Soldering Iron for Computer Cables

I wonder if you're trying to use lead-free solder with an iron which wasn't designed for it and isn't up to it?

If that's the only thing you're going to use it for in the next

If you really want a good one, they cost. I have a Weller TCP which I bought when I was at University, and over 25 years later, it's still brilliant. You can still buy it -- over £50 when I last looked (was nothing like that much when I was a student!).

I do these quite a bit, and have no trouble.

I use an Antex 16-18W soldering iron.

Do you have some of the new lead-free solder, I wonder?

Yes, lead-free solder. Didn't realise I needed anything special for the iron. Having a look at

Thanks

Surely what you want is leaded solder? ;-)

Tim

I'm surprised at that. Are you leaving it long enough to heat up? Have you removed the bit to make sure it's not got crud insulating it? Is the spring clip that grips it in place still present and positioned where it does the job? Because it should cope with even lead free solder.

Nowt wrong with Antex - it's my make of choice. But like any iron you need one specified for the type of work you're doing. And the type of bit fitted influences this as larger ones act as a heat store for the larger jobs the iron is capable of. Your iron is for normal PCB work.

If you do decide on a new one the definitive type for all electronics will be a temperature controlled 50 watt low voltage type. They were once expensive, but can be bought on Ebay etc for about 30 quid these days.

Just get leaded solder! Easy to obtain if you are not 'commercial'.

if you can still get it that is ,that's why I stocked up :-)

I don't think it is in the small quantities the OP sounds like he'd use. Sure you can buy it by the reel from the major suppliers - with a minimum order cost - but I've not seen it recently in small quantities from a retailer like Maplin.

I think Weller is the best you can get in terms of quality of materials and they are excellent designs ergo-wise too. I've had my tcp one for 25 years and it still works fine. btw RS still sell leaded solder (at least they did about 3 months ago). Interestingly the smaller diam resin cored stuff is more expensive that the thicker stuff... well I suppose it's trickier to pour the flux into those tiny little holes :-)

Of course you can - I bought 12 reels of it 2 months ago (from CPC)

seconded or what ever count we are up to for a Weller, my last one went on for 30 years before I blew up the electronics in the iron,now I have a simple fixed temperature one, you just change the tips to change the temperature and this one will probably out last me

So do I, but it's easily available from everywhere except Maplin, and apparently will remain so.

Also, given my component stocks are all lead tinned, I'm not sure what happens if you mix those with lead-free solder (or use leaded solder with lead-free components, which are slowly starting to appear in my stocks). I've not noticed any ill effects yet.

Been quite a few comments recently about Weller not being of the same quality as once.

Haven't seen it in the sheds. Or Halfords.

The executor of my estate is going to hate me, as (s)he makes repeated trips to the dump with the things I've "stocked up" on.

So you can I thought it had been banned as you could not sell an item with lead in it any more

If you get another iron go for a 25w rather than the piddly 15 watters. This'll make it usable for many more apps.

As for a decent iron, theres really no need. I've never come across an iron that was working properly that couldnt make a decent joint.

NT

It will nee to remain available for some considerable time to allow service and maintenance of existing equipment.

as long a the wattage matches the job that is, you cannot expect a 5w decent iron to be able to solder the same joint as a 200W