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Soldering trouble

338_MtRushmore

Sr. Member
Jun 17, 2012
1,640
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The Dakotas
I was trying to replace some components in a radio, but as soon as it gets hot enough to melt solder it starts melting the circuit board. I'm not sure what I'm doing wrong. Maybe I'm using too much flux?

20180706_194032.jpg
 

Maybe this guy needed that iron. Looks like the one he used required 'sculpting' the solder instead of melting it.

2RmibD.jpg


This is where he attached the hot side of the "ping" capacitor.

6BR1tW.jpg


The rest of the radio has more of these. Just hope we don't miss any of them. When someone tells you the radio's capacitors have "all been changed", it pays to have a look-see first.

73
 
All the ladies say it's too big, but I'm not sure? Seriously though, what would an iron like that be used for? Sheet metal and radiator repair are all I can think of, but a propane torch would work better for those I would think. Any ideas?
 
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Stained glass?

The lead they use has a higher melting temperature than tin/lead solder.

Takes heat to melt the formed lead channel onto the glass edge, too.

Or making a copper whiskey still with lead-free solder?

73
 
My grand mother once told me that when my grandfather was building the house they didn't have big electric irons like that. The irons they used for the copper gutters and downspouts had to be heated in a fire pit in the yard and the guy tending the fire would toss a hot one up to the guy on the roof when needed. I would love to have seen that.
 
I have an iron like that, although not as big. I have never used it, but I got it because of running into situations in the past where I couldn't get enough heat to solder/desolder on large pieces of sheet metal.
 
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If all fails that would be a great piece to put under the seat of you Car/Truck , Police stop you .... Hey I'm an outdated plumber ! That thing would hurt !:LOL:
 

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