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So, you REALLY want to learn how to solder?

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  • Member since
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  • From: Reading, PA
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So, you REALLY want to learn how to solder?
Posted by rrinker on Monday, September 25, 2017 8:20 PM

Movie from NASA Marshall Space Flight Center, circa 1960

"Three things are important: cleanliness, cleanliness, and cleanliness"

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xsxZSePV9bE

                    --Randy

 


Modeling the Reading Railroad in the 1950's

 

Visit my web site at www.readingeastpenn.com for construction updates, DCC Info, and more.

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Posted by tstage on Monday, September 25, 2017 9:40 PM

Oh, I'll be sure to watch that one, Randy.  But, yea - if your soldering tip or surface ain't clean...you are going to have one frustrating experience.

Tom

https://tstage9.wixsite.com/nyc-modeling

Time...It marches on...without ever turning around to see if anyone is even keeping in step.

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Posted by BroadwayLion on Tuesday, September 26, 2017 10:10 AM

Clean Schmlean!

Rule 1) LOOK at the sosldering iron BEFORE you pick it up.

Rule 2) Adjust you eyeglasses BEFORE you pick up the soldering iron.

Rule 3) That freaking thing is HOT, Do not burn your nice soft fur!

Rule 4) Hot Solder is a LIQUID and will drip in your face if you are working on your layout from the bottom!

ROAR

P.S. If you have neuropathy in your fingers (like the LION) you can be seriously burned before you begen to feel the heat!

 

GRRRrrrrr........

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Posted by richg1998 on Tuesday, September 26, 2017 11:46 AM

Fortunately plated tips and soldering stations have made soldering much easier. No more filing tips.

Always practice on clean scrap materiel.

Soldering has to be considered a necessary art or there will be a lot of frustration. Oh, patience also. I have seen that a few times here in discussions over the years.

After I got out of the Navy I did a NASA soldering course in 1965 while wiring US Navy periscopes and it was a real challenge. The rejection rate was quite high until we got it right and we had the best equipment. The company had a NASA contract to wire some small rocket nose cones.

Rich

If you ever fall over in public, pick yourself up and say “sorry it’s been a while since I inhabited a body.” And just walk away.

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Posted by garya on Tuesday, September 26, 2017 1:53 PM

BroadwayLion

Clean Schmlean!

Rule 1) LOOK at the sosldering iron BEFORE you pick it up.

Rule 2) Adjust you eyeglasses BEFORE you pick up the soldering iron.

Rule 3) That freaking thing is HOT, Do not burn your nice soft fur!

Rule 4) Hot Solder is a LIQUID and will drip in your face if you are working on your layout from the bottom!

ROAR

P.S. If you have neuropathy in your fingers (like the LION) you can be seriously burned before you begen to feel the heat!

 

GRRRrrrrr........

 

 

I was soldering under a layout while wearing shorts--liquid solder will stick to hairy legs.  Ouch

 

Another time I accidentally knocked my iron off its stand and tried to catch it as it fell--next time I'll let it hit the floor.

Gary

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Posted by BroadwayLion on Tuesday, September 26, 2017 5:34 PM

garya
Another time I accidentally knocked my iron off its stand and tried to catch it as it fell--next time I'll let it hit the floor.

And if you drop the chain saw, do not try to catch that either.

 

SAFETY FIRST  then worry about how to make good conenctons.

The Route of the Broadway Lion The Largest Subway Layout in North Dakota.

Here there be cats.                                LIONS with CAMERAS

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Posted by hon30critter on Tuesday, September 26, 2017 11:53 PM

Interesting video Randy.

Dave

I'm just a dude with a bad back having a lot of fun with model trains, and finally building a layout!

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Posted by gdelmoro on Wednesday, September 27, 2017 4:45 PM

rrinker

Movie from NASA Marshall Space Flight Center, circa 1960

"Three things are important: cleanliness, cleanliness, and cleanliness"

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xsxZSePV9bE

                    --Randy

 

Ok now you have proven that ALL my soldered joints are probably done wrong. Tongue Tied

Gary

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Posted by BATMAN on Wednesday, September 27, 2017 6:08 PM

gdelmoro
Ok now you have proven that ALL my soldered joints are probably done wrong. 

Yes! You are DOOMED!Laugh

I watched the whole thing. Can't say I learned anything, but it was a good refresher. 

Brent

"All of the world's problems are the result of the difference between how we think and how the world works."

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Posted by 7j43k on Wednesday, September 27, 2017 6:17 PM

I learned that thermal wire strippers exist.  Not cheap.  But ya won't be nicking the wire, that's fer shur.

I notice this video was made AFTER NASA managed to blow up a whole bunch of their Vanguard satellite rockets.  Wonder if there's a connection.

 

Ed

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Posted by gregc on Wednesday, September 27, 2017 7:46 PM

one of the problems I heard of with early missiles, such as Nike, was that the g forces would rip components off the boards.   Seems that they needed more that just a solid electrical connection.

greg - Philadelphia & Reading / Reading

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Posted by 7j43k on Wednesday, September 27, 2017 10:30 PM

And yet the Atlas missiles put up satellites just fine.  Guess their solderers were better than the NASA ones.

I suspect an AA missile has higher launch G-forces than a satellite rocket--urgency, and all that.

 

Ed

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Posted by rrinker on Thursday, September 28, 2017 6:30 AM

 Yeah - watch an AA missile launch, at least the ground-based ones like Nike. They take off like model rockets, whoosh and it's gone. A ballastic missile or satellite launch platform seems to crawl into the air in comparison.

                                  --Randy

 


Modeling the Reading Railroad in the 1950's

 

Visit my web site at www.readingeastpenn.com for construction updates, DCC Info, and more.

  • Member since
    May 2004
  • 7,500 posts
Posted by 7j43k on Thursday, September 28, 2017 4:52 PM

When I was a kid and the Renwal Nike Ajax kit came out, I wanted to get four of them and make my own launch base.  Still do, but it's way down the list.  Partly 'cause it would be rather large--I'm guessing about 4 feet--where to put it????

 

Ed

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