Small solder pot experience?

[Brendon]

I'm thinking of getting a small solder pot for the occasional short
production run job. Tinning of small hookup wire will be its main use.


I'm thinking of something like these cheap Chinese units. Obviously they
won't be superbly built but some youtube videos show they seem to work ok.

<http://www.ebay.com.au/sch/i.html?_trksid=p2050601.m570.l1313.TR0.TRC0&_nkw=solder+pot&_sacat=0&_from=R40>





I've got a few questions;


1) Do I need to use flux on freshly stripped wire?


2) Is something like this flux from Element14 flux ok? Just flux dip &
then solder dip?

<http://au.element14.com/aim-products/264-5-1l/liquid-flux-no-clean-1-litre/dp/1827774>




3) How often do you have to screed the dross off the top - every 5 mins?
Do you lose much solder in the process?


4) What sort of solder? (obviously not flux cored) - Some solder pot
solder pellets available seem to be almost 99% Pb. Rather than 60/40.


5) In practice is it quicker than tinning with an iron & flux cored
solder? Runs would be 200+ wire end to be tinned per session.



Thanks!

 

I use a similar small solder pot for small productions runs of the order you speak of. Mine doesn't have any temp control so I use a simple triac controller(mains) to maintain the temp. It works quite well and is faster for runs of that order of size.
I purchased a bottle of RMA liquid flux from a local company and use a stick of 60/40 solder - I think I got from Bunnings.

Screeding across the top is probably far less often than 5mins but definitely necessary whenever I have stopped for a while.

In my previous bigger corporate experience we used a lot more expensive equipment but this works for the small enterprise I now am involved in.

You will need to switch on a good while before use to melt all the solder in the pot before starting work.



help this helps and gives you confidence.
work safely mate
Harvey

 

[Brendon]

On 23/08/2013 7:48 PM, hhedwards55@gmail.com wrote:

I use a similar small solder pot for small productions runs of the order you speak of. Mine doesn't have any temp control so I use a simple triac controller(mains) to maintain the temp. It works quite well and is faster for runs of that order of size.
I purchased a bottle of RMA liquid flux from a local company and use a stick of 60/40 solder - I think I got from Bunnings.

Screeding across the top is probably far less often than 5mins but definitely necessary whenever I have stopped for a while.

In my previous bigger corporate experience we used a lot more expensive equipment but this works for the small enterprise I now am involved in.

You will need to switch on a good while before use to melt all the solder in the pot before starting work.



help this helps and gives you confidence.
work safely mate
Harvey

Thanks for the response Harvey. It all sounds good, I think I'll get
one. It's no great financial disaster if it turns out to be no good!
I appreciate your response.
Cheers!

 

[Art Vanderlay]

On 24/08/2013 10:29 PM, Brendon wrote:

On 23/08/2013 7:48 PM, hhedwards55@gmail.com wrote:
I use a similar small solder pot for small productions runs of the
order you speak of. Mine doesn't have any temp control so I use a
simple triac controller(mains) to maintain the temp. It works quite
well and is faster for runs of that order of size.
I purchased a bottle of RMA liquid flux from a local company and use a
stick of 60/40 solder - I think I got from Bunnings.

Screeding across the top is probably far less often than 5mins but
definitely necessary whenever I have stopped for a while.

In my previous bigger corporate experience we used a lot more
expensive equipment but this works for the small enterprise I now am
involved in.

You will need to switch on a good while before use to melt all the
solder in the pot before starting work.



help this helps and gives you confidence.
work safely mate
Harvey



Thanks for the response Harvey. It all sounds good, I think I'll get
one. It's no great financial disaster if it turns out to be no good!
I appreciate your response.
Cheers!

As a suggestion you may want to consider a fume extractor fan of some
sort while using the pot. The one where I used to work (a transformer
manufacturer) was in daily use and from memory produced quite a few
fumes when wires dipped into solder. It had a hood and extraction fan
fitted over the top.

 

[Brendon]

On 27/08/2013 3:57 PM, Art Vanderlay wrote:

On 24/08/2013 10:29 PM, Brendon wrote:
On 23/08/2013 7:48 PM, hhedwards55@gmail.com wrote:
I use a similar small solder pot for small productions runs of the
order you speak of. Mine doesn't have any temp control so I use a
simple triac controller(mains) to maintain the temp. It works quite
well and is faster for runs of that order of size.
I purchased a bottle of RMA liquid flux from a local company and use a
stick of 60/40 solder - I think I got from Bunnings.

Screeding across the top is probably far less often than 5mins but
definitely necessary whenever I have stopped for a while.

In my previous bigger corporate experience we used a lot more
expensive equipment but this works for the small enterprise I now am
involved in.

You will need to switch on a good while before use to melt all the
solder in the pot before starting work.



help this helps and gives you confidence.
work safely mate
Harvey



Thanks for the response Harvey. It all sounds good, I think I'll get
one. It's no great financial disaster if it turns out to be no good!
I appreciate your response.
Cheers!

As a suggestion you may want to consider a fume extractor fan of some
sort while using the pot. The one where I used to work (a transformer
manufacturer) was in daily use and from memory produced quite a few
fumes when wires dipped into solder. It had a hood and extraction fan
fitted over the top.

Cheers Art - very good point. I've got a boat bilge pump hooked up that
I use to suck solder flux smoke etc outside, I'll make sure to use it.
Thanks