[Coco] Its about that day again

[Richard E. Crislip]

On Fri, 25 Dec 2015 22:37:52 -0500
Gene Heskett <gheskett at wdtv.com> wrote:

> On Friday 25 December 2015 21:32:56 Richard E. Crislip wrote:
> 
> > <snip>
> >
> > > So its pretty quiet here ATM.  Waiting on Chinese parts for some
> > > control improvements on my new mill & trying to get my air brush
> > > technique back in tune for applying a slightly thinned teak oil on
> > > some mahogany blanket chests I'm making for my remaining boys.
> >
> > <snip>
> >
> > You should see the mess I make trying to learn to solder 8-). Two
> > steps forward and one back. Every time I think I'm getting the hang
> > of it, i.e. a success, the one step back occurs... as in failure or
> > horrendous looking soler joint. I'm not bad with a benzamatic
> > torch, I can run that solder every which but loose. Circuit board
> > scream in terror when I get near one of those with the torch 8-).
> 
> A bernzomatic on a PCB?  I can hear it screaming from here! Get a
> decent, grounded, temp controlled iron.  I've got about a $90 bill in
> my last one, an (mumble) 852-D I got through amazon.  Has a hot air
> rework wand and a separately controlled iron, and has done everything
> I've asked it to do for the last year+.  Heck, its even out of
> warranty and still working!
> 
> But be aware that this new lead free silver bearing solder takes
> 375C+ to work it, a good 50C hotter than the usual eutectic grade.
> 
> Cheers, Gene Heskett

Thanks for the tip. I currently use a Weller PS23, 25 watter. I have
two rolls of solder I inherited from my Dad. One melts much sooner than
the other. The high melt point is Plumb Craft, Cleveland Ohio, RosinCore
and the other, with the lower melt point, is Oatley Solder which is 50%
lead, hence the lower melt point. I get my best results with the Oately.