67 replies to this topic

[brucefl]

I need help finding a soldering iron that is the best for building chassis?

I no longer have my old Ungar Iron.

And the irons I've found range from 25 watts to 130 watts,and understanding what's needed is getting confusing in the technical jargon.

Such as wattage can't be translated into temperature and temperature recuperation once tip is applied to work.

Typically my experience is that part of the joint cools too much while I'm heating another area close then when I return to the near by area to make them flow together I'm dealing with a cold joint area.

Please help,thanks he 60/40 solder melts at 400+F tip is well hotter.

[Ramcatlarry]

Irons have changed a lot in the past fifty years.  The Ungar 40 -55 Watt was a good standard and the Hakko product line is great.  The goal is to have a large enough tip to hold the tip temp to heat the mass you solder.  Motor leads and electrical boards use small tips to avoid burning out nearby components.  Irons or soldering stations with temperature control are the best way to go.  Many can be found for under $100.  External temp controls usually run under $30.

[tonyp]

I like the hakko 601 with medium tip.

[MattD]

Lot of cheap Hakko copy  irons on Ebay, less than $10.   They work great, burn out in a few months.    Just save your pennies and buy a real  Hakko and be done with it for a long time to come.

[Ecurie Martini]

Also endorse the Hakko iron.  Mine is about 20 years old and still going strong - with tip replacement from time to time.

 

TIX solder is very strong and has a low melting point.  It's expensive but worth it.  Tix flux is also very good but does not work reliably on stainless steel.  A combination of Sta Brite flux and TIX solder is very good.  For complex assemblies, Sta Brite solder for the first joints and TIX for subsequent work is convenient.

 

EM

[Racer36]

I bought a Hakko 601 after Tony suggested it a while back. The thing is a beast. Best solder joints I have ever had.

[brucefl]

Also endorse the Hakko iron.  Mine is about 20 years old and still going strong - with tip replacement from time to time.
 
TIX solder is very strong and has a low melting point.  It's expensive but worth it.  Tix flux is also very good but does not work reliably on stainless steel.  A combination of Sta Brite flux and TIX solder is very good.  For complex assemblies, Sta Brite solder for the first joints and TIX for subsequent work is convenient.
 
EM

[brucefl]

Alan I'm sorry if I'm redundant,but did you ever live on 268th street in Queens new York City near long island Jewish hospital,because I had a friend with your name there and we were both close to the Glen oaks raceway in the 60s/70s.

[MSwiss]

I sell and have a 50 watt Weller (Ungar) at my work station.

 

It just seems a bit lethargic so I just ordered a Hakko 601.

 

I'm hoping it's better, but regardless, having 2 irons plugged in, at once, makes motor removal on something like a Cheetah 7, with the motor soldered on top, much easier.

 

I really got spoiled by the 100 watt Inland, when they were available.

 

Despite being a bit clunky, you just couldn't argue with the heat.

 

IMO, it was either 1200 degrees, or at the very least, easily had the most superior recovery rate of any iron I ever used.

[gc4895]

Hakko is the best. Add a small torch for the jobs installing things like braces to guide tongues.

[Don Weaver]

I ​have used my Inland Instaheat #60121 iron for going on 10 years.  Still has the same tip with ​no sign of wear.  Great for rapid heat and recovery.  Just soldered 2 pieces of .063 brass together with just a little recovery time needed while soldering.

 

The main thing I like about is that it is smaller than the other irons in length (5" handle, 3.3" tip) and weight (3oz).  Makes soldering our small parts easier.

 

Wouldn't use anything else.....

 

Don

[brucefl]

So torches are needed,Tony why haven't you or anybody else mentioned that was that the trade secret (when I was 14 I thought that was a no Brainerd to use a torch,but as innocent as I was and not to mention dangerous and likely the whole chassis would become full of liquid solder joints,and feeling stupid that everybody looked at me like how dumb can you be leave that torch for your plumbing shop at school).

Now what solder is best (and what torch)and what flux?

Of course Tony if you say to do things without a torch I'll have to listen,lol.

[NSwanberg]

I really got spoiled by the 100 watt Inland, when they were available.

 

Despite being a bit clunky, you just couldn't argue with the heat.

 

IMO, it was either 1200 degrees, or at the very least, easily had the most superior recovery rate of any iron I ever used.

I recently scored one of those clunky Inland's on epay. 80 watts I believe but with enough thermal mass in that big chisel tip to solder anything for a slot car. It will un-solder things unintended if you are not careful. Great for soldering in big ol 16D motors like we have to use for the oval track at Downriver Speedway. I did not realize it was unobtanium now.

[MSwiss]

They had an economy model(60101?) I did not carry.

It might of been 80 watts.

IIRC, the one I sold was the 60105, and the pic indicates, is 100 watts.

I'm going to have to try a little harder to see if I can get a few replacement tips for the pictured one.

The shot one in the pic, is the 3/16".

The iron was so hot, you could use the edge/tip, and solder almost anything.

IOW, you seldom had to use the face.

Again, that was the 3/16".

The 1/4" was 25% better and I never bothered even trying the 3/8".

[Ecurie Martini]

Alan I'm sorry if I'm redundant,but did you ever live on 268th street in Queens new York City near long island Jewish hospital,because I had a friend with your name there and we were both close to the Glen oaks raceway in the 60s/70s.

 

I lived in Queens briefly but a bit earlier  - 1958 - on a street in the mid 200's in the Jackson Heights area just off, as I recall, Northern Blvd.  I was not far from Laguardia.  It was a pleasant year.  The apartment building I lived in was "home base" for a number of flight attendants who flew out of there.

 

EM

[Don Weaver]

​Mike, FWIW the Inland 60121 is about 1/2 the size of #60105 you show in the #14 post above and at 3oz probably 1/3 the weight.

 

Don

[MSwiss]

I noticed that.

Maybe I'll try one on the future.

I just spent $70 on the Hakko 601, plus another $50 or $60 on 4 or 5 cheap, but decent irons, to sell to new racers.

[tonyp]

I have never used a torch. I see no need for one with a good iron and good soldering techniques.


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[slotcarone]

I used an Inland 100 watt studio professional for many years but the tips are no longer available. I now use a Hakko 601 and it is great. Of course the key to building slot car chassis is being able to transfer the heat to the metal through the tip/solder.

[tonyp]

Also the hotter the iron the easier it is to solder a part next to another already soldered with out unsoldering it because you can heat up the joint quickly


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[Ecurie Martini]

Also the hotter the iron the easier it is to solder a part next to another already soldered with out unsoldering it because you can heat up the joint quickly


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The ultimate for this is resistance soldering.  I have a small commercial unit.  The only problem is that you must watch the (typically adjustable) power level to avoid drawing the temper when soldering steel.  I use mine for silver soldering (brazing) steel chassis parts.

 

EM

[MSwiss]

I used an Inland 100 watt studio professional for many years but the tips are no longer available. I now use a Hakko 601 and it is great. Of course the key to building slot car chassis is being able to transfer the heat to the metal through the tip/solder.

  

Also the hotter the iron the easier it is to solder a part next to another already soldered with out unsoldering it because you can heat up the joint quickly
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I'm not sure all racers understand heat transfer.

IOW, sometimes you have to add solder,(to encapsulate the tip) to unsolder something.

[Don Weaver]

Yep.  Add solder to de-solder, a counterintuitive thought but absolutely true.

[Ramcatlarry]

The torches have changed from the propane (or white gasoline) plumbing torches of the 1950s.  Think pocket size butane....I have one that came from Radio Shack and another from Home Depot under the LENK (LSP-60) brand.  Many pocket cigar lighters use butane as fuel so the fuel is widely available AND can fit in the race box.  Some models screw right onto the butane tanks.

[swodem]

Not sure if you can get Goot irons in the USA, I use a Goot model CXR80 with a 6mm chisel tip. It’s the smallest size commonly used here for leadlight work. It's effective for what we do


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