RE: Tinning toroid leads

[David Fleming-4]

I did 10 of them last night. The solder blob method works fine. I found
the key is to have the soldering iron as hot as possible (wide open on
my Weller station) and keep feeding fresh solder to the blob as you
move along the lead. It takes about 3 seconds per lead. The enamel
bubbles away and sends up a nice plume of smoke that has an affinity
for nostrils. Someone mentioned that the fumes are carcinogenic. I hope
not, because I got a nose full.

-David W4SMT

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[Ron D'Eau Claire-2]

David, W4SMT wrote:

I did 10 of them last night. The solder blob method works fine. I found the
key is to have the soldering iron as hot as possible (wide open on my Weller
station) and keep feeding fresh solder to the blob as you move along the
lead. It takes about 3 seconds per lead. The enamel bubbles away and sends
up a nice plume of smoke that has an affinity for nostrils. Someone
mentioned that the fumes are carcinogenic. I hope not, because I got a nose
full.

--------------------------------------

I found that my Hakko at 800 to 850F works that way too. Once the enamel
bubbles, the lead is tinned in a few seconds. But the temperature MUST be
turned up to at least 800F. 700-750 just isn't hot enough. I work from the
cut end so the copper wire is exposed to the blob from the start. That helps
heat the enamel from the inside.

I've used a desoldering iron with success too, but it's just another tool
that has to be turned on. It seems to me that what makes the desoldering
tool so attractive is that it's hot enough, especially for those who don't
have soldering stations with easily adjustable temperatures. My desoldering
tool works just like my iron does when I turn the iron up over 800F. I've
even grabbed a soldering gun when it's out and used it with the same ease.

The "Moral" of the story is that for stripping quickly and cleanly with the
solder blob, the underlying need is for lots of heat!

I consider any fumes that make me wrinkle my nose or make my eyes tear
unhealthy. (Many fumes that are barely noticed aren't healthy either.)

I always try to work alongside the parts I'm soldering so the fumes rise up
and away from me. Even so, if I get in real close while the heat's on I
instinctively hold my breath for a few seconds while I'm close to avoid
breathing the stuff.

Some builders use a small fan on the work bench to blow the fumes away from
themselves. I think that's a very smart idea.

Ron AC7AC


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[Stuart Rohre]

The video on tinning toroid leads, does point out the ease of doing it by
first scraping even a single bare copper spot on the lead, and then starting
the application of iron heat and solder wire there.

I had not seen this before.  He used an Xacto knife blade and one swipe to
start the spot.  Keeping the blade on a slight slant and scraping away from
you should preclude any nicking of the wire.

Stuart
K5KVH


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[Jim AB3CV]

a quick tug or two through a pinch of 150 grit sandpaper does the same thing
and makes it easier to start the solder blob working. it just breaks the
enamel coating a bit; no need to sand down to a bare wire.

and without any chance of nicking.

73

jim ab3cv

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