Soldering question

[FJ and G]

Hi guys,

Been soldering the center wire on my tracks for a few hours and the Weller pistol grip can sure get hot. I don't have the instructions so I'm not sure if there's such a thing as overheating it by extended use.

Also, the tip was working fine but after about 90 minutes or so, it seems to give off less heat; in fact, not even enough to melt solder. What I normally do--and it seems to work--is to remove the tip and sand it and then put it back on. It then always works fine.

Is this normal for extended periods of soldering? Also, I wipe off the tip with a wet drywall sponge between solderings.

Your advice appreciated.

[spankybird]

Dave, loosen the two set screws that hold the tip in place, remove the tip and do a light file to the two rods of the tip to clean them. Then reinstall the tip and be sure it is tight. Also file the end off the tip clean.

See if that helps
tom

[Dr. John]

Dave, I think I've read that a dirty soldering tip creates resistance, causing it to become less efficient. Maybe why your handle is heating up also.

Sounds like you are doing the right thing in sanding the tip (I prefer emory cloth) and the sponge. I imagine you keep in tinned with fresh solder after you clean it.

When in doubt, though, replace the soldering gun. You sure don't want to injure yourself. Weller is a good brand but any electrical device can fail and become a hazard.

[Anonymous]

Also the screws that hold the tip in get dirty, just tighten them up a bit and that will help.
I go by this rule of thumb. If the tip does not look like chrome it will not solder properly.
I get along fine with a 30 watt pen but it has a shinny tip always.
Dave Roxin.

[Anonymous]

My soldering iron didn't work as the rail was too good of a heat sink. I had real good luck using one of the handheld butane torches. They get hot enough fast enough to tin the rail and can handle the delecate part (after a some practise) of tinning the wire.

Bob

[ben10ben]

Soldering guns are designed to be used for short duration. They heat up quickly and cool down quickly, but aren't really intended to be used for a couple of hours. A soldering iron is better suited to that job.

I have two soldering guns, and generally alternate them when working on an extended project where the amount of heat put out by an iron won't get the job done. I generally use one until the case gets warm to the touch(roughly 10 minutes of soldering, or about 20-30 minutes of project time), and then switch off to the other one. By the time that one gets warm, the other has cooled off to the point where I feel as though I can safely use it again.

[FJ and G]

Thanks. I figured out that the sponge wasn't getting all the solder off the tip and it was slowly building up. Used your recommendations and working fine now.

[lionelsoni]

It's not necessary to remove the tip to restore the connection. Just loosen and then retighten the nuts.

Copper 12AWG wire is all I have ever used for a soldering-gun tip since after the first tip burned out in 1960.

I use the soldering gun only when I need a lot of heat in a place where a torch might damage something.

[FJ and G]

Bob,

I may try installing 12AWG in the Weller to see how it works for the heck of it. I think it will fit, but I'm at work now. The beauty of using a copper wire, IMO, would be that you can shape it; perhaps even make a foam cutter?!

[lionelsoni]

I haven't tried to cut foam. But I have cut PVC pipe with it in situations where I couldn't use a saw. You can loop the wire around the pipe, connect it to the gun, and then pull it through the pipe.

You can also shape it to fit something you want to solder and heat more of the part at once than you could with an iron.

[FJ and G]

Bob,

Wish I'd thought of that 2 years ago when I rerouted my basement bathroom soil pipe. Had to cut a lot of concrete to get a hacksaw blade down there to cut the pipe. The wire would have allowed me to do a more accurate cut as well.

[wrmcclellan]

Dave and Bob,

I have also used 12 or 14 AWG copper wire in my Weller for years for specialized cutters for foam and whatever. Works great as Bob states. Dave - watch the fumes when you cut foams and plastics. Make sure you have excellent ventilation. For thick foams you need heavier wire as the copper is soft and will bend easily when pressure is put on it for cutting/slicing. I thought about using something harder (brazing rods?) but never got around to it.

I sometimes hammer the cutting area of the wire flat on an anvil for a foam cutter or sculpting knife. In this type of use you also have to watch the heat buildup in the Weller as you typically have it on for longer periods of time. You have to shape the wire to ensure you have a continuous electrical path for the heating area. I made a 4 inch knife cutter (8 inch loop of copper not counting that needed to go into the Weller soldering tip screws) that worked very well.

Regards,
Roy

[FJ and G]

Roy,

That's great. I wonder if brass wire would be a bit stronger for foam slicing and conduct heat nearly as well as copper. Might be worth a try.