WonderWoman
Established Member
I just soldered something and its not complete disaster!!!
Just had to share this
- Thread starter WonderWoman
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WonderWoman
Established Member
Haha, like the lady in Flashdance!
Im attempting another solder.
How do I get wire to go straight, it just gets kinks in it?
Im attempting another solder.
How do I get wire to go straight, it just gets kinks in it?
WonderWoman
Established Member
Silver plated thickish(about 5mm) wire with multi purpose solder.
Im just trying to make little frames.
Im just trying to make little frames.
Losos
Established Member
WW - Do you really mean 5mm or was there meant to be a dot in front :?: As in 0.5mm
5mm is a heck of a thick bit of wire, more like rod I would say. Anyway if you are using wire (e.g. up to 1 or 2mm) and it has kinks, try pulling it back & forth over a wooden dowel a few times, this usually does it for me.
5mm is a heck of a thick bit of wire, more like rod I would say. Anyway if you are using wire (e.g. up to 1 or 2mm) and it has kinks, try pulling it back & forth over a wooden dowel a few times, this usually does it for me.
trick I use at work (for anything up to 18awg wire) is to wrap one turn of wire around the shank of a screw driver.... unspool more than enough wire for the job, make the wrap as close to the coil as is comfortable, then hold both the reel and screwdriver securely and pull the two away from each other... the single wrap puts just enough friction on the shank to let you slightly strain the wire, drawing out any kinks in it.. Just mind your fingers as you near the end of the wire... it can bite..!! Thicker the wire, the bigger the ouch...
Should add that trying to draw anything larger than 18awg takes some serious grunt... hold the screw driver in a vice if you can... goes without saying to be careful... you might need to draw the wire through a couple of times to get out all the kinks...
To fully straighten the wire after its been drawn, hold the reel securely, hold the other end of the wire with strong plyers and draw (pull the two away from each other) the two as tight as you can... you'll chew up the end couple of inches of wire in the process, but the rest should be nice and straight / kink free... cut to suit your needs and / or repeat as necessary...
Last point... if the wire doesn't take solder cleanly (tins in some places but not in others) chances are that the top coating of the wire has slight corrosion... a light rub through something like scotchbrite should cut through any oxide...
Should add that trying to draw anything larger than 18awg takes some serious grunt... hold the screw driver in a vice if you can... goes without saying to be careful... you might need to draw the wire through a couple of times to get out all the kinks...
To fully straighten the wire after its been drawn, hold the reel securely, hold the other end of the wire with strong plyers and draw (pull the two away from each other) the two as tight as you can... you'll chew up the end couple of inches of wire in the process, but the rest should be nice and straight / kink free... cut to suit your needs and / or repeat as necessary...
Last point... if the wire doesn't take solder cleanly (tins in some places but not in others) chances are that the top coating of the wire has slight corrosion... a light rub through something like scotchbrite should cut through any oxide...
WonderWoman
Established Member
Yep, 5mm, its not wire then.
Thanks for the advice.
Thanks for the advice.
WonderWoman
Established Member
I bought some thinner wire at the weekend which works a treat.
Im making a decorative swirly thing which has lots of areas that need soldering.
As I solder one bit and move to the next the previous soldered area melts and disconnects.
What can i do to prevent this?
Im making a decorative swirly thing which has lots of areas that need soldering.
As I solder one bit and move to the next the previous soldered area melts and disconnects.
What can i do to prevent this?
WonderWoman
Established Member
About 12cmx12cm, kind of splayed out like an octopus.
Will the wet rag be ok so close to the soldering iron,electricity n all?
Will the wet rag be ok so close to the soldering iron,electricity n all?
Scott
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You could try a heat-sink to draw excess heat away from the previous joint as you do the next one.
Try clipping on a metal clip or self-locking pliers or similar to take some of the heat before it reaches the previously completed joint
Try clipping on a metal clip or self-locking pliers or similar to take some of the heat before it reaches the previously completed joint
WonderWoman
Established Member
Thanks
Losos
Established Member
As Ike has said it's perfectly safe to use a wet rag, the iron has (or should have) an earth connection so any problems inside will blow a fuse in the plug or the trigger RCD.
Only prob with a wet rag might be the heat drying it, normal industry practice (As others have already said) is a kind of heat sink between the joint being soldered and the previous one. A small 'G' clamp is good or self locking pliers ('tho they tend to be quite big & heavy) even an ACCO clip will help (These are the things used to hold papers in a clipboard)
Please let everyone know how the finished item looks.
Only prob with a wet rag might be the heat drying it, normal industry practice (As others have already said) is a kind of heat sink between the joint being soldered and the previous one. A small 'G' clamp is good or self locking pliers ('tho they tend to be quite big & heavy) even an ACCO clip will help (These are the things used to hold papers in a clipboard)
Please let everyone know how the finished item looks.
WonderWoman
Established Member
At work they have those medical looking scissors with teeth that lock onto things so I thought they may work.
Ive also realised my swirly creation may look nice as silver swirly angel wings so I may give that a go today
)
Ive also realised my swirly creation may look nice as silver swirly angel wings so I may give that a go today
)WonderWoman
Established Member
Tried the clampy scissor thing and it worked great.
Tho Ive relaised I need at least one more hand.One for the iron, one ot hold the piece in place, one to apply the solder and another to keep at least one of the other hands steady.
Anybody know of any soldering classes in Berkshire?
Tho Ive relaised I need at least one more hand.One for the iron, one ot hold the piece in place, one to apply the solder and another to keep at least one of the other hands steady.
Anybody know of any soldering classes in Berkshire?
wonder women when my lad went to uni he had to solder a cube 1inch square with some copper wire when the class had done that the tutor told them to make one 1/2 inch square he said it was fun :shock:
frank
anyone care to try it dont burn your fingers :roll:
frank
anyone care to try it dont burn your fingers
:roll:
