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flux removal

#6
The trace amount will evaporate so no.
Also, if you do use flammable stuff, be careful of where you use it and disposing of any wipes you use. I've heard of a guy blowing his wife's dryer up with washed rags that still had kaboom stuff on them when they were put in the dryer. Out here(boonieland), those rags usually get burned.
 
#11
andrewrepasky said:
Ok so im not a pro solderer, but i need to know how to remove flux from my potentiometer so i can properly ground my pick up to the bridge. Please help
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Sufficient heat and a wet sponge normally works wonders. Soldering a ground on a pot requires more heat than you are likely to get from a 25 watt Radio Shack iron. I normally use an 80 watt iron for most of my electronics soldering. I know this will sound excessive to most people, but I used to work in an electronics factory, and we used 80 watt irons exclusively, and we were working on PC boards. It does take a quick hand and clean components, but if you use it correctly, you will burn up fewer circuit boards. IME.
 
#13
You don't need a 40w iron for guitar work. For iron recommendations the pro's swear on temperature controlled irons but I still get by on a cheapo one. Maybe look at the cheap Weller irons. One thing that helps a lot is using a chisel tip, it's about a hundred times easier to work with over a conical one.
 
#14
andrewrepasky said:
Mines not much higher than the 25 watt radio shack. I have a 30 watt but was looking into a 40 watt.. i dont do all that much soldering, just recently began replacing pup and pots. So i dont need anything too fancy, although it would be nice! Id like to spend under $30 for a new one
Click to expand...

Keep in mind that the 80 watt iron I was referring to was used to solder discrete components, and this was several years ago. With the downsizing of components today, 80 watts may be excessive in some applications. My main point was that it is better to use a little too much heat than not enough. Too much heat causes you to keep the iron in contact with the components longer, which allows the heat more time to travel throughout the component and it may heat areas that are best left cool. Pots will take the higher heat without much problem. I was going to recommend a Weller variable temperature workstation, until I saw the price. Wow, I didn't know they had become so expensive. Maybe in your case, you may want to consider two pencil irons: one at about 25 - 30 watts and another at least 40 to 50 watts for the heavier duty soldering, such as pots. The key is to use the correct amount of heat. Judging the correct amount of heat requires some practice. Then, use a relatively large tip (for the best heat transfer). I would use a chisel tip in most cases, unless you are soldering some very tiny components. Otherwise, throw the conical tip in the trash. Keep the joint clean, use plenty of rosin core solder; never use acid core for electronic repairs, since it will eat up the base metal. Finally, use a wet sponge to keep the tip of your iron clean.

Edit: Never use the iron directly to melt the solder. Place the solder on one side of the joint and hold it there until the joint becomes hot. Then, touch the solder to the opposite side of the joint until it melts and flows around all the joint surfaces. Remember, you don't need a large blob of solder. A good solder joint already has a good mechanical joint. The solder is used mainly to make the joint airtight and prevent oxidation. Sorry for being so long winded. I hope this helps you. Remember, just as with any skill, good soldering technique requires practice.
 

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