What brand is a good soldering iron/gun? And what is the best solder to use for DCC conversion jobs etc.?
Has anyone tried the coldheat guns? Will the arc fry the components? The fact that they have an arc at all probably rules them out, no?
Don’t waste your money on the Cold Heat.
There isn’t really ONE good soldering tool - it depends on what you are doing. You can spend a fortune on one of the controlled soldering stations, but I just have several irons and a gun.
For decoders, fine electronics - 15-25 watt with a small tip. Use fine diameter solder, not that big chunky stuff. Doesn’t take much heat for the fine decoder wires, and to solder PC boards.
For track feeders - 45-50 watt iron. Medium tip. Hot enough to get in, heat the joint, and get out. Too small and you have to hold the heat on too long, melting ties. Too big and you pretty much instantly melt ties.
To solder my feeders to the #12 bus wire I use - 100-150 watt soldering gun. One with the light bulb in the nose to illuminate the tip area comes in handy when soldering under the layout.
–Randy
As Ussual, good advice Randy. The tiny thin solder was the discovery that made my life easier.
[#ditto] Randy’s info. I have worked in electronics since I was 12, that was back in 1951, and what he has suggested is what I have.
As for cold soldering tool, it is joke for model rr work…many others have already asked this question on the forum, and the replies have all been the same, so you can feel assured that you have saved some money for something better.
I use a Weller 100 watt soldering gun. For trackwork and wiring I use 2mm Rosin core solder and a little non-acid paste flux. For electronics, I use 1mm solder (97.3% tin, 0.7% copper, 2.0% Rosin flux core) and a very small amount of non-acid paste flux.
Arthill, I agree with you on both points. Randy has laid out the finer points quite nicely, and yes, small-diameter solder makes a world of difference! Since I started using thin silver-bearing solder from Radio Shack (part #64-013) for soldering decoders it’s actually been a fun.
Steve
I am shaking a tuft of hair out of my hand as I type! You mean they actually make these? Sheeeeeeeeeeesssshhhh!!!
I suck bigtime at soldering, but I can’t use the words I’d need to describe what I was like before I found nearly hair-thin resin cored solder without the software censor cutting in. Fast Tracks owner Tim Warris has a great video at www.handlaidtrack.com where he teaches us how to do this type of soldering…thanks tons, Tim.
For ham-fisted people like myself, a fine pointed 30w Weller is going to do the job for you 90% of the time, but you will have to adjust your technique a bit for the heavier duty soldering jobs. The debate rages here about once a quarter over using 500 amp 200 watt crowbars over bobby-pins wired to a single D cell at 2.5 w and 0.15 amp, acid flux over resin core, and so on. This is one area of the hobby where you have to use your instincts, do your best to master the tools you eventually buy, and learn from your mistakes. There are no shortcuts to this.
Hi All,
I haven’t started construction on my MRR as of yet, but I was planning to use a resistance soldering set up for soldering feeders to the rail.
I worked in the electronics field for almost 20 years (Microwave to be more precise.) and we had to solder some pretty large center conductors in some of the high power units we manufactured. This had to be accomplished quickly, as leaving the heat on too long would cause the insulation in the coaxial connectors to extrude and destroy the impedance of the connector. It seems we have a very similar situation when soldering feeders to track without melting the ties.
Resistance soldering is accomplished by passing a high current between 2 electrodes, the current is not always present, you have to press a foot switch (American Beauty & HOTIP) or there is a 2-stage switch in the tweezer handset (Triton). The beauty of this is that you can set things up, apply the heat (Very Quickly) and hold things together until the solder sets, all while having a second hand free!
The down side is that they’re not cheap, an American Beauty will set you back the better part of $400 (But it will last you a lifetime, I can’t even begin to tell you the abuse these things took at my old company.) and the Triton runs $181 at Micro Mark see:
Here’s a link that may explain it better: http://www.resistancesoldering.com/
BTW, Does anyone use the Triton? I don’t have any experience with it and would rather drop the $400 on the AB than waste $180 when it comes time to get one.
P.S. The AB is adjustable up to 100 watts, so it should even be suitable for delicate work (like decoders) if equipped with the pointy tweezer
I’ll match Randy and raise him one. My 320 watt hand cannon has two light bulbs flanking the tip mounting posts.
Agree with the need for two soldering tools. For electronics and fine inside-the-panel work I have a 20 watt pointed tip iron. The supergun, with a wide chisel tip, gets used for soldering rail (frogs, point linkages and guard rails,) feeders and jumpers.
For solder, I use and recommend small-diameter 60-40. I also recommend using acid-free (rosin) paste flux, applied before heat and solder. IMHO, the flux in rosin-core solder is frequently too little-too late.
Happy soldering.
Chuck (modeling Central Japan in September, 1964)
I’ve only been soldering things since about 1959, so feel free to consider me just a novice. For starters, this is the most useless tool in my tool box, one I have not used in many years.
In the picture below is the only soldering iron I use on my model railroad. By the way, I also don’t agree with using #12 or #14 wire for a DCC buss either so my 45 watt thermostatic iron does everything I need to do. These irons are available on eBay or the LHS for about 100 bucks. Key values are that the iron is thermostaticly controlled (not adjustable) and the sponge is available to keep my tip clean. If you want to know if your iron is of good quality, leave it plugged in all night and see if the tip is burned up in the morning. If it is, throw it away and get a soldering station something like the one in the picture below. I like the Weller brand. On the same tip for about 8 years, when I bought it (actually found it in a cabinet I bought at salvage).
By the way, I have a 15 watt ungar princess, a 100 watt iron and a 200 watt iron, but they waste away in my garage tool box (under my Weller soldering gun).
Joe Daddy’s [2c], you’re entitled to yours!
My model railroad BLOG has more on this subject and 12 other lessons I have learned as a newbie model railroader. http://wwwjoe-daddy.blogspot.com/
oooh I want one of those…TWO light bulbs! 320 watts! More power! That would make soldering my feeders go REAL quick. And if I ever get a defective decoder I could try soldering surface mount components with it for a fun photo essay. LOL
–Randy
I’ve heard nothing but bad things about that COLD HEAT soldering iron (I’m assuming you mean the one on TV).
As for good kinds, that’s another question that everyone has a different answer to. For most uses, a 25-30 watt pencil tip iron will do. That’s what I’ve been using for the last 2o years; and I have no complaints. I bought it at Radio Shack, and my first roll of solder came from there, and my 2nd roll (and iron) I bought at Sears. I have an 80 watt chisel head iron, but I rarely use it, as it gets the surfaces too hot.
But, like I said, everyone has their own opinions.
I agree with the above about the ‘Cold Heat’ soldering tool. My father bought one and it’s a peice of crap. About the only jobs it does well is on very small wires.
Would this be worth while ?
I happened to receive a ad for it today.
http://site.mcminone.com/product.asp?catalog_name=MCMProducts&product_id=21-7945&CMP=EM506
That 50 Watt variable temperature iron would be good for installing decoders and similar light soldering tasks.
I have a 45 Watt version from a different manufacturer that I have soldered a few rail joints with, but that’s about the heaviest task it can handle.
The biggest drawback to them is that the tips cool down too rapidly when touched to the material being soldered, and they don’t recover very quickly.
The unit at that link looks similar to my own station and iron and has similar characteristics. My 45 watt Weller works perfectly soldering rails, decoders, wiring, anything I want it to do. The unit only cools down when I turn it off. It heats up in about 45 seconds to a minute. If a soldering station of 45 watts did not perform in that manner, I’d consider it malfunctioning.
my [2c]
I must agree joe-daddy. We had 1 or 2 of these “guns” at my old company in addition to the American Beauty’s - basically useless there too. A 50w pencil iron is definitely all you need for most work (adjustable is even better) but I was concerned about the melting ties issue.
Does anyone use a Glo-Melt???
BTW was on your site, it’s a blast! I laughed my *** off.
P.S. Yes, you’re right about that too… Jesus is Lord
I learned a long time ago to never believe what you see in those TV commercials for a gimmick like the Cold Heat soldering tool because it’s going to be next to worthless – they always make it sound like it can perform miracles for only $9.95 – and wait, there’s more – order within the next 2 minutes and receive absolutely free this $49.95 value product —
Yeah, sure it’s worth $49.95 – and I have a real bargain available for you right now on some swamp land in Louisiana –
Being that I also build and fly RC airplanes and help build full scale homebuilt and vintage airplanes also, I have several soldering irons and tools.
Also different kinds of solder, etc.
I just use whatever suits the job best that I am working on.
I have a couple Weller guns like Joe Daddy has, and I also have a portable “Solder-It” butane soldering iron with several attachments.
I really like it, and it’s a high quality iron.
I have had it for about 4 years, and have never had a problem with it .
I also have a soldering station with controllable heat, and a couple of smaller irons with small tips for finer work.
When I was in Tech School we had to study and practice for a “NASA” soldering license.
If you ever want to try and “multi-task” at soldering, give this challenge a whirl!! LOL!
There is no “perfect” iron for all work, so it’s a mixed bag of answers.
Ed