# Recommendations for a Soldering Gun...



## Boston&Maine

So I need to buy a soldering gun, but have no idea where to start... This will be used for soldering small wires (probably nothing bigger than 14ish gauge) and small electrical stuff, like circuit boards... Any ideas as to what model/size I need? How much do these typically cost, I am not looking to spend a fortune


----------



## shaygetz

A 25 and 40 watt pencil point iron will run between $10-15 and will be all you really need. Get the 40 first if that is an issue. Big guns are for when you need to solder large rail and buss wires.


----------



## Lownen

For the type of work you mention 25 - 40 watts is probably good. When soldering decoders into N scale locomotives, I use a 12 watt iron. Just in case you are thinking of doing any decoders too.


----------



## shaygetz

Lownen said:


> When soldering decoders into N scale locomotives, I use a 12 watt iron.


Aww...come on...take a walk on the wild side. Ain't nothing like approaching a $99 decoder w/ sound chip with the pencil point equivalent of Vulcan's forge.:laugh:


----------



## Boston&Maine

shaygetz said:


> A 25 and 40 watt pencil point iron will run between $10-15 and will be all you really need. Get the 40 first if that is an issue. Big guns are for when you need to solder large rail and buss wires.


Yea, I am not going to be soldering any rails, hehehe... That 40 watt sounds good, and it is definitely in my price range 

I had one of those cold-heat ones, but it sucked... I never read the directions, pressed on something too hard and I broke the tip of it :retard:


----------



## shaygetz

Boston&Maine said:


> I had one of those cold-heat ones, but it sucked... I never read the directions, pressed on something too hard and I broke the tip of it :retard:


I have one too, gonna build a museum of "As Seen On TV" items I got for Christmas that meant well but never quite flew.


----------



## sptrains.com

For your museum, I can send you a "Handy Bundler"


----------



## Boston&Maine

I love the whole "that I got for Christmas" part of it 

Why, oh why do people buy these things... Most of it ends up not working and sadly gets tossed... Oh well, I guess it is the thought that counts


----------



## shaygetz

Boston&Maine said:


> I love the whole "that I got for Christmas" part of it
> 
> Why, oh why do people buy these things... Most of it ends up not working and sadly gets tossed... Oh well, I guess it is the thought that counts


Folks know how handy I am and so they see "THAT TOOL" that they know i don't have...the rest is history. My beloved learned long ago not to try to buy me tools or trains, my kids on the other hand...


----------



## Lownen

shaygetz said:


> Folks know how handy I am and so they see "THAT TOOL" that they know i don't have...the rest is history. My beloved learned long ago not to try to buy me tools or trains, my kids on the other hand...


Tell them to get you a gift certificate from a model railroad dealer. If a few family members do that, it can take a nice chunk out of the cost of that new steam sound loco you want.


----------



## Boston&Maine

shaygetz said:


> Folks know how handy I am and so they see "THAT TOOL" that they know i don't have...the rest is history. My beloved learned long ago not to try to buy me tools or trains, my kids on the other hand...


That is basically the same way it is with me, I do not know what it is... Someone could go out and buy me something as a gift, but I would probably never use it... I could go out and buy that EXACT same item and love it... I guess I am just an OCD misery, I mean mystery 

Anyways, your estimation was wrong, the 40 watt soldering iron at my local Home Depot was $18, LOL... It came with three different kind of iron tips though


----------



## Boston&Maine

I just tried it out... About how long does it usually take for the gun to cool down, and how do I get any excess solder off the tip?

LOL, I am too nosy because I already burnt myself once, oops


----------



## Lownen

Boston&Maine said:


> I just tried it out... About how long does it usually take for the gun to cool down, and how do I get any excess solder off the tip?
> 
> LOL, I am too nosy because I already burnt myself once, oops


Boston&Maine;

When you solder, keep a damp sponge handy. Remove the excess solder with that, and put some clean solder on the tip to protect it before unplugging the iron. I always assume my little 12 watt iron will still be hot enough to burn me for at least 10 min. Your 40 watt iron may take longer to cool.


----------



## Boston&Maine

Hey, you can not highlight that in a quote for the world to see, LOL...



Lownen said:


> When you solder, keep a damp sponge handy.


That makes a lot of sense, thank you... I read about leaving a bit of solder on the tip in the directions, but that is about all that they were good for


----------



## ntrainlover

Ive always wanted to do this.
:gotooprah:


:lol_hitting:


----------



## Boston&Maine

ntrainlover said:


> Ive always wanted to do this.
> :gotooprah:


Same here... It is one of those elusive smilies that you can never seem to use around here... But since you decided to break the ice and use that smiley, I will use this one back at you, hehehe :banplz: (j/k )...


Just an FYI, now that I got everything figured out I am soldering like a pro... The wires for the whistle in my new tender look brand new :thumbsup:


----------



## tworail

There is nothing more satisfying than clean solder welds that look nice 

Lots of heat, a sponge, and decent solder with some flux does wonders.


----------



## Lownen

Boston&Maine said:


> Just an FYI, now that I got everything figured out I am soldering like a pro... The wires for the whistle in my new tender look brand new :thumbsup:


Glad to hear it. Rock on, friend!


----------



## smokey

tworail said:


> There is nothing more satisfying than clean solder welds that look nice
> 
> Lots of heat, a sponge, and decent solder with some flux does wonders.


Is _that_ what the h3ll my problem is  ?! 

I know I've soldered before with WAY better results, but last night I finally got to a point that I can start soldering wire to my track, but I was totally striking out; I'd melt the ties before the wire would ever stick to the rails. I did tin each wire. I'm using a radio shack solder, labeled LEAD-FREE SOLDER, 96% tin & 4% silver.

Right stuff ??


I finally gave up and used some connectors I had made prior on a few easy sections (end of yard line, unfinished corner), but I'm not pulling any more track up!!!!!! I gotta get this soldering thing back....


edit- duh... so I read a bit more and find this


----------



## smokey

Hey... back on track  :laugh: !! (heh-heh... made a funny )


Anyway, I knew I had done this before... and done it moderately well (enough so that my last layout was completely soldered, top and bottom). So I looked around the garage and found some 60/40 rosin core.

Wow... what a difference. I did four or five leads in about 10 minutes. 

Sweet, might actually see some trains running today or tomorrow 


Well, glad to learn something new. Thanks!!


----------



## T-Man

I use the Radio Shack 60/40 Rosin Core solder .050 diameter. 
It's says right on the roll PC work. 

Thicker stuff is just harder to work with.

One trick for circuit boards is just to use a little solder.

My iron, so old I'm not sure, a new 30 watt tip works though .


----------



## Boston&Maine

Hmm, since you bumped this thread back up T-Man... Sometimes when I am soldering it seems like the solder does not stick to what I am soldering, but rather to the soldering tip... Any tips to help prevent this? I am using the solder which came with the soldering gun, if that could be the culprit :dunno:

PS: I think I get an award for using "solder" so many times in one post


----------



## smokey

Boston&Maine said:


> Hmm, since you bumped this thread back up T-Man... Sometimes when I am soldering it seems like the solder does not stick to what I am soldering, but rather to the soldering tip... Any tips to help prevent this? I am using the solder which came with the soldering gun, if that could be the culprit :dunno:
> 
> PS: I think I get an award for using "solder" so many times in one post



It won't stick because the piece isn't hot enough. Mo' heat. I dunno... I got a gun and two pencils and I kinda prefer my pencil irons better for anything but big-big work.


----------



## Boston&Maine

Turn up the heat, eh? 

I am a little quick to action after plugging my soldering gun in, so I guess I should be patient and let it heat up more


----------



## T-Man

Yep, it definitely takes practice. Make sure the iron warms up. For wire connections you need to pre heat the larger stuff then coat with solder. It should flow right on. I hope your using a rosin core. For board work I coat the tip first then solder since it's so small.


----------



## smokey

T-Man said some of the things I was going to point out- it's not your gun that's not hot enough- the solder's sticking to it- it's the bigger of the two pieces you're soldering that isn't hot enough. 

Tin your wires, keep a small dab of solder on the tip if the gun and hold it to the track for a few seconds. Use the tip of your tinned wire to kinda push the dab off the gun to the track. When the track is hot enough, your tinned wire will melt to the rail and should draw-up the dab.

MOST important- when you pull the heat away, DON'T budge!! You can get crappy joints if you wiggle the wire while it sets.

Doh!! And use the right solder!!! Makes all the difference  !!!

A gun should heat to temp in, what, 10~15 seconds, max? But to me, it's a bit much for soldering rail. My pencils need 5~10 minutes to get to temp then stay there, except for the occasional sponge dab, but it bounces back from that prety quick.

And T-Man said it- practice. It might be frustrating at first but once you get the hang of it, it's a breeze. Find an old 18"r or crap piece of track and solder ya a dozen leads for practice!! You'll be good after that :thumbsup:


----------



## Boston&Maine

smokey said:


> A gun should heat to temp in, what, 10~15 seconds, max? But to me, it's a bit much for soldering rail. My pencils need 5~10 minutes to get to temp then stay there, except for the occasional sponge dab, but it bounces back from that prety quick.


Oops, I have been calling my soldering pencil a soldering gun, my bad


----------



## Lownen

Boston&Maine; What is the wattage on your pencil? What are you trying to solder? Is the surface of what you're trying to solder clean? Have you applied any flux to it? These are other considerations, in addition to the mass and heat sinking capabilities of the things being soldered.


----------



## T-Man

This thread is HOT!:laugh:

Gee, Boston & Maine with all this help, you should be able to get the lead out.

Oh yeah the obvious, the tip must be firmly torqued in. If it is loose, it won't heat up. This is especially true with guns. With my weller I have to tighten the locking nuts every now and then. 
Keep practicing.:thumbsup:


----------



## T-Man

*Fuel the fire*

I bought a 25 watt iron at Big Lots for 5 bucks. Not locally made, but it's a backup.


----------

