We should maybe go back to basics, which I should probably have done at the beginning. I am so used to doing this that i have neglected some points which you probably wont know having not done it before. When you tin your iron you should get a nice very shiny even surface. If you just leave it on and watch what happens, you will see that the solder starts to rapidly lose its shine, and a crusty area of brown muck forms above the working area of the tip. This is because with continued heating both the solder and flux start to oxidise. So each time you go to use the iron you need to wipe the tip to remove this. Many irons come with a little sponge that is dampened and used to wipe the tip. I have never been a fan of this idea. I cant see anything good about applying very hot metal to a cold wet sponge. Most pros I have known dry wipe. I just use a piece of folded linen, or ajs suggestion of denim is good. Just dont use anything synthetic or it will melt! The scummy layer that forms around the iron immediately above the working part of the tip is quite normal, and unavoidable, just wipe it away if it becomes excessive. My best guess is that the problem you are having is probably due to the flux perhaps not being suitable. It may be getting too hot and burning, or not hot enough. Cored solder is really designed for electronics and the flux doesnt need to be very aggresive atall. For what you are trying to do it will probably need a bit of help. I prefer paste as it is easier to control exactly where you put it than with liquid. I must emphasise you only need the tiniest amount. If you cut a slice of sigle flux core solder 1.5mm in diameter you will find the hole in the middle for the flux is probably only 0.3 or so in diameter, this gives you some idea of how little you need. When it melts the solder will flow wherever the flux is, so too much flux and the solder will spread out away from your joint.
Stuck on this one..
- Thread starter Kittyhawk
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Gluing the parts down in position might not be a bad shout if you are having problems with them moving about. Maybe pva? Easy enough to remove aftetwards by soaking in hot water and peeling it off. I have certainly used silver solder paste for little stuff and its great. Never used the low temperature stuff but probably very good as well. If its anything like the silver solder version the downside is it is very expensive.
Rather than the family finest Dresden china dining plates... perhaps consider simple glazed white tile; something akin to what goes on a kitchen/bathroom wal - 600m x 15/20mm?Dont tell Mrs Fergie, but i find a good base is a hard glazed white plate. Allows you to see what you are doing, and impervious to the heat, solder etc. You could stick the sticks on with hot glue or PVA. Will hold well enough, but still easy to peel off when the plate needs to go back in the cupboard
Kittyhawk
Established Member
Going back to square one. Being mindful of the adage 'a bad workman blames his tools', as mentioned earlier the solder I have comes from the dusty recesses of a second hand store where its possibly sat for years. I can't see that its cored at all. Likewise the flux, given me by a neighbour who found it in his garage. On the bottle it says zinc cloride/hypocloric acid which I think is for brass. But the bottle he gave me was opened and age unknown. I notice when I apply the flux to the hot tip, it shoots off in all directions. So I think a trip to the hardware store for some new flux paste instead of liquid and some new cored solder, and try again. At least I'll know then that if I'm still having trouble it will be my fault. The iron I have is a Weller 80 watt with a copper tip or perhaps a copper alloy. It seems a bit harder than pure copper should be.
I think you are on the right lines, sounds like your materials are of "unknown provenance" which is not ideal! On the bright side what you have managed so far is pretty good given what you have been working with. I suspect when you try again with new stuff it will be a lot easier. Look forward to seeing the results 
Kittyhawk
Established Member
A good day - now capable of doing very tidy solder joints.
The problem was of my own making. I seldom solder, and when finished I would clean up the tip of any residual solder before putting the iron away not knowing that was the worst possible thing to do. I have since discovered that the iron should be stowed with a good layer of solder on the tip to prevent oxidation. And because of that I could not tin the tip even though I ground it back to shiny copper - the solder would just roll into a ball on the tip and then fall off. According to the internet gurus the problem could be corrected by sanding the tip to shiny copper, then giving it a couple of minutes soaking in isopropyl alcohol before heating, flux and tinning. Didn't see what difference the IA would make but did it anyway and the tip tinned up beautifully. And this in turn enabled very nice joints, made together with the advice received in preceding posts.
So thanks to all respondents for your help. Now I can make a couple of little ladders and I've learned a new skill as well
The problem was of my own making. I seldom solder, and when finished I would clean up the tip of any residual solder before putting the iron away not knowing that was the worst possible thing to do. I have since discovered that the iron should be stowed with a good layer of solder on the tip to prevent oxidation. And because of that I could not tin the tip even though I ground it back to shiny copper - the solder would just roll into a ball on the tip and then fall off. According to the internet gurus the problem could be corrected by sanding the tip to shiny copper, then giving it a couple of minutes soaking in isopropyl alcohol before heating, flux and tinning. Didn't see what difference the IA would make but did it anyway and the tip tinned up beautifully. And this in turn enabled very nice joints, made together with the advice received in preceding posts.
So thanks to all respondents for your help. Now I can make a couple of little ladders and I've learned a new skill as well
Just shows you should never assume anything, never even ocurred to me to say dont ever clean the tip of solder, when you have finished just let it cool and put it away. Glad you have it sorted. Looking forward to seeing the finished ladder 
HamsterJam
Let’s take it apart to see what’s inside….
Don’t know what you are using but the soldering irons I have use copper cored iron plated tips. Filing/sanding or other abrasive action may damage the iron coating.
Most in my experience are actually copper, iron and finished with quite a thick layer of tin. I have often ground them down for a specific one off job, and never had any problems with usimg them even when the inner layers are exposed. What it definitely does do is shorten their life as the core erodes quite quickly, but if you only intend to use it for a specific task, so what. Certainly wouldnt advocate it for regular use, in that situation you should go and get a new tip of the appropriate size. Of course some, usually cheaper ones, do use a solid tip. These tend to be, er, on the large side. As one mate of mine famously said, using one of these to try and do fine stuff would be like trying to poke a fly in the eye with a cucumber! 
ajs
Established Member
Just got a new iron delivered today, yes I already have plenty but this was a supposedly good quality gas powered iron with spare bits you can actually buy.
Filled it up with lighter gas and... the valve's leaking. Try shutting it down in various manners, no not happening. Stick it on the window sill to vent, still start feeling light headed.
Oh well, only 90 mins of work from home left for the day. I'm going to have to spend that down the pub on my laptop. It's health and safety after all.
Filled it up with lighter gas and... the valve's leaking. Try shutting it down in various manners, no not happening. Stick it on the window sill to vent, still start feeling light headed.
Oh well, only 90 mins of work from home left for the day. I'm going to have to spend that down the pub on my laptop. It's health and safety after all.
Always fancied one of these but couldn't really justify the price, then saw a Parkside one in Lidl, about £15 or so I think. Have to say very impressed with it, has been very handy for little jobs on the car and other stuff. Certainly less hassle than having to run an extension lead and then try and find somewhere to put a soldering station that is close enough for the lead to reach whatever you are trying to get to.
