves is a No-clean SMT formulation for electronics that is intended to stay on the electronics, and so requires no post soldering clean up.

-=tension & release=-


   
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(@greybeard)
Illustrious Member
Joined: 21 years ago
Posts: 5840
 

KerbDoG,

Check out Stewart MacDonald for a free guide to understanding instrument wiring. It's pretty basic, but it will definitely get you started. StewMac also has several different wiring diagrams that you could refer to while you are soldering on the new pickups.

I also noticed that greybeard recommended you get flux seperately from the solder. I've never used seperate flux, just very thin-gauge rosin-core solder, and it has worked just fine. If it were me, I'd probably start out with the rosin core solder, then when you have more experience try out the seperate flux.
If, like me, you twist multi-core wire, you deposit acidy fats on the wire - it's nothing personal, everybody does it. I use a little bit of flux and a dry hot iron, it cleans the fats away and makes tinning/soldering easier. I only use the flux for cleaning the surfaces, before tinning them.
I recently bought some jack sockets and had trouble getting the solder to stay put. It was obvious that the connections were covered in something, that was acting as a barrier. The tabs are quite small and bent easily (they're on 3.5mm sockets), so a file was out of the question. A small dab of flux, a hot, dry iron and I had a clean surface that the wire stayed soldered to.

If you know that you have two absolutely clean surfaces, you only really need the resin in the core.

I started with nothing - and I've still got most of it left.
Did you know that the word "gullible" is not in any dictionary?
Greybeard's Pages
My Articles & Reviews on GN


   
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